Written questions by Lowe.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of abattoirs in enforcing welfare standards during the production of halal meat.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. A significant proportion of halal meat comes from animals that are stunned before slaughter. Legislation sets out strict requirements to protect the welfare of animals when slaughtered and there are additional rules that apply when animals are slaughtered by either the Jewish or Muslim method to ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering, or distress during the slaughter process. Official Veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are present in all approved slaughterhouses in England and Wales to monitor and enforce animal welfare requirements. The FSA has a zero-tolerance policy to animal welfare breaches and will take appropriate action where these occur. In addition to the Official Veterinarian presence, the FSA conduct regular audits to ensure that the animal welfare controls in slaughterhouses are effective. The frequency of these audits are risk based and the results are communicated to Defra. The Department engages regularly with FSA officials on a range of animal welfare topics.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce mandatory labelling on meat products to indicate whether animals were stunned prior to slaughter.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. It is for religious authorities to decide if meat is halal or kosher. A significant proportion of halal meat comes from animals that are stunned before slaughter. There are no regulations that require labelling of meat to include the method of slaughter, but where any information of this nature is provided it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer. The Government respects religious freedoms and expects the industry, whether food producer or food outlet, to provide consumers with all the information they need to make informed choices. A consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous government. The consultation sought views on options for the production standards behind the label. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps. The Department engages regularly with the Food Standards Agency on a range of topics.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) public institutions and (b) restaurants to label halal meat to consumers.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. It is for religious authorities to decide if meat is halal or kosher. A significant proportion of halal meat comes from animals that are stunned before slaughter. There are no regulations that require labelling of meat to include the method of slaughter, but where any information of this nature is provided it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer. The Government respects religious freedoms and expects the industry, whether food producer or food outlet, to provide consumers with all the information they need to make informed choices. A consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous government. The consultation sought views on options for the production standards behind the label. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps. The Department engages regularly with the Food Standards Agency on a range of topics.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Food Standards Agency on the labelling of (a) halal and (b) kosher meat products in food outlets.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. It is for religious authorities to decide if meat is halal or kosher. A significant proportion of halal meat comes from animals that are stunned before slaughter. There are no regulations that require labelling of meat to include the method of slaughter, but where any information of this nature is provided it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer. The Government respects religious freedoms and expects the industry, whether food producer or food outlet, to provide consumers with all the information they need to make informed choices. A consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous government. The consultation sought views on options for the production standards behind the label. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps. The Department engages regularly with the Food Standards Agency on a range of topics.

How much has been written off for the treatment of chargeable overseas visitors in real terms since the National Health Services (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 were introduced.

The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England in its Annual Report and Accounts. The consolidated NHS provider accounts published cash payments received in-year by the National Health Service from overseas visitors.NHS charges can be recovered up to six years from the date of invoice, and therefore the amount recovered in a year does not necessarily mean it was identified in the same financial year. The Department does not hold information in the format requested regarding real terms data for written off debt.The following table shows aggregate income identified and cash payments received between 2019-2024:YearAggregate income identifiedCash payments received in-year2018/19£91,000,000£35,000,0002019/20£93,000,000£39,000,0002020/21£61,000,000£21,000,0002021/22£67,000,000£25,000,0002022/23£100,000,000£32,000,0002023/24£123,000,000£42,000,000Source: The Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and Accounts and Consolidated NHS provider accounts.

Of the aggregate income identified for chargeable overseas visitors in financial year 2018-19 what (a) the total amount recovered for the subsequent six financial years is and (b) the total amount of aggregate income identified for that financial year that was written off is.

The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England in its Annual Report and Accounts. The consolidated NHS provider accounts published cash payments received in-year by the National Health Service from overseas visitors.NHS charges can be recovered up to six years from the date of invoice, and therefore the amount recovered in a year does not necessarily mean it was identified in the same financial year. The Department does not hold information in the format requested regarding real terms data for written off debt.The following table shows aggregate income identified and cash payments received between 2019-2024:YearAggregate income identifiedCash payments received in-year2018/19£91,000,000£35,000,0002019/20£93,000,000£39,000,0002020/21£61,000,000£21,000,0002021/22£67,000,000£25,000,0002022/23£100,000,000£32,000,0002023/24£123,000,000£42,000,000Source: The Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and Accounts and Consolidated NHS provider accounts.

How many sandwiches have been delivered through her Department's contract entitled Catering - KIU, procurement reference CF-0357300D58000000L5A4EAK.

The contracts maintained are designed to provide basic nutrition to arriving individuals in need, including children. The amounts of food provided across the two sites will vary according to need.

How many sandwiches have been delivered through her Department's contract entitled Catering - CIU, procurement reference CF-0360600D58000000L5A4EAK.

The contracts maintained are designed to provide basic nutrition to arriving individuals in need, including children. The amounts of food provided across the two sites will vary according to need.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislation to prohibit the slaughter of animals without being stunned for Halal meat.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. There are no plans to bring forward legislation to prohibit the slaughter of animals without prior stunning when slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. Existing legislation sets out the main requirements to protect the welfare of animals when being slaughtered and there are additional rules that apply when animals are slaughtered by either the Jewish or Muslim method without prior stunning to ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering, or distress during the slaughter process.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of how many animals were slaughtered without being stunned for the production of Halal meat in 2024.

Of the 1.035 billion animals processed in English and Welsh slaughterhouses in 2024, an estimated 214.6 million animals (20.7%) were slaughtered to produce halal meat of which an estimated 27.0 million animals (2.6% of all animals processed) were slaughtered for halal meat without being stunned. These figures are calculated using data from a survey carried out at all slaughterhouses operating in England and Wales during the period 12 February to 18 February 2024, under the last Government. We do not hold data that would allow us to accurately estimate the quantity of halal meat that was consumed in 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of all meat (a) produced and (b) consumed in the UK that is Halal meat.

Of the 1.035 billion animals processed in English and Welsh slaughterhouses in 2024, an estimated 214.6 million animals (20.7%) were slaughtered to produce halal meat of which an estimated 27.0 million animals (2.6% of all animals processed) were slaughtered for halal meat without being stunned. These figures are calculated using data from a survey carried out at all slaughterhouses operating in England and Wales during the period 12 February to 18 February 2024, under the last Government. We do not hold data that would allow us to accurately estimate the quantity of halal meat that was consumed in 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of animals were slaughtered without being stunned for the production of Halal meat in the UK in 2024.

Of the 1.035 billion animals processed in English and Welsh slaughterhouses in 2024, an estimated 214.6 million animals (20.7%) were slaughtered to produce halal meat of which an estimated 27.0 million animals (2.6% of all animals processed) were slaughtered for halal meat without being stunned. These figures are calculated using data from a survey carried out at all slaughterhouses operating in England and Wales during the period 12 February to 18 February 2024, under the last Government. We do not hold data that would allow us to accurately estimate the quantity of halal meat that was consumed in 2024.

What the total cost to the public purse is of the Supervised Toothbrushing Programme.

The Department is investing a total of £11.4 million in 2025/26. This includes £11 million to local authorities in England to implement supervised toothbrushing schemes.£400,000 is being retained nationally to support development of implementation resources and evaluation. Funding for subsequent years will be determined through the Spending Review.The programme has been launched in collaboration with Colgate-Palmolive who are providing 23 million free toothbrushes and toothpastes which will reach up to 600,000 children each year.Every £1 spent on supervised toothbrushing is expected to save £3 in avoided treatment costs, amounting to over £34 million over the next five years that can instead be spent on treating other patients.Tooth decay remains the most common reason for hospital admissions in children aged between five and nine years old. The costs to the National Health Service of hospital admissions for tooth extractions in children aged between zero and 19 years old have been estimated based on the latest NHS national cost collection data, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/costing-in-the-nhs/national-cost-collection/The costs were £74.8 million for all tooth extractions and £45.8 million for decay-related tooth extractions in 2023/24.

What recent estimate she has made of (a) the number of contracts and (b) the value of those contracts for providing English language courses for refugees over the last three years.

The Government routinely publishes the details and costs of its procurement contracts on the contract finder website.

If she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure the provision of pre-sentencing reports for all offenders.

Where a court is considering whether an offender should receive a sentence of immediate custody, a pre-sentencing report must be obtained and considered before forming an opinion unless, in the circumstances of the case, it considers that it is unnecessary to obtain a pre-sentence report. Pre-sentencing reports. These reports see the Probation Service play an essential role in court by providing an expert assessment of the nature and causes of the offender's behaviour and the risk the offender poses.The Lord Chancellor has been clear that the recent guidelines published by the Sentencing Council regarding pre-sentencing reports, do not represent the views of this Government. The Lord Chancellor and the Chairman of the Sentencing Council have had a constructive discussion. It was agreed that the Lord Chancellor will set out her position more fully in writing, which the Sentencing Council will then consider before the guideline is due to come into effect.The Lord Chancellor has already stated that she will be reviewing the role and powers of the Sentencing Council, as well as what role Government should have on issues such as this, and will not hesitate to legislate if necessary.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 2 (North East), procurement reference CF-0333500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

If she will make an estimate of the number of high net worth individuals that have left the UK in each of the last ten years.

The Government does not routinely collect or publish data on the total number of taxpayers becoming non-resident during each tax year. Taxpayers are not obliged to tell HMRC that they have left the UK, and may drop out of HMRC’s data for another reason.

Whether any staff in her Department have had their employment terminated due to a failure to declare a conflict of interest when overseeing the granting of contracts in the last ten years.

Current Home Office ministers are not aware of any such cases, but to go back over the department’s disciplinary process for the last decade to see if any such situation has featured in a termination case could only be done for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

How many and what proportion of main battle tanks are operational to a deployment standard.

I hope the hon. Member will understand that we do not routinely disclose figures relating to Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks in the active fleet in the interests of security and operational effectiveness.

How much funding her Department has provided to local authorities for the provision of refugee and asylum services in each of the last five years.

The Home Office publishes information on asylum and refugee expenditure on a regular basis in the Home Office Annual Report, available on gov.uk.