Written questions by Lowe.

Which interpreting agencies are contracted to provide services to the NHS; and what the cost to the public purse of those contracts is.

The Department does not hold the requested information centrally. Integrated care boards are responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services to meet the needs of their respective populations, which includes translation services.The Department has no plans to estimate the average additional time taken during appointments for translation and interpretation.The Department also has no plans to collect information on the proportion and cost of letters posted by the NHS in each language over the last five years, for which interpreting agencies are contracted to provide services to the NHS, the cost of such contracts, or how many test results have been translated into languages other than English for each of the last five years.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an official and voluntary scheme for hon. Members to house (a) asylum seekers and (b) irregular migrants.

There are currently no such Government-backed voluntary schemes for housing asylum seekers for any households in the UK, regardless of whether that household contains an MP. It is up to MPs to decide who they might wish to live with - this is not a matter for the Government. This government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain, with tens of thousands stuck in a backlog without their claims processed. We are determined to restore order to the asylum system and cut the costs of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels over time.

If she will publish her Department’s response to FOI2024/88818.

As the Freedom of Information (FOI) request, FOI2024/88818, was submitted via WhatDoTheyKnow.com (WDTK), the FOI is already publicly available for anyone to access. The FOI can be accessed on WDTK via the following link: Universal Credit access, Refugees (2023) - a Freedom of Information request to Department for Work and Pensions - WhatDoTheyKnow

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the planned cost to the public purse is of leasing the military base in Diego Garcia from Mauritius.

It is not normal practice for the UK to confirm the value of its payments for military bases anywhere across the globe. Whilst the annual 'operating costs' of some bases and training areas may be shared, this is different to the value of payments for military bases. Confirming these costs could put secure operations at risk. Following Treaty signature, further details of the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny in the usual way.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15043 on Social Security Benefits: Overpayments, what the reason was for the increases in Monetary Value of Fraud and Error between FYE 20 and FYE 21.

The Department published a detailed account of its understanding of the reasons for the increase in overpayments in its Annual Report and Accounts for 2020/21. HC 422 – Department for Work and Pensions – Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 November to Question 13915 on Protective Clothing: Storage, if he will publish a breakdown of where personal protective equipment that is unsuitable for NHS use is stored.

Since April 2022, operational management of pandemic era personal protective equipment (PPE) has been carried out by the NHS Supply Chain. They report that PPE considered unsuitable for use in the National Health Service is currently held at the following locations prior to exit from the system, as per data from the end of November 2024:containerised stock is currently in Hartlepool and Tadcaster; andpalletised stock is currently held in Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire.

What proportion of reported (a) error and (b) fraud has not been investigated for each of the last five years.

The Department does not hold the data requested.

How many private provider contracts have been commissioned by the NHS to treat irregular migrants in each of the last ten years; and what the cost to the public purse was of those contracts.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 November 2024 to Question 14728.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing (a) family and (b) friends to provide (i) translation and (ii) interpretation during NHS appointments.

The General Medical Council’s guidance states that all possible efforts must be made to ensure effective communication with patients. This includes arrangements to meet patients’ communication needs in languages other than English.Where language is a problem in discussing health matters, NHS England and NHS Scotland’s guidance states that a professional interpreter should always be offered, rather than using family or friends to interpret. Further information on NHS England and NHS Scotland’s guidance is available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-for-commissioners-interpreting-and-translation-services-in-primary-care/https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/interpreting-communication-support-and-translation-national-policy/Working with professional interpreters will:- ensure the accuracy and impartiality of interpreting;- minimise legal risk of misinterpretation of important clinical information, for example informed consent to undergo clinical treatments and procedures;- minimise safeguarding risk, for example for victims of human trafficking, where the trafficker may introduce themselves as a family member or friend and speak on behalf of the patient;- allow family members and friends to attend appointments and support the patient, emotionally and with decision-making, without the added pressure of needing to interpret; and- foster trust with the patient. It is also inappropriate to use children as interpreters. An interpreter should also be present in all situations where there are concerns about child safety or gender-based violence, and language translation is required.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15631 on NHS: Translation Services , what the reason was for the change in the number of e-RS letters sent out in (a) 2019/20 and (b) 2020/21.

