Written questions by Ferguson.

What discussions she has had with the Pensions Ombudsman on the adequacy of the time taken for complaints to be resolved.

I recently met with the Pensions Ombudsman and Chief Operating Officer to discuss performance of the organisation and significant increases in requests for The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) services. The time taken by TPO to resolve cases is dependent on several factors often external to TPO. For example, the complexity of the complaint, Ombudsman jurisdiction, and response times taken by the industry and the complainant to reply to information gathering requests from TPO. In response to these pressures, TPO have implemented an Operating Model Review (OMR) programme. DWP are working closely with TPO to rigorously monitor the impact the OMR is having on the complaint management and resolution of cases.

Whether members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service present at the nuclear test on Christmas Island are entitled to a pension of compensation.

Members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) are civilians and may receive pensions for their Service under the terms of any civilian pension scheme to which they belonged. The Ministry of Defence does have a scheme to provide compensation to members of the RFA who suffer war injuries or detention, but this scheme does not cover peacetime activities, such as the nuclear tests on Christmas Island. However, other options may be sought such as recourse to common law claims under the Workmen’s Compensation Act or the Industrial Injuries Scheme.

Communities and Local Government, if she will consider amending legislation to allow overseas voters to receive ballots for elections by secure email.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 40375 on 27 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether each person impacted by the Grenfell Tower fire has been permanently rehoused.

200 of the 201 households from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk have been permanently rehoused.One household is currently living in a high quality temporary home within the borough. We continue to work closely with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which is responsible for housing decisions in the borough and supporting each person impacted by the tragedy to settle into permanent homes.

How much funding the Scottish Government will receive through Barnett consequentials as a result of highway maintenance funding being provided to England and Wales.

At Phase 1 of the 2025 Spending Review, the UK Government allocated an additional £500 million to the Department for Transport for local highways maintenance in 2025-26. The Barnett formula was applied in the usual way to changes in the Department for Transport’s Delegated Expenditure Limit (DEL) budget.At Spending Reviews, the Barnett formula is applied to changes to each UK Government department’s overall DEL budget, not to individual programmes.The Scottish Government is receiving over £47.7 billion in 2025-26 following Phase 1 of the Spending Review 2025. This is the largest in real terms of any settlement since devolution and ensures that the Scottish Government continue to receive at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK.The Block Grant Transparency publication breaks down all changes in the devolved governments’ block grant funding from the 2015 Spending Review up to and including Main Estimates 2023-24. The most recent report was published in July 2023. An update to Block Grant Transparency to include Autumn Budget 2024 changes will be published in due course:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/block-grant-transparency-july-2023

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assistance his Department has provided to Alawite civilians living in Syria.

In all our engagement with the Syrian Government we consistently emphasise the need to protect the rights of all Syrians. I discussed these points in my meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on 17 March and the UK Special Representative for Syria spoke directly to members of the Alawite community following the violence in coastal areas in early March. We will continue to monitor the treatment of all civilians in Syria, and this issue will continue to be an important aspect of our engagement with the Syrian Government.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the time taken for Access to Work applications to be allocated to a case manager; and what steps she is taking to help reduce this waiting time.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work and are considering the best way to deliver that for customers. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to get Britain Working’ Green Paper was published on 18 March. Alongside the Access to Work reform proposals introduced in the Green Paper, we are considering further options to reduce the waiting time for customers

Whether he has had discussions with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority on the proposed timetable for payments to family members of those affected.

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, an independent arms-length body. The Cabinet Office is the sponsor department for the authority. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not discussed the proposed timetable for payments to family members of those affected with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.However, on 12 February 2025, the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2025 were laid before Parliament. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government is aiming for these regulations to be in place by 31 March 2025, to support our goal that family members of those who have been affected can start receiving payment this year.In addition, the Government has committed in legislation to pay £100,000 to the estates of the deceased infected persons. The process under which estates can apply for interim compensation payments opened in October 2024, and so far over 350 interim payments have been paid to the estates of deceased infected people, totalling over £35 million. This is important progress in getting money into the hands of the families of victims of the infected blood scandal.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the time taken for cases to be allocated to a case manager.

The department administers a wide range of benefits, and as such the information you have requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of (a) trends in the level of (i) gold, (ii) coltan and (iii) other conflict minerals being exported from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and (b) the role of external actors in the export of those minerals.

