Written questions by Huq.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to make smart metering mandatory in the water sector.

Water companies already have the ability to charge by water meters on a mandatory basis in areas designated water stressed. This is only able to feature in water companies’ long-term plans if it represents value for money and has customer support. The Government has committed to working with Ofwat to assess the recommendations from a report led by Baringa on the current approach including exploring mandatory standards for smart meter rollouts. This will reduce leakage and enable customers to have more data to make water and cost-efficient choices.

What steps she is taking to support employment opportunities for people aged over 25.

This Government is committed to supporting everyone to get into and on in work. In addition to delivering a Youth Guarantee, the Get Britain Working White Paper and Pathways to Work Green Paper set out ambitious reforms to employment support that will benefit people aged over 25: a new Jobs and Careers Service, with an enhanced focus on skills and careers; and targeted support to reduce health related economic inactivity. Specific DWP programmes and initiatives that support employment opportunities for people aged over 25 also include: Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), to provide short-term training and work experience linked to real job vacancies, enabling unemployed benefit claimants of all ages to gain sector-specific skills and transition into employment.DWP Train and Progress: a flexible training offer that allows claimants to undertake skills development while receiving benefits, tailored to local labour market needs.The Restart Programme, which offers up to 12 months intensive support for long-term unemployed individuals, including personalised coaching, skills training, and job matching services.The 50 Plus Choices Programme, to help older workers remain in or return to the workforce. This programme includes Mid-life MOTs, delivered in Jobcentres, which provide an opportunity to review health, finances, and skills and signpost to suitable support.The Flexible Support Fund: a non-recoverable, discretionary fund used to remove barriers that prevent customers from taking up or progressing in work. Common barriers include travel costs, upfront childcare costs, and one-off support (such as essential work wear, tools, and equipment). It can also be used to procure training or education that enables customers to move into sustained employment, increase their earnings whilst in work, or move closer to the labour market. These measures form part of the Department’s broader strategy to reduce economic inactivity and boost workforce participation, ensuring that adults over 25 receive targeted and practical support to enter and progress in work.

What recent steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce waste in the construction industry.

I refer the hon. Member to my response to Question 39563: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK ParliamentThis Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming autumn. We will consider the evidence for sector-specific interventions from right across the economy, including in reducing waste in the construction industry, as we develop our strategy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to ensure the protection of Greek communities in Northern Cyprus.

As a Guarantor Power and a friend to all Cypriots, the UK fully supports the UN-led Settlement process and stands ready to assist through all diplomatic channels. The best way to improve the lives of all Cypriots, including Greek communities living in the north of the island, is through a just and lasting settlement. I represented the UK at the next round of informal talks on 16 to 17 July 2025 and will continue to encourage the sides to maintain the recent momentum in the UN-led process.

What steps she is taking to ensure that awards made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority are paid out in a timely manner.

I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 3 July 2025 to Question 63019.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve the monitoring of per-and poly fluoroalkyl substances.

The Government is committed to protecting human health and the environment from the risks posed by PFAS. We are working across Government to assess levels of PFAS in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform our approach to policy and regulation. This includes a multi-year programme run by the Environment Agency (EA) to better understand sources of PFAS pollution in England. Part of the programme is to identify and assess the most significant sites of PFAS contamination. We are developing strategies for managing risks to the environment, and where appropriate working with partner authorities to assess and manage risk to the public.

Whether he has consulted the International Panel on Climate Change on the future of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields.

Should the developers of the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields choose to re-submit applications for consent they will need to undertake a comprehensive assessment of scope 3 emissions, drawing on appropriate sources of information as referenced in the guidance that we have published. As these projects may be subject to future regulatory decisions, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

What steps she is taking to secure capital investment in sustainable aviation fuel.

We are supporting investments in UK sustainable aviation fuel “SAF” production facilities through the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF). We extended this funding for a further year through the Autumn Budget, investing an additional £63 million, and the Spending Review 2025 will continue support for SAF production in the UK to 2029/30.In addition to providing grant funding under the AFF our SAF Bill, currently before the House, will deliver a SAF Revenue Certainty Mechanism. This mechanism will help unlock investment in UK SAF production and grow this emerging sector.We are also encouraging the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels in the UK through a SAF Mandate. The mandate, one of the first pioneering policies of its kind, came into force on 1st January 2025 and increases investor certainty by building domestic demand for SAF.

What recent progress he has made on the roll-out of Fracture Liaison Services.

Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local need. Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

If she will consider making provision for mandatory index-linked payments in pre-1997 defined benefit pension schemes.

Members of these pension schemes are understandably concerned at seeing inflation erode the value of their retirement income.Most schemes do pay some pre-1997 indexation, because of scheme rules or as a discretionary benefit. Analysis published last year by the Pensions Regulator shows that as of March 2023, only 17 per cent of members of private sector defined benefit pension schemes do not receive any pre-1997 indexation on benefits. This information can be found at: https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests#f3a5fe60511a445f91112bd7dd8a64aeIt would be unreasonable to retrospectively legislate to increase the cost to schemes for benefits already earned, as these costs could not have been taken into account in the funding assumptions used to set contribution rates at the time.The Government’s pension reforms on the use of surpluses in defined benefit schemes will make it easier for individual schemes to make decisions that improve outcomes for both sponsoring employers and members, which could include discretionary benefit increases. These changes are being taken forward through the Pension Schemes Bill which had its second reading on Monday 7th July.The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has expressed that trustees should consider the situation of those members who would benefit from a discretionary increase and whether the scheme has a history of making such awards. TPR will be producing further guidance on surplus sharing once the legislation is in place.

