Written questions by Vickers.

What steps eh has taken to ensure that Integrated Care Boards comply with national guidance on prescribing gluten-free products to patients with coeliac disease.

Decisions about the commissioning and funding of local health services are the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop local services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs. The Government expects ICBs to take account of relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services, to ensure consistency of approaches between ICBs. NHS England’s guidance should be taken into account when ICBs formulate local policies, and prescribers are expected to reflect local policies in their prescribing practices.NHS England’s guidance on Prescribing Gluten-Free Foods in Primary Care states that commissioners restrict the prescribing of gluten free (GF) foods to bread and mixes only. Under the current legislation, ICBs may choose to further restrict product choice, or end the prescribing of GF foods altogether, if they feel this is appropriate for their population, whilst taking account of their legal duties to advance equality and having regard to reducing health inequalities.The national prescribing position in England remains that GF bread and mixes can be provided to coeliac patients on a National Health Service prescription, and a wide range of these items continue to be listed in part XV of the Drug Tariff. This means that prescribers can issue NHS prescriptions, based on a shared decision between prescriber and patient, while also being mindful of local and national guidance.

What recent discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on exempting the state pension from income tax.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. The commitment to protect the Triple Lock saw over 12 million pensioners benefit from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast. The Personal Allowance will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax. The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. The current Government is committed to keeping people’s taxes as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds at Budget 2025. From this winter pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments from this winter. This threshold is broadly in line with average earnings. It ensures the vast majority of pensioners – over three quarters, and around 9 million individuals in England and Wales - will receive support. It also ensures the means testing of Winter Fuel Payments has no effect on pensioner poverty. The relevant impact assessments are available on gov.uk: Equality Impact Assessments produced for targeting Winter Fuel Payment - GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payments eligibility change - internal modelling on pensioner poverty levels - GOV.UK.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the time taken for probate processing.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service have invested in more staff, alongside system and process improvements to reduce and then maintain lower processing times during the last year.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on probate timeliness here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-court-statistics-quarterly.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Universal Credit in supporting working families.

As promised in our election manifesto, we are currently reviewing Universal Credit, including its support for working families, to ensure it makes work pay and tackles poverty. Universal Credit is designed so that people who can, are able to secure and progress in work, and to provide a vital safety net for those who cannot work. The Universal Credit Bill has now passed all remaining stages and will receive Royal Assent this month. This bill legislates for the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. This increase will be for new and existing customers and will benefit millions of households.

What steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for family court proceedings.

Good progress is being made to reduce waiting times in the family court. In public law, average case duration was 33 weeks as at the end of May 2025, which is a four-week reduction since May 2024. In private law, the average case duration in was 38 weeks as at the end of May 2025, which is a reduction of just under four weeks since May 2024.The Family Justice Board has agreed system-wide targets for 2025/26, with a continued focus on tackling delay and reducing outstanding caseloads. In public law, this includes a system wide focus on the Public Law Outline; and in private law, areas delivering a wider rollout of the Pathfinder model which has made significant progress in addressing delays.

What steps she is taking to ensure that rail stations in the North East meet accessibility standards.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of Britain’s railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.In the North East, five Access for All projects have been undertaken, four of which are now complete, with one currently under construction. Nominations for future rounds of funding will benefit from strong industry support and a proportion of third party match funding.

Whether she is taking steps to reduce the use of short custodial sentences for non-violent offences.

In line with the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendation on reducing the use of short custodial sentences, the Sentencing Bill 2025 introduces a presumption to suspend short custodial sentences of 12 months or less, including for non-violent offences. We are not abolishing short sentences - judges will always have the power to send offenders to prison where they have breached a court order, where there is a significant risk of physical or psychological harm to a particular individual, or in exceptional circumstances. Evidence shows community orders and suspended sentences can be more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. Around 60% of adults jailed for under a year reoffend within 12 months. Ministry of Justice matched cohort research shows offenders released from short prison sentences of less than 12 months reoffend at a higher rate (up to 4pp) than similar offenders given a community or suspended sentence. Limiting the use of short sentences will not only help offenders to leave the merry-go-round of re-offending but reduce crime, leading to fewer victims and safer communities.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital hearings on access to justice.

