Written questions by Niblett.

What plans she has to encourage more girls into STEM subjects.

The department is committed to ensuring that anyone, regardless of their gender or background, can pursue an education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The government continues to fund and support the STEM Ambassadors programme, a nationwide network of over 28,000 registered volunteers from over 7,000 STEM and related employers. Over the last year, STEM Ambassadors have delivered 356,000 volunteer hours, serving as relatable role models to illustrate to young people that science, research, engineering and innovation is for everyone. Notably, 56% of STEM Ambassadors are under 35, 48% are women and 20% come from ethnic minority backgrounds. The programme has been active for over 20 years. The department is a partner signatory to the Tomorrow’s Engineers Code pledging to work with the engineering community to improve the quality, targeting, inclusivity and reach of engineering inspiration activities. In addition, the department funds the National Centre for Computing Education to improve the teaching of computing and increase participation in computer science qualifications. This support includes programmes designed to encourage greater participation by girls and industry-led career events that raise pupils’ awareness of careers in computing. the department also funds the Stimulating Physics Network, which provides tailored support to schools to increase rates of progression to physics A level the Maths Hubs programme, which has a focus on all pupils being given equal access to the curriculum and the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme, which delivers high-quality teacher professional development for level 3 mathematics.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential economic contribution of community (a) arts and (b) literary festivals.

This Government recognises the importance of community arts and literary festivals in bringing local communities together, providing them with high-quality culture, and stimulating local growth.Data collection plays an integral role in how the Department for Culture, Media and Sport assesses the economic contribution of its sectors to the UK economy. DCMS publishes official statistics (DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates) including data on Gross Value Added, employment and business demographics, which are available at national and regional levels.These data can be found on the DCMS website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dcms-sectors-economic-estimatesDCMS Sectors Economic Estimates does not, however, provide data specific to community arts and literary festivals.

What steps she is taking to improve access to public transport in rural communities in (a) Derbyshire and (b) the UK.

Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce a Buses Bill later this parliamentary session, which will put decision-making into the hands of local leaders across England, including in rural areas. This will allow local areas to determine how best to design their bus services so that they have control over routes and schedules. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities. East Midlands Combined County Authority has been allocated £40.5 million.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the people of Ukraine through (a) medical and (b) educational aid.

The UK's non-military commitments to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion amount to £5 billion. This includes programmes with FCDO partners to provide medical aid. We have committed £5.5 million to the World Health Organisation this year to support capacity building and system strengthening of Ukraine's rehabilitation sector. The FCDO also supports the Red Cross Movement, which has rehabilitated bomb shelters in schools and hospitals to enable the continued operation of these vital services. In Moldova, the UK has been supporting UNICEF's EduTech Labs, which provide a safe space for Ukrainian refugee children to continue their online learning in a physical school environment.

What plans she has to further support (a) Ukrainian refugees and (b) those who are hosting Ukrainian refugees in (i) Derbyshire and (ii) the East Midlands.

To provide future certainty, Ukrainians who have been provided with sanctuary in the UK under the Ukraine schemes will be able to apply for 18 months further permission to remain in the UK through a bespoke Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme due to open in early 2025.Sponsors continue to be eligible for thank you payments for the duration of their guest's Homes for Ukraine visa permission. For arrivals under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, local authorities also continue to receive a tariff of £5,900 per Ukrainian arrival in their area to support guests to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.

What plans she has to widen access to (a) educational and (b) career opportunities for people with disabilities in Derbyshire.

Too many people across our country do not get the chance to succeed. We want to ensure people of all ages and backgrounds can undertake activities which provide them with the skills and learning which will support them into work and offer excellent career development and progression opportunities. Our Disability Employment Adviser’s (DEA) across Derbyshire provide a range of specialist support for individuals to help them move closer to, secure and stay in work, ensuring customers are confident with their Health Adjustment Passports, are accessing Access to Work support, as well as ensuring those working with Work and Health Programme are fully engaged and gaining the most from the programme. The Jobcentre network works closely with a range of external providers offering a wealth of individual outreach support which includes monthly meetings at P3 individual living (local housing charity), Collective Community Hub and Sharps pottery. The DEA’s are also able to attend to provide more personalised support by offering group or one to one sessions in a safe space for our customers. Our teams also collaborate with the local NHS teams to refer to and deliver NHS Talking Therapies and link with Individual Placement and Support Organisations in Primary and Secondary Care as well as the Social Prescribers Network. The DEAs have a close working relationship with our Employer Advisers which continues to build a strong Disability Confident employer network to offer advice, resource and guidance onto employers to enhance their support for disabled customers in their workplace. Jobcentres across Derbyshire hold monthly group sessions on site. These are site specific sessions depending on the needs of the customer base at the time. Sessions include Mental Health awareness, access to work support and volunteering opportunities. All education and training providers, and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students. This includes people with a learning difficulty. This duty is set out under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010. We also want providers to play a stronger role in expanding access and improving outcomes for disadvantaged students, making sure they are delivering strong and ambitious Access and Participation Plans. It is critical that all students should be supported with good advice, quality options and fair and transparent processes which ensure there are no barriers to them accessing high-quality courses suited to their ability, interests and aspirations. Through grant arrangements with Disability Rights UK, the Department for Education (DfE) provides advice and guidance activities which increase awareness, access to and participation in DfE programmes and services for disabled young people. These activities help DfE identify and overcome barriers faced by disabled people in accessing and progressing through their post-16 pathway on their route towards employment

