Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

What recent discussions she has had with Ofsted on the (a) availability and (b) quality of school library provision.

The department has not specifically assessed the impact of professional school librarians on pupils’ learning or outcomes. It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. Headteachers have autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. This school funding can be used to fund librarians, school libraries and book corners.Ministers and officials have regular discussions with His Majesty’s Chief Inspector and his staff on a wide range of matters, including those relating to literacy and ensuring pupils benefit from a knowledge-rich curriculum.

What steps he is taking to prevent housing associations levying commercial rated energy costs onto residents for domestic usage.

Under the maximum resale price direction landlords cannot directly profit from re-selling energy to their tenants. There should therefore be no advantage to landlords for their tenants to have high bills. The previous Government ran a call for evidence on domestic consumers on non-domestic energy contracts. This showed that there is no single solution to address the multiple complex challenges faced by domestic consumers on non-domestic tariffs. The Government will continue to work with the regulator Ofgem and wider stakeholders on this issue.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the Primary-Secondary School Transitions Emotional Wellbeing Scale being developed by the University of Manchester and the University of Dundee.

The government recognises the importance of monitoring and understanding trends in the emotional wellbeing of children and young people, including through means such the Primary-Secondary School Transitions Emotional Wellbeing Scale developed at the University of Manchester and University of Dundee.Schools are encouraged to measure pupil wellbeing to inform their whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. It is for schools to decide how they do this to identify and meet the specific needs of pupils in their setting.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to key recommendation 3 of the Office for Environmental Protection’s report entitled Progress in improving the natural environment in England 2023 to 2024, published on 16 January 2025, if he will set out a timetable for improving management of Marine Protected Areas.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Brent West on 10 December 2024 and 6 January 2025, PQs 17500 and 20559.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect blue carbon habitats from damaging human activities.

In England, we have established a comprehensive network of 181 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which cover the majority of our saltmarsh and seagrass habitats. While blue carbon habitats may not always be an explicitly designated feature, MPA protection may still yield benefits. Our focus is now on ensuring that these MPAs are effectively protected to allow the designated features to achieve favourable condition. Three Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMAs) designations in English waters came into force in summer 2023. Two of the three designated sites, Allonby Bay and North East of Farnes Deep, contain blue carbon habitats. Defra set up the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership in partnership with DESNZ and the Devolved Administrations to address evidence gaps around these important habitats. We are funding a multi-year research project to increase our understanding of UK seabed sediment carbon storage and sequestration, the impact of human activities and to model potential management interventions. Initial outputs from this work were published in January 2025.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring that a minimum number of (a) local and (b) regional freelance professionals are hired by (i) TV and (ii) film companies when filming is taking place in their area.

The Department has not made any assessment of the potential merits of the particular suggestion of per-production employment quotas. However, our public service broadcasters are already subject to regional production quotas set by the regulator Ofcom. One of the criteria through which public service broadcasters can meet their quotas is by ensuring at least 50% of the off-screen production talent (by cost) working on a given production is based outside of London. This ensures that creative job opportunities continue to be available to freelance professionals building their careers in the nations and regions of the UK.We are also incentivising television and film production in every region through our tax reliefs and support for studios, including the £25 million investment for Crown Works Studios in Sunderland via the North East Combined Mayoral Authority.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's consultation entitled, Consultation on fairer food labelling, which closed in May 2024, when he will publish the outcomes of that consultation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gareth Snell on 19 December 2024, PQ 20692.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will implement a (a) transparent and (b) meaningful method of production labelling.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gareth Snell on 19 December 2024, PQ 20692.

When the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles plans to publish guidance on the options for the charging of electric vehicles.

The Government regularly publishes guidance for local authorities, industry and other key stakeholders on different aspects of electric vehicle (EV) charging, including the recent guidance on ‘cross-pavement solutions for charging electric vehicles’ and an online EV infrastructure ‘Knowledge Repository’ containing expert advice on all aspects of chargepoint delivery.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of recent trends in the level of wealth inequality.

The Government is committed to making sure the wealthiest in our society pay their fair share of tax. That is why the Chancellor announced a series of reforms at Autumn Budget 2024 to help fix the public finances in as fair a way as possible.While income and wealth are not always directly correlated, distributional analysis shows that Government decisions at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spending Review 2025, Phase 1 are progressive and benefit households in the lowest income deciles the most, on average as a percentage of income in 2025-26. The increases in tax are concentrated on the highest income households. Overall, on average, all but the richest 10% of households will benefit from policy decisions in 2025-26.

Whether the review of the UK’s national resilience will include the impact of wealth inequality on society.

The Government is committed to making sure the wealthiest in our society pay their fair share of tax. That is why the Chancellor announced a series of reforms at Autumn Budget 2024 to help fix the public finances in as fair a way as possible.While income and wealth are not always directly correlated, distributional analysis shows that Government decisions at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spending Review 2025, Phase 1 are progressive and benefit households in the lowest income deciles the most, on average as a percentage of income in 2025-26. The increases in tax are concentrated on the highest income households. Overall, on average, all but the richest 10% of households will benefit from policy decisions in 2025-26.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring a at least 25% of all new pension contributions to be invested in social and green infrastructure projects.

