Written questions by Berry.

What discussions she has had with Police and Crime Commissioners on the impact of the proscription of Palestine Action on police (a) budgets and (b) operations.

Policing is operationally independent and decisions as to spending will be taken by Chief Constables and PCCs at a local level. The Home Office does not hold figures on the cost to the public purse of specific protests or enforcement of specific laws.The decision to proscribe Palestine Action was taken following an escalating campaign by the organisation involving not just sustained criminal damage, including to Britain’s national security infrastructure, but also intimidation, alleged violence and serious injuries to individuals.It is a criminal offence to express support for a proscribed organisation. This Government has been and will continue to be clear about the importance of upholding the rule of law

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the BBC Board on calls for the UK to withdraw from Eurovision coverage if the Israeli state broadcaster participates.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government. Therefore, the Government cannot intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations including on editorial matters.Decisions on who to include in international events and competitions are for the organisers to take, within the framework of their own rules and regulations. It is for the EBU, in consultation with its members, to decide which countries are allowed to participate in Eurovision.

If he will hold discussions with the British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS (BACME) on the geographical availability of regional specialist services for ME/CFS; and if he will undertake a mapping exercise to list the areas that (a) are and (b) are not covered.

A stocktake of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), services was concluded by NHS England in December 2024. Although not all integrated care boards responded to the survey, the stocktake did show variation in models across England. Departmental officials will continue to work with the British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS on the implementation of the final ME/CFS delivery plan, which was published in July.

How many Access to Work applications are outstanding; and what steps he is taking to reduce the backlog of applications.

There are currently 62,000 applications outstanding. We recognise the importance of reducing waiting times, which is why we have increased the number of staff working in this area by 27% in the last financial year.

When he expects NICE to complete its review into guideline on the management of fertility problems.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is consulting on its updated draft guideline on Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. The consultation closes on 21 October 2025.NICE currently expects to publish its final updated recommendations on 19 March 2026. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10263

Whether he has had discussions with NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board on the reduction of the number of IVF cycles offered.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on the revised guidelines was published on 10 September 2025, and is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10263/consultation/html-content-2In light of broader pressures on the NHS and ongoing changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of his proposals to make Integrated Care Boards strategic commissioners of local health services on (a) the level of fertility services and (b) access to fertility services for LGBTQ+ people.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. In light of broader pressures on the NHS and ongoing changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services including the issues for LGBTQ people.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10263/consultation/html-content-2

If he will make it his policy to give the same protections to people awaiting migration from the Disability Living Allowance to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provided to existing PIP claimants during his review of the PIP system.

The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, carers, clinicians, experts, parliamentarians and other stakeholders to ensure a wide range of views and voices are heard. Given that the review will be co-produced it will be for the chairs and the steering group to set out its recommendations to Government. The Government will consider these recommendations, including any relating to the protections set out in the question once the review has completed.

If she will publish guidance to Hon. Members on how students in Gaza who are eligible for support to come to the UK can access this support; and if she will provide a dedicated communication pathway for Hon. Members to find out whether an eligible student is on the list of those to be provided with that help.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Home Secretary’s oral statement to the House on 1 September 2025 on strengthening border security and reforms to the asylum system. Further details will be set out in due course.Members can continue to contact the Home Office via Ministers and the Direct Communications Unit. Further detail can be found on the Home Office GOV.UK website.

How many full-time equivalent staff are working on responding to the Managing Pavement Parking consultation.

My Department currently has a 0.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) policy lead working on pavement parking. This individual is supported by officials from various Civil Service professions across the Department, including analysts and lawyers, who provide occasional support as necessary as part of their jobs. The timing of the consultation response publication is not dependent on resource, but rather on ensuring the policy decision is correct. A policy announcement is expected imminently and plans are in place to resource the work necessary after an announcement.

With reference to her oral evidence to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee on 22 July 2025, on what evidential basis the country has cared more about bats than about commuter times for people in Leeds and West Yorkshire.

In the past, our planning system has acted as a brake on growth, with consenting times for major infrastructure taking far too long and costing too much money. Environmental and planning compliance has meant projects like HS2 have suffered excessive costs and delays as referenced by James Stewart’s review of the problems in that programme and the approach to governance and assurance of major transport projects. This has damaged investment in the UK, costing us jobs and economic growth. That’s why we are committed to creating a planning system that is an enabler of growth; delivering both the high-quality housing and critical infrastructure that communities need. We are reforming the National Planning Policy Framework and are taking a new growth-focused approach to the planning system with major reforms in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. The new Nature Restoration Fund will enable developers to meet their environment obligations quicker without compromising on environmental improvement.