Remote hearings can, in appropriate cases, improve access to justice by reducing travel requirements, enabling more flexible scheduling and supporting vulnerable users through remote participation. The mode of hearing is a judicial decision ensuring the interests of justice are met. User experience and feedback continue to inform improvements to the remote hearing service.

What support her Department provides to help single parents in Teesside access (a) training and (b) employment.

The Government is committed to reducing child poverty. Evidence suggests that if parents work, including second earners and lone parents, this substantially reduces the risk of child poverty; and that growing up in poverty is a strong predictor of children’s education and future earnings. Parents claiming Universal Credit have support from Work Coaches, who provide individual, tailored help to all customers across the country. This includes supporting the development of skills needed to look for and obtain sustained employment and advice to parents on childcare support. There is also funding available through the Flexible Support Fund to remove immediate barriers to employment, including support for upfront childcare costs, travel costs, work wear, tools and equipment. The number of hours a parent who has childcare responsibilities is expected to work or search for work can be reduced to allow the parent to combine work and care. We are also considering how we can improve our support to help parents into work as part of our Child Poverty Strategy.

What recent estimate she has made of the length of Personal Independence Payment processing times in Stockton-on-Tees.

We are committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through PIP in a timely manner and always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence For PIP new claims the current average clearance time is approximately 14 weeks, which includes the period allowed for customers to complete and return their questionnaire.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of court backlogs in the North East.

For criminal courts, despite a brief fall at the end of 2024, the open caseload at the Crown court in the North East has steadily increased since 2022, with 10,678 open cases at the end of March 2025.For this financial year (25/26), this Government is funding a record allocation of Crown Court sitting days to deliver swifter justice for victims – 110,000 sitting days next year, 4,000 higher than the last Government funded.As a result of increased Government funding, the North East circuit will sit an extra 1,500 days in FY25/26, taking the total to around 15,000 days. The additional sitting time will be focused on reducing the time taken for a Crown Court trial to be heard.As of March 2025, the Magistrates’ Court criminal workload across the North East stands at 46,444 cases. This represents an increase of 6,206 (15%) compared to March 2024. As with the Crown Court, the Magistrates’ Court across the North East have seen receipts exceed disposals.For family courts, in public law the open caseload has reduced from 1,846 to 1,742 from May 2024 to May 2025, and in private law from 4,418 to 3,858 from May 2024 to May 2025. This means that we are delivering swifter justice and resolution for families and children.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of rail connectivity between Teesside and other major economic centres.

I recognise the important part that reliable rail connections play for a growing economy like Teesside. As well as allocating significant investment to reopen Hartlepool platform 3 in June 2024, which will allow more trains to pass through the station, we are working with train operators to make the best use of the available infrastructure and to improve reliability to deliver the services passengers need. My department has regular discussions with Mayor Houchen and other Northern leaders on their aspirations for a more connected and reliable rail service across Teesside and the whole North East.

What progress she has made on electrification of rail lines serving Teesside.

This government is investing significantly in the North East to improve transport connectivity and grow the economy. Following the recent Spending Review, the Tees Valley mayoral combined authority will receive funding to deliver local transport projects, such as a new platform at Middlesbrough railway station, through various funds, including the City Region Sustainable Transport and Transport for City Regions settlements (CRSTS and TCR). The Mayor is responsible for ensuring delivery of these projects and report regularly into the Department on progress. The Government currently has no plans to electrify rail lines serving Teeside.

What discussions she has had with local authorities on co-locating justice and support services.

There have been no discussions with local authorities on co-locating justice and support services. However, this Government is committed to ensuring victims have access to support and information, and that this is delivered efficiently and effectively at a local level. We intend to commence provisions in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, which introduces a statutory Duty to Collaborate on relevant authorities, including local authorities, local policing bodies and Integrated Care Boards, to work together when commissioning support services for victims.The Duty aims to ensure local commissioners gain a better understanding of the needs of victims in their area, create a more strategic approach to commissioning and remove barriers for those seeking to access support. We will be consulting on the guidance on the Duty to Collaborate in due course.

What recent estimate she has made of the number of knife crime incidents in the Tees Valley.