Media and Sport, what plans she to encourage more (a) women and (b) women of minority backgrounds into (i) sports coaching careers and (ii) voluntary roles.

We are dedicated to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, are able to participate in sport and physical activity.Coaches play an important role in facilitating sporting activity and acting as a source of encouragement for people to remain active. UK Sport’s female Coaches Leadership Programme resulted in the number of women coaching in Olympic and Paralympic sport to double since 2020.Sport England has also supported the voluntary sector by developing a vision for volunteering, which sets a clear and ambitious direction to increase the diversity of volunteers in sport and physical activity.Karen Carney’s 2023 review of women’s football highlighted the lack of representation of individuals from diverse backgrounds throughout women’s football both on and off the pitch. The Football Association released its 2024-28 strategy for Women and Girls’ Football in October, which includes a commitment to increase the number of players and workforce from underrepresented communities within all roles in the game. We will continue to monitor progress here.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the research and development of femtech solutions; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of femtech solutions on women's health outcomes.

While no explicit discussions have been held or assessments made, supporting patients’ equitable access to innovative technologies, and empowering their decision-making in care are key priorities for the Department and NHS England. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research delivery arm of the Department, has funded and continues to fund research relevant to FemTech. For example, a recent study used new technology to analyse magnetic resonance images using artificial intelligence software to aid the diagnosis of endometriosis. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including FemTech solutions.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve phone signal in (a) South Derbyshire constituency and (b) rural areas.

Although I am aware that official reports of mobile coverage often vary substantially from people’s experience on the ground, Ofcom reports that 95% of the pre-boundary change South Derbyshire constituency area has 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile operators, and that basic (non-standalone) 5G is available from at least one mobile operator outside 93% of premises.This Government wants all areas of the UK to benefit from reliable and good quality mobile coverage. Our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural areas, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030, and to increase 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass by the end of 2025 through the Shared Rural Network programme. We are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to regulate estate management providers to ensure that homeowners are not subject to (a) hidden fees, (b) unclear information and (c) unsatisfactory maintenance.

I refer my Hon Friend to the answer to Question UIN 13718 on 15 November 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that animals are declared correctly as rescued at UK borders; and how many animals have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected at the border in the last five years.

Where the purpose of the movement of an animal is relating to the sale or any other form of transfer of ownership of the animal, including rescue animals, the commercial importation rules should be used. Animals which are imported under the incorrect regime or without the correct documentation may be detained or returned to the country of dispatch. The table below shows the number of all animals (including but not limited to dogs, cats, ferrets, bovines and equines) entering Great Britain from the EU that have been declared as rescue in the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS). YearNumber of animals recorded as rescue in IPAFFS202161,884202230,624202330,0772024 (Up to 31 October 2024)20,801The Department does not hold data on the number of consignments or animals that have been rejected at the border.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government programmes supporting homeowners with reducing levels of carbon emissions.

To reach our Clean Power target by 2030 we need to decarbonise the way we heat and cool our homes and workplaces. After many years of stop-start settlements by previous governments, this government has provided an exceptional initial three-year settlement for home upgrades despite this only being a single-year fiscal event. This demonstrates our ambitions to deliver the Warm Homes Plan as effectively as possible. The new Wave 3 of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) will support low-income homeowners and private tenants and social tenants in England with energy performance upgrades and cleaner heating, with delivery expected in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the economic contribution of farming to (a) Derbyshire and (b) South Derbyshire constituency.

Defra does not produce constituency level estimates of the economic contribution of farming. Regional estimates are produced at international territorial levels (ITL) 1, 2 and 3, with ITL3 being the most granular geographical breakdown. In 2023, total income from farming for the three Derbyshire ITL3 regions was £0.13 million for Derby, £11.84 million for East Derbyshire and £36.69 million for South and West Derbyshire. Full details are available here.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Australia on matters relating to the (a) sports and (b) cultural sectors.

