Written questions by Timothy.

What assessment his Department has made of the combined potential impact of multiple gas-fired plant retirements on (a) grid stability and (b) inertia levels.

Great Britain has a highly stable and resilient energy system with diverse supplies. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) continuously monitors the electricity system and ensures sufficient inertia and negative and positive reserves to manage large generation or demand losses, including through retirements of gas plant. In the transition to clean power, we are deploying the technologies needed to ensure the energy system remains resilient. In Great Britain, for example, NESO procure alternative technologies such as synchronous condensers and flywheels and use sub-second response services to manage frequency changes and maintain system stability.

What steps she is taking to allocate revenues from carbon pricing to help increase levels of (a) industrial resilience and (b) innovation in high energy-consuming sectors.

The Government is committed to maintaining an ambitious carbon pricing scheme to ensure that polluters continue to pay for their emissions. The UK’s lead carbon pricing policy is the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).The ETS raised c.£3.5 billion in the 2024-25 financial year, and the funds raised by the scheme are invested in the Government’s spending priorities, including public services and decarbonisation efforts. The Government is also providing support for industrial energy bills as set out in the Industrial Strategy.

What steps he is taking to improve breastfeeding support in (a) the east of England and (b) England.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and giving every child the best start in life. We know breastfeeding has significant health benefits for babies and for their mothers. Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, we are investing £18.5 million in 2025/26 to improve infant feeding support across 75 local authorities in England, including Bedford, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, and Thurrock in the East of England. We have also extended and expanded the National Breastfeeding Helpline so that more families across the United Kingdom can access breastfeeding support 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Most families will be receiving their breastfeeding support from midwives and health visitors. We are committed to strengthening these services and are already making progress.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the funding provided by his Department for (a) Walking with the Wounded’s Head Start psychotherapy service and (b) OpCourage in the East of England.

Part of the allocation from the Department to NHS England includes funding for National Health Service bespoke commissioned services for veterans such as Op COURAGE. Whilst there has been no assessment of the funding provided for Op COURAGE services across England, the funding received by Op COURAGE in the East of England is based on historic demand for veterans’ mental health services in that region.The Head Start Psychotherapy service is not funded by the Department, as it is part of a formal sub-contractual arrangement between Op COURAGE in the East of England and Walking with the Wounded. As such, any referral cap would be agreed between Op COURAGE and Walking with the Wounded.NHS England meets with the regional providers of Op COURAGE on a regular basis to review the service, including reviewing the time waited for treatment. NHS England discusses the overall performance of Op COURAGE with providers to ensure that the service, including those elements delivered by partners such as Walking with the Wounded, is meeting the needs of veterans.

What steps is he taking to reduce waiting times for access to (a) Walking With The Wounded’s Head Start psychotherapy service and (b) OpCourage in the East of England.

Part of the allocation from the Department to NHS England includes funding for National Health Service bespoke commissioned services for veterans such as Op COURAGE. Whilst there has been no assessment of the funding provided for Op COURAGE services across England, the funding received by Op COURAGE in the East of England is based on historic demand for veterans’ mental health services in that region.The Head Start Psychotherapy service is not funded by the Department, as it is part of a formal sub-contractual arrangement between Op COURAGE in the East of England and Walking with the Wounded. As such, any referral cap would be agreed between Op COURAGE and Walking with the Wounded.NHS England meets with the regional providers of Op COURAGE on a regular basis to review the service, including reviewing the time waited for treatment. NHS England discusses the overall performance of Op COURAGE with providers to ensure that the service, including those elements delivered by partners such as Walking with the Wounded, is meeting the needs of veterans.

If he will take steps to (a) increase and (b) remove the referral cap for Walking With The Wounded’s Head Start psychotherapy service in the East of England.