The Home Office collects information on the number of offences involving a knife or sharp instrument recorded by the police in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level only.The latest published information for Cleveland Police, published by the Office for National Statistics, can be found in Table P5 here: Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables - Office for National Statistics

What steps she is taking to upgrade road infrastructure serving (a) freeport and (b) industrial development sites.

We are investing £4.8 billion during 2025/26 to operate, maintain, renew and enhance the Strategic Road Network, supporting journeys right across the country, enabling connectivity and economic growth. We have committed to delivering several major road schemes which will service Industrial Strategy Zones including the A63 Castle Street supporting Humber Freeport, A52 Nottingham Junctions supporting East Midlands Freeport and Investment Zone, and Lower Thames Crossing supporting the Thames Freeport. We will set out our future plans for investment in the SRN through the publication of RIS3, no later than March 2026.

What steps she is taking to support local authorities in tackling illegal encampments.

The police and local authorities are equipped with a range of powers to respond to unauthorised encampments. These include long-standing provisions under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, as well as additional powers introduced through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.The response to unauthorised encampments is led locally, involving multi-agency collaboration between local authorities, police, and relevant services. This approach supports community engagement and ensures that responses are tailored to local needs.Statutory guidance issued by the Home Office sets out how these powers should be applied, including the importance of considering welfare needs and ensuring that any enforcement action is lawful, necessary and proportionate.The criminal offence in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, introduces penalties for those who cause significant damage, disruption or distress while residing on land without permission in or with a vehicle, and refuse to leave when asked. The offence is punishable by a prison sentence of up to 3 months, or a fine of up to £2,500, or both, and/or seizure of the vehicle.

How many additional police officers have been deployed in Cleveland Police since July 2024.

The Home Office does not hold the data requested.The Home Office collects and publishes data biannually on the number of police officers, as at 31 March each year, in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.Table H1 of the data tables accompanying the publication includes the number of police officers available for duty by Police Force Area which excludes police officers on long term absence. Monthly breakdowns, including a figure for July 2024, however, are not available.

What recent progress he has made in digitising patient records in NHS trusts in Teesside.

University Hospitals Tees (UHT), comprising of the North Tees and Hartlepool and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts, continues to progress its ambitions in digitising patient records across Teesside, North Yorkshire, and County Durham.A recent digital patient record success for UHT was the achievement of the BSI0008:2020 accreditation. This means that the scanning bureau at the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust now holds the accreditation equivalent to that of major national and international organisations for storing patient information electronically.

What recent steps she has taken to help tackle organised crime networks operating in ports in the North East.

The Government is committed to tackling serious and organised crime (SOC) across the United Kingdom, including criminal activity at and around our ports. The Home Office works closely with law enforcement partners, including the National Crime Agency (NCA), Border Force, and regional police forces, to disrupt organised crime groups operating in the North East and nationally.In November 2024, the Prime Minister announced an additional £58 million for the NCA’s core budget in 2025/26, representing a 9% increase from the previous year. On 11 June 2025, the Chancellor confirmed up to £280 million per year for the Border Security Command (BSC) by 2028–29. This investment supports the NCA’s expanded capacity to tackle organised immigration crime, including the recruitment of 100 new specialist officers, bringing the total dedicated full time employees close to 500.The BSC is working strategically across the border security system, alongside the NCA, police, and intelligence agencies, to dismantle smuggling gangs and disrupt their supply chains. It is also collaborating with international partners to pursue organised immigration crime groups operating across Europe and beyond, with recent operations resulting in widely publicised arrests.While the BSC continues to mature, it is already working closely with delivery partners across Whitehall to collect system-wide data on organised immigration crime disruptions. This will help track long-term impact, support operational delivery, and ensure a secure and effective border. This collaborative approach is designed to increase the number of criminal groups dismantled and reduce small boat crossings, with performance monitored to inform future strategy.The NCA also works with UK and international partners to tackle SOC at the border. For example, following a joint operation with Dutch authorities, an individual was sentenced recently to 17 years for conspiring to import 1.5 tonnes of Class A drugs through the Port of Immingham. The drugs, concealed in rolls of artificial grass, had an estimated street value of £120 million. This case demonstrates the NCA’s ability to disrupt high-harm criminal networks operating at UK ports.