Investing in the right assets to deliver good saver returns, support growth and meet our environmental aims is key to the Government’s pensions initiatives. Proposals put forward by the November 2024 Interim Report of the Pensions Investment Review, aim to deliver a major consolidation of the defined contribution workplace market, and require 86 Administering Authorities of the Local Government Pension Scheme (of England and Wales) to delegate management of their investments to pools. Our objective is to enable schemes to invest in a wide range of assets including infrastructure, meeting social and green aims. The Government expects to publish its Final Report in Spring 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) conditions and (b) treatments for people with a chronic urinary tract infection.

NHS England published Excellence in Continence Care on 23 July 2018, bringing together evidence-based resources and research for guidance for commissioners, providers, and health and social care staff. This guidance covers both urinary and bowel, also known as faecal, incontinence. Further information on Excellence in Continence Care is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/excellence-in-continence-care/NHS England will consider the next steps for Excellence in Continence Care.

What steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of shingles.

To increase awareness of the shingles programme and of potential vaccination benefits amongst health professionals and the wider public, the UK Health Security Agency provides a comprehensive suite of public facing resources and assets, including information leaflets in multiple languages and accessible formats, like easy read, British Sign Language, and braille, and also provides guidance for healthcare professionals. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.healthpublications.gov.uk/Home.htmlIn addition, further information on the shingles immunisation programme specifically is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shingles-vaccination-guidance-for-healthcare-professionals/shingles-immunisation-programme-information-for-healthcare-practitioners

What assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the data on monitoring the longitudinal fluctuations in the wealth held by the wealthiest 1% of households in Round 8 of the ONS Wealth and Assets Survey, last published on 24 January 2025.

The Government is committed to making sure the wealthiest in our society pay their fair share of tax. That is why the Chancellor announced a series of reforms at Autumn Budget 2024 to help fix the public finances in as fair a way as possible.While income and wealth are not always directly correlated, distributional analysis shows that Government decisions at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spending Review 2025, Phase 1 are progressive and benefit households in the lowest income deciles the most, on average as a percentage of income in 2025-26. The increases in tax are concentrated on the highest income households. Overall, on average, all but the richest 10% of households will benefit from policy decisions in 2025-26.

With reference to the Office for National Statistics Wealth and Assets Survey, published on 24 January 2025, if she will make an assessment of the reasons for the trends in (a) financial and (b) physical wealth for the top (i) 10% and (i) 1% decile between round seven and round eight.

The Government is committed to making sure the wealthiest in our society pay their fair share of tax. That is why the Chancellor announced a series of reforms at Autumn Budget 2024 to help fix the public finances in as fair a way as possible.While income and wealth are not always directly correlated, distributional analysis shows that Government decisions at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spending Review 2025, Phase 1 are progressive and benefit households in the lowest income deciles the most, on average as a percentage of income in 2025-26. The increases in tax are concentrated on the highest income households. Overall, on average, all but the richest 10% of households will benefit from policy decisions in 2025-26.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of charging different licensing fees for people using firearms for (a) work and (b) recreation.

The issuing of firearms certificates is a matter for individual Chief Constables who are in turn held to account by Police and Crime Commissioners. The performance of forces is also being actively monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for firearms licensing, who is in the process of developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams.With regard to charging different fees for firearms used for work and recreation, HM Treasury guidance specifically rules out any two-tier system of fees. It states that “different groups of customers should not be charged different amounts for a service costing the same, eg charging firms more than individuals”.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the lifting of sanctions on Israeli settlers by the US government.

We are deeply concerned by recent events in the West Bank. The Foreign Secretary has been clear with Israeli Ministers that the Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and end settlement expansion. Sanctions are an important tool the UK, our allies and the wider international community can use to respond. Our carefully deployed sanctions are designed to address malign activity and demonstrate the UK's commitment to fundamental human rights. We will continue to work together with the new US administration to ensure regional security and stability, including ensuring lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians.

How many firearms licence renewals took more than three months in the last financial year.

The issuing of firearms certificates is a matter for individual Chief Constables who are in turn held to account by Police and Crime Commissioners. The performance of forces is also being actively monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for firearms licensing, who is in the process of developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams.With regard to charging different fees for firearms used for work and recreation, HM Treasury guidance specifically rules out any two-tier system of fees. It states that “different groups of customers should not be charged different amounts for a service costing the same, eg charging firms more than individuals”.

What assessment he has made of the impact of hydrogen power plants as part of the UK's energy sector.

Hydrogen to power can play an important role in our electricity system at a range of scales. When connected to grid-scale hydrogen storage, it can provide low carbon inter-seasonal storage, whilst also providing a decarbonisation pathway for unabated gas.In December 2024 the government announced its intention to introduce a hydrogen to power business model to support accelerated deployment of hydrogen-fired power stations.This marks a key step in paving the way for Hydrogen to power to support delivery and maintenance of the Clean Power Mission and the UK’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.