Written questions by Wrigley.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the outage of Amazon Web Services in October 2025 on Government web services.

I refer the hon. Member for Newton Abbot to the answer given on 27 October 2025 to Question 83776.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the outage of Amazon Web Services in October 2025 on the technology sector.

DSIT has communicated with AWS extensively throughout and in the immediate aftermath of the outage, to understand the situation and to ensure recovery was underway. All services have since been restored and we remain in regular contact with AWS.We continue to work across government and with businesses to understand the full impact of the outage, identify lessons, and look at how we can mitigate impacts and ensure resilience in future.The forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will protect the services the public rely on to go about their normal lives. This will include expanding the scope of the regulations to include more types of essential and digital services and making sure they adhere to robust cyber security practices.

Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on granting support for Indefinite Leave to Remain for international medical graduates who have completed their training.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular discussions with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, on a range of subjects including immigration policy.As part of the Immigration White Paper, published in May 2025, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, announced a proposed contribution-based settlement model which will include the expansion of the settlement qualifying period from five years to ten years, though some people will be able to qualify earlier. The Home Office will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year.

What assessment she had made of the potential impact of the Amazon Web Services outage in October 2025 on NHS services.

We are not aware of any impact to National Health Services resulting from the outage at Amazon Web Services.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an investment standard for general practice.

The Government recognises the important role that general practice (GP) plays in the National Health Service and is committed to shifting more funding towards primary and community care services to enable early intervention and to reduce pressure on hospitals. We are committed to investing in reforms to support this shift, and to ensure sustainable resources for GPs. We’ve delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, an almost £1.1 billion uplift, with GPs now receiving a growing share of National Health Service resources.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the white paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, on the adequacy of (a) the supply of trainee GPs and (b) levels of access to primary care services.

We are aware of the white paper and officials are considering the implications for the general practice workforce and for access to primary care services.Whilst we hugely value our international workforce and the skills and experience they bring, we are also committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join our National Health Service. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, thereby enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.

Whether his Department has undertaken an equality impact assessment in relation to linking its proposed digital ID scheme with right-to-work checks.

The new digital ID will be designed to be inclusive. We will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks and have already started to engage with a range of expert organisations and community groups. These considerations, and views from the consultation, will inform ongoing assessments on the impact on equality.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing PIP claimants to be able to claim support via the Motability Scheme when there is less than 12 months on their PIP mobility component.

Motability Foundation is independent of government and regulated by the Charity Commission so is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme. The Department does however work closely with Motability Foundation, and is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme The Motability Scheme supports those in receipt of a qualifying mobility allowance including the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and the enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). We will continue to work with Motability to ensure the Scheme meets the transport needs of disabled people.

If she will introduce a national railcard for all ages.

There are no current plans to review railcards in advance of the transition to Great British Railways, however Great British Railways will have the opportunity to take a fresh look at the justification of the eligibility and restrictions of some railcards. Any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy will require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway. Additionally, there are many local concessionary passes that are valid on National Rail, this includes the Devon and Cornwall Railcard, which have been introduced by local authorities and train operators.

If she will take steps to introduce a Network South West railcard similar to the Network railcard available for people in London and the South East.

There are no current plans to review railcards in advance of the transition to Great British Railways, however Great British Railways will have the opportunity to take a fresh look at the justification of the eligibility and restrictions of some railcards. Any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy will require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway. Additionally, there are many local concessionary passes that are valid on National Rail, this includes the Devon and Cornwall Railcard, which have been introduced by local authorities and train operators.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the current method of funding the BBC.

The Charter Review will consider a range of issues, including how the BBC can continue to prosper, supported by a sustainable funding model.The Government is keeping an open mind about the future of the licence fee. We will work closely with the BBC, and engage with other broadcasters, stakeholders across the creative industries, as well as the British public, to inform our thinking.

If his Department will publish all consultation responses on the proposed digital ID scheme prior to the introduction of legislation.

We will follow the Cabinet Office principles for consultations and consider all responses received, from both individuals and organisations.

What (a) offline and (b) paper-based alternatives will be available for citizens without (i) digital access and (ii) smartphones under the proposed digital ID system.

To design and deliver digital ID, this government will undertake the biggest digital inclusion drive in our country's history. This will ensure everyone eligible can access and use this new digital ID, including those more likely to be digitally excluded. We are considering options like a digitally enabled physical alternative for those without access to technology, help for those who are partially sighted, in-person support for those who struggle to engage digitally, and a dedicated team of case workers to support those who may struggle to initially prove their identity and access the system. We will launch a public consultation in the coming months and have already started to engage with a range of expert organisations and community groups, including the Digital Inclusion Action Committee.

