Written questions by Eastwood.

If he will have discussions with Royal Mail to encourage timely deliveries in Lagan Valley.

Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider. Earlier this month, I met the CEO of Royal Mail, Alistair Cochrane, to press him on Royal Mail’s progress in improving quality of service. I will continue to raise concerns with Royal Mail if quality of service does not improve.Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, has powers to set and enforce Royal Mail’s quality of service targets. Royal Mail is required by Ofcom to publish its quality of service results on a quarterly basis.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of postal deliveries across Northern Ireland.

Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider. Earlier this month, I met the CEO of Royal Mail, Alistair Cochrane, to press him on Royal Mail’s progress in improving quality of service. I will continue to raise concerns with Royal Mail if quality of service does not improve.Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, has powers to set and enforce Royal Mail’s quality of service targets. Royal Mail is required by Ofcom to publish its quality of service results on a quarterly basis.

What discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Department of Health and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that families of children and young people with cancer in Northern Ireland can benefit from support comparable to the travel cost scheme announced for England.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families across the United Kingdom.Through the National Cancer Plan, the Government is committing up to £10 million a year to a new fund open to all children and young people in England with cancer and their families regardless of income, to support them with the cost of travelling to and from Principal Treatment Centres. This commitment sits alongside wider action to transform cancer care for children and young people.Health is predominately devolved. Devolved administrations receive funding through the Barnett Formula, and it is ultimately for them to allocate, prioritise, and manage their budgets. However, the Department does work closely with our counterparts in the devolved governments to share expertise and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the UK.

What Barnett consequentials arise for Northern Ireland as a result of the £10 million per year funding announced to cover travel costs for children and young people with cancer in England.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families across the United Kingdom.Through the National Cancer Plan, the Government is committing up to £10 million a year to a new fund open to all children and young people in England with cancer and their families regardless of income, to support them with the cost of travelling to and from Principal Treatment Centres. This commitment sits alongside wider action to transform cancer care for children and young people.Health is predominately devolved. Devolved administrations receive funding through the Barnett Formula, and it is ultimately for them to allocate, prioritise, and manage their budgets. However, the Department does work closely with our counterparts in the devolved governments to share expertise and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the UK.

Whether she has had discussions with her EU counterparts on the potential impact of the Schengen 90 days in any 180 rule on UK professional drivers.

Since 2021, UK nationals (including hauliers and coach drivers) have been bound to a limit of 90 days in any 180-day period (90/180 limit) for work and leisure journeys in the Schengen area. This limit is consistent with the approach taken by the EU to nationals of other third countries. The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK Government policy. Any amendments and exemptions to these rules are the responsibility of the EU and Member States. There have been no recent discussions with the EU on the potential impact of the 90/180 limit on UK professional drivers. The Department for Transport is undertaking research to improve understanding of the effects of the 90/180 limit on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the study’s findings will be published in due course.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Schengen 90 days in any 180 rule on UK professional drivers and the businesses that depend on them.

Since 2021, UK nationals (including hauliers and coach drivers) have been bound to a limit of 90 days in any 180-day period (90/180 limit) for work and leisure journeys in the Schengen area. This limit is consistent with the approach taken by the EU to nationals of other third countries. The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK Government policy. Any amendments and exemptions to these rules are the responsibility of the EU and Member States. There have been no recent discussions with the EU on the potential impact of the 90/180 limit on UK professional drivers. The Department for Transport is undertaking research to improve understanding of the effects of the 90/180 limit on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the study’s findings will be published in due course.

Whether she is taking to secure an exemption for UK professional HGV and coach drivers from the Schengen 90 days in any 180 rule.

Since 2021, UK nationals (including hauliers and coach drivers) have been bound to a limit of 90 days in any 180-day period (90/180 limit) for work and leisure journeys in the Schengen area. This limit is consistent with the approach taken by the EU to nationals of other third countries. The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK Government policy. Any amendments and exemptions to these rules are the responsibility of the EU and Member States. There have been no recent discussions with the EU on the potential impact of the 90/180 limit on UK professional drivers. The Department for Transport is undertaking research to improve understanding of the effects of the 90/180 limit on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the study’s findings will be published in due course.

