Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

How many new jobs will be created in the UK from the manufacture of 12 new F-35 A jets.

UK industry contributes approximately 15% by value of F-35 production, working with over 100 suppliers and supporting more than 20,000 jobs. The Ministry of Defence will purchase 12 F-35A aircraft as part of the previously agreed F-35B procurement schedule. It will help sustain the significant employment and industrial benefits provided by the programme. The rear fuselage and tail surfaces of every F-35 are manufactured in Lancashire; the ejection seats are manufactured in Middlesex; and core avionics and electronics systems are manufactured in Scotland, Kent and the South West.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 58502, how many prisons currently hold regular chess activity sessions.

The Ministry of Justice is aware of research that is in progress in relation to regular chess sessions across the prison estate. To date, no formal assessment has been made of any effect on re-offending.As chess is not a structured physical activity, it is not included in the management information that is collected centrally. To determine how many prisons hold regular chess sessions, it would be necessary to consult each individual establishment, and this could not be done without incurring disproportionate cost.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 58502, what the total discretionary budget across the prison estate for (a) education and (b) sports in 2024-2025.

Non-discretionary spending on education in the adult prison estate and part of the private prison estate is funded from the Prison Education Framework budget. Governors are able to supplement this with provision from the Dynamic Purchasing System budget (£12.6 million in 2024-25).Funding for sport forms part of the budget for measures at establishment level aimed at reducing re-offending. As the sport element is not disaggregated, it is not possible to give a budget figure for this provision.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 58502, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of chess in prisons on reducing offending behaviour.

The Ministry of Justice is aware of research that is in progress in relation to regular chess sessions across the prison estate. To date, no formal assessment has been made of any effect on re-offending.As chess is not a structured physical activity, it is not included in the management information that is collected centrally. To determine how many prisons hold regular chess sessions, it would be necessary to consult each individual establishment, and this could not be done without incurring disproportionate cost.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward a consultation on fox hunting.

As per our manifesto, this Government will ban trail hunting. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing and further announcements will be made in due course.

With reference to the White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, if she will make it her policy to include consideration of the social contribution of social care workers when determining points-based contributions to reducing the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

Whether she plans to introduce AI integration and camera use in family law proceedings.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Within the Ministry of Justice, we are testing and adopting AI to improve the experience and efficiency within our courts.AI has the potential to enable service improvements across HM Courts & Tribunals Service, and we are exploring how it can be applied responsibly to our operations and services, including to support document processing, transcription, summarisation and translation. The use of AI in the courts and tribunals will be focused on accelerating and assisting people’s work, not automating decisions.All use of artificial intelligence in the Ministry of Justice is aligned with the AI Playbook for the UK Government and the Algorithmic Transparency Reporting Standard. The Lady Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals issued AI Guidance for the judiciary in December 2023.There are currently no live AI or predictive analytics systems in use in the Family Courts.We are running early-stage discovery and proof of concept projects to test the potential value of AI in the Family Courts as follows:A tool to support the judiciary with anonymisation and redaction of judgments in support enhancing family court transparency by increasing the number of judgments published in the Family Courts.Microsoft Copilot 365 licenses are being trialled by members of the judiciary to test the value in supporting routine activities, including in the Family Courts.Remote hearings in family proceedings, often conducted via telephone or video conferencing, are already regularly used where the judge with conduct of the case feels it is appropriate.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a cap on private rents for residential properties.

The government has been clear it does not support the introduction of rent controls, including rent stabilisation measures. We believe they could make life more difficult for private renters, both in terms of incentivising landlords to increase rents routinely up to a cap where they might otherwise not have done, and in pushing many landlords out of the market, thereby making it even harder for renters to find a home they can afford.

What plans her Department has to raise the Local Housing Allowance.

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are reviewed annually, usually at an Autumn fiscal event.At last year’s Autumn Budget, the Secretary of State’s decision to maintain LHA at current levels for 2025/26 was taken after a range of factors were considered, including rental data, the impacts of LHA rates, rate increases in April 2024, and the wider fiscal context. The April 2024 one-year LHA increase cost an additional £1.2bn in 2024/25, and approximately £7bn over 5 years.Any future decisions on LHA policy will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing and the fiscal context.For those who need further support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. DHPs can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of private landlords that have issued Section 21 notices to their tenants since 5 July 2024.

My Department does not hold data on Section 21 evictions issued by landlords. However, the English Private Landlord Survey 2024 indicated that Section 21 notices are the most common way landlords evict tenants, and we know that chronic insecurity in the private rented sector has real-life consequences for individuals and families. The Renters’ Rights Bill will deliver our manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting, including the long-delayed abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. The Bill will give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.

