Written questions by Kumar.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory, specialist domestic abuse training for all housing officers in England.

The Government has not undertaken an assessment of mandating specialist domestic abuse training for all housing officers in England. Local authorities, under their statutory duties in Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, are required to assess the need for and provide support for all victims of domestic abuse and their children while in safe accommodation. To support delivery of this duty, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government provided local authorities in England £160 million in 2025/26, a £30 million uplift from the previous year, and £499 million funding will be allocated to local authorities over the next three years. Statutory guidance to local authorities is available (Delivery of support to victims of domestic abuse in domestic abuse safe accommodation services - GOV.UK) providing further details on how the duty should be delivered, including the expectation for local authorities to strengthen their understanding of domestic abuse locally, which may include through training.

What steps he is taking to ensure that support programmes provide meaningful access to all types of finance, as well as investment education and readiness support, such as training, mentoring, and guidance, for female founders in all regions.

Backing women-led businesses across the regions is a priority for this government. To tackle access to finance, the government-backed Invest in Women Taskforce has secured commitments of £635 million to be invested in women-led businesses across the UK. The British Business Bank has delivered over 118,000 loans totalling more than £1.1 billion through its Start Up Loans programme, with 40% going to female founders.UK Export Finance launched its new Female Founder Accelerator in January 2026 in partnership with Lifted Ventures. This will include workshops, mentoring and coaching to equip female founders with the support to scale internationally with confidence.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a co‑investment fund with diverse angel investors.

The British Business Bank's Angel Co-Fund programme already invests alongside syndicates of Business Angels. Every £1 invested by the Angel Co-Fund has leveraged around £5 from Angel syndicates.The Bank is also expanding its Angel Syndicate Programme to support diverse Angel networks. The programme's pilot engaged 185 new Angel investors, of whom 176 were female and 9 were male. Since launch of this pilot programme in 2023, the Bank has completed 29 investment deals worth £18.4 million.

Whether he is taking steps to (a) monitor and (b) report on the gender investment gap, such as tracking year‑on‑year venture capital and angel investment into female‑founded companies; and whether targets or timelines have been set by his Department for improvement in this area.

The Department for Business and Trade tracks year-on-year venture capital and angel investment in women-led businesses through its Investing in Women Code, a partnership between government, trade associations in the finance sector, and their members. Starting with 12 signatories in 2019, the Investing in Women Code now has over 300 finance providers signed up, including most major UK banks and Venture Capital funds.Signatories to the Code report gender-disaggregated data on an annual basis for publication. Investing in Women Code reports demonstrate that Code signatories perform significantly better than the market average as regards investment in female founders.

How he is using allied health professionals to support soldier rehabilitation.

All Armed Forces personnel are supported by dedicated and comprehensive rehabilitation services. Allied health professionals play a crucial role in supporting the treatment and rehabilitation of Armed Forces personnel in the UK and on operations to ensure our Armed Forces are fit to fight and can fight back to fitness.

If she will take steps to help ensure that defibrillators which have reached the end of their operational life will in state-funded schools in England will be replaced and funded by her Department.

In 2023, the department provided over 20,000 defibrillators to state-funded schools in England. The programme aimed to ‘plug the gaps’ in existing provision to ensure that all schools have access to a device.Defibrillators provided by the department are fully supported for the eight-year lifecycle of the device. New pads will be delivered automatically every two years, and replacement batteries provided four years after the initial delivery.For schools who have existing defibrillators and for schools who wish to purchase additional defibrillators, the department has worked with the NHS to set up Defibs4Schools, which provides devices and consumables of a suitable specification. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/automated-external-defibrillators-aeds-in-schools.Following completion of the programme, the department will evaluate the impact of the rollout to inform future decisions.

What mental health support is available to school staff who experience psychological harm as a result of witnessing or administering the use of a workplace automated external defibrillator on a pupil or colleague.

Schools are best placed to understand what support may be most appropriate for their staff and should have standard operating procedures in place, including aftercare, should an incident occur where a member of staff witnesses or administers use of an automated external defibrillator on a pupil or a colleague. Should a rescuer need support after an incident, they may be able to request a debriefing from the local ambulance service. Alternatively, they can seek help directly from their GP. The ‘Promoting and supporting mental health in schools and colleges’ page on GOV.UK, offers resources to build a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges. This includes information about the range of mental health support offers and training available to schools and colleges. The charity, Education Support, also offers a free confidential 24 hour helpline dedicated to supporting staff working in education.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to help protect children in Iran from actions taken by the Iranian authorities.

