Written questions by Arthur.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what conversations she has had with the British Council, since entering post.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers regularly engage with the British Council. Most recently, I met the British Council Chair and CEO on 13 November.The British Council-delivered UK-Ukraine School Partnerships Programme is funded by the Department for Education, rather than the FCDO. New funding was announced on 13 November to support 30 additional schools and an estimated 5,000 additional pupils to benefit from the programme.

Whether the review of the Airports National Policy Statement will include steps to increase access to careers (a) as pilots (b) in aviation generally.

A review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) was launched on 22 October. It provides the primary basis for decision making on development consent applications for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. The current ANPS sets out that any promoter should aim to maximise the employment and skills opportunities expansion brings, including apprenticeships, however it is site specific to Heathrow. This will be considered as part of the review.

With reference to her oral statement of 20 November 2025 on Migration: Settlement Pathway, what criteria she is considering to define high earners and entrepreneurs.

We are currently holding a public consultation on the new earned settlement model. This is due to conclude on 12th February 2026. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.

What steps he has taken to help reduce sepsis mortality in patients with leukaemia and other cancers.

Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test, and the signs and symptoms can vary hugely across all patients, making sepsis challenging to diagnose early. It is therefore critical that all acutely unwell patients are treated promptly and appropriately regardless of cause.Screening, diagnosis, and treatment of suspected sepsis is supported by the use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2). NEWS2 supports clinicians to determine the need for immediate care and is used in 99% of acute National Health Service trusts and 100% of ambulance trusts in England.To further aid clinical staff in diagnosing sepsis early, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published national guidelines on the recognition, diagnosis, and early management of suspected sepsis in people aged 16 years old and over. People with a weakened immune system, such as those having chemotherapy treatment, are more likely to get an infection that could lead to sepsis. Therefore, NICE has additional guidelines on the prevention and management of neutropenic sepsis in people with cancer. NICE guidelines provide authoritative, evidence-based guidance on best practice and should be taken fully into account by healthcare professionals in the care and treatment of NHS patients. The guidelines can be accessed alongside NHS England’s online sepsis training programmes.Additionally, the Department continues to fund research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to improve our understanding of sepsis diagnosis and immediate management.The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.

What assurance mechanisms will be introduced as part of the transition from MyCSP to Capita to ensure that delays experienced under the current contract are not repeated.

The Cabinet Office has enforced strict commercial governance and, unlike the legacy arrangement, the new contract incorporates sharp, automatic financial penalties for failure to meet Key Performance Indicators. This will ensure that the supplier is held financially accountable for service delivery standards from the outset. These measures include a rigorous period of parallel running and system testing to validate operational readiness, alongside extensive data integrity checks and migration audits prior to service commencement. This process is underpinned by a strengthened governance structure with active Cabinet Office oversight to monitor progress against key milestones, whilst applying lessons learned from previous transitions to mitigate risks regarding payment timeliness. Ensuring scheme members receive their pensions accurately and on time remains the Government’s priority throughout this process.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made with Ofcom of the potential impact of the Online Safety Act 2023 on children’s exposure to harmful content online.

The Online Safety Act requires services to protect children from both illegal and harmful, age-inappropriate content. Protections against illegal content and activity have been in force since March, and protections for children since July of this year.We are working closely with Ofcom to monitor the Act’s impact and effectiveness. This evaluation programme will feed into the government’s statutory post-implementation review.Ofcom will publish data on children's online experiences in the first half of 2026. This will be Ofcom’s most relevant set of data on children’s online experiences since the child safety duties came into force.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, published on 17 November 2025, whether processes will be put in place for asylum seekers whose home countries have been deemed safe but that are not personally safe for them to return.

Core Protection will allow those who are at risk to remain in the UK as long it is necessary, whilst it is unsafe for them to return. Each case will be considered on its own individual merits. Further details about financial contributions, English language provision and the new work or study path are subject to further policy development which will be set out in due course.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, published on 17 November 2025, what value of personal assets would require asylum seekers to contribute to their accommodation and living expenses.