What steps her Department is taking to protect National Insurance numbers from repeated (a) misuse and (b) fraud.

A National Insurance Number (NINo) is a unique reference number used to administer the Benefits and National Insurance systems. It is not proof of identity and cannot be used on its own to access HMRC records or systems.HMRC regularly urges customers to be alert to scams requesting personal information, including their NINo.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential merits of introducing real-time alerts for compromised National Insurance numbers.

The Department for Work and Pensions have processes in place to flag NINos and will monitor flagged NINos daily for inappropriate use.

What steps her Department is taking to support employment opportunities for ex-offenders.

We know that finding employment after release reduces the chance of reoffending significantly, by up to nine percentage points. That is why the Government’s manifesto commits to break the cycle of reoffending by better supporting prisons to link up with employers and the voluntary sector to get more people with convictions into work.Key employment roles are in place across all 93 resettlement prisons to prepare prisoners for work on release, match them to jobs and provide critical ID documents to secure work and a home.We have launched regional Employment Councils which, for the first time, brings businesses together with prisons, probation and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to support offenders leaving prison. This builds on the work of Employment Advisory Boards linking prisons with business leaders to ensure prisoners have the skills and training employers need to meet labour market demand.In addition, HM Prison and Probation Service’s Creating Future Opportunities programme offers tailored support for ex-offenders - particularly those who are furthest from the labour market - to secure employment, training and education opportunities for release.Supporting further, the criminal records regime is designed to strike a balance providing employers with the information they need to make safer recruitment decisions and enabling ex-offenders to rebuild their lives. We also work closely with DWP to ensure support is in place for ex-offenders in the community, for example through co-location of services.

What steps her Department is taking to support medical training for transport staff.

In the UK, there are well-established legal requirements to support medical training for transport staff and those in safety-critical roles. These statutory duties apply to all employers and include the provision of appropriate training to staff to manage the risks associated with the environment and operations in which they work. My Department will keep these legal requirements under review to ensure they remain fit for purpose. The transport industry will also continue to produce and update guidance to inform the training needs of its workforce including on medical matters.

What support her Department provides to people who suffer with disabilities after retirement.

Attendance Allowance (AA) is a weekly benefit for those over State Pension age who require care or supervision as a result of a physical or mental disability. AA is paid at two rates. A higher rate of £110.40 a week for claimants who need help or supervision for both day and night or who are terminally ill. And a lower rate of £73.90 for claimants who need frequent help or supervision during the day or night. AA provides financial support towards the extra costs faced by those with a severe disability. It is neither means-tested, nor based on National Insurance contributions paid and recipients can choose how they wish to spend it. Receipt of AA can provide a passport to additional amounts in means-tested benefits (notably Pension Credit and Housing Benefit) for those on low incomes and to Carer’s Allowance for the person providing care for them.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will take steps to allow British nationals to register their presence in Iran.

We continue to advise against all travel to Iran and have long made it clear that UK Government support is extremely limited in country. British nationals already in Iran, either resident or visitor, should carefully consider their presence there and the risks they take by staying, with land borders potentially closing at short notice. Due to the current security situation, we have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. Our Embassy will continue to operate remotely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the forceful closure of schools administered by UNRWA.

We were dismayed to hear of the forcible closure of six United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools in East Jerusalem on 8 May. These closures will deny 800 Palestinian children their right to education. We stated our strong opposition to the closure jointly with 16 other diplomatic missions, in a statement issued on X. The UK is clear that Palestinian children, like all children, deserve safe, uninterrupted access to school. The Israeli order to close these schools is deeply worrying. The vital work of UNRWA in ensuring that Palestinians have access to education and healthcare must be protected in East Jerusalem, as well as in Gaza and the West Bank. The Foreign Secretary continues to raise these issues with his Israeli counterpart.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he will consider enabling medical evacuations in Gaza for children (a) with life-threatening injuries and (b) with family resident in the UK.

The UK has supported Project Pure Hope's initiative to bring a small number of children from Gaza to the UK for privately funded specialist care. On 1 May, I confirmed that two children had arrived for treatment and also announced a £7.5 million package to strengthen medical care in Gaza and the region, including support for UK-Med, World Health Organization Egypt and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Occupied Palestinian Territories Humanitarian Fund. The UK's Immigration Rules allow entry for private medical treatment, with further requests considered case by case. The Government continues to assess support for Palestinians and urges Israel to allow urgent medical evacuations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department holds information on the quantity of UK-supplied aid which has been distributed in Gaza.

The UK provides humanitarian aid to Gaza through trusted partners, via Untied Nations agencies and international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), delivering food, healthcare and shelter. A significant portion of our Financial Year 2024/25 funding has already reached Gaza, including life-saving medical supplies. Some remains prepositioned at border crossings or in regional warehouses. Due to the complex operating environment and limited real-time data, it is difficult to quantify the volume of aid currently awaiting entry. However, partners provide regular updates. On 19 May, the UK issued a joint statement calling for full aid resumption and for Israel to allow UN and NGO partners to operate independently.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, on the status of British Nationals Overseas visa holders.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future. The reforms set out in the White Paper will be delivered across this Parliament. Some measures will require primary legislation and further consultation, while others will be brought in more swiftly. There will be consultation on new earned settlement and citizenship rules later this year