The killing and brutal repression of peaceful protesters in Iran is horrific. Iranians must be able to exercise their right to peaceful protest without fear of reprisal.The Iranian government must immediately end the violence, uphold fundamental rights and freedoms, and ensure British nationals are safe. The Foreign Secretary made this very clear when she spoke with the Iranian Foreign Minister on 12 January, and I did likewise when we summoned the Iranian Ambassador the following day.We are working closely with our partners to ensure the Iranian regime is held accountable for its violent repression and systematic human rights abuses against its own people.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure mental health support is provided to adults with autism and special needs.

We are recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers by the end of this Parliament, to help to ease pressure on busy mental health services. The Mental Health Act reforms will ensure people with a learning disability, autistic people, as well as people with the most severe mental health conditions, have greater choice and control over their treatment, and receive the dignity and respect they deserve.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Health and Safety Executive has assessed the potential merits of establishing a single mandatory national register of electricians under its statutory oversight, modelled on the Gas Safe Register, to improve public safety and create a clear standard of professional accountability.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Questions UIN 101292 and 101294 on 6 January 2026. The Government takes electrical safety very seriously but has seen no need to establish a mandatory national register of electricians modelled on the Gas Safe Register. Any individual or organisation carrying out building work must demonstrate that they are competent to do so. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 already require that people carrying out electrical work of any sort must be competent to prevent danger and injury, or must be under a degree of supervision that is appropriate to the nature of the work. The Building Regulations require work to the fixed electrical system in the home to be carried out safely to protect people from fire and injury. In domestic situations, competent electricians can self-certify that their work is compliant with Part P of the Building Regulations, in line with statutory guidance set out in Approved Document P Electrical Safety – Dwellings. All electricians that have been authorised by a government approved Competent Person Scheme are listed on the Registered Competent Person Electrical Register. The department is working with the Building Safety Regulator on reforms of the Competent Person Schemes to improve public and building safety.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people are adequately protected from unsafe or unregulated electrical work in homes, particularly where such work is carried out by non-registered or unqualified persons.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Questions UIN 101292 and 101294 on 6 January 2026. The Government takes electrical safety very seriously but has seen no need to establish a mandatory national register of electricians modelled on the Gas Safe Register. Any individual or organisation carrying out building work must demonstrate that they are competent to do so. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 already require that people carrying out electrical work of any sort must be competent to prevent danger and injury, or must be under a degree of supervision that is appropriate to the nature of the work. The Building Regulations require work to the fixed electrical system in the home to be carried out safely to protect people from fire and injury. In domestic situations, competent electricians can self-certify that their work is compliant with Part P of the Building Regulations, in line with statutory guidance set out in Approved Document P Electrical Safety – Dwellings. All electricians that have been authorised by a government approved Competent Person Scheme are listed on the Registered Competent Person Electrical Register. The department is working with the Building Safety Regulator on reforms of the Competent Person Schemes to improve public and building safety.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of enforcement mechanisms relating to electrical safety and compliance with Part P regulations; and whether his Department plans to strengthen oversight of local authority building control and Competent Person Schemes in this regard.

Neither the Department, nor the Ministry of Justice, hold information on enforcement action broken down by which part of the building regulations was breached. Local authority building control teams have powers that enable them to intervene where it is found that buildings are in breach of any of the Building Regulations and there is no initial notice in force from a private sector Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA). The department is working with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) on reforms of the competent person schemes to improve public and building safety. In the new year, the BSR will publish a call for evidence about their ‘conditions of authorisation’, which are the rules that organisations must follow to become or remain competent person scheme operators, with a view to updating these rules to make them more effective. This call for evidence is part of wider work to improve the schemes and their oversight. The Building Control Independent Panel is also looking at the enforcement of the building regulations as part of its work; we expect their final report in the Spring of 2026 and will respond shortly thereafter. As part of its ongoing work as steward of the built environment, the Department continues to keep enforcement and the regulations under review.

Communities and Local Government, how many prosecutions have been brought under Part P of the Building Regulations in England and Wales in each year since their introduction in 2005; and if the Department will publish this information to improve transparency and accountability in electrical safety enforcement.

Neither the Department, nor the Ministry of Justice, hold information on enforcement action broken down by which part of the building regulations was breached. Local authority building control teams have powers that enable them to intervene where it is found that buildings are in breach of any of the Building Regulations and there is no initial notice in force from a private sector Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA). The department is working with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) on reforms of the competent person schemes to improve public and building safety. In the new year, the BSR will publish a call for evidence about their ‘conditions of authorisation’, which are the rules that organisations must follow to become or remain competent person scheme operators, with a view to updating these rules to make them more effective. This call for evidence is part of wider work to improve the schemes and their oversight. The Building Control Independent Panel is also looking at the enforcement of the building regulations as part of its work; we expect their final report in the Spring of 2026 and will respond shortly thereafter. As part of its ongoing work as steward of the built environment, the Department continues to keep enforcement and the regulations under review.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the public health impacts of the Warm Homes Plan, especially regarding both indoor and outdoor air quality; and what metrics her Department plans to use to measure success in Dudley constituency.