Core Protection will allow those who are at risk to remain in the UK as long it is necessary, whilst it is unsafe for them to return. Each case will be considered on its own individual merits. Further details about financial contributions, English language provision and the new work or study path are subject to further policy development which will be set out in due course.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, published on 17 November 2025, whether caps will be placed on the number of asylum seekers accessing the new legal work or study paths.

Core Protection will allow those who are at risk to remain in the UK as long it is necessary, whilst it is unsafe for them to return. Each case will be considered on its own individual merits. Further details about financial contributions, English language provision and the new work or study path are subject to further policy development which will be set out in due course.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, published on 17 November 2025, what English as a Second Language provision the Government plans to put in place to encourage asylum seekers to enter new legal work and study routes.

Core Protection will allow those who are at risk to remain in the UK as long it is necessary, whilst it is unsafe for them to return. Each case will be considered on its own individual merits. Further details about financial contributions, English language provision and the new work or study path are subject to further policy development which will be set out in due course.

What steps he is taking to ensure timely access to chemosaturation for patients with metastatic ocular (uveal) melanoma.

The Department remains committed to ensuring that cancer patients, including those with metastatic ocular melanoma, have timely access to treatment and tailored medical support.In 2016, NHS England concluded that there was insufficient evidence to make chemosaturation treatment available to patients on the National Health Service. NHS England is currently in the early stages of policy development for chemosaturation to treat metastatic uveal melanoma where surgery to remove or destroy affected cells and tissue in the liver is not feasible.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published an Interventional Procedure Guidance for this treatment, and while this does allow NHS trusts to offer the treatment locally, they can only do so if they put in place special arrangements for clinical governance, consent, audit, or research, because further evidence of benefit and safety is needed. The 2016 NHS England Clinical Commissioning policy is currently under review, and we expect that a new draft policy will be shared with stakeholders over the coming months. If NHS England’s clinical panel makes the treatment routinely available across the NHS in England it will require further consideration through relative prioritisation and investment before full roll out.The development of a Clinical Commissioning policy will determine both if the evidence is now sufficient to enable making the treatment routinely available and, if it is, whether to allocate service development funding to implement it across the NHS in England.

Whether her plan to offer permanent settlement to refugees only after 20 years residence in the UK will apply to people currently (a) in the asylum system and (b) holding refugee status.

We will carefully manage the transition into the new system - avoiding any risk of a 'closing down sale'. That is why we will seek to put in place transitional provisions to ensure that the offer remains clear and fair. Refugees who are given core protection will be able to switch into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route. This will enable them to earn down their length of time before they can settle in the UK from 20 years. Settlement requirements will be considered in an upcoming consultation on earned settlement, covering both legal and illegal migrants.

Within the context of her asylum statement on 17 November 2025, if those arriving in the UK via safe and legal routes to seek asylum will have to wait for 20 years for indefinite settled status if they are recognised as refugees.

Our intention is that individuals arriving through reformed Safe and Legal resettlement routes will follow a ten-year path to settlement with the possibility of reducing this period based on contribution, in line with wider settlement reforms. This approach is subject to further consultation.We are introducing transformative changes to Safe and Legal routes that will fundamentally reshape how the UK offers opportunities to refugees. Work is underway at pace to operationalise these new routes, and further details will be provided in due course.

What assessment she has made of the number of children subject to removal under her plans to remove families from the UK.

All families will be offered financial support to enable them to return but, if that support is refused and steps are not taken to comply with the requirement to leave the UK, their return will be enforced. Decisions will continue to be governed by Section 55 duties and the Family Returns Process, with safeguarding and the best interests of the child paramount.The Department has not published a numerical assessment of the number children who might be subject to removal under the plans announced on 17 November, which will continue to be developed over the coming months.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of ship emissions at berth on disadvantaged communities living near ports; and what steps she is taking to help mitigate that impact.