The main reason for the change in the number of e-Referral Service (e-RS) letters sent out in 2019/20 and 2020/21 was the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced the number of referrals being created in the National Health Service e-RS. In addition, in early 2020, NHS England halved the number of e-RS letters sent to patients where their referral was considered Routine, as it had not been classified as either Urgent or for Suspected Cancer.

What information his Department holds on the proportion of energy used by his Department, broken down by energy source.

The Department collects data on its energy use, broken down by energy source, and reports this to Defra on a quarterly basis as part of the Greening Government Commitments.

On what proportion of days is (a) meat and (b) dairy available in canteens in his Department.

The Department is a customer of the Government Property Agency (GPA). GPA is the landlord or building manager at the Department’s office occupations, where the space is often shared with several other tenant organisations. The Department buys catering services, or a share of, from GPA alongside all other building services. This information is therefore not held by the Department.

If he will make an estimate of the proportion of food provided in canteens in his Department that is produced in the UK.

The Department is a customer of the Government Property Agency (GPA). GPA is the landlord or building manager at the Department’s office occupations, where the space is often shared with several other tenant organisations. The Department buys catering services, or a share of, from GPA alongside all other building services. This information is therefore not held by the Department.

How much was paid to thebigword by all Departments in each of the last ten years.

All Government Departments are responsible for determining their own requirements for language services and ensuring these deliver good value for money for the taxpayer. Details on how much is paid to individual suppliers, including thebigword, is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.

What steps her Department takes to help determine the ages of irregular migrants.

Where an individual claims to be a child without any documentary evidence, and where there is reason to doubt their claimed age, immigration officers are required to make an initial age decision to determine whether the individual should be treated as a child or an adult. This is an important first step to prevent individuals who are clearly an adult or child from being subjected unnecessarily to a more substantive age assessment and ensure that individuals are swiftly routed to the correct process.Current guidance provides that immigration officers may only treat that individual as an adult where that individual has no credible and clear documentary evidence proving their age, and two members of Home Office staff assess that their physical appearance and demeanour very strongly suggests that the individual is ‘significantly over 18.’ Where that threshold is not met, but there remains doubt about the individual’s age, they will be treated as a child, and transferred to a local authority for further consideration of their age. This often involves a further, more comprehensive age assessment if deemed necessary. This approach to initial decisions on age has been considered by the Supreme Court in BF (Eritrea) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] UKSC 38 and held to be lawful.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 11414 on Undocumented Migrants: Crimes of Violence, if she will make it her policy to publish data on (a) recorded incidents of assault against her Department's staff and (b) a breakdown of the immigration status of the perpetrators of such assaults.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 27 November to question UIN 15076.

How many international (a) air miles and (b) flights have been completed by (i) her and (ii) staff in her office since 5 July 2024.

The Chancellor and her Private Office staff have completed three international trips since 5 July 2024. Further details for international flights will be published in the usual way in due course on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

How many (a) air miles and (b) flights he has completed since 5 July 2024.

Data on minister’s overseas travel and on senior civil servant’s business expenses is published on a quarterly basis. This can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/desnz-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-meetings-april-to-june-2024

How much legal aid was provided to (a) irregular migrants and (b) asylum seekers in each of the last five years.

Expenditure data for irregular migrants and asylum seekers across all legal aid schemes is not held centrally.The Legal Aid Agency publishes information about case volumes and expenditure data for the immigration and asylum category as part of its official statistics.

How many international (a) air miles and (b) flights have been completed by (i) the Prime Minister and (ii) his staff since 5 July 2024.

As was the practice under the previous Government, information about official overseas ministerial travel will be published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website.