The UK maintains a strong and modern partnership with Australia across sporting and cultural fields, fostering mutual understanding and people-to-people ties. Over the next year, significant sporting events, including the England Women's Cricket and British Lions tours to Australia, will showcase our enduring sporting links. The British Council collaborates closely with Australian institutions as exemplified by the 2022 UK-Australia Season of Culture. We remain committed to deepening these connections, including when looking ahead to Australia's hosting of the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032. There are several major UK contemporary visual arts and museum exhibitions touring to Australia in 2025.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of changing and bathroom facilities for women at grassroots sporting venues.

We are dedicated to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, are able to participate in sport and physical activity.Karen Carney OBE’s Review of Women’s Football included a recommendation on meaningful access to facilities. I recently met Karen to discuss implementation of her review which is relevant across women’s sport. I am clear that action is needed to drive all of the recommendations outlined in the Review. I look forward to convening the Implementation Group for Women’s Football before the end of this year to understand progress following Karen’s Review.The Football Foundation, the charity funded by the Government, the Football Association and the Premier League, has committed to implementing recommendations from an independent review to ensure new minimum standards for women and girls at funded sites. This includes guaranteeing a share of priority slots to women’s and girls’ teams, setting up a new small grants programme, specifically targeted at creating female-friendly facilities off the pitch, and ensuring refreshed Local Football Facility Plans reflect the growth in women and girls' football.Sport England’s ‘Accessible and Inclusive Sports Facilities’ guidance also supports grassroots sporting venues to provide well designed spaces for female users.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential use of Artificial Intelligence in the health sector to improve patient outcomes.

DSIT is working closely with Departments, including DHSC, to support better adoption of AI. For example, through the £21m AI Diagnostics fund, DHSC is supporting the deployment of technologies in high-demand areas such as chest X-Ray and chest CT scans to enable faster diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in over half of acute trusts in England.At the recent International Investment Summit, over £24 billion of investment was pledged to harness the opportunity AI offers. DSIT will continue working closely with Cabinet colleagues to ensure AI is safely deployed to deliver service enhancements, earlier diagnostics and improved patient outcomes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to support Afghan women (a) in Afghanistan and (b) living as refugees (i) in the UK and (ii) around the world.

The UK remains one of the most significant donors to Afghanistan. The FCDO is planning £161 million in aid this financial year (2024-25) with 50 per cent targeted towards women and girls. In the first year after the Taliban takeover, the UK provided £17 million to support Afghan people in neighbouring countries, primarily Tajikistan, Iran and Pakistan. We have repeatedly condemned Taliban restrictions on women and girls' rights, including through UN Security Council and Human Rights Council resolutions. The Home Office is responsible for the support of refugees in the UK.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help ensure benefits of technological development are felt by all demographics.

Digital inclusion is a priority for Government. It means ensuring everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to engage in our modern digital society, whatever their circumstances. I know that digital exclusion disproportionately impacts certain demographics, including older people, those with disabilities and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, creating new inequalities and exacerbating existing ones. As we develop our approach on tackling this issue we will be working closely with the third and private sector and local authorities to ensure interventions are targeted to individual needs.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the safety of (a) women and (b) children online in light of the use of AI in the creation of indecent images; and what discussions she has had with cabinet colleagues on this issue.

Women and children receive a disproportionate amount of online abuse, and the exponential rise of AI has further exacerbated this threat. That is why tackling child sexual abuse and violence against women & girls (VAWG), including when these crimes take place online, remains a top priority for this government. Under the Online Safety Act 2023, it is an offence to share or threaten to share intimate images without consent and this includes “deepfake” images. In September 2024, this Government made the sharing of intimate images without consent a ‘priority offence’ - the most serious class of online crime under the Online Safety Act. Companies in scope of the Act’s duties will now be required to proactively tackle this content on their platforms. This Government has also committed to banning the creation of sexually explicit “deepfake” images and is working at pace to identify a suitable legislative vehicle.With regards to child sexual abuse imagery, UK law is very clear that it is an offence to produce, store, share or search for any material that contains or depicts child sexual abuse. This prohibition also includes pseudo-imagery that may have been generated by artificial intelligence.Possession of indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children carries a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment. In addition, the offence of taking, making, distribution and possession with a view to distribution of any indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child under 18 carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Technology companies, including those developing generative artificial intelligence products, have a duty to ensure their products are designed with robust guardrails in place that prevent them from being misused by offenders to create artificially generated child sexual abuse material. This Government is fully committed to tackling the creation of CSAM online and will use every lever possible to prevent it.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of language support for refugee children in school whose first language is not English.

It is currently for schools to determine what support provision to put in place for all pupils, including refugees, whose first language is other than English, and who have English language development needs. Schools are able to draw on their overall budgets for this purpose, including funding allocated through the English as an additional language factor in the national funding formula. No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of this approach, however the government will keep the matter under review.