The Warm Homes Plan will set out a strategy to improve health outcomes through the upgrade of British buildings. This includes measures that mitigate the health risks associated with living in a cold home (such as respiratory disease), exposure to poor air quality as a result of gas boiler emissions, and overheating in hotter months. DESNZ will work with the Department for Health and Social Care, the NHS and local government to promote the delivery of home upgrades that will support vulnerable health groups. Our ambition is to upgrade 5 million homes this parliament, and the success of our programmes will be monitored and evaluated through the collection of scheme data.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help ensure freedom of expression for women's health publications on social media.

We recognise the importance of access to trusted health information. The Act does not prevent users from publishing legal content or children and adults from accessing relevant health information. Once the remaining duties come in, large platforms will not be able to arbitrarily remove content and there will be effective complaints procedures when they do. I have asked Ofcom to do everything possible to speed up this final phase.

Whether she plans to raise the maximum reimbursement Student Finance England can provide for incorrect advice above £500.

Student Finance England is a service provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC).The SLC is a non-departmental public body and therefore is issued its own delegated authority letter by the department. However, its delegated authority limits cannot exceed those delegated to the department by His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT). For consolatory payments (ex-gratia payments) to individuals, the limit is £500.HMT are reviewing delegated authority limits for all government departments, as set out in the Office for Value for Money’s document ‘Reforming the spending control and accountability framework’, published on 26 October alongside the Budget. HMT and the department will consider any implications for the SLC’s delegations, in light of any changes which may be made to department’s delegations following this review.

What steps he is taking to ensure that people who suffer from severe gambling addiction receive prompt treatment.

National Health Services receive over 1,000 referrals for gambling addition each quarter, with plans to expand capacity.In April, the new statutory levy on gambling operators came into effect to fund the research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harm. NHS England and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities are working collaboratively on the development of their respective gambling treatment and prevention programmes during this transition year.The availability of levy funding will enable oversight and consistency across NHS and voluntary, community, and social enterprise provision, and the expansion of available capacity.NHS England continues to work at pace to take on commissioning responsibility for the full treatment pathway in England, from referral and triage through to aftercare. Evidence- based commissioning decisions will be made to ensure optimal treatment modalities.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of developing a modern service framework for musculoskeletal conditions.

Over a third of people in England live with musculoskeletal conditions, a major cause of economic inactivity. We are advancing Modern Service Frameworks for those conditions where we can swiftly and significantly raise the quality of care and productivity. That’s why our early priorities include cardiovascular disease and mental health. Future phases will address long-term conditions that carry substantial health and economic consequences.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of mediation services on resolving disputes for residents in Dudley; and what steps he is taking to ensure equality of access to those services.

The Government encourages the use of dispute resolution such as mediation, to allow parties to resolve their disputes earlier and more consensually, which saves them time, money and stress, and reduces the waiting time for a judicial hearing for cases that do not settle.Since 2024, all parties to money claims under £10,000 in the county courts in England and Wales are required to attend a free, one-hour mediation appointment with HMCTS’ Small Claims Mediation Service as an integrated step in the litigation journey. Parties can request any necessary adjustments, including translation or interpretation services, to ensure full participation in mediation appointments, and HMCTS assesses these needs individually to maintain accessibility.The Government is also committed to supporting more families reach agreement outside of court through mediation, where it is safe and appropriate to do so. The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, introduced in April 2021, is available to families across England and Wales including those living in Dudley. The scheme offers up to £500 towards mediation costs and has already supported over 49,000 families. The Government has committed to continue funding the scheme until at least March 2026. Analysis of the first 7,200 cases completed under the scheme shows that 69% of participants reached a whole or partial agreement and did not need to go to court to resolve their issues.In addition, civil legal aid is available, subject to a means assessment, for the mediation of family disputes (for example over contact or financial arrangements) that the mediator has assessed as suitable for mediation.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of (a) the prevalence of shadow banning on social media platforms and (b) its potential impact on freedom of expression and online transparency.

The Online Safety Act ensures accountability for tech companies for the safety of their users while upholding freedom of expression online. The Act does not prevent adults from seeking out legal content.The Act requires the largest services to have clear and accessible Terms of Service, setting out what kinds of legal content for adults they do not accept and in what circumstances they may ban or suspend a user. These services are required to apply these terms consistently and transparently.