Written questions by Champion.

What the average processing time was for applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme by people living in Rotherham in each of the last five years.

The table below shows the average time for decisions to be made on applications* for criminal injuries compensation by people resident in Rotherham**.Financial Year of CICA decisionAverage time (days)2020-212922021-223372022-234632023-243632024-25367 * The table does not include archived bereavement applications because the address of the applicant is not retained. In most cases, applications are archived three years after the case has been closed.** The above table includes all awards where the applicant named Rotherham as the town in their home address in their application.

What information her Department holds on the number and proportion of applications for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority outside the two-year time limit for which discretion was applied in (a) 2020, (b) 2021, (c) 2022, (d) 2023, (e) 2024 and (f) 2025.

The table below shows the number and proportion of resolved applications in each calendar year where the two-year time limit was extended.Column A: Calendar year of decisionColumn B: Total resolved applicationsColumn C: Resolved applications received outside time limitColumn D: Resolved applications where time limit was extendedColumn E: Resolved applications where time limit was extended as a proportion of all applications received outside the time limit202027,8664,1393,61587.3%202128,4715,2234,39184.1%202233,8436,3525,25783.8%202336,7836,8465,27977.1%202435,2797,1024,75066.9%2025 to date14,2073,2351,97160.9%The above information relates to applications made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the Scheme) only. For minor applicants, the two-year time limit depends on when the incident was reported to the police. We have taken that into account in the above response.

What steps his Department is taking to insource public services.

The Government is determined to deliver high quality public services and better value for money for the taxpayer. To further this aim, we have committed to introducing a public interest test to assess whether expiring contracts could be better delivered, and drive better value for money, in-house. This will ensure that we make evidenced-based decisions on the best way to deliver public services.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46724, what steps his Department is taking to support research into (a) non-animal New Approach Methodologies and (b) alternatives to animal testing.

The Government is committed to the development of New Approach Methodologies and non-animal alternatives. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has a portfolio of investments that support research which can lead to alternatives, such as organ on a chip and computer modelling. In addition they invest £10m annually to the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs). UKRI also supports ‘human-specific’ research, for example a £15m call on Novel human in vitro models with NC3Rs and Wellcome.The Government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21608 on Cephalopods and Shellfish: Animal Welfare, what estimate she has made of when the Animals in Science Committee will conclude its work on the future options for the regulation of the use of decapod crustaceans in scientific research.

The Home Office does not require advice from the Animals in Science Committee at this stage but will be guided by decisions made under the Animal Welfare Act regarding any consideration as to whether decapod crustaceans are regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procures) Act 1986.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2025 to Question 38034, if he will establish an expert advisory group of representatives from (a) industry, (b) academia and (c) civil society to oversee the implementation of its forthcoming strategy on phasing out animal testing.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The government has been consulting industry, academia and civil society as this process unfolds.The Government is drafting a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. As part of this, we are considering how we harness expertise in the use of animals in science and their replacement, which is of interest to a variety of government departments and bodies. We will make any announcements when the strategy is published later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take legislative steps to restrict bottom trawling of sandeel fish in the North Sea.

Fishing for sandeel in UK waters of the North Sea and all Scottish waters has been prohibited since March 2024. Fisheries management is largely devolved. In England, the prohibition of fishing for sandeel in the North Sea is implemented through fishing vessel license restrictions. There are currently no plans for to enforce this prohibition in England through legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a veterinary agreement with the EU.

The Prime Minister welcomed President of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen and President of the EU Council António Costa to London for a UK-EU Summit on 19 May. At that Summit we have agreed the parameters for a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement making agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers, and increasing choice in the shops. This agreement will reduce delays and paperwork at the border, make it easier and cheaper to take pets on holiday into the EU, and trade in products such as fresh sausages and burgers will be able to resume. The holistic merits of an SPS agreement could see an increase in the volume of UK exports of major agricultural commodities to the EU by around 16% and increase imports from the EU by around 8%; the agreement could also add up to £5.1 billion a year to our economy in the long run. Specifically, GB goods such as dairy, fish, eggs and red meat currently subject to 100% documentary checks and up to 30% physical checks will see these removed entirely; further merits can be found at UK-EU Summit - Explainer - GOV.UK.

What plans she has for the lethal dose 50 test.

The UK continues to lead the way in seeking the adoption internationally of improved testing methods that replace, reduce or refine the use of animals in scientific procedures.Some authorised medicines in the UK include quality control tests which require the use of animals, conducted to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of specific medicines. These tests account for the LD50 cases still conducted.UK regulators follow the principles of the 3Rs – to replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in tests. Significant progress has been made on validating alternative methods which do not use animals, including the possibility of replacing mice by in vitro suitable cell cultures in LD50-type testing methods, and the relevant regulatory quality standards and testing requirements have been revised accordingly for these specific medicines.The implementation of new tests for existing products must be a process that protects and prioritises human safety, often requiring extensive validation. It is not presently possible to replace all of the existing animal tests with in vitro non-animal replacements.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he will publish the outcome of the 2024 Fairer Food Labelling Consultation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gareth Snell on 23 December 2024, PQ UIN 20692.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking with regulators to increase adoption of non-animal New Approach Methodologies.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal.The Government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods in basic, applied, translational and regulatory research and testing later this year. As part of this we are engaging with regulators including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and international medicines regulators such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) as to how we will take this commitment forward.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 42455, what steps his Department is taking to ensure adherence to (a) decent work and (b) human rights throughout the UK and global supply chains used to deliver public services and goods contracts.