We are deeply concerned by reports from the UN Group of Experts that M23 and Rwanda are illegally extracting critical minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and are clear that such activity must stop immediately.We are committed to addressing risks around conflict minerals and protecting human rights. The UK works through several international mechanisms to deliver on this, including encouraging compliance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains which enables businesses to operate responsibly from conflict-affected areas and the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals which aims to increase the proportion of responsibly sourced minerals in supply chains.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the risk of conflict minerals from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (a) being traded on the London Bullion Market and (b) appearing in UK (i) supply chains and (ii) products.

We are deeply concerned by reports from the UN Group of Experts that M23 and Rwanda are illegally extracting critical minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and are clear that such activity must stop immediately.We are committed to addressing risks around conflict minerals and protecting human rights. The UK works through several international mechanisms to deliver on this, including encouraging compliance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD's) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains which enables businesses to operate responsibly from conflict-affected areas and the European Partnerships for Responsible Minerals which aims to increase the proportion of responsibly sourced minerals in supply chains.The Government recognises the importance of high regulatory standards in financial markets. For Over-The-Counter wholesale markets for precious metals like the London Bullion Markets, the Financial Conduct Authority recognises the Global Precious Metals Code.

If she will (a) review and (b) update the Overseas Scale Rates.

As with all taxes and allowances, the Government keeps flat rates expenses, including Overseas Scale Rates, under review.Any decisions on future changes in this area will be taken in the context of the wider public finances.

What guidance her Department will issue to non-agricultural businesses on the changes to Inheritance Tax announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. As with other tax changes, HM Revenue and Customs will update its guidance in due course in the usual way.

What guidance her Department has issued on people requiring emergency assistance while they wait for a benefit claim to be assessed.

The Department for Work and Pensions seeks to identify individuals who have complex user needs and/or require additional support to enable them to access our benefit and services; this includes people who are vulnerable and are claiming, or need to claim, Universal Credit. We provide a tailored service that recognises those with complex needs at any point throughout their journey and aims to make appropriate support available quickly. Advances are available to ensure those who need it can receive financial support as soon as possible. Financial support is important so customers are not reliant on high-cost lenders, but may be able instead to get some of their Universal Credit early, interest free, as an advance.

If she will facilitate the issuing of visas to (a) Gazan and (b) other academics whose supporting paperwork has been lost during the conflict in the Middle East.

The Government is determined to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and rapidly increase aid, ensuring humanitarian support is reaching people there. The government is keeping existing visa pathways under review in response to events. Palestinians and academics from the Middle East affected by conflict who wish to come to the UK can do so via the existing range of visa routes available. Any application for a UK visa will be assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules. The requirements for each route, including how to prove the requirements are met, are set out in the Immigration Rules and accompanying guidance. There is additional guidance available for when to apply evidential flexibility, which decision makers will refer to when considering applications from applicants who may have lost documents due to ongoing conflict. All decisions on visa applications are undertaken on a case-by-case basis, dependent on what applicants have stated on their application forms. The supporting documents guidance sets out the additional evidence required for the different types of visits – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visitor-visa-guide-to-supporting-documents/guide-to-supporting-documents-visiting-the-uk. The Government welcomes academics from across the globe and recognises the importance of international collaboration in this field. Academic visitor visa applications are assessed in the round, looking at all the factors of the case, in line with immigration rules.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to support the work of the Council for At-Risk Academics.

The UK is committed to supporting and promoting academic freedom and is aware of the excellent work that the Council of At-Risk Academics does in helping academics in dangerous situations all over the world. The UK also recognises the essential role that civil society and human rights defenders, which can include academics, play in promoting and protecting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Our Embassies and Missions support those at risk in a number of ways, including monitoring cases, observing trials and raising issues with host governments.

What steps he takes to trace the end user of UK components delivered to the F-35 programme.

The F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, part of the US Department of Defence, manages the F-35 programme for all F-35 Partner Nations through its global industry supply chain.

What steps he takes to ensure UK components supplied to the F-35 programme can be subjected to (a) a product recall and (b) an air accident investigation process .

If there is a need for a product recall this will be managed by the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) through its global industry supply chain.Air accident investigation is undertaken by the F-35 Partner Nation that has experienced the accident. They will be supported by the JPO and any findings impacting air safety will be shared with all Partner Nations.