Written questions by Maskell.

When the last time was that his Department provided the (a) Israeli government and (b) Israel Defense Forces with surveillance data of Gaza from Royal Air Force planes.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to Questions 56819 and 56820. I hope she will understand that I am unable to comment on detailed intelligence matters.

Whether steps are available to him to have a carve out of the F35 global components pool placing a moratorium on the use of UK manufactured parts by the Israeli government.

Once parts are exported from the UK to the F-35 global spares pool and aircraft assembly facilities, due to the design of the programme, the UK does not have control over whether components are used for specific customer nations or not. The UK cannot make changes to the F-35 programme unilaterally – it requires agreement across all the Partner Nations. The only way to prevent UK-produced parts reaching Israel would be for the UK Government to stop the export of parts to the entire F-35 programme, which would prejudice the security of the UK and our allies. Facing a critical moment for European security and war on our continent, the Government has a solemn responsibility to consider the full implications of our decisions. Undermining the F35 programme would disrupt international peace and security, NATO deterrence and European defence.

What revenues (a) the Government and (b) manufacturers have received from selling components into the F35 global spare parts pool in each of the last three years.

The UK Government does not sell F-35 components directly, but licences the export of components to the F-35 global programme from a number of UK suppliers. The Department for Business and Trade does not hold information on the revenue of companies generated from sales to the F-35 global spares pool.

If he will place conditionality on the use of UK manufactured components sold into the F35 spare parts components pool.

Once parts are exported from the UK to the F-35 global spares pool and aircraft assembly facilities, due to the design of the programme, the UK does not have control over whether components are used for specific customer nations or not. The UK cannot make changes to the F-35 programme unilaterally – it requires agreement across all the Partner Nations. The only way to prevent UK-produced parts reaching Israel would be for the UK Government to stop the export of parts to the entire F-35 programme, which would prejudice the security of the UK and our allies. Facing a critical moment for European security and war on our continent, the Government has a solemn responsibility to consider the full implications of our decisions. Undermining the F35 programme would disrupt international peace and security, NATO deterrence and European defence.

How many UK-manufactured parts have been sold into the F35 global spare parts pool since (a) 7 October 2023 and (b) 2 September 2024; and how many of these parts have been transferred to Israel.

The Department for Business and Trade does not hold information on the quantity of goods exported under Open General Export Licences. The principle of such licences – such as those for UK suppliers to the F-35 programme – is that they allow registered companies to export an unrestricted quantity of permitted items. Due to the design of the programme, the UK Government also does not have access to information about the movement of specific F-35 components around the F-35 global programme, including the provision of parts to specific customers.

Whether his Department has (a) passed and (b) sold surveillance data of Gaza to Israel since (i) 7 October 2023, (ii) 5 July 2024 and (iii) 2 September 2024.

The UK controls what information is passed to Israeli authorities. Surveillance information of Gaza is passed to the relevant Israeli authorities only where it relates to hostage rescue and where we are satisfied that it will be used in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. I am unable to comment further on detailed intelligence matters.

If he will make an estimate of the cost to the Government of placing conditionality on the use of UK-manufactured goods being sent to Israel through the global spare parts pool for use on planes operated by the Israel Defense Forces.

Once parts are exported from the UK to the F-35 global spares pool and aircraft assembly facilities, due to the design of the programme, the UK does not have control over whether components are used for specific customer nations or not. The UK cannot make changes to the F-35 programme unilaterally – it requires agreement across all the Partner Nations. The only way to prevent UK-produced parts reaching Israel would be for the UK Government to stop the export of parts to the entire F-35 programme, which would prejudice the security of the UK and our allies. Facing a critical moment for European security and war on our continent, the Government has a solemn responsibility to consider the full implications of our decisions. Undermining the F35 programme would disrupt international peace and security, NATO deterrence and European defence.

How many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment.

Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

When the last time was that a member of the Israel Defense Forces was trained by the UK armed forces.

As part of routine Defence engagement with Israel, the UK is currently training a limited number of Israel Defense Forces personnel on UK-based training courses.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of ending conditionality through sanctioning in relation to social security.

The Department has made no assessment on ending conditionality through sanctioning. It is right that there should be conditions and consequences to labour market support. We will continue to ensure that claimants who need support receive it and consider how to best tailor this support to their individual needs.

What information his Department holds on which countries purchase spare parts from the F35 global spare part pool.

Once parts are exported from the UK to the global F-35 programme, the UK does not have access to information about the movement of individual components, and does not have control over whether components in the global spares pool are used for specific customer nations or not.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of conditionality through sanctions on levels of (a) poverty and (b) mental health of social security recipients.

The Department has made no assessment on ending conditionality through sanctioning. It is right that there should be conditions and consequences to labour market support. We will continue to ensure that claimants who need support receive it and consider how to best tailor this support to their individual needs.

Whether she has considered ending spare room subsidy payments.

Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

What methods her Department uses to calculate the minimum amount of social security that a person can live off.