Part of the allocation from the Department to NHS England includes funding for National Health Service bespoke commissioned services for veterans such as Op COURAGE. Whilst there has been no assessment of the funding provided for Op COURAGE services across England, the funding received by Op COURAGE in the East of England is based on historic demand for veterans’ mental health services in that region.The Head Start Psychotherapy service is not funded by the Department, as it is part of a formal sub-contractual arrangement between Op COURAGE in the East of England and Walking with the Wounded. As such, any referral cap would be agreed between Op COURAGE and Walking with the Wounded.NHS England meets with the regional providers of Op COURAGE on a regular basis to review the service, including reviewing the time waited for treatment. NHS England discusses the overall performance of Op COURAGE with providers to ensure that the service, including those elements delivered by partners such as Walking with the Wounded, is meeting the needs of veterans.

How many immigration officials have been dismissed for committing (a) immigration and (b) bribery offences in each year since 2020, broken down by nationality.

Since 1 January 2020 there have been four immigration officials successfully prosecuted for bribery and immigration offences following a Home Office investigation. Three of these officials were prosecuted for Immigration offences. One was prosecuted for Bribery and Immigration offences. Two individuals were dismissed, one resigned and the final staff member’s contract ended. Three of these were British and one was French.In the ten proceeding years, there were 27 prosecutions for immigration, and one for bribery.

What information her Department holds on the number of immigration officials that have been successfully prosecuted for committing (a) immigration and (b) bribery offences since 2020, broken down by nationality.

Since 1 January 2020 there have been four immigration officials successfully prosecuted for bribery and immigration offences following a Home Office investigation. Three of these officials were prosecuted for Immigration offences. One was prosecuted for Bribery and Immigration offences. Two individuals were dismissed, one resigned and the final staff member’s contract ended. Three of these were British and one was French.In the ten proceeding years, there were 27 prosecutions for immigration, and one for bribery.

What information his Department holds on (a) what components used in the power grid were manufactured by Chinese companies and (b) whether (i) Chinese companies and (ii) the Chinese state can (A) access data from and (B) control those components remotely.

The protection and security of the energy sector is a priority of this Government. HMRC publishes the value and mass of electrical machinery, equipment and parts imported, by country, on its data portal at www.uktradeinfo.com/trade-data/ots-custom-table/. Foreign investment in critical national infrastructure undergoes the highest levels of scrutiny, and the government has powers to protect energy infrastructure and critical services through a broad range of mitigations, including legislative and regulatory powers. DESNZ works closely with industry and other government departments to maintain a detailed picture of ownership and foreign involvement in energy infrastructure

On what basis Serco can refuse to inform Members of Parliament when (a) houses, (b) hotels and (c) other premises are being used for asylum dispersal in their constituency.

The Home Office routinely engages local officials and elected members as part of the procurement process for specific types of accommodation, to enable us to gather local intelligence which informs our decision making. This engagement and disclosure is undertaken on a case by case basis as is necessary.The Home Office publishes details of numbers of supported asylum seekers by local authority on a quarterly basis. This can be found here - Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK - Asy_D11 tab. Any requests relating to the disclosure of information beyond that which is already published, is reviewed on a case by case basis to ensure that it is lawful, proportional and necessary.

Whether his Department is reviewing the security arrangements at (a) RAF Lakenheath, (b) RAF Mildenhall and (c) other domestic military bases, in the context of the attack on RAF Brize Norton.

Immediate measures were put in place following the incident at RAF Brize Norton to enhance existing security arrangements and increase vigilance at all Defence sites, and we have also engaged with the US Visiting Forces. You will appreciate that we will not comment on the specifics of those arrangements. We have also directed a full review of security arrangements across all Defence sites and will continue to liaise with our US colleagues accordingly.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of dental undergraduate training in the East of England.

Tackling the geographical disparities in access to National Health Service dentistry is vital. As part of the hospital to community shift that will be set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will see people get better access to dentists. We will be working with NHS England as part of the NHS Workforce Plan to assess the need for more dental trainees across the country.

What formal definition her Department uses for community policing roles.

