Written questions by Joseph.

What plans her Department has for (a) small boats, (b) dinghies and (c) other vessels that are seized for trying to transport migrants into the UK.

All vessels that have been subject to seizure, are held by Border Force until the completion of criminal investigations and any resulting legal proceedings. The majority of boats, dinghies and other vessels are not fit to ever go to sea again, as they arrive in very poor condition and may be damaged during the recovery process. The boats, dinghies and vessels are disposed of by Border Force’s approved contractors and where appropriate, any suitable materials are recycled.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the placement of children with new foster parents does not have a disruptive impact on their education.

The government recognises the importance of continuity and stability throughout a looked-after child’s life.Under the care planning, placement and case review guidance and regulations, and Section 22c of the Children Act 1989, social workers, with the support of the local authority’s virtual school head, must minimise disruption to a child’s education. School changes should be minimised, and necessary transitions carefully planned and supported. Where change is unavoidable, their Personal Education Plan should outline arrangements to minimise disruption to education, especially during exam periods.The department is supporting local authorities to recruit foster carers and committed an additional £25 million, on top of a previously announced £15 million, to support further recruitment. We also recognise the need to support foster carers properly, in order to retain the carers we already have. Ensuring foster carer sufficiency is vital to enabling local authorities to provide local fostering homes, and keep children close to their school and community.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending eligibility for disabled parking bays for people who are of state pension age with mobility issues but are not in receipt of the higher rate of DLA or PIP.

Part IV of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 provides local authorities with powers to mark out bays for specific purposes, issue local parking permits, and use Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to reserve spaces for specific purposes. This can be a voluntary local scheme, and the cost and nature of the concession would be for the local authority to decide.

Whether her Department has had discussions with the (a) University of Kent and (b) University of Greenwich on the potential impact of the formation of the London and South East University Group on courses available to students.

The department sees collaboration of this type as a positive pathway towards building greater resilience in the sector, especially where this will bring positive benefits to students.Universities are autonomous and independent from government. As such, they must make their own decisions about their business model and sustainability, and this partnership has been led by the universities themselves. However, the department will continue to work with both universities on any regulatory barriers to the proposed changes.Collaboration, if done effectively, can improve financial sustainability. This means providers may be better positioned to remain open, invest in their course provision, campus facilities and student support services, ultimately enhancing the overall student experience.When undertaking significant transformative activity, it is essential that providers consider the potential impact on students and staff. We would expect providers to clearly and proactively communicate any changes, ensuring transparency and minimising uncertainty during periods of transition.

Whether her Department has had discussions with the (a) University of Kent and (b) University of Greenwich on potential redundancies of (i) teaching and (ii) other staff following the formation of the London and South East University Group.

The department sees collaboration of this type as a positive pathway towards building greater resilience in the sector, especially where this will bring positive benefits to students.This partnership has been led by the universities themselves. However, the department will continue to work with both universities on any regulatory barriers to the proposed changes.As independent institutions, universities are responsible for decisions around staffing. Nevertheless, we expect all universities to engage constructively with their workforce when making decisions which may affect them.

If his Department will provide multi-year funding settlements for children's hospices in (a) Kent and (b) England after this financial year.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are also providing £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the children and young people’s hospice grant. Two children’s hospices based in Kent, Demelza Hospice and Ellenor Hospice, are receiving £1,750,000 and £189,000 respectively. I am currently having discussions with NHS England and Department officials about the funding arrangements for children and young people’s hospices throughout England beyond 2025/26. We hope to be able to provide further communication on this later this autumn. The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available to help families living in the UK after the death of a family member living abroad.

It is a top priority of the UK Government to ensure that we have the right people in the right places to support those who require consular services overseas. We regularly review the services we offer, including the support we provide to families in the UK when a British national dies abroad. We provide country-specific bereavement packs, which set out local laws and practices of the relevant country as well as support and information families can access in the UK. Our Consular staff are contactable 24/7, 365 days a year.

What discussions she has had with local authorities in areas where the EU Entry/Exit System will come into force on 12 October 2025.

The EU Entry/Exit System will be implemented at the juxtaposed border controls in the UK. Ministers and officials have been working closely with key affected stakeholders to ensure the necessary preparations are in place. This includes frequent engagement between the Department for Transport and local authorities including Kent County Council.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of cancelled surgeries (a) at the East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust and (b) in England as a result of increased humidity in operating theatres.

