Written questions by Shastri-Hurst.

If she will take steps to increase capacity on Chiltern Railways.

We continue to work closely with Chiltern Railways to support delivery of its train fleet renewal programme to improve passenger experience and drive sustainable growth across the region. Chiltern is exploring options to procure additional trains, while following robust assurance steps to ensure it has a strong business case that delivers value for money for the taxpayer.

With reference to the findings of Lord Darzi's Independent investigation of the NHS in England, published on 12 September 2024, what steps his Department is taking to support community pharmacies with (a) funding, (b) workforce and (c) medicine supply challenges.

We are committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. From 2026, all newly qualified pharmacists will be independent prescribers, and we are investing in training legacy staff to develop clinical and technical roles.The consultation with Community Pharmacy England on the national funding and contractual framework arrangements has not yet been concluded, and we are looking into this as a matter of urgency.We have inherited ongoing global supply problems that continue to impact medicine availability. We know how frustrating this can be for patients and community pharmacists. We are working closely with industry, the National Health Service, manufacturers, and other partners in the supply chain to resolve issues as quickly as possible to make sure patients can access the medicines they need.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent proliferation of (a) nuclear and (b) biological weapons.

The UK remains committed to supporting and implementing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a vital pillar of the international peace and security architecture. The NPT has created the non-proliferation framework that has both limited the spread of nuclear weapons and enabled safe access to nuclear technologies for peaceful uses. The UK contributes over £20 million each year to the International Atomic Energy Agency who ensure NPT compliance and hold member states to account on their obligations.The UK is committed to universal implementation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. We will work with other States Parties to strengthen the Convention in 2025, fifty years after it entered into force. The UK's ambition for enhancing our own resilience, is set out in our Biological Security Strategy.

What recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle delays at Coroners’ Courts.

It is important that the inquest process is as swift and efficient as possible to avoid additional distress for bereaved families at such a difficult time in their lives. Whilst the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy, the Department does not have operational responsibility for coroner services as they are a local service, funded and administered by individual local authorities. Coroners themselves are independent judicial office holders, led by the Chief Coroner. However, we are keen to understand the factors underlying the length of time for the completion of inquests, and to provide support, where possible and appropriate. To that end, we have introduced a raft of statutory measures to help streamline coroner processes and intend to take forward further measures when Parliamentary time allows. In addition, on 9 September 2024, the Government implemented the statutory Medical Examiner scheme which, by providing a more robust framework for the scrutiny of cause of death, is intended to decrease the number of deaths which are unnecessarily referred to the coroner, thereby helping to reduce pressure on coroner services and associated services such as pathology. We will continue to work with the Chief Coroner to consider and address any issues of consistency which may exist across coroner areas. We will also continue to support the merger of coroner areas where opportunities arise, to better provide consistent service standards for bereaved families. We welcome the findings of the Justice Committee’s 2023 follow-up inquiry into the coroner service, including in relation to support for the bereaved in the inquest process. We are carefully considering the Committee’s findings to establish a wider strategy for the development of coroner services including on issues such as coronial pathology and learning from death. We look forward to working closely with the Chief Coroner, local authorities and other key partners inside and outside of Government to devise and deliver this framework for the future, including working on an update to the Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the processes for supporting patients presenting to General Practitioners with mental health disorders attributable to gambling.

We are committed to supporting improvements to the existing treatment system, ensuring people experiencing gambling-related harm are able to access the right care at the right time.NHS England now operates 15 specialist gambling treatment clinics, up from two in 2019, with representation across every region in England. Through these clinics, the National Health Service has capacity to treat up to 3,000 people experiencing gambling-related harms each year.General practitioners are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.The NICE is currently developing a gambling-related harms guideline, focused on identification, assessment, and management of people who may be harmed by gambling. Publication is expected later this year.

What steps her Department has taken to help ensure that coroners are (a) making consistent use of their power to issue Prevention of Future Death reports and (b) improving the use of such reports o help prevent future deaths.

It is important that the inquest process is as swift and efficient as possible to avoid additional distress for bereaved families at such a difficult time in their lives. Whilst the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy, the Department does not have operational responsibility for coroner services as they are a local service, funded and administered by individual local authorities. Coroners themselves are independent judicial office holders, led by the Chief Coroner. However, we are keen to understand the factors underlying the length of time for the completion of inquests, and to provide support, where possible and appropriate. To that end, we have introduced a raft of statutory measures to help streamline coroner processes and intend to take forward further measures when Parliamentary time allows. In addition, on 9 September 2024, the Government implemented the statutory Medical Examiner scheme which, by providing a more robust framework for the scrutiny of cause of death, is intended to decrease the number of deaths which are unnecessarily referred to the coroner, thereby helping to reduce pressure on coroner services and associated services such as pathology. We will continue to work with the Chief Coroner to consider and address any issues of consistency which may exist across coroner areas. We will also continue to support the merger of coroner areas where opportunities arise, to better provide consistent service standards for bereaved families. We welcome the findings of the Justice Committee’s 2023 follow-up inquiry into the coroner service, including in relation to support for the bereaved in the inquest process. We are carefully considering the Committee’s findings to establish a wider strategy for the development of coroner services including on issues such as coronial pathology and learning from death. We look forward to working closely with the Chief Coroner, local authorities and other key partners inside and outside of Government to devise and deliver this framework for the future, including working on an update to the Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that coroners’ inquests are conducted adequately.

It is important that the inquest process is as swift and efficient as possible to avoid additional distress for bereaved families at such a difficult time in their lives. Whilst the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy, the Department does not have operational responsibility for coroner services as they are a local service, funded and administered by individual local authorities. Coroners themselves are independent judicial office holders, led by the Chief Coroner. However, we are keen to understand the factors underlying the length of time for the completion of inquests, and to provide support, where possible and appropriate. To that end, we have introduced a raft of statutory measures to help streamline coroner processes and intend to take forward further measures when Parliamentary time allows. In addition, on 9 September 2024, the Government implemented the statutory Medical Examiner scheme which, by providing a more robust framework for the scrutiny of cause of death, is intended to decrease the number of deaths which are unnecessarily referred to the coroner, thereby helping to reduce pressure on coroner services and associated services such as pathology. We will continue to work with the Chief Coroner to consider and address any issues of consistency which may exist across coroner areas. We will also continue to support the merger of coroner areas where opportunities arise, to better provide consistent service standards for bereaved families. We welcome the findings of the Justice Committee’s 2023 follow-up inquiry into the coroner service, including in relation to support for the bereaved in the inquest process. We are carefully considering the Committee’s findings to establish a wider strategy for the development of coroner services including on issues such as coronial pathology and learning from death. We look forward to working closely with the Chief Coroner, local authorities and other key partners inside and outside of Government to devise and deliver this framework for the future, including working on an update to the Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People.

How many veterans are receiving specialist mental health support.

Veterans can access specialist mental health support either through Op COURAGE, a bespoke integrated mental health pathway for veterans, or NHS Talking Therapies. As of 30 June 2024, Op COURAGE reported that they were actively supporting 2,702 veterans. Since its inception in April 2017, there have been over 38,500 referrals to Op COURAGE. In addition to the Op COURAGE services, between 1 April 2020 and 30 June 2024, 63,810 veterans have entered NHS Talking Therapy treatment services.

What recent steps her Department has taken to reduce regional variations in the services provided by coroners.

It is important that the inquest process is as swift and efficient as possible to avoid additional distress for bereaved families at such a difficult time in their lives. Whilst the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy, the Department does not have operational responsibility for coroner services as they are a local service, funded and administered by individual local authorities. Coroners themselves are independent judicial office holders, led by the Chief Coroner. However, we are keen to understand the factors underlying the length of time for the completion of inquests, and to provide support, where possible and appropriate. To that end, we have introduced a raft of statutory measures to help streamline coroner processes and intend to take forward further measures when Parliamentary time allows. In addition, on 9 September 2024, the Government implemented the statutory Medical Examiner scheme which, by providing a more robust framework for the scrutiny of cause of death, is intended to decrease the number of deaths which are unnecessarily referred to the coroner, thereby helping to reduce pressure on coroner services and associated services such as pathology. We will continue to work with the Chief Coroner to consider and address any issues of consistency which may exist across coroner areas. We will also continue to support the merger of coroner areas where opportunities arise, to better provide consistent service standards for bereaved families. We welcome the findings of the Justice Committee’s 2023 follow-up inquiry into the coroner service, including in relation to support for the bereaved in the inquest process. We are carefully considering the Committee’s findings to establish a wider strategy for the development of coroner services including on issues such as coronial pathology and learning from death. We look forward to working closely with the Chief Coroner, local authorities and other key partners inside and outside of Government to devise and deliver this framework for the future, including working on an update to the Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People.

