Written questions by Ellis.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support dairy farmers in Ribble Valley constituency.

The UK dairy sector is highly resilient and adaptable and continues to supply healthy and affordable products in spite of the many challenges it has faced in recent years. This Government recognises that food security is national security, and that it requires a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports farmers. That is why we are introducing new deals for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security. Ensuring fairness in supply chains is key for UK dairy farmers and supporting the sustainability of the sector. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which fully came into force on 9 July 2025, improve fairness and transparency, requiring dairy contracts to include clear terms on pricing, termination, and prohibiting unilateral changes.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that every ICB retains its Women’s Health Champion.

The network of women’s health champions brings together senior leaders in women’s health from every integrated care system (ICS) to share best practice to improve women’s health outcomes across the life course and reduce health inequalities. The role is a voluntary commitment.The network continues to meet every one to two months to share insight and discuss best practice on local implementation of women’s health services across ICSs. Meetings continue to be well-attended with insightful, positive discussion. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health also attended the March 2025 Network of Champions meeting and had the opportunity to hear firsthand about their excellent work and ideas for the future.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce gynaecology waiting lists in Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB.

Reducing waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission, and we are committed to cutting waiting times across all specialities and integrated care boards (ICBs). We have committed to returning to the National Health Service constitutional standard, that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029. We are making good progress, with waiting lists cut by over 230,000 since the Government came into office, including nearly 14,000 fewer waits for gynaecology treatment.We also delivered 5.2 million additional appointments between July 2024 and June 2025, exceeding our pledge of two million. However, we know that there is more to do and have confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment to expand capacity across diagnostics, electives, and urgent care. This includes expanding the number of surgical hubs, which provide valuable and protected capacity across elective specialities, including gynaecology. As of November 2025, there are 123 operational elective surgical hubs in England, three of which are in the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB. Over half of the 123 provide gynaecology services. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, also committed to:increasing the relative funding available to support gynaecology procedures with the largest waiting lists;ensuring that independent sector providers play a greater role in providing support for the most challenged specialities, such as gynaecology; andreforming and optimising clinical pathways across a number of specialities. In gynaecology, this includes supporting the delivery of innovative models offering patients care closer to home and piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure pregnant women’s access to birthing choice is protected.

The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that home birth is presented as an (a) guaranteed and (b) consistently-available option to pregnant women.

The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring train operating companies to guarantee an adequate level of family-friendly design on new trains.

In advance of establishing Great British Railways, the Government is developing a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, which will be the first for over 30 years. The strategy will set out our assessment of the likely long-term future rolling stock needs, and how those needs can best be met. Passengers will be at the heart of the strategy. It will move us towards more consistent and accessible train designs that meet the needs of the passengers that use them, including families.

What guidance his Department provides to pregnant women to ensure they receive adequate information on all four birth settings.

The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.

Whether the statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator will consider the feasibility of extending its remit to include (a) farmers supplying via intermediaries and (b) other indirect suppliers affected by retailer practices.

The public consultation to the fourth statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator asked whether there are unfair contractual practices in parts of the supply chain that are not covered by the Groceries Code or the Fair Dealing Regulations under the Agriculture Act 2020, but which are having a negative impact on grocery suppliers.The government is currently considering responses to the consultation, alongside other evidence, and will publish a report on the findings of the review as soon as practicable.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing local housing allowance rates on levels of homelessness in (a) rural and (b) other areas.

The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and often complex; they interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We do however work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) on homelessness are considered. The Secretary of State considers LHA rates annually at Autumn Budget. Decisions on LHA will be taken in the round considering a range of factors such as rental data, the Government’s missions, its goals on housing and the challenging fiscal context. LHA rates were restored to the 30th percentile of local market rents from April 2024 for one year, costing £1.2bn in 2024/25 and £7bn over 5 years. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) can be paid by local authorities to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. DHPs include a ring-fenced pot for the most rural areas

Communities and Local Government, what support she is providing to protect residential estates that are on unadopted road in the event of inadequate residential management group maintenance.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

What criteria her Department applies when assessing asylum claims from (a) people with a risk of persecution from the Taliban and (b) other Afghan rights defenders.