Under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 the Secretary of State is required by law to review State Pension and benefit rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. We have uprated benefit rates for 2025/26 in line with inflation, with 5.7 million Universal Credit households forecast to gain by an average of £150 annually. In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we recently announced that we will improve the adequacy of the standard allowance with the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. This increase will be for new and existing customers and will benefit millions of people.

How many people pay spare room subsidy payments.

Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

What estimate she has made of potential impact of the potential impact of proposals to amend Carer's Allowance in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, on costs to (a) local authority adult social care services and (b) NHS.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out our plans to reform health and disability benefits and employment support. There are no proposals to amend Carer’s Allowance in the Pathways to Work Green Paper and therefore no such estimate has been made. As the Green Paper sets out, we will consider any impacts our reforms might have on benefits for unpaid carers as part of our wider consideration of responses to the consultation and as we develop our detailed proposals for change. We will also continue to work closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure everyone’s health and care needs are met. Our plans are designed to protect the most vulnerable and give disabled people equal chances and choices to work. They are backed by £1bn a year for employment support to give disabled people and people with health conditions help into work that they have been denied for too long. Evidence shows that good work is good for mental and physical health and reduces pressure and costs on the NHS. We are taking other action to improve Carer’s Allowance separate to the Green Paper. We have pegged the weekly Carer’s Allowance earnings limit to 16 hours’ work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels, and in future it will increase when the NLW increases. The Carer’s Allowance earnings limit increased to be £196 a week net earnings on 7 April 2025, compared to £151 in 24/25. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001. Over 60,000 additional people will be able to receive Carer’s Allowance between 2025/26 and 2029/30 as a result.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on ensuring that (a) voluntary and (b) community organisations are adequately funded to support the child poverty strategy.

Local Authorities are key partners in tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce, co-chaired by the Secretary of State, will bring forward a UK-wide child poverty strategy which supports and enables shared solutions. The Taskforce recognises that this is a complex landscape and has engaged extensively with Local Authorities about how the UK strategy can build from existing good practice and be based on understanding what matters to local communities. The September 2024 ministerial taskforce brought together local leaders from combined and local governments in England, who joined Ministers to discuss the experience of poverty in their local communities, and innovative solutions underway. The Child Poverty Taskforce recognises the causes of child poverty are deep-rooted, with solutions that go beyond government, and will involve action from across society, including businesses, voluntary, community and social enterprises, working together in new and improved partnerships. A rolling programme of meetings between the Taskforce and experts, including from the voluntary and community sector, is supporting strategy development. Furthermore, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is a member of the Taskforce. The Taskforce will set out more details on the child poverty strategy in due course.

What (a) funding and (b) devolved powers she plans to provide to local authorities to help them tackle child poverty.

Local Authorities are key partners in tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce, co-chaired by the Secretary of State, will bring forward a UK-wide child poverty strategy which supports and enables shared solutions. The Taskforce recognises that this is a complex landscape and has engaged extensively with Local Authorities about how the UK strategy can build from existing good practice and be based on understanding what matters to local communities. The September 2024 ministerial taskforce brought together local leaders from combined and local governments in England, who joined Ministers to discuss the experience of poverty in their local communities, and innovative solutions underway. The Child Poverty Taskforce recognises the causes of child poverty are deep-rooted, with solutions that go beyond government, and will involve action from across society, including businesses, voluntary, community and social enterprises, working together in new and improved partnerships. A rolling programme of meetings between the Taskforce and experts, including from the voluntary and community sector, is supporting strategy development. Furthermore, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is a member of the Taskforce. The Taskforce will set out more details on the child poverty strategy in due course.

If she will undertake a review of the broad rental market areas.

Currently there are no plans to carry out a fundamental review of all broad rental market areas (BRMAs). The BRMA Review Protocol is published on GOV.UK here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-local-housing-allowances-rates-broad-rental-market-areas

What steps she is taking to help tackle poverty among parents who are carers of disabled children.

Tackling child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government. The Child Poverty Taskforce’s publication of 23 October ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Strategy’ sets out how we are developing the Strategy, exploring all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. Parental employment is a key part of the work we are doing. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments. The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy as soon as possible. This is a cross-government effort. The Department for Education is working to provide the best start in life through high-quality early education and childcare to raise standards and help parents to work, for example through the new breakfast club programme, and expanding wraparound childcare for primary school children across England by increasing the number of places available, to support working families. We have jointly announced with DfE that we are expanding free school meals to all children in households on Universal Credit. The Department for Business and Trade has responsibility for policy on flexible working and carer’s leave, which is another key element. And the benefit system, in addition, makes provision for disabled children through Disability Living Allowance (DLA), and for their parents through the carer element and the disabled child addition within Universal Credit (UC). Support is also available through Carer’s Allowance (CA). Where carers are able to work, the weekly CA earnings limit for those in receipt of CA is now pegged at 16 hours work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels, and in future it will increase when the NLW increases. The earnings limit increased to £196 a week, on 7 April 2025, compared to £151 in 24/25. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001. As a result, unpaid carers will be able to increase their income, and many will now have more certainty that if they are receiving the NLW (and have not done overtime or received a bonus) they will be able to work for 16 hours a week and still receive Carer’s Allowance.