Written questions by McDonagh.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of the National Institute for Health and Care Research Brain Tumour Research Consortium on improving the treatment of glioblastoma brain tumours.

The Department invests over £1.7 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).We are committed to furthering our investment in brain cancer research and have already taken steps to stimulate scientific progress and build scientific capacity to do research on brain cancer.In January 2026, the NIHR announced increased investment of over £25 million in the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium. The world-leading consortium aims to transform outcomes for adults and children and their families who are living with brain tumours - ultimately reducing lives lost to cancer.Activity is still in the early stages of delivery however, we will ensure that the impact of these investments reaches patients as quickly as possible.Information on all awards will be made available on NIHR Funding and Awards pages in due course. NIHR is working to ensure that new investments can get up and running as soon as possible.In addition, the NIHR continues to strongly encourage brain cancer research applications through its regular funding opportunities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in Bangladesh on the (a) anti-Ahmadi protests planned in Bangladesh for 15 November and (b) upholding freedom of religion for Ahmadi Muslims and other religious communities.

The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). We continue to support those goals through regular dialogue with the Interim Government of Bangladesh, to ensure that the rights of religious minorities, including the Ahmadiyya community, are respected, and that these communities are protected from discrimination.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of local authority-led initiatives to increase physical activity on public health outcomes.

The Department recognises the vital role of local authorities in promoting physical activity and continues to support them with this through the Public Health Grant, the Public Health Outcomes Framework, and by working with other departments on the development of a standard evaluation framework to help assess the impact of physical activity interventions like active travel.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on taking steps to help support (a) Merton Council’s London Borough of Sport programme and (b) other local authority-led initiatives to increase physical activity.

DCMS, as the lead department for the Government's arm's-length body Sport England, is investing up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding into more than 90 locations across England. This investment is being delivered in partnership with local organisations in the communities that need it most, helping more people to live active and healthier lives for longer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the dissemination of AI-generated misinformation in the lead-up to the regional elections in Kurdistan; an

The upcoming elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) are essential for democratic legitimacy and for the people of the KRI to express their voice.The British Consulate General in Erbil has supported roundtables and workshops with the Kurdistan Reg...

Whether she plans to respond to the call for evidence entitled Non-Discretionary Tax-Advantaged Share Schemes: Call for Evidence, which closed on 25 August 2023.

The Non-Discretionary Tax-Advantaged Share Schemes Call for Evidence ran under the previous government. The government is considering the responses to the call for evidence. The government is grateful to those who took the time to respond.

What the cost was to the public purse of (a) legal fees and (b) related costs incurred for the rejection of freedom of information requests between 30 March 2020 and 9 September 2024 seeking the publi

We do not know the total legal fees incurred as we have not yet been billed for the complete period between 30 March 2020 to 9 September 2024, but we expect the final cost to be in the region of £20,000-£22,500. There was no awarding of costs in the First...

If he will publish a list of exceptions that were used in the recruitment of civil servants (a) at and (b) above Payband 2 level before Civil Service Commission approval, between 2010 and 2018.

Data relating to exceptions for Civil Servants between 2010 and 2018 is no longer held/available in accordance with retention schedules.