Written questions by Owen.

Whether the use of X for Government communications is in accordance with the (a) propriety and ethics guidance of the Government Communications Service, (b) Civil Service Code, and (c) Public Sector Equality Duty.

The Government Communication Service (GCS) SAFE (Safety and suitability, Ads context, Freedom of speech, and Ethics and enforcement) Framework is the single, comprehensive framework that the government uses to regularly provide thorough guidance ensuring use of digital advertising environments is appropriate. SAFE supports the principles of GCS propriety and ethics guidance, the Civil Service Code and the Public Sector Equality Duty. The platform X is currently used for non-paid communications activity only (also known as 'organic' activity). We review the use of different platforms as needed, to ensure we meet the high standards set out in the SAFE Framework.

Whether he has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on pay for specialist community public health nurses.

Specialist community public health nurses in England are typically paid on the National Health Service’s Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system.Annual AfC pay awards are decided following recommendations from the independent NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB). We accepted the 2025/26 recommendations in full, and the Government has asked the NHSPRB to begin the 2026/27 pay round. Relevant stakeholders are invited to submit evidence to the NHSPRB to inform its deliberations.Officials and ministers continue to engage with AfC unions on pay and contractual matters via the NHS Staff Council.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with UK Deaf Sport on funding for athletes competing in the Tokyo 25 Summer Deaflympics.

Our Arm's Length Body, Sport England, has committed £1.2 million between 2022 and 2027 to support deaf sport at the grassroots level, build wider participation, and develop strong governance within UK Deaf Sport.Sport England are also exploring a series of small-scale talent pilots for d/Deaf athletes. These pilots will see Sport England, National Governing Bodies, and UK Deaf Sport working together to explore issues around accessibility and suggest potential solutions. Sport England has also awarded UK Deaf Sport £150,000 to fund a specialist Talent Inclusion post to further the work of the pilots.

Media and Sport, how much funding (a) her Department and (b) Sport England have allocated to support elite Deaf sportspeople in each of the last five years.

Our Arm's Length Body, Sport England, has committed £1.2 million between 2022 and 2027 to support deaf sport at the grassroots level, build wider participation, and develop strong governance within UK Deaf Sport.Sport England are also exploring a series of small-scale talent pilots for d/Deaf athletes. These pilots will see Sport England, National Governing Bodies, and UK Deaf Sport working together to explore issues around accessibility and suggest potential solutions. Sport England has also awarded UK Deaf Sport £150,000 to fund a specialist Talent Inclusion post to further the work of the pilots.

Media and Sport, how much funding (a) her Department and (b) Sport England have allocated to support elite Deaf sportspeople to attend the Tokyo 2025 Summer Deaflympics.

The Government, through the UK Sport grant, supports Olympic and Paralympic success. Beyond this the Government does not provide additional funding to performance sport, in line with our approach to a great many other areas of individual sporting performance.Sport England are exploring a series of small-scale talent pilots for d/Deaf athletes. These pilots will see Sport England, National Governing Bodies, and UK Deaf Sport working together to explore issues around accessibility and suggest potential solutions. Sport England has also awarded UK Deaf Sport £150,000 to fund a specialist Talent Inclusion post to further the work of the pilots.

Whether British citizens who receive undergraduate medical training overseas will be considered as part of plans to prioritise UK medical graduates for foundation postgraduate training.

As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan published on 3 July, we will work across Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training. We will set out next steps in due course.Internationally educated staff remain an important part of the NHS workforce, and we recognise the valuable role that British citizens who studied medicine abroad play in our NHS.

Innovation and Technology, what recent progress has been made on cross-departmental plans to phase-out animal testing in the UK.

I refer the hon. Member for Luton North to the answer of 9th June 2025 to Question 54862.

Whether he is taking steps to stop the use of paper forms for blood tests ordered by (a) GPs and (b) hospitals.

Pathology service transformation is critical to delivering the Government's ambitions for the National Health Service. The NHS has invested heavily in delivering digital transformation for pathology services to reduce reliance on paper-based processes; working closely with integrated care boards, pathology networks, and clinical IT suppliers to ensure interoperability between clinical systems to enable a fully digital, joined-up approach to pathology services.This includes implementing and expanding use of electronic test requesting systems and supporting efforts to standardise their use. These systems allow clinicians in general practice and hospital settings to request pathology tests digitally, improving efficiency, reducing transcription errors, and enhancing patient safety.

Representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, whether topping up statutory parental bereavement leave payment with occupational pay up to a staff member’s full pay for two weeks includes bereavement leave for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.

The occupational policies funded by IPSA with regard to MPs' staff aim to align with the eligibility criteria set by the Government with respect to statutory payments, in accordance with the need for IPSA's policy to reflect the experience of other working citizens.The eligibility criteria for statutory parental bereavement pay establishes that the payment only applies after 24 weeks gestation. IPSA is, however, monitoring the progress of the Employment Rights Bill and once enacted, will update it policies and procedures in accordance with any changes.Within the rules of the Scheme of of MPs' Staffing and Business Costs, MPs have the discretion to provide compassionate or bereavement leave to any staff member and this is laid out on IPSA's guidance website.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle racism in sport.