In March, the Government published its Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy that will reduce the impact of shipping emissions at berth for disadvantaged communities living near ports. This includes expanding the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) to domestic maritime from July next year, putting a price on shipping emissions and incentivising the sector to decarbonise. The UK ETS expansion will include emissions from UK domestic voyages and all in-port emissions for vessels over 5000 Gross Tonnage (GT) at berth. The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy also including a commitment to consider an at berth emissions requirement and we published the Net Zero Ports Call for Evidence to help inform that work. We are considering the responses to the Call for Evidence and what more may be needed to reduce emissions at berth. Alongside these domestic measures, the Government is also acting internationally to tackle shipping emissions. We are supporting the designation of the North-East Atlantic Emission Control Area at the International Maritime Organization. In combination with the existing North Sea Emission Control Area, this would ensure all UK waters are equally protected by strict limits on sulphur and nitrogen dioxides. Analysis supported by the Government indicates this will cut sulphur oxide emissions by up to 82% and fine particulate matter by around 67%, significantly improving air quality along the UK coastline and reducing health risks for coastal communities.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing standardised eligibility for the Blue Badge scheme across local authorities.

The standardised eligibility criteria for the Blue Badge scheme are published on GOV.UK. Local authorities are responsible for determining and implementing the administrative, assessment, and enforcement procedures which they believe are in accordance with the governing legislation. The Blue Badge scheme is devolved in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland; each Devolved Administration is responsible for the scheme within their respective areas.

What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on support for the development and rollout of low‑cost, low‑carbon mine water geothermal heating systems in Scotland.

Whilst building energy efficiency policy is devolved to the Scottish Government, I recognise the potential of low carbon technologies, including geothermal, to help us achieve net zero at the lowest cost. The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government to ensure our respective net zero strategies align. Moreover the Mining Remediation Authority, which works with a range of partners across Great Britain, has released ‘opportunity maps’, to inform the potential for mine water heat applications:Mine water heat - GOV.UK

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Cycle to Work tax exemption initiative on the economy.

The Cycle to Work Scheme is made available as a Benefit in Kind and uses the tax exemption for the employer-provision of cycles and associated safety equipment. The scheme was introduced in 1999 to to encourage employees to commute by bicycle by offering a tax-efficient route to access relevant equipment. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) commissioned independent research to evaluate the effectiveness of the Cycle to Work Scheme, alongside carrying out economic research on the bicycle market’s implications for the scheme’s success. The evaluation and the economic research were published in April 2025.

With reference to the mine water geothermal heat project recently piloted in Gateshead, what steps his Department is taking to support the development and rollout of low-cost, ecological, alternative carbon heating systems using geothermal energy from flooded coal mines or sewer systems.

To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we are accelerating low-carbon technologies, including geothermal. Water from coal mines and sewer systems offers strong potential for heat networks. Projects can apply to the Green Heat Network Fund for support. DESNZ promotes sewer heat recovery as a reliable urban heat source, given its stable temperatures and alignment with demand. To ensure sustainable deployment, DESNZ issued Exclusion Zone Guidance to protect sewer thermal integrity and avoid conflicts between abstraction points, giving developers and water companies confidence in performance and investment. The Mining Remediation Authority has also published opportunity maps.

Whether he has made an estimate of the annual cost to the public purse of young people in supported housing working reduced hours due to the interaction between Housing Benefit and Universal Credit taper rates.

No such assessment has been made. People on a low income living in Supported Housing receive Universal Credit for help with their daily living costs and Housing Benefit for help with their housing costs. Customers living in Supported Housing are also able to access higher levels of housing support through Housing Benefit. We are considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported housing and temporary accommodation, while taking into account the views of stakeholders. Any future decisions on housing support will be made in the round, prioritising measures that best meet Government objectives within the current fiscal environment. It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment.