Written questions by Holden.

What the average length of time is for MyCSP to respond substantively to a query relating to the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

I refer the right hon. member to the answer given to PQ 60018, given on 19 June 2025.

What declarations of political (a) activity and (b) interests were made by each Health Crown Representative.

The appointments of the Health Crown Representatives, as with all Crown Representatives, were made by the Cabinet Office.The Cabinet Office requires all Crown Representatives to declare any Conflict of Interest both on appointment and at regular intervals thereafter. None of the current Crown Representatives have declared any party-political activity or interests.

Whether changes have been made to the NHS terms and conditions of service for Agenda for Change in relation to trade unions since 4 July 2024.

Changes to the National Health Service’s Terms and Conditions of Service, also known as the Agenda for Change contract, are agreed via the NHS Staff Council, which is a partnership body made up of employer and trade union representatives.The NHS’s Terms and Conditions of Service were updated in April 2025 to reflect that the Prison Officers Association is now a nationally recognised organisation, for the purposes of the NHS Staff Council and for the collective bargaining of the Agenda for Change contract. No further changes have been made that relate to trade unions.

With reference to paragraph 2.97 of HM Treasury's publication entitled Spending Review 2025: Departmental Efficiency Plans published on 11 June 2025, what the evidential basis is that insourcing will drive down costs by 40 to 60 per cent.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will reduce its reliance on external consultants and contractors by building internal capability in key corporate functions. DESNZ benchmarking and commercial frameworks show external consultants and contractors typically attract significantly higher day rates in comparison to permanent staff. With targeted investment in skills, smarter talent deployment, and improved retention, the department can realise associated efficiencies of 40–60% in specific functions.

How many office desks are allocated to staff in GB Energy; and how many staff are employed by GB Energy.

Great British Energy will be headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland, recognising the expertise, skilled workforce, and diversity of projects already in place. In the interim, Great British Energy is headquartered in DESNZ’s second headquarters in Aberdeen, Crimon Place, to ensure the organisation can get to work as quickly as possible.A total of 39 staff are currently working on the setup of Great British Energy. That number is set to increase when the organisation is fully operational.

With reference to the transparency data entitled Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - December 2024, published on 30 January 2025, for what reason her Department spent £790.50 on 23 December 2024 with Karen Newby Ltd under the category of interpretation.

Following the British Sign Language (BSL) Act coming into force in April 2022, which legally recognises BSL as a language of England, Scotland and Wales, a non-statutory BSL Advisory Board of 17 predominantly BSL users was established to advise the Government on matters of importance to Deaf people and on the implementation of the BSL Act. This payment represents a fee for British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation services to support the smooth running and accessible communication for the quarterly BSL Advisory Board meeting that took place in person on 6 November 2024.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department plans to allocate for the (a) development and (b) validation of non-animal human-relevant scientific methods in each financial year until 2028-29.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) invests to support research which can lead to alternatives, such as organ-on-a-chip, cell-based assays, functional genomics and computer modelling. These are categorised as basic research, so calculating funding for alternative methods specifically is not possible. Future investment will be determined by internal allocations of DSIT’s spending review settlement announced on 11.06.25. UKRI also invests £10 million annually in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) and is conducting a five-year review to guide future investment.The Government will publish a strategy to support non-animal alternatives later this year.

What recent assessment she has made of the (a) legal and (b) operational feasibility of local councils (i) establishing or (ii) co-funding neighbourhood policing constabularies under the Police Act 1996 in partnership with Police and Crime Commissioners.

The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring strong neighbourhood policing across England and Wales. The 43 territorial police forces across England and Wales are responsible for neighbourhoods policing in their areas.To reinforce neighbourhood policing teams, we are providing £200 million to police forces in the 2025/26 financial year to kickstart the recruitment of 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales. Essex Police has been allocated £4,495,599 from the £200 million fund for 2025/26. Based on their funding allocation, the projected growth for neighbourhood officers in Essex Police over 2025/26 will be 74 (FTE) police officers.The Government has also announced that by July, every community will have named, contactable officers dedicated to addressing local issues as part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure parity between the regulation of online and offline pornography.

The government is assessing the recommendations of the Independent Pornography Review in depth. A further update will be provided in due course.Under the Online Safety Act, online pornography companies are regulated by Ofcom. Online firms who publish their own pornography are required to use highly effective age checks to protect children from accessing it. Ofcom have already launched investigations into four porn providers. From July, all providers that allow pornography will be required to do the same.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals.

The UK Government has not held recent discussions with the Government of Pakistan on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals. The Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill, currently under consideration in the UK Parliament, is a domestic legislative matter.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to implement recommendation 9 of the Independent Pornography Review: the challenge of regulating online pornography, published on 27 February 2025.

The government is assessing the recommendations of the Independent Pornography Review in depth. A further update will be provided in due course.Under the Online Safety Act, online pornography companies are regulated by Ofcom. Online firms who publish their own pornography are required to use highly effective age checks to protect children from accessing it. Ofcom have already launched investigations into four porn providers. From July, all providers that allow pornography will be required to do the same.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging police forces to establish ringfenced neighbourhood policing units with a dedicated remit to tackle (a) illegal e-scooter use, (b) public disorder, (c) low-level crime and (d) other antisocial behaviour.

Restoring neighbourhood policing is at the heart of the Government’s Plan for Change and on 10 April the Prime Minister and Home Secretary outlined further details about our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.Through the Guarantee, by July, every community will have named, and contactable officers dedicated to addressing local issues. These officers will play a vital role in preventing and responding to crime at all levels by building trust, gathering intelligence, and maintaining a visible presence in communities.The Guarantee will also ensure that neighbourhood policing teams hold regular local beat meetings that residents and businesses can use to raise concerns and help shape local policing priorities.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are strengthening the powers available to police and other relevant agencies under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to improve the tools agencies have at their disposal to tackle ASB. This includes introducing new Respect Orders to tackle the most persistent adult ASB offenders, extending the maximum exclusion period for dispersal directions from 48 to 72 hours, and increasing the upper limit for a fixed penalty notice for breaches of a Public Spaces Protection Orders or a Community Protection Notice from £100 to £500.The Bill will also enhance the powers for the police to seize nuisance off-road bikes, and other vehicles which are being used in an anti-social manner, without having to first give a warning to the offender.To reinforce neighbourhood policing teams, we have made £200 million available in FY 25/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood personnel across England and Wales, including up to 3000 additional neighbourhood officers by 31 March 2026.

Whether the national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services announced on 23 June 2025 will be empowered to recommend (a) regulatory and (b) structural reform of the Care Quality Commission in the context of continued failings in maternity units at (i) Southend Hospital, (ii) Basildon Hospital and (iii) other hospitals rated as Requires Improvement.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. It will look at up to 10 maternity and neonatal units, international evidence, adoption of best practice, and a system-wide investigation of maternity and neonatal care. This will include bringing together lessons from past reviews. The investigation will produce, by December 2025, one clear set of national actions, that will take primacy over previous recommendations. These actions will drive the improvements needed to ensure high quality, safe care across maternity and neonatal services, and that women and families are listened to.The terms of reference for the investigation are still under development with stakeholders and families, and will be released in due course.

What recent steps his Department has taken to improve (a) safety and (b) other standards in maternity services at (i) Southend and (ii) Basildon Hospital.

Following the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating of maternity services at Southend Hospital as Requires Improvement in January 2025, the trust made several changes to improve the quality of the service. These changes include ensuring qualified midwifery staff are always available to support the maternity telephone triage service, foetal monitoring equipment is regularly checked and available, and triage information is displayed in waiting areas to provide further guidance on waiting times.Basildon Hospital’s maternity services were rated as Requires Improvement by the CQC in March 2024. The trust has made several changes to improve the service, including improvements to staffing, with midwifery vacancies now at their lowest ever, ensuring staff complete training and expanding midwifery support for the birth reflections clinic, and around quality assurance, with regular audits conducted and acted upon.Basildon Hospital maternity services are part of the national Maternity Safety Support Programme, which puts in place oversight from the integrated care board (ICB), NHS England, and the Local Maternity and Neonatal System. This includes support from two Maternity Improvement Advisors, covering all three trust maternity sites. The trust is in the Improvement phase.While improvements have been made, further work is required. The ICB will continue to support the Trust to enhance safety, care quality, and patient experience.