Whether it is his Department's policy that the proposed digital ID scheme will be overseen by an independent body to (a) monitor compliance, (b) investigate misuse and (c) publish annual transparency reports.

The Digital ID scheme will build on existing programmes and infrastructure. We will follow best practice on privacy and security, from both within the UK and internationally. The National Cyber Security Centre Security (NCSC) is advising how this is done to the highest standard. We will adhere to all existing UK law and governance structures, including close working with the ICO during the development of the scheme. We will examine options for appropriate oversight of the digital ID system through the upcoming consultation, which will begin in the new year.

What plans his Department has to ensure that (a) cloud hosting, (b) data processing and (c) other core components of the proposed digital ID system are under sovereign UK control.

Data associated with the Digital ID system will be held and kept safe in secure cloud environments hosted in the United Kingdom. The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders to make the programme effective, secure and inclusive, including taking insights from previous IT projects where appropriate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in Israel on the potential impact of drone activity in international waters on establishing new aid flotillas.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 13 October to question 77868.

What assessment his Department has made of the risk from non-government actors to people's personal data security under the proposed digital ID scheme; and what (a) technical and (b) legal controls will be used to mitigate this.

The cyber security of the UK is a key priority for this government – crucial to protecting the public and our way of life, and a successful, growing economy. We are introducing the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to improve UK cyber defences - protecting our economy, safeguarding essential public services and strengthening UK national security. The bill will deliver a fundamental step change in the UK’s national security – making essential and digital services more secure in the face of cyber criminals and state actors who want to disrupt our way of life. This framework will be applied to the new digital ID, which will have robust cyber security and personal data protections in place. These will also feature in the upcoming consultation on the scheme.

On what evidential basis the (a) Making Tax Digital for Income Tax and (b) other remaining parts of the Making Tax Digital programme will deliver adequate levels of benefits to justify the administration for (i) small businesses and (ii) landlords.

HMRC is on track to implement Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax for those with income over £50,000 from April 2026, with a wide range of customers already testing the service in live running HMRC has completed a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis which shows the programme continues to deliver value for money for the taxpayer. The latest analysis and figures are published in the June 2025 Accounting Officer Assessment, which is available at: Making Tax Digital Programme Accounting Officer Assessment (updated) - GOV.UK The evidential basis for the benefits of MTD for Income Tax, includes economic analysis, evaluations and research and stakeholder feedback. The published evaluation of MTD for VAT found that it had successfully delivered against its objectives; businesses keeping digital records and updating them more frequently generated additional tax revenue in line with expectations. While some stakeholders have raised concerns about the costs of compliance, HMRC’s comprehensive evaluation of MTD for VAT suggests that these are offset over time by reduced errors, improved efficiency, and better financial management. HMRC has undertaken detailed assessments of the potential impact of MTD for Income Tax on compliance costs and administrative requirements across different customer groups, including self-employed individuals, small businesses, and landlords. These have been modelled using the Standard Cost Model and published in Tax Information and Impact Notes (TIINs). The latest published assessment is available at: Extension of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment to sole traders and landlords - GOV.UK HMRC has undertaken public consultation, independent research and user testing to assess the readiness of small businesses for the rollout of MTD for Income Tax. This engagement has informed the design of MTD for Income Tax and led to a phased implementation, tailored support, and focus on providing a wide range of affordable software options. HMRC has adopted a co-creation approach to bring stakeholders into the heart of the design process, ensuring that the service is shaped by user needs and that businesses are supported through the transition. Approximately 4,000 participants are currently involved in testing. These cover a range of income types and customer journeys. Findings from testing are used to refine software functionality, improve guidance, and ensure the service meets the needs of small businesses. HMRC expects most required to use MTD will be able to do so successfully but recognises that some may face challenges using MTD. Although committed to supporting as many taxpayers as possible to move onto digital services, HMRC will exempt those who genuinely cannot use MTD due to age, disability, or digital exclusion. HMRC undertook exploratory work on MTD for Corporation Tax but concluded that the MTD model was not the right fit for the varying needs of the diverse Corporation Tax population, which ranges from multinationals to microbusinesses to charities. HMRC are developing an approach for the future administration of Corporation Tax which better suits this population.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help tackle homelessness in Newton Abbot constituency.

The government has increased funding for homelessness services by £316 million to a total of over £1 billion in 2025/26. Funding allocations are published on gov.uk here.

What changes to the Access to Work scheme have been made during this parliamentary session.

No changes have been made to Access to Work policy, and we will announce any changes prior to them being implemented. We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed and the collaboration committees have been completed.