Written questions by Burgon.

With reference to the comments of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on LBC on 22 March 2026, whether his Department has been notified of a crime reference number for the theft of the Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff’s mobile phone.

The former Chief of Staff’s phone was stolen, and he reported it at the time to the police and relevant teams in No10. This was before the Humble Address that was passed in February. The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address in full, while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement provided by the Metropolitan Police on 25 March and publication of the transcript confirming that the theft was reported.

Whether the agreement allowing the United States to use UK military bases for strikes on Iranian missile sites includes any limits on the types of operations that may be conducted from those bases.

Permissions to utilise UK military bases by foreign nations are considered on a case-by-case basis. All UK support to allies for operational purposes considers the legal basis and policy rationale for any proposed activity. The agreement allowing the US to use UK miliary bases is for specific and limited defensive action against missile facilities in Iran which are involved in launching strikes at regional allies.

Whether each individual use of UK military bases by US forces will be subject to a UK Government assessment to ensure that the action is consistent with international law following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 1 March with regards to Iran.

Permissions to utilise UK military bases by foreign nations are considered on a case-by-case basis. All UK support to allies for operational purposes considers the legal basis and policy rationale for any proposed activity. The agreement allowing the US to use UK miliary bases is for specific and limited defensive action against missile facilities in Iran which are involved in launching strikes at regional allies.

Whether the UK Government will have the ability to approve or refuse individual targets before the United States conducts strikes from UK military bases in Iran, following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 1 March.

The agreement allowing the US to use UK miliary bases is for specific and limited defensive action against missile facilities in Iran which were involved in launching strikes at regional allies. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations' military operations.

Whether the Government will publish a list of US military strikes that have used UK military bases following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 1 March.

The agreement allowing the US to use UK miliary bases is for specific and limited defensive action against missile facilities in Iran which were involved in launching strikes at regional allies. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations' military operations.

Whether the Government will publish a list of any civilian deaths that result from US military strikes that have used UK military bases following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 1 March.

The agreement allowing the US to use UK miliary bases is for specific and limited defensive action against missile facilities in Iran which were involved in launching strikes at regional allies. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations' military operations.

What is her most recent estimate of (1) the Resource Accounting and Budgeting charge and (2) the estimated cost to Government of support for the student finance system, based on future loan write-offs and interest subsidies, (a) in net present-value terms, and (b) as a proportion of the initial loan outlay.

The Resource Accounting and Budgeting (RAB) charge, the government subsidy anticipated on student loans issued in any particular financial year, is calculated as the present value of student loan outlay less expected future repayments. This is in accordance with relevant International Financial Reporting Standards and guidance from HM Treasury’s's Government Financial Reporting Manual.In the 2024/25 financial year, the RAB charge was £6.2 billion, or 29.6% of the £20.7 billion of the student loans issued.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review the operation of the exemptions for mink hunts under the Hunting Act 2004.

The Secretary of State has no plans to review the operation of the exemptions for mink hunts under the Hunting Act 2004.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure the accurate identification, collection and annual publication of data on the number of people living with young onset dementia.

The dementia diagnosis rate for patients aged 65 years old and over is calculated and published monthly via the Primary Care Dementia Data publication, which is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/primary-care-dementia-dataWhile the dementia diagnosis rate is not calculated for patients aged under 65 years old, the publication does include a monthly count of the number of patients aged 65 years old and under who do have a dementia diagnosis on their patient record, and this is expressed as a raw count and as a percentage of registered patients aged between zero and 64 years old.Data quality is generally considered to be very good for all General Practice Extraction Service (GPES) extracts. Between 90 and 100% of practices in England participate each month. Data collected is 100% complete, as it is automated extract GPES extracts data for all patients who have specified codes on their record. Further information about the data quality for the statistical publication can be found at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/primary-care-dementia-data/primary-care-dementia-data-supporting-information/primary-care-dementia-data-data-qualityWe will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, which is expected this year.In developing the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with dementia. As part of this exercise, we are considering all options to help reduce variation, including reviewing data, metrics, and targets.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential (a) costs and (b) mechanisms available to deliver compensation in line with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report on Women’s State Pension age communications, HC 638.