The Government’s stance is unequivocal: racism has absolutely no place in our society, and no place in sport and activity. We are committed to stamping it out, from the elite level to the grassroots, ensuring that sport truly is for everyone, regardless of their background, or ethnicity.The Government is working closely with the sector, particularly its Arm’s Length Bodies Sport England and UK Sport, and the national governing bodies, to tackle racism and discrimination in sport.The online abuse directed at many athletes is appalling and deeply wrong. We stand with them in condemning it and demanding safer online experiences for everyone.

If she will make it her policy to waive the Secure English Language Test requirement for foundation year students applying for study visas from the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Government is keeping all existing visa pathways under review in response to events in Gaza. Palestinians who wish to settle in the UK can do so via the existing routes available.The English language requirements on the Student route are designed to ensure that Students being offered places to study in the UK are genuine students who also genuinely possess the English language ability required to see their course through to completion.Officials are working across government to address the complex issues arising from the current situation in Gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to help support Palestinians with student visas to (a) travel to and (b) commence their studies in the UK.

We are aware of Palestinian students seeking to commence studies in the UK and are considering the request for support.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to Question 65380 on Leagrave Station: Lifts, whether the completed 2023 Network Rail feasibility study for lifts at Leagrave station will expedite the progress of upgrades at the station.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This included Leagrave railway station. We expect to provide an update to stakeholders during the summer.

Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to support local and combined authorities in producing up to date Playing Pitch Strategies.

This Government is committed to expanding access to community and grassroots sport. Sport has the power to bring people together, to boost physical and mental health and act as social hubs in our communities.We believe that in order to deliver fundamental change on inactivity levels, sport and physical activity needs to be fully embedded into local systems, including health plans, so communities feel empowered to own outcomes. We are therefore committed to moving to a place-based approach to physical activity across Government Departments.The Government is acting to support more people in getting onto the pitch wherever they live. In March, we announced that we would invest £98 million into grassroots sport facilities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme this year. We will build on this with at least £400 million invested into community sport facilities in the four years from 2026/27.In England, our delivery partner the Football Foundation plans their investment pipeline based on Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which have been developed in partnership with local authorities, community Football Associations and other sport stakeholders. They are currently being refreshed to reflect the current landscape, with updated plans due to be completed in this year.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Sport England’s Planning Statutory Consultee status on the provision of sporting facilities in new housing developments.

The Government is reviewing the statutory consultee system, including Sport England, to promote growth and unblock building.The statutory consultee system must work in support of development and economic growth—reflecting the central place of these objectives in the Government’s plan for change. A process is in place to consult on the impacts of removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including Sport England.Access to open green spaces and playing fields is important, and we will work closely with MHCLG as part of their proposed reforms, and we remain committed to ensuring our playing field capacity is protected.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the protection of sporting facilities in the planning process.

The Government is reviewing the statutory consultee system, including Sport England, to promote growth and unblock building.The statutory consultee system must work in support of development and economic growth—reflecting the central place of these objectives in the Government’s plan for change. A process is in place to consult on the impacts of removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including Sport England.Access to open green spaces and playing fields is important, and we will work closely with MHCLG as part of their proposed reforms, and we remain committed to ensuring our playing field capacity is protected.

What recent progress he has made with (a) Network Rail and (b) Govia Thameslink on the provision of lifts at Leagrave Station.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This included Leagrave railway station. We expect to provide an update to stakeholders during the summer.

How much funding her Department has (a) allocated to and (b) spent on prevention of female genital mutilation in each financial year since 2014-15.

The Government is tackling female genital mutilation (FGM) through its landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.We will not tolerate a practice that can cause extreme and lifelong physical and psychological suffering to women and girls. The Government’s approach is focused on preventing these crimes from happening, supporting and protecting survivors and those at risk, and bringing perpetrators to justice.The below outlines the annual spending allocated by the Home Office to prevent and tackle FGM in England and Wales in each financial year since 2015. The Home Office does not hold funding information for earlier than 2015/2016. This funding was used for a range of activity to tackle FGM, including victim support helplines, training courses on FGM for frontline personnel, academic research and communication campaigns:FY 2015-2016: £2,718,000FY 2016-2017: £1,664,000FY 2017-2018: £2,358,768FY 2018-2019: £2,403,768FY 2019-2020: £1,023,768FY 2020-2021: £334,234FY 2021-2022: £211,020FY 2022-2023: £259,568FY 2023-2024: £1,170,209FY 2024-2025: £1,108,599

How much funding his Department has (a) allocated to and (b) spent on the treatment and care of individuals subject to female genital mutilation in each financial year since 2014-15.

Clinical services for women affected by female genital mutilation (FGM) are locally commissioned and include standard National Health Service delivery, for example in obstetrics and gynaecology, as well as maternity FGM clinics for pregnant women and FGM support clinics. The Department does not directly commission FGM support services and does not hold information on local spend on FGM services.

What recent progress he has made on consulting with (a) campaign groups and (b) industry on reviewing fireworks legislation.

The Government has continued to engage with various stakeholders in regard to fireworks regulation and the impact of fireworks. This includes charities such as Combat Stress and the RSPCA, other MPs and the British Fireworks Association. I continue to engage with stakeholders in regard to fireworks regulation to listen and understand views.