Frontline policing is comprised of visible operational frontline roles and non-visible frontline roles, each of which contains specific functions. Further information on the functions included under visible operational frontline and non-visible frontline, including the definitions of each function can be found in Table F4 of the data tables accompanying the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ publication here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d965ab594182179fe0877f/police-workforce-mar24-tables-240724.ods.In 2015 the Home Office adopted the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA) Police Objective Analysis (POA) framework. The POA framework does not include a specific function for ‘community policing’ but does include the function ‘Neighbourhood Policing’.Since 2015, published statistics on the neighbourhood policing workforce have come with a caveat from the Home Office that the data was not considered to be robust due to the conflation of figures relating to neighbourhood officers and local and emergency response teams.As a result of these concerns, in 2025 the Home Office carried out a data validation exercise, asking all police forces to verify the previously published data for police employees in the 1a Neighbourhood Policing category. This exercise showed that data reported under the previous government were inaccurate and did not reflect the true number of neighbourhood officers.Subsequently the Home Office revised previously published neighbourhood policing data here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/provisional-revision-to-neighbourhood-policing-data-at-31-march-2024. The Home Office has issued guidance to police forces on the categorisation of 1a Neighbourhood Policing to ensure that those working in neighbourhood policing are being recorded correctly, particularly on the distinction between 1b Incident Response Management and 1a Neighbourhood Policing, as well as classroom-based student officers.

What formal definition her Department uses for frontline policing roles.

Frontline policing is comprised of visible operational frontline roles and non-visible frontline roles, each of which contains specific functions. Further information on the functions included under visible operational frontline and non-visible frontline, including the definitions of each function can be found in Table F4 of the data tables accompanying the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ publication here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d965ab594182179fe0877f/police-workforce-mar24-tables-240724.ods.In 2015 the Home Office adopted the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA) Police Objective Analysis (POA) framework. The POA framework does not include a specific function for ‘community policing’ but does include the function ‘Neighbourhood Policing’.Since 2015, published statistics on the neighbourhood policing workforce have come with a caveat from the Home Office that the data was not considered to be robust due to the conflation of figures relating to neighbourhood officers and local and emergency response teams.As a result of these concerns, in 2025 the Home Office carried out a data validation exercise, asking all police forces to verify the previously published data for police employees in the 1a Neighbourhood Policing category. This exercise showed that data reported under the previous government were inaccurate and did not reflect the true number of neighbourhood officers.Subsequently the Home Office revised previously published neighbourhood policing data here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/provisional-revision-to-neighbourhood-policing-data-at-31-march-2024. The Home Office has issued guidance to police forces on the categorisation of 1a Neighbourhood Policing to ensure that those working in neighbourhood policing are being recorded correctly, particularly on the distinction between 1b Incident Response Management and 1a Neighbourhood Policing, as well as classroom-based student officers.

If he will make a single Minister responsible for offshore infrastructure.

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to him on 28 January to question UIN (24981)

Whether the UK has imported rare earth minerals from Russia since 2022.

HRMC’s Overseas trade statistics (country of dispatch basis) show that the UK did not import any Rare Earth Elements (REE) products* dispatched directly from Russia, between 2022 and April 2025.*HS codes 280530, 284610, 284690, 360690

What discussions (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisors in his Department have had with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited since 5 July 2024.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to seize further Russian assets in the UK.

The Government is firmly committed to ensuring Russia pays for the damage it has caused and is causing in Ukraine. We have already made progress using sanctioned Russian assets to support Ukraine. Over half of the UK's £2.26 billion contribution to the G7's Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration scheme has now been disbursed to Ukraine, strengthening their defence capabilities in the face of Russian aggression. That contribution will be repaid by the profits generated on sanctioned Russian assets. We are working urgently with partners to explore all legal avenues to go further.

How many workers in the (a) wind and (b) solar industry were not British nationals in each year since 2015.

The government is delivering record investment in supply chains to create good, well paid jobs in the construction of renewable energy projects across the country, Through the Office for Clean Energy Jobs we are working to improve terms and conditions for workers. The specific information requested is not held by the Department.

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of illegal work in the (a) wind and (b) solar industry.

The government is delivering record investment in supply chains to create good, well paid jobs in the construction of renewable energy projects across the country, Through the Office for Clean Energy Jobs we are working to improve terms and conditions for workers. The specific information requested is not held by the Department.