How many Equitable Life members are still waiting for compensation.

The Equitable Life Payment Scheme has been fully wound down and closed since 2016. The only remaining part of the Payment Scheme in operation is the annual payments made to eligible With-Profit-Annuitants and the Scheme is on track to distribute the remainder of the £1.5 billion originally allocated as planned. Further guidance on the status of the Payment Scheme after closure is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equitable-life-payment-scheme#closure-of-the-scheme.

If she will make it her policy to maintain the differential between the levels of the (a) new state pension and (b) lower personal tax allowance.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. Through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners benefitted 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 - the amount an individual can earn before paying tax - 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.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether time spent in Gibraltar by UK citizens will count against the 90-day allowance for stays in Schengen countries.

Non-resident British nationals can currently visit Gibraltar for up to 90 days. The same will be the case under this agreement. As visitors will be free to cross into Spain without checks, time spent in Gibraltar will count towards the EU's 90 in 180 requirement. Immigration into Gibraltar is, and will remain, the responsibility of the Government of Gibraltar.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will ensure that time spent in Gibraltar does not reduce the time British citizens can spend in Schengen countries.

To unlock the benefits of a fluid border, all individuals arriving at Gibraltar's airport will undergo dual immigration controls allowing them to move freely into the EU if they wish to. As visitors will be free to cross into Spain without checks, time spent in Gibraltar will count towards the EU's 90 in 180 requirement. This agreement provides a solution to the unique situation in Gibraltar, ensuring a fluid border and delivering certainty for Gibraltar's people and businesses.

What plans she has for infrastructure investment in (a) Dorset, (b) Hampshire and (c) Wiltshire.

This week, the government published its 10-year infrastructure strategy. The strategy brings together a long-term plan for the social, economic and housing infrastructure across the UK. Alongside considering the UK’s economic and social infrastructure needs, the strategy sets out how we are reforming institutions and changing the way we make decisions and deliver infrastructure, maximising the benefits of our strong fiscal and spending frameworks, breaking down regulatory and planning barriers, and resetting our relationship with the private sector.

Whether he plans to deliver a new National Carers Strategy in the next 12 months.

We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission will start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support.I also chair a regular cross-Government meeting made up of ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education to consider how we can provide unpaid carers with the recognition and support they deserve.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to co-ordinate support for unpaid carers.

We recognise the tireless hard work and dedication of unpaid carers and young carers in this country. We know that unpaid carers do so much to look after their loved ones and that while many people wish to play a caring role, it can bring challenges. We are determined to provide carers with the recognition and support they deserve. That is why Ministers from the Departments of Health and Social Care, Work and Pensions, Business and Trade, and Education have formed an unpaid carers ministerial group and will meet regularly. We are determined to work together, so that carers are identified by health and care services and supported to provide care, where appropriate, and better manage their own health wellbeing; able to enter into, or stay in, paid work should they choose to do so and prevented from falling into poverty; and supported so that they do not face barriers to opportunities due to the impact of caring.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Young Carers Covenant.

I have met young adult carers since taking up my current role last July and plan to do so again in future. I also work very closely with Ministerial colleagues in the Departments for Education and Health and Social Care, and we regularly discuss the help and support that young adult carers need and deserve and how the Government can meet the principles of the Young Carers Covenant. The Department for Education (DfE) has oversight of Government support for young carers in England.

What plans her Department has to review the (a) eligibility requirements for, (b) age threshold for, (c) tapering the earnings threshold for, (d) time spent caring condition for and (e) level of the Carers Allowance.

The Government keeps all aspects of Carer’s Allowance under review to see if it is meeting its objectives. It is not means-tested, but is subject to a weekly earnings limit. This was increased by a record amount in April 2025, which will benefit at least 60,000 unpaid carers between 2025/26 and 2029/30. The Government is also considering the possibility of introducing an earnings taper in the longer term. Carer’s Allowance may be supplemented for those on low incomes through Universal Credit and Pension Credit. These are paid at a higher rate for carers through the Universal Credit carer element of £201.68 per monthly assessment period, paid in addition to the Standard Allowance; or the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit of £46.40 a week, paid in addition to the Standard Minimum Guarantee. The Government has no plans to make Carer’s Allowance available to those aged under 16, or to change the requirement to be caring for at least 35 hours a week for someone in receipt of a “trigger” disability benefit.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, what proportion of the funding announced for affordable and social housing will go to social housing; and what the Government's target is for social housing annually in the next five years.

The new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme that was announced at the Spending Review will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent. We will confirm further details in due course. The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we continue to keep the matter under review.