All asylum and human rights claims from Afghan nationals are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations.Each individual assessment is made by considering any relevant extant caselaw, the latest available country information, and relevant Asylum Instruction(s), notably Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status.Our assessment of the situation for individuals claiming a fear of the Taliban in Afghanistan is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on GOV.UK

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including protections against unfair supermarket practices in the Farming Profitability Review.

Baroness Minette Batters was appointed to complete a review into barriers to profitability in English farming and present her report to the Defra Secretary of State. The review has examined how farmers can embrace innovation, improve productivity and market access, how the supply chain can support a more profitable farming sector through greater transparency, collaboration and a fairer distribution of risk, rewards and responsibility. As set out in the Terms of Reference, the recommendations of the Farming Profitability Review will inform Defra policy including the Farming Roadmap, Food Strategy and Land-use Framework.

What targets his Department has on reducing inequalities in (a) baby deaths and (b) pregnancy loss.

A number of interventions specifically aimed at addressing maternal and neonatal inequalities are underway. These include the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme, delivery of an inequalities dashboard, and projects on removing racial bias from clinical education and embedding genetic risk equity. Additionally, all local maternity and neonatal systems have published Equity and Equality actions plans to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas.An important aspect of both the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation and the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce announced in June 2025, is to address inequalities in maternal and neonatal care and promote health equity in the delivery of those services.The Government remains committed to setting an explicit target to close the Black and Asian maternal mortality gap, and is taking an evidence-based approach to ensure that any targets set are women and baby-centred.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to increase the recruitment of women in the AI and data science sector.

Government recognises the importance of diversifying the AI talent pool and we will support this goal this through the design and delivery of our skills and talent programmes.DSIT is standing up the new TechFirst programme that will reach 1 million young people across the UK with AI and tech educational opportunities. This will also support more of our most promising home talent into scholarship and PhD routes that they would not otherwise have accessed.We support initiatives such as the AI and Data Science Conversion Courses, which have successfully attracted a higher proportion of women than comparable STEM programmes.To further strengthen the UK’s AI skills base we are launching the prestigious AI Spärck scholarships and are expanding the Turing AI Fellowships. We are committed to ensuring that these programmes offer opportunities to a diverse range of participants.UKRI is the primary funder of data science research and innovation in the UK. They required to show how they will ensure diversity of recruitment and support inclusion within their operations.

Whether he plans to include provision in the Child Poverty Strategy for children living in the North West.

In developing a Child Poverty Strategy, the Taskforce is considering all children across the United Kingdom. The UK Government is committed to tackling child poverty across the UK where progress is contingent on reserved, devolved, and local levers. The Child Poverty Strategy will be UK-wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with Devolved Governments, recognising the progress that has been made on their poverty strategies and policies, and in England, with mayors and other local leaders. Local authorities are a key part of our approach to learning directly about the experience of poverty in different communities and solutions already underway. Both the Taskforce and officials in the Child Poverty Unit have engaged with local communities regularly throughout the development of the strategy. This includes through a ministerial taskforce meeting with local leaders from combined and local governments in England, who joined Ministers to discuss the experience of poverty in their local communities, and innovative solutions underway. The Child Poverty Unit also consulted local authorities across England through a virtual webinar in December 2024, allowing authorities to feed into the development of the strategy. and visits to Manchester, Ashton-Under-Lyme, Cheshire and Merseyside. As a significant downpayment ahead of strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty including an expansion of Free School Meals and a £39 billion investment in social and affordable housing. At the 2025 Spending Review we also announced a new March 2025 £1 billion package to reform crisis support, including the first ever multi-year settlement to transform the Household Support Fund into a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach enables local authorities to provide preventative support to communities as well as assist people when faced with a financial crisis.

Whether he plans to include provision in the Child Poverty Strategy for children living in non-mayoral areas.

In developing a Child Poverty Strategy, the Taskforce is considering all children across the United Kingdom. The UK Government is committed to tackling child poverty across the UK where progress is contingent on reserved, devolved, and local levers. The Child Poverty Strategy will be UK-wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with Devolved Governments, recognising the progress that has been made on their poverty strategies and policies, and in England, with mayors and other local leaders. Local authorities are a key part of our approach to learning directly about the experience of poverty in different communities and solutions already underway. Both the Taskforce and officials in the Child Poverty Unit have engaged with local communities regularly throughout the development of the strategy. This includes through a ministerial taskforce meeting with local leaders from combined and local governments in England, who joined Ministers to discuss the experience of poverty in their local communities, and innovative solutions underway. The Child Poverty Unit also consulted local authorities across England through a virtual webinar in December 2024, allowing authorities to feed into the development of the strategy. and visits to Manchester, Ashton-Under-Lyme, Cheshire and Merseyside. As a significant downpayment ahead of strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty including an expansion of Free School Meals and a £39 billion investment in social and affordable housing. At the 2025 Spending Review we also announced a new March 2025 £1 billion package to reform crisis support, including the first ever multi-year settlement to transform the Household Support Fund into a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach enables local authorities to provide preventative support to communities as well as assist people when faced with a financial crisis.

Whether he plans to include provision in the Child Poverty Strategy for children living in rural areas.

In developing a Child Poverty Strategy, the Taskforce is considering all children across the United Kingdom. The UK Government is committed to tackling child poverty across the UK where progress is contingent on reserved, devolved, and local levers. The Child Poverty Strategy will be UK-wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with Devolved Governments, recognising the progress that has been made on their poverty strategies and policies, and in England, with mayors and other local leaders. Local authorities are a key part of our approach to learning directly about the experience of poverty in different communities and solutions already underway. Both the Taskforce and officials in the Child Poverty Unit have engaged with local communities regularly throughout the development of the strategy. This includes through a ministerial taskforce meeting with local leaders from combined and local governments in England, who joined Ministers to discuss the experience of poverty in their local communities, and innovative solutions underway. The Child Poverty Unit also consulted local authorities across England through a virtual webinar in December 2024, allowing authorities to feed into the development of the strategy. and visits to Manchester, Ashton-Under-Lyme, Cheshire and Merseyside. As a significant downpayment ahead of strategy publication, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty including an expansion of Free School Meals and a £39 billion investment in social and affordable housing. At the 2025 Spending Review we also announced a new March 2025 £1 billion package to reform crisis support, including the first ever multi-year settlement to transform the Household Support Fund into a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This longer-term funding approach enables local authorities to provide preventative support to communities as well as assist people when faced with a financial crisis.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to increase the recruitment of parents in the AI and data science sector.

Government recognises the importance of diversifying the AI talent pool, and we will support this goal this through the design and delivery of our skills and talent programmes.DSIT is standing up the new TechFirst programme that will reach 1 million young people across the UK with AI and tech educational opportunities. This will also support more of our most promising home talent into scholarship and PhD routes that they would not otherwise have accessed.To further strengthen the UK’s AI skills base we are launching the prestigious AI Spärck scholarships and are expanding the Turing AI Fellowships. We are committed to ensuring that these programmes offer opportunities to a diverse range of participants.UKRI is the primary funder of data science research and innovation in the UK. They required to show how they will ensure diversity of recruitment and support inclusion within their operations.

What steps his Department is taking to assess and monitor company buying practices in the UK’s clothing supply chains.

The Government expects all UK companies to respect human rights, workers’ rights and the environment throughout their operations and supply chains in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct (RBC). If there are concerns related to a multinational enterprise contravening the OECD Guidelines, a case can be raised with the Office for Responsible Business Conduct. In the Trade Strategy, the Government also launched a review into the UK’s approach to RBC, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains. This includes the fashion industry.

Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to support updating the legal definition of a newspaper to allow local councils to place public notices with eligible online news outlets.

The Government is concerned about the sustainability of local journalism and DCMS is developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. We also recognise that local press continues to play a vital role in informing local communities, and that public notices play an important role in helping inform the public of decisions made by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property.However, we are also aware of concerns from some sectors about the audience reach of these notices and the desire for greater digitalisation. In this context, the sector’s Public Notice Portal is a welcome innovation, taking advantage of print publishers’ growing digital audiences and providing a centralised resource for all types of public notice. We also welcome the Portal's current expansion to include archive and consultation functions to help public bodies and commercial entities engage with the public more effectively.DCMS is monitoring the progress of the Portal, and the effect that it has on the audience reach of public notices. This type of industry innovation and collaboration is integral to securing the sector’s future. It will be taken into account in our planned review of public notices as part of the Local Media Strategy, which will more broadly consider the merits of making changes to existing requirements to place public notices in print local newspapers. More will be announced on the Strategy in the coming months.