As the Secretary of State set out on 11 November 2025, we are retaking the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on State Pension age. The process to retake the decision is underway and it is important that the government give this full and proper consideration. Retaking this decision should not be taken as an indication that Government will necessarily decide that they should award financial redress. We will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of State Pension age changes on 1950s-born women in Leeds East constituency.

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age. Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of remarks made by President Trump on 11 January 2026 regarding Cuba.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement to the House made by the Foreign Secretary on 5 January, and her responses to questions raised in that debate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on statements made by the US President on 11 January 2026 regarding Cuba and other recent statements by US officials on Cuba in January 2026.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement to the House made by the Foreign Secretary on 5 January, and her responses to questions raised in that debate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her European counterparts on the statement on 11 January 2026 on Cuba by the US President and other recent statements by US officials on Cuba in January 2026.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement to the House made by the Foreign Secretary on 5 January, and her responses to questions raised in that debate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her United States counterpart on airstrikes in the Caribbean and compliance with international law.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 3 November to question 85121.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the United Kingdom has ceased sharing intelligence with the United States regarding suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 3 November to question 85121.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of asylum support rates on child poverty among families seeking asylum; and whether she has shared this assessment with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for consideration in the Child Poverty Strategy.

The Home Office has a legal obligation to meet the essential living needs of destitute asylum seekers. We meet this obligation by providing accommodation and a weekly allowance. The level of the allowance given is reviewed each year to ensure it remains sufficient in meeting essential living needs.Additional support is available to pregnant women, young children, and individuals who can show they have exceptional needs. Asylum seeking children are also entitled to access free healthcare and schooling, plus free school meals.

Whether the Child Poverty Strategy will include (a) services for children living in poverty and (b) the role of expanded family hubs in supporting low-income families.

This government is committed to tackling child poverty, with our ambitious Child Poverty Strategy due to be published in the autumn.The publication will set out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the strategy from this year and in future years, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups.As part of the strategy, the Child Poverty Taskforce is prioritising better local services, especially in the early years, for children living in poverty. We have announced close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education. Best Start Family Hubs are backed by £500 million of this investment between 2026 and 2029.Details of how the Child Poverty Strategy interacts with other policies across government will be set out when the strategy is published, including child health.The Strategy will be UK wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with devolved governments.

What steps she is taking to increase the registration of eligible children for free school meals; and whether she plans to introduce free school meal auto-enrolment in the Child Poverty Strategy.

We want to ensure that all families who need it are able to claim the support they are eligible for. Creating a new threshold for free school meals will ensure that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit are eligible, making it easier for parents to understand their entitlement.The government is also taking action to make it quicker and easier for both families and local authorities to get children signed up for free school meals by rolling out improvements to the eligibility checking system used to verify entitlement to free school meals.The Child Poverty Taskforce will publish a Child Poverty Strategy in the autumn that will deliver measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty. The Taskforce will continue to explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term action across government to reduce child poverty.

Whether she plans to include targets for reducing child poverty in the Child Poverty Strategy; and what plans she has for scrutiny of the delivery of that strategy.

This government is committed to tackling child poverty, with our ambitious Child Poverty Strategy due to be published in the autumn.The publication will set out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the strategy from this year and in future years, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups.As part of the strategy, the Child Poverty Taskforce is prioritising better local services, especially in the early years, for children living in poverty. We have announced close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education. Best Start Family Hubs are backed by £500 million of this investment between 2026 and 2029.Details of how the Child Poverty Strategy interacts with other policies across government will be set out when the strategy is published, including child health.The Strategy will be UK wide, drawing on devolved and reserved levers and working closely with devolved governments.