What steps he is is taking to increase awareness among workers of their proposed new rights under Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill.

The Government will work with organisations such as the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service on updates to their guidance on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), also known as confidentiality clauses, to ensure that workers and employers understand the changes to the law in relation to NDAs that are introduced through the Employment Rights Bill. The Government will also liaise with employer groups, the legal industry and unions about updates to their guidance and information on NDAs.

What steps his Department is taking to support Sussex Integrated Care Board to implement the Women's Health Strategy recommendations on access to fertility services for LGBTQ+ people.

We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service funded treatment are still appropriate.In light of broader pressures on the NHS and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.

Whether he has had discussions with Sussex ICB on the reduction of the number of IVF cycles they offer.

We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service funded treatment are still appropriate.In light of broader pressures on the NHS and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.

If she will publish an update of recent progress in meeting the objectives of the second cycling and walking investment strategy.

The latest National Travel Survey figures published on the 27th August revealed that in 2024 43 percent of short journeys in towns and cities were walked or cycled; 339 walking stages were walked per person; the estimated total number of cycling stages was 0.94 billion stages and 51% of children aged 5 to 10 reported usually walking to school.

Whether guidance will be issued for (a) employees and (b) legal advisers on interpreting confidentiality clauses under the new regime under Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill.

The Government will work with organisations such as the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service on updates to their guidance on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), also known as confidentiality clauses, to ensure that workers and employers understand the changes to the law in relation to NDAs that are introduced through the Employment Rights Bill. The Government will also liaise with employer groups, the legal industry and unions about updates to their guidance and information on NDAs.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 66780 on Transport: Disability, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting access panels to create a national network.

The Sustrans Transforming Mobility Report recommends that local leaders, who best understand their communities, use access panels to engage disabled people in shaping, reviewing, and monitoring transport policies and projects. Paid access panels are one potential method for ensuring meaningful involvement.The government recognises that accessibility improvements require collaboration across national and local authorities, transport operators, and industry. Central to this effort is the voice of disabled people. For nearly 40 years, the Department for Transport has led by example, being advised by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, which mandates that at least half its members are disabled.More broadly, the government is committed to making public transport more inclusive, enabling disabled people to travel safely, confidently, and with dignity. As part of this commitment, it is working with disabled people’s organisations, service providers, and stakeholders to develop an Accessible Transport Charter. This charter will set out clear, shared commitments based on the principles of accessible and inclusive travel.

What assessment her Department has made of the deterrent effects of classification on drug (a) use, (b) production, (c) sales and (d) the reduction of anti-social behaviour.

The Government has not made a formal assessment of the deterrent effects of classification. The Government consults the statutory expert advisory group, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, about the classification of drugs under the Act.Recommendations made by the ACMD about classification are determined by an assessment of health and social harm, based on the evidence at the time of the review. ACMD advice on classification will depend on a range of factors, including evidence of actual and potential harms and comparisons with the harm of other controlled substances. While the Government must consider ACMD recommendations it is not bound by ACMD advice.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2025 to Question 68002 on Business Rates: Tax Allowances, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the communication with affected businesses of the change to reliefs in April 2025; and whether he has held discussions with stakeholders on that communication and the extent to which it allowed businesses to plan for the changes.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief has been extended year-by-year by previous Governments since the pandemic, creating uncertainty for businesses and an unsustainable fiscal pressure for Government.Without any Government intervention, RHL relief would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government extended the relief at 40 per cent in 2025-26, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, ahead of our intended introduction of permanently lower rates for RHL properties from 2026-27.As is typical with fiscal announcements, the Government announced this decision at Autumn Budget 2024, ahead of it coming into force in April 2025. On 19 November 2024, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) communicated the Budget measures to Local Authorities via a Business Rates Information Letter. On 16 January 2025, MHCLG published final scheme guidance to help local authorities implement the relief.The Government also carried out extensive engagement with stakeholders following Autumn Budget 2024 on business rates.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2025 to Question 21111 on Local Housing Allowance, what the overall increase in rental prices was in the period under consideration.

The rental data referenced in the previous question was a combination of the ONS Price Index of Private Rents, which was an increase of 8.4% as of September 2024, as well as rental data supplied by the Valuation Office Agency, Rent Officers Scotland, and Rent Officers Wales, which showed that the 30th percentile had on average increased by 8.6%, (comparing rental data 12 months to September 2023 with 12 months to September 2024). Latest ONS Price Index of Private Rents official statistic: Private rent and house prices, UK - Office for National StatisticsValuation Office Agency list of rents publication, which contains all rental market data collected for LHA in England: Local Housing Allowance List of Rents - GOV.UK