Written questions by Timothy.

What steps he plans to take to help improve (a) training and (b) awareness of (i) Lymphoedema and (ii) Lipoedema for (A) GPs and (B) other medical professionals.

Doctors are responsible for maintaining their clinical knowledge, including on lymphoedema and lipoedema, throughout their careers, and are responsible for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development.All doctors registered in the United Kingdom are expected to meet the professional standards set out in the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) Good Medical Practice. In 2012, the GMC introduced revalidation, which supports doctors in regularly reflecting on how they can develop or improve their practice, giving patients confidence that doctors are up to date with their practice, and promoting improved quality of care by driving improvements in clinical governance.The training curricula for postgraduate trainee doctors are set by the relevant medical royal college and have to meet the standards set by the GMC. Whilst curricula do not necessarily highlight specific conditions for doctors to be aware of, they instead emphasise the skills and approaches that a doctor must develop to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients.Resources for health professionals are available from a number of professional and patient organisations to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients presenting with lymphoedema and lipoedema.

What her planned timetable is for launching a national inquiry into grooming gangs.

The Government is driving forward work to establish the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse under the Inquiries Act 2005. It will be overseen by an Independent Commission with statutory powers to compel evidence and testimony so that institutions can be held to account for current and historic failures. The inquiry will be independent of government and designed to command the confidence of victims and survivors and the wider public.The first step in establishing the inquiry is the appointment of the Chair to the inquiry. A rigorous selection process is currently underway, which we are undertaking properly and thoroughly, with appropriate due diligence and meaningful engagement with victims and survivors. This is a non-negotiable part of this process and remains ongoing. Once the Chair is appointed, the Government will provide a full update to Parliament.In line with the Inquiries Act, the appointed Chair will play a central role in shaping the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference. These will be published in draft once the Chair is appointed and subject to consultation with stakeholders, including victims and survivors.

Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the letter of 14 August 2025 from the hon. Member for West Suffolk.

A response was sent to the hon. Member on 16 October 2025.

When she plans to respond to the letter of 7 September 2025 from the hon. Member for West Suffolk.

The letter of 7 September 2025 was transferred to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for response.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has received the final report from the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition.

The Working Group have now submitted their independent advice to Ministers who will take the time to review and consider the advice carefully before confirming next steps in due course.

Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the final report from the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition.

The Working Group have now submitted their independent advice to Ministers who will take the time to review and consider the advice carefully before confirming next steps in due course.

Whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on whether to undertake a (a) consultation and (b) safeguarding assessment in the context of the application of vehicle plate-exemption powers.

The best practice guidance issued by the Department to taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England advises that private hire vehicles should only exempt the display of a licence plate by a private hire vehicle in exceptional circumstances. This might include vehicles used for ‘executive hire’ services which are services licensed as private hire vehicles and licensing authorities should assure themselves that there is sufficient justification to exempt these vehicles from a requirement to display a plate or disc and that there is an effective means to prevent the vehicle being used for ‘normal’ private hire work.In relation to the requirement to consult, the guidance sets out that licensing authorities should consult on proposed changes in licensing rules that may have significant impacts on passengers and/or the trade. Such consultation should include not only all taxi and private hire vehicle licensees but also groups likely to be the trades’ customers.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the final report from the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition in full and without redactions.

The Working Group have now submitted their independent advice to Ministers who will take the time to review and consider the advice carefully before confirming next steps in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish a list of the (a) people and (b) organisations who were invited to contribute towards the final report from the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition.

The Working Group have now submitted their independent advice to Ministers who will take the time to review and consider the advice carefully before confirming next steps in due course.

If she will publish the Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain for 2024; and what funding her Department has allocated for research into alternative testing methods.

The Annual Statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain: 2024 will be published on October 23, 2025.The Government is committed to the development of non-animal alternatives and will publish a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption.UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has a diverse portfolio of investments that supports research which can lead to alternatives, such as organ-on-a-chip, cell-based assays, functional genomics and computer modelling. UKRI also invests £10 million annually in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs). The Government also co-funds seven Centres of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI), two focusing on AI which will support alternative method development.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of fire safety standards for 5G masts.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has not issued guidance on fire safety standards for 5G masts and does not have responsibility for setting such standards. Mobile network operators are responsible for the operation, maintenance and safety of their infrastructure. The Department engages regularly with mobile network operators in relation to resilience of network infrastructure.Rules relating to fire risk and 5G infrastructure is covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Innovation and Technology, what guidance her Department has issued to fire and rescue services on safety standards in relation to 5G masts.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has not issued guidance on fire safety standards for 5G masts and does not have responsibility for setting such standards. Mobile network operators are responsible for the operation, maintenance and safety of their infrastructure. The Department engages regularly with mobile network operators in relation to resilience of network infrastructure.Rules relating to fire risk and 5G infrastructure is covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 65935 on Private Rented Housing: Energy Performance Certificates, what his Department's timetable is for publishing the (a) Government's response to and (b) further impact assessment on the Consultation on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in the Social Rented Sector in England, which closed on 10 September 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 81744 on 21 October 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 October 2025 to Question 72845 on City of Sanctuary UK, on which dates officials from her Department met with Schools of Sanctuary since July 2024; and what was discussed at each meeting.

Three meetings have taken place between officials and Schools of Sanctuary during the 2024/25 academic year. One meeting was to discuss school admissions policy and processes, and two were to hear about the work of the organisation.

Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the letter of 5 September 2025 from the hon. Member for West Suffolk.

A response was sent to the hon. Member on 6 January 2026.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a medal for servicemen and women who leave the armed forces before becoming eligible for medals under existing schemes.

Whilst we are grateful to all those who serve in our Armed Forces, it remains the position that medals are awarded only in recognition of operational Service, acts of gallantry, and long and meritorious Service; they are not awarded for Service alone. The Ministry of Defence has no plans to recommend that consideration is given to the introduction of a new medal for personnel who are not eligible for recognition under existing medallic arrangements. Any proposal for a new medal would require endorsement by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals and approval by His Majesty The King.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) halal and (b) kosher slaughterhouses have operated in the UK in each year since 2020, by local authority area.

The number of slaughterhouses carrying out slaughter using the halal or shechita methods is not routinely recorded, as no specific approval from the Food Standards Agency is required to use these methods. However, the FSA’s most recent slaughter sector survey showed that in February 2024: for cattle, there were 4 slaughterhouses that used the Shechita method and 4 that used the non-stun halal method; for sheep, there were 5 that used the Shechita method and 12 that used the non-stun halal method; for meat chickens, there were 4 slaughterhouses that used the Shechita method and 10 that used the non-stun halal method. Additionally, some slaughterhouses also utilise the stunned halal method too.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) halal and (b) kosher slaughterhouses have been investigated for violations of (i) food safety and (ii) animal welfare standards in each year since 2020.

The Food Standards Agency does not have data on the number of halal or kosher slaughterhouses investigated for violations of food safety or animal welfare standards. The Food Standards Agency does not categorise slaughterhouses as either ‘halal’ or ‘kosher’. No specific approval is required to use these methods and so the slaughterhouses producing kosher or halal meat are not routinely recorded.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of (a) food safety and (b) animal welfare standards in (i) halal and (ii) kosher slaughterhouses.

No specific food safety or animal welfare assessments have been made of slaughterhouses using halal or kosher slaughter methods. Animal welfare at time of killing legislation sets out the main requirements to protect the welfare of animals when being slaughtered. There are additional rules that apply when animals are slaughtered by either the Jewish or Muslim method to ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering, or distress during the slaughter process. Similarly, food hygiene legislation sets out the hygiene requirements for approved slaughterhouses regardless of the method used.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of mandating the labelling of (a) halal and (b) kosher products.

There are no regulations that require the labelling of halal or kosher meat, but the Government expects industry to provide consumers with information on which to make an informed choice about their food. Any information provided on the method of slaughter must be accurate and not misleading to the consumer.We will consider the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s wider animal welfare strategy.