What plans her Department has to reform the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

The High Income Child Benefit Charge is currently the best way to manage Child Benefit expenditure. By withdrawing Child Benefit from high-income families, it helps to ensure the sustainability of the public finances and protect our vital public services. As with all tax policy, the government will keep this under review.

How much funding the Northern Ireland will receive through Barnett consequentials from the support package for pubs further to her Department's press release entitled Government announces support package that backs British pubs, published on 27 January 2026.

Any Barnett consequentials for the Northern Ireland Executive resulting from policy changes will be confirmed at the relevant fiscal event.

Whether the Warm Homes Plan will generate Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland.

The funding allocations for the Warm Homes Plan do include Barnett consequentials, however the Treasury has not yet confirmed the specific appointments for the Devolved Governments. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have unique devolution settlements. The age, tenure, type and size of building stock varies across different parts of the UK. Therefore, some aspects of the Warm Homes Plan will apply equally in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland while other parts will not be relevant in all nations of the UK. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Devolved Governments in delivering the Warm Homes Plan.

Whether his Department has had discussions with the Northern Ireland (a) Department of Health and (b) Health and Social Care Board on levels of accessibility to abiraterone for non-metastatic prostate cancer across the UK.

There are no current plans to hold discussions with the Northern Irish Department of Health or the Health and Social Care Board on abiraterone access in Northern Ireland. Decisions on the availability of medicines in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of the removal of the 10 per cent wear-and-tear tax deduction for childminders as part of the move to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax on (a) childminders in Northern Ireland, (b) the sustainability of the childminding sector and (c) the (i) affordability and (b) availability of childcare for local families.

The Chancellor discusses a range of policy matters with Ministerial colleagues. Childminders can continue to claim tax relief for wear and tear by deducting the actual cost of buying, repairing or replacing items. They can also deduct the cost of business expenses such as utilities, cleaning and equipment. This ensures childminders receive tax relief for all of the costs that they incur in relation to their childminding business.

What engagement her Department had with the (a) Department of Education, (b) Department of Health and (c) Department of Finance in Northern Ireland in advance of the announcement of the phased removal of the 10% wear and tear allowance for childminders.

The Chancellor discusses a range of policy matters with Ministerial colleagues. Childminders can continue to claim tax relief for wear and tear by deducting the actual cost of buying, repairing or replacing items. They can also deduct the cost of business expenses such as utilities, cleaning and equipment. This ensures childminders receive tax relief for all of the costs that they incur in relation to their childminding business.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Northern Ireland being the only part of the UK without routine access to abiraterone for men with non-metastatic prostate cancer on patient outcomes across the UK.

There are no current plans to hold discussions with the Northern Irish Department of Health or the Health and Social Care Board on abiraterone access in Northern Ireland. Decisions on the availability of medicines in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of Northern Ireland being the only part of the UK unable to offer abiraterone routinely to eligible prostate cancer patients.

There are no current plans to hold discussions with the Northern Irish Department of Health or the Health and Social Care Board on abiraterone access in Northern Ireland. Decisions on the availability of medicines in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the transition from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to the Local Growth Fund on community and voluntary sector organisations in Northern Ireland, including the number of organisations that have closed, reduced services, or issued redundancy notices since the transition process began.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is working in close partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive designing an Investment Plan for delivery of the new Local Growth Fund. The Local Growth Fund represents a significant step change in UK investment strategy, supporting each nation and region to deliver long-term infrastructure for sustained economic growth. The devolved governments, including the Northern Ireland Executive have also received substantial budget increases through the Barnett formula as a result of greater funding for English local authorities. This provides the devolved governments with additional flexibility enabling them to target resource to their priorities. We appreciate the urgency of providing certainty about Local Growth Fund delivery and acknowledge the pressures facing the voluntary and community sector. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has therefore agreed with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive to commission economic inactivity delivery for 2026-27, and engagement with project deliverers is already underway. In addition, MHCLG are also providing additional flexibility to projects to use any UK Shared Prosperity Fund budget that remains unspent at the end of March 2026, for activities up to September 2026. The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive are also planning engagement from early 2026 to collaborate with the sector to design economic inactivity support from 2027 onwards.