National Health Service organisations are locally responsible for their estate, including making decisions on the management of operating theatres. Guidance on ventilation in healthcare premises, including humidity, is provided in the Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 03-01: Specialised ventilation for healthcare premises, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-ventilation-for-healthcare-buildings/

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, what discussions she has had with the British National (Overseas) (BHO) community on the potential merits of exempting BNO visa holders from the proposed extension of the settlement qualifying period.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

What discussions he has had with (a) the Nepalese Government and (b) Gurkha veteran representatives on bringing pensions for Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 in line with the standard British Army pension.

The UK Government greatly values the Gurkhas’ long and distinguished history of service in our Armed Forces and remains committed to supporting the welfare of Gurkha Veterans and their families in both the UK and Nepal. In March 2025, I met with the Nepali Ambassador H.E. Chandra Ghimire for a productive discussion that reflected our shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and addressing key concerns between Nepal and the UK. Additionally, in June 2025, Ministry of Defence officials met with representatives of the Nepali Government and Gurkha Veterans as part of the Bilateral Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee’s Working Group, which continues to serve as a platform for constructive dialogue and collaboration. The 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme is different to other Armed Forces Pension Schemes, but these differences are objectively and reasonably justified. The legal basis for the Scheme has been upheld by three Judicial Reviews since 2003, including the European Court of Human Rights in 2017.

What steps she is taking to phase out (a) animal testing and (b) testing on beagles at (i) MBR Acres and (ii) other facilities.

This Government has made a commitment to the long-term goal of phasing out animal testing in science and research. An immediate ban is not presently feasible due to international regulatory requirements for the safety testing of chemicals and medicines. Such tests may include dogs as an appropriate model. The number of Beagles bred is largely determined by the forecast needs of the pharmaceutical industry for safe and effective medicines.The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.The National Centre for the 3Rs have a project to create a Virtual second species to assess potential toxicity before commencing clinical trials. This is a cutting-edge initiative to develop computational models that simulate dog biology, aiming to ultimately replace the use of dogs in drug safety testing. It brings together pharmaceutical companies and researchers to create more ethical, accurate, and efficient alternatives.The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is engaging with stakeholders to finalise a strategy to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal testing which is scheduled for publication later this year.

With reference to the Written Statement of 17 June 2025 on Dart Charge, HCWS708, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Local Resident Discount Scheme for the Dartford Crossing for users of the Crossing living in Kent.

The current approach of applying the local resident discount only to people who live within the boroughs where the Dartford Crossing is located (Dartford and Thurrock), recognises that it is the people living in those boroughs who are most affected by the heavy traffic using it. Car drivers with a pre-paid account benefit from a 20 per cent discount for each crossing regardless of their place of residence, which offers good value for money for people who live beyond Dartford and Thurrock.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's policies on the adequacy of the care available to people living with dementia; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a (a) more coordinated and (b) long-term approach to foster improvements in (i) support, (ii) research, (iii) diagnosis and (iv) care.

Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. This could include, but is not limited to, support groups, tailored exercise programs, mental health services, and learning engagement opportunities.To support ICBs, the Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis and prevention to treatment, care and support, including for carers.We remain committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7%. To help realise this ambition, the Government will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.The Government is committed to improving dementia care through empowering local leaders with the autonomy they need to provide the best services to their local community, including those with dementia.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed removal of funding for the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme on the ability to (a) promote and (b) increase apprenticeship engagement among (i) students and (ii) teachers.

Promoting apprenticeships and technical education routes remains a key part of this government’s education policy. The decision to not continue the Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme was based on the following:Growth in awareness of apprenticeships, which is now on a par with awareness of A Levels.The government’s apprenticeships programme has evolved since ASK was introduced, with the emphasis moving more towards supporting successful participation and completion.The tight fiscal climate means we have had to make tough decisions about which programmes and activities we can afford to extend.Schools and colleges seeking support to raise awareness of apprenticeships and technical education can access a range of online and in-person initiatives, including:The Skills for Careers Apprenticeships support page, which can be found here: https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/training-choice/apprenticeships.The Careers and Enterprise Company’s (CEC) resource directory, which can be found here: https://resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk/.‘Amazing Apprenticeships’ offer a wide range of free resources and support for schools and colleges.The CEC's network of Careers Hubs (covering 95% of schools and colleges) helps co-ordination with schools and colleges to support their careers education.CEC also supports enhanced Provider Access Legislation which specifies schools must provide at least six encounters with approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education.Around 2,000 volunteers, comprising of employers and apprentices, have formed the Apprenticeship ambassador network (AAN), a department-supported network. The AAN visit institutions sharing compelling experiences about apprenticeships. The AAN covers 70% schools and colleges in England and aims to align an ambassador to every secondary school and further education college by March 2026.