What steps she is taking to ensure that there is an improved transition from T-levels to (a) Level 4, (b) Level 5 and (c) Level 6 apprenticeships in the (i) creative arts, (ii) media and (iii) computing sectors.

There are currently 21 T Levels available in a range of subjects, including three in the digital sector. T Levels in Craft and Design, and Media, Broadcast and Production were introduced for the first time in September last year.T Levels are based on the same occupational standards as apprenticeships, and include industry placements of at least 45 days, making them excellent preparation for higher-level apprenticeships. Students progressing from a T Level may be able to complete an apprenticeship more quickly in recognition of their prior learning. Early data shows that T Levels are providing a particularly strong route into higher apprenticeships across a range of subjects. Among the first cohort of T Level completers doing an apprenticeship, almost three quarters (72%) had progressed to a Higher or Degree apprenticeship. This is significantly higher than the rate for all level 3 learners (24%), where the vast majority go on to do an apprenticeship at the same level (52%) or at a lower level (24%).

Whether his Department is taking steps to further develop the Trinity House Agreement.

Since the signing of the landmark Trinity House Agreement, the Ministry of Defence has worked with our German counterparts to take the first steps towards turning the words of the text into real, practical co-operation. The Secretary of State met with Minister Pistorius on 15 May 2025 to hold the first Defence Ministerial Council under the agreement; detail on progress was set out in a Joint Statement, available on GOV.UK entitled ‘Joint statement on UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement progress - 15 May 2025’. My Right Hon Friend the Foreign Secretary is also driving forward a new bilateral Treaty with Germany, building on the success of the Trinity House Agreement. Due to be signed later this year, this new Treaty will underline the full breadth of the partnership between our countries.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that complaints submitted online are not prematurely disregarded due to a lack of submission evidence.

Once a customer has submitted an online complaint, they will be contacted by the department regarding the issues raised, at which time the customer can offer evidence to support their complaint; therefore, no additional steps have been taken in this area.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of time spent in Gibraltar counting towards the 90-day limit for Schengen short stays on British citizens with (a) residential, (b) family and (c) personal times to EU countries.

To unlock the benefits of a fluid border, everyone arriving at Gibraltar's airport will undergo dual immigration controls, allowing them to move freely into the EU if they wish to. As visitors will be free to cross into Spain without checks, time spent in Gibraltar will count towards the EU's 90 in 180 requirement. This approach reflects the unique situation in Gibraltar, ensuring a fluid border and delivering certainty for Gibraltar's people and businesses.

What steps she has taken with his German counterparts to facilitate more bi-lateral school visits since July 4 2024.

During the Prime Minister's successful visit to Berlin on 28 August 2024, Chancellor Scholz and he agreed to work on a once-in-a-generation bilateral treaty between our countries, rooted in our shared values and common goals. Within the context of wider and strengthened migration cooperation, we agreed to develop arrangements with Germany similar to those we already have with France on school group travel. Significant progress has been made at working level on both the wider agreement and school group arrangements. The Government will provide updates on the rules regarding school groups travel in advance of any change.

Whether the Government plans to reform the complaints process to allow the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to intervene earlier in cases of excessive delay by her Department.

DWP’s online complaints portal provides an automatic acknowledgement on receipt of all complaints, however, does not generate a complaint reference number at this stage. This is because the department handles all complaints initially through its early resolution process. All complaints go to the appropriate business area to attempt early resolution for the customer. The department only generates a complaints reference number, when we have been unable to resolve a complaint through our early resolution process and it is escalated to DWP’s Complaint teams. There should be no reason why the online complaint portal would not provide an acknowledgement on submission, as it is automatically set up to do so.There are no plans to reform the department’s complaints processes to enable the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to intervene earlier in cases that have experienced delays. The department informs the customer if there is likely to be a delay within the complaints process. If a customer is dissatisfied with DWP’s final complaints response they can escalate their complaint to the Independent Case Examiner (ICE) who is the first point in the department’s escalation process.