Communities and Local Government, what engagement his Department has undertaken to date with community and voluntary sector organisations in Northern Ireland on the design and delivery of the Local Growth Fund, and whether he will publish a timetable and list of stakeholders engaged prior to the commencement of the Fund in April 2026.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is working in close partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive designing an Investment Plan for delivery of the new Local Growth Fund. The Local Growth Fund represents a significant step change in UK investment strategy, supporting each nation and region to deliver long-term infrastructure for sustained economic growth. The devolved governments, including the Northern Ireland Executive have also received substantial budget increases through the Barnett formula as a result of greater funding for English local authorities. This provides the devolved governments with additional flexibility enabling them to target resource to their priorities. We appreciate the urgency of providing certainty about Local Growth Fund delivery and acknowledge the pressures facing the voluntary and community sector. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has therefore agreed with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive to commission economic inactivity delivery for 2026-27, and engagement with project deliverers is already underway. In addition, MHCLG are also providing additional flexibility to projects to use any UK Shared Prosperity Fund budget that remains unspent at the end of March 2026, for activities up to September 2026. The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive are also planning engagement from early 2026 to collaborate with the sector to design economic inactivity support from 2027 onwards.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department will conduct an impact assessment of the transition from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to the Local Growth Fund in Northern Ireland, including on the loss of community and voluntary sector services in areas of deprivation.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is working in close partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive designing an Investment Plan for delivery of the new Local Growth Fund. The Local Growth Fund represents a significant step change in UK investment strategy, supporting each nation and region to deliver long-term infrastructure for sustained economic growth. The devolved governments, including the Northern Ireland Executive have also received substantial budget increases through the Barnett formula as a result of greater funding for English local authorities. This provides the devolved governments with additional flexibility enabling them to target resource to their priorities. We appreciate the urgency of providing certainty about Local Growth Fund delivery and acknowledge the pressures facing the voluntary and community sector. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has therefore agreed with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive to commission economic inactivity delivery for 2026-27, and engagement with project deliverers is already underway. In addition, MHCLG are also providing additional flexibility to projects to use any UK Shared Prosperity Fund budget that remains unspent at the end of March 2026, for activities up to September 2026. The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive are also planning engagement from early 2026 to collaborate with the sector to design economic inactivity support from 2027 onwards.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help address changes to the level of funding for community and voluntary sector organisations in Northern Ireland during the transition from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to the Local Growth Fund.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is working in close partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive designing an Investment Plan for delivery of the new Local Growth Fund. The Local Growth Fund represents a significant step change in UK investment strategy, supporting each nation and region to deliver long-term infrastructure for sustained economic growth. The devolved governments, including the Northern Ireland Executive have also received substantial budget increases through the Barnett formula as a result of greater funding for English local authorities. This provides the devolved governments with additional flexibility enabling them to target resource to their priorities. We appreciate the urgency of providing certainty about Local Growth Fund delivery and acknowledge the pressures facing the voluntary and community sector. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has therefore agreed with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive to commission economic inactivity delivery for 2026-27, and engagement with project deliverers is already underway. In addition, MHCLG are also providing additional flexibility to projects to use any UK Shared Prosperity Fund budget that remains unspent at the end of March 2026, for activities up to September 2026. The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive are also planning engagement from early 2026 to collaborate with the sector to design economic inactivity support from 2027 onwards.

Communities and Local Government, if he will outline how community and voluntary sector organisations in Northern Ireland will be formally involved in the design of the Local Growth Fund delivery model.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is working in close partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive designing an Investment Plan for delivery of the new Local Growth Fund. The Local Growth Fund represents a significant step change in UK investment strategy, supporting each nation and region to deliver long-term infrastructure for sustained economic growth. The devolved governments, including the Northern Ireland Executive have also received substantial budget increases through the Barnett formula as a result of greater funding for English local authorities. This provides the devolved governments with additional flexibility enabling them to target resource to their priorities. We appreciate the urgency of providing certainty about Local Growth Fund delivery and acknowledge the pressures facing the voluntary and community sector. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has therefore agreed with the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive to commission economic inactivity delivery for 2026-27, and engagement with project deliverers is already underway. In addition, MHCLG are also providing additional flexibility to projects to use any UK Shared Prosperity Fund budget that remains unspent at the end of March 2026, for activities up to September 2026. The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive are also planning engagement from early 2026 to collaborate with the sector to design economic inactivity support from 2027 onwards.