What steps he is taking to support public health action to tackle tuberculosis.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England’s joint tuberculosis (TB) action plan for England details actions to achieve a 90% reduction in people with TB by 2035 and is aligned with the World Health Organization’s elimination targets. The plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuberculosis-tb-action-plan-for-england/tuberculosis-tb-action-plan-for-england-2021-to-2026#priority-2-prevent-tbThe United Kingdom’s pre-entry TB screening programme operates in 102 countries to reduce the importation of TB by screening applicants for long term visas from high TB incidence countries. People are screened in line with the UK Tuberculosis Technical Instructions, which are available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5cd18ae5e5274a34ee7f0275/UK_tuberculosis_technical_instructions_version_7.pdfActive TB disease can be prevented by identifying, testing, and treating people with TB infection. People who are close contacts of individuals with infectious TB are also tested for infection, so they can be treated before the disease develops.NHS England’s national latent TB testing programme for migrants from high incidence countries operates in 27 of the 42 integrated care board areas in England.In March 2025, NHS England and The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital published a Getting it Right First Time review of TB services, which included a series of recommendations to reduce unwarranted variation in clinical practice and improve care, especially to underserved populations. The report is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/girft-review-of-tuberculosis-national-report.pdfThe UKHSA, in collaboration with key stakeholders, is leading work to develop a new national action plan for 2026 to 2031, which includes a call for evidence.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with international counterparts on tackling the global TB epidemic in preparation for the World Health Assembly in May 2025.

The UK is a leading donor in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) and engages closely with international partners to tackle the disease. Our £1 billion commitment to the Global Fund (2023 to 2025) will provide TB treatment and care for 1.1 million people, screen 20 million people for TB and provide 41,800 people with treatment for multidrug-resistant TB. This is complemented by our investment in Unitaid to improve access to key TB products, and support to World Health Organisation (WHO) and others to strengthen health systems.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme for raising awareness of (a) apprenticeships, (b) traineeships and (c) T Levels in (i) Kent and (ii) England.

The Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme has played an important role in promoting apprenticeships and other technical education routes over the last nine academic years. Over this period there has been a significant increase in the interest and understanding of apprenticeships and technical education pathways which has been influenced by the ASK programme and other government initiatives to raise awareness of these routes.The Careers and Enterprise Company’s Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ) shows that in 2023/24, 88% of year 13 and 80% of year 11 were aware of and understood apprenticeship related options after their education in England. FSQ also shows that students are over twice as likely to report awareness of apprenticeships between year 7 and year 11 (from 38% to 80%, almost on a par with A levels). In Kent, 77% of year 11 students reported understanding apprenticeships compared to 79% awareness of A Levels.FSQ data also show that since the T Level programme was launched in 2020, awareness and understanding of the T Levels has increased from 37% in 2021/22 to 47% in 2023/24.Data from the Parent, Pupil and Learner Panel Survey also shows that awareness of T Levels is growing rapidly. 50% of students in years 9 to 11 knew about a T Level in 2023, up from 14% two years earlier.The Traineeship programme was closed on 31 July 2023 under the previous government.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward measures to ban (a) trophy hunting and (b) animal smuggling.

The Government committed to a hunting trophy import ban of endangered animals in its manifesto and we will deliver on this. Defra is engaging with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can deliver on this commitment in the most effective way. As outlined in our manifesto, we are committed to ending puppy smuggling. The Government is supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by the hon. Member for Winchester. The Bill will close loopholes in the non-commercial pet travel rules that are abused by unscrupulous traders and give the government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to the United Kingdom. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through both Houses as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help tackle (a) tuberculosis and (b) other illnesses.

The UK has played a significant role with international counterparts to tackle tuberculosis (TB) in recent decades.Since 2002, TB deaths have been reduced by 36 per cent in countries where the Global Fund invests. The UK is a leading donor to the Global Fund and will this year co-host the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund together with South Africa.We have also worked through our support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The UK is an important investor in product development partnerships such as the TB Alliance, contributing to the development of the new BPaLM/BPAL regimen for multi-drug resistant TB.The UK also works with international counterparts to tackle a wide range of illnesses, including TB, through our support to the World Health Organisation, Unitaid, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other multilateral and bilateral health programming.