The Cabinet Office has published extensive risk-based policy and guidance for commercial teams to tackle labour rights abuses in UK and global supply chains. A Procurement Policy Note (PPN), which was recently updated in line with the Procurement Act, sets out instructions to departments on how to tackle modern slavery in supply chains at each stage of the commercial life-cycle. The government has also developed risk assessment tools and promotes e-learning for procurement officials. The Act provides contracting authorities with stronger powers to exclude suppliers from public procurements where there is compelling evidence of modern slavery within their supply chains.The Social Value Model has recently been updated to align to the missions, and where relevant and proportionate to do so, authorities can reward suppliers who provide good working conditions for staff working on public contracts

What training is available for family court judges on child sexual abuse.

The Lady Chief Justice has statutory responsibility for the training of the courts judiciary in England and Wales, which is exercised through the Judicial College. The judiciary and professional staff in the College are responsible for the design, content and delivery of judicial training. All judicial office holders receive induction training on appointment and before sitting in a new jurisdiction and complete regular continuation training thereafter. Training on child sexual abuse is integral to judicial training in public and private family law, including dealing with allegations of child sexual abuse and how best to receive evidence from children and young people in a way which seeks to minimise distress whilst protecting the integrity of the court process. Family magistrates and their legal advisers also complete training in child sexual abuse and other forms of domestic abuse.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his US counterpart on the Guttmacher Institute's publication entitled Family planning impact of the Trump foreign assistance freeze, published on 29 January 2025.

The Foreign Secretary has not had direct discussions with his US counterpart specifically regarding the Guttmacher Institute's publication on the impact of cuts to US foreign assistance funding on Family Planning initiatives. However, the UK is actively assessing the broader implications of the US funding cuts across various development sectors.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the planned reduction of Official Development Assistance on the number of women at risk of preventable death in pregnancy and childbirth.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations and the impact on programmes are being worked through, following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5 per cent or gross national income to 0.3 per cent in 2027. We will be taking a rigorous approach to ensure that all ODA delivers value for money, including by considering the impact on women and girls in accordance with the public sector equality duty.The UK remains unequivocally committed to supporting global efforts to end preventable maternal, child, and newborn deaths in line with Sustainable Development Goal targets. This month the UK delegation to the UN Commission on Population and Development committed to protect and progress sexual and reproductive health and rights, including maternal and newborn health by cosponsoring the launch of the Global Midwifery Accelerator. The UK continues to work closely with partners and provides strong political leadership on maternal health, to end preventable deaths.

What steps she is taking to improve data capture on the (a) number of private law proceedings that involve allegations of child sexual abuse and (b) outcomes of these cases.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service will be introducing a new case management system for private law children‘s cases, Manage Cases. This system will identify each type of abuse or harm allegation made by an applicant, including child sexual abuse. This will support data capture of the number of proceedings in which child sexual abuse is a factor and the outcome of these cases. The national roll out of the new digital system is expected to begin later this year.

Whether his Department plans to publish a timeline for the Fair Work Agency becoming fully operational.

Creating the Fair Work Agency (FWA) is a complex process that requires primary legislation. The Employment Rights Bill is the first phase of delivering the FWA.Implementation will occur in phases following Royal Assent to ensure a smooth and effective transition. We will provide more information on timings in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in Official Development Assistance from 2027 on people with disabilities; and what steps he is taking to (a) fund and (b) otherwise resource the FCDO Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy to 2030.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations and the impact on programmes are being worked through following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5 per cent of gross national income to 0.3 per cent in 2027. Equality Impact Assessments - which consider impacts on people with disabilities - are an essential part of how we make decisions, including on ODA allocations. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the spending review.At 16 per cent of the global population, people with disabilities are among the world's most vulnerable, particularly at times of crisis. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is committed to mainstreaming a disability inclusion and rights approach across our work and we will also drive stronger international coordination to advance global disability inclusion progress.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the the European Commission announcement entitled Vision for Agriculture and Food, published on 19 February 2025, if he will hold discussions with animal welfare organisations on the potential merits of implementing the same regulations as proposed in the EU on (a) phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals and (b) introducing animal welfare labelling.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department is engaging with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are considering very carefully. A public consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous Government. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course. We await the EU Commission proposals on phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals and animal welfare labelling with interest.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2025 to Question 29899 on Gaza: Energy and Water Supply, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of prioritising Gazan contractors in the rebuilding of Gaza on the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Civil society will be best placed to rebuild their communities, and we must ensure they have the right support. We will be guided by our trusted partners in supporting private sector investment in Gaza's recovery and reconstruction, including considering how to work with Gazan construction agencies. We are exploring ways to support private sector recovery in Gaza and continue to provide ongoing support to monitor, protect and grow the private sector in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and improve the Palestinian trade performance.