What steps she is taking to promote safety on international maritime trade routes.

The UK is an active and committed member of IMO, the international body with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping. As a contracting Government to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs), and other safety related instruments, the UK has implemented regulations that require UK-flagged merchant ships to comply with internationally agreed safety standards when operating on any international route. The UK shares information and guidance with Red Ensign flagged vessels to support them in implementing adequate and proportionate measures to support safe operations in challenging environments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure macroeconomic stability in Ukraine.

Since February 2022 the UK has provided fiscal assistance worth £4.1 billion via guarantees for World Bank lending to support Ukraine's economic stability. This includes multi-year assistance worth $3 billion, which will be delivered in yearly $1 billion tranches. This is part of a collective G7 effort over Ukraine's International Monetary Fund programme.As G7 leaders announced in June, we are working together to implement 'Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration' loans, which will provide approximately $50 billion in additional funding.An overview of UK support is published on gov.uk [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-support-to-ukraine-factsheet/uk-support-to-ukraine-factsheet].

How many court listings were vacated due to a failure to send a notice of hearing to the parties in the last 12 months.

This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve the experiences of bereaved families who appeal coroners’ conclusions.

It is important that the inquest process is as swift and efficient as possible to avoid additional distress for bereaved families at such a difficult time in their lives. Whilst the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy, the Department does not have operational responsibility for coroner services as they are a local service, funded and administered by individual local authorities. Coroners themselves are independent judicial office holders, led by the Chief Coroner. However, we are keen to understand the factors underlying the length of time for the completion of inquests, and to provide support, where possible and appropriate. To that end, we have introduced a raft of statutory measures to help streamline coroner processes and intend to take forward further measures when Parliamentary time allows. In addition, on 9 September 2024, the Government implemented the statutory Medical Examiner scheme which, by providing a more robust framework for the scrutiny of cause of death, is intended to decrease the number of deaths which are unnecessarily referred to the coroner, thereby helping to reduce pressure on coroner services and associated services such as pathology. We will continue to work with the Chief Coroner to consider and address any issues of consistency which may exist across coroner areas. We will also continue to support the merger of coroner areas where opportunities arise, to better provide consistent service standards for bereaved families. We welcome the findings of the Justice Committee’s 2023 follow-up inquiry into the coroner service, including in relation to support for the bereaved in the inquest process. We are carefully considering the Committee’s findings to establish a wider strategy for the development of coroner services including on issues such as coronial pathology and learning from death. We look forward to working closely with the Chief Coroner, local authorities and other key partners inside and outside of Government to devise and deliver this framework for the future, including working on an update to the Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential societal cost of problem gambling.

The Government recognises the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families. We recognise that there are limitations in the existing evidence on the societal cost of gambling harm and that there is a need for better data and further research on this topic. As stated in its manifesto, the Government is committed to strengthening the protections for those at risk and working with industry on how to ensure responsible gambling. We are considering the best available evidence from a wide range of sources to inform decisions on how best to fulfil the manifesto commitment to reducing gambling-related harm.

What steps he is taking to help support jobs in the defence industry.

This Government recognises the vital role the defence industry plays not only in our national security but also to the economic prosperity and growth of the UK.The UK's defence industry is a global leader and defence spending provides good, well-paid jobs. Ministry of Defence spending supports around 434,000 jobs across the UK, with around 239,000 of those supported by industry across the UK. The Strategic Defence Review will put personnel across defence at the core of future defence work.Our industry partners, of all sizes, are very much at the heart of our One Defence approach. That is why this Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy aligning our security and economic priorities to boost the prosperity of our people across the country, provide resilience for the UK, and ensure the credibility of our deterrence.