Written questions by Creasy.

What progress the NHS Counter Fraud Authority has made on its investigations into providers of NHS-funded cataract care.

Independent providers play an important role supporting the National Health Service to deliver eyecare services, ensuring patients receive the treatment and care they need. However, we were clear in the 10-Year Health Plan that we will neither tolerate ‘gaming’ the national payment tariff to cherry pick the simplest, most profitable cases, nor any quality shortcomings.The NHS Counter Fraud Authority operates as an independent body conducting data analysis to prevent fraud and other economic crime within the NHS, with all suspicions of fraud and investigations managed with the utmost confidentiality. Any updates on cases will be reported at the appropriate time.

If he will make a assessment of the potential impact of the EU Commission proposal to (a) halve steel quotas and (b) increase tariffs to 50% on the (i) operation and (ii) implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The Government is actively assessing the potential impact of this proposal on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). In addition to internal analysis, we are in active dialogue with the European Commission to fully understand the details of their proposal and next steps. We expect the EU to fulfil its obligations under the TCA.We reserve the right to take any action in response to any changes to our trading relationships to protect steel jobs and defend our steel industry.

Innovation and Technology, what the additional £1.2 billion allocated to her Department in the Spending Review 2025 will be spent on.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)’s SR25 Phase 2 settlement delivers on DSIT’s purpose to drive economic growth, improve the performance and productivity of government, and empower citizens, by providing total funding (TDEL) of £65 billion across the period. This includes £63 billion in capital investment from 2026/27 to 2029/30 (of which £58.5 billion is R&D funding), and £2 billon in day-to-day resource funding from 2026/27 to 2028/29.For more information on the settlement, please refer to pages 94-95 of the Government’s Spending Review 2025 document.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Economic note: Appendix Family Reunion, suspension of new applications, published on 4 September 2025, if she will publish the equalities impact assessment for that note.

Impacts on vulnerable individuals and equalities considerations are at the front and centre of our work. As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, we consider equality impacts throughout the policy development process, refugee family reunion is no exception. The Home Office will not be releasing the Equality Impact Assessment as the policy is still in development as part of wider reform.

Whether the Government plans to include provisions in the forthcoming regulations under Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill to ensure that any confidentiality agreement includes (a) a time limit and (b) an opt-out mechanism.

Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill will void any provision in an agreement, such as a contract of employment or settlement agreement, between a worker and their employer that prevents a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment or discrimination. The Government intends to consult on the regulations that will set out the criteria for when an NDA can still be validly entered into in the case of relevant harassment and discrimination. The regulations are aimed at shifting the balance of power away from employers who misuse NDAs.

Pursuant to the Answers of (a) 23 July 2024 to Question 612 and (b) 4 November 2024 to Question 11600 on Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, when section 31 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 will come into force.

Now that the Data (Use and Access) Act has passed through Parliament, we are progressing work to implement this measure.We will write to the Member shortly to outline our plan and timescale for implementation.

How many (a) one day first fixed penalties and (b) 30 day late payment penalties were cancelled in each of the last five years, broken down by constituency.

The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

How many (a) one day first fixed penalties and (b) 30 day late payment penalties were issued in each of the last five years, broken down by constituency.

The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Communities and Local Government, when the consultation on planning guidance including the provision of swift bricks will (a) commence and (b) complete.

My Department has already published updated Planning Practice Guidance setting out how swift bricks are expected to be used in new development. This outlines that developments should include swift bricks where possible, with the general aim across a development of a minimum of one nest box per unit.

How many offenders who were released under the early release scheme were returned to prison following an arrest for (a) Intentional strangulation, (b) criminal damage, (c) common assault, (d) actual bodily harm, (e) grievous bodily harm, (f) violence against the person, (g) threats to kill, (h) stalking, (i) rape, (j) sexual assault and (k) harassment in each month since July 2024.

This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We have had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on arrests and to provide it would result in a disproportionate cost.We have published SDS40 release data alongside the quarterly Offender Management Statistics, in line with the Lord Chancellor’s commitment to transparency: Standard Determinate Sentence (SDS40) release data - GOV.UK.

How many people were issued with a late filing penalty for non return of a self assessment form in each constituency in each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of those people did not owe any tax.

The information requested can only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Whether she plans to resume the implementation of the Single Trade Window.

It remains the government’s intention to deliver a single trade window (STW). The government is committed to minimising administrative burdens and frictions experienced by businesses trading internationally.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2024 to Question 612 on Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, and the Answer of 4th November 2024 to Question 11600 on Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, when section 31 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 will come into force.

As part of implementation considerations, we have included a provision in the Data (Use and Access) Bill to ensure that section 31 extends UK-wide, given the nature of the UK’s data protection framework. This Bill has finished Commons committee stage and will be entering report stage. Subject to passage of the Bill, we will update on implementation in due course.

Pursuant to the Answers of (a) 22 July 2024 to Question 66 and (b) 7 January 2025 to Question 20961 on Sexual Harassment, what progress she has made on implementation of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023.

Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this Government and a central part of our Safer Streets mission. Our unprecedented ambition is to halve the prevalence of VAWG within a decade, using every lever available to us. Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling unsafe on their own streets. That is unacceptable. Tackling public sexual harassment will form an important part of our cross-government VAWG strategy, which will be published before summer recess. We will confirm next steps on implementation of the Act at the earliest opportunity.

When she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to increase the regulation of buy-now pay-later lenders; and what estimate she has made of when that legislation will take effect.

Across the UK, millions have used Buy-Now, Pay-Later (BNPL) products, which can be a helpful way of managing finances from month to month. However, without regulation, there are risks: that is why the government believes consumers need proper protections. The government has made regulating the BNPL sector a priority and in October 2024 it published a consultation setting out its plans for doing so.Final legislation is expected to be laid in Parliament later in the Spring, and after the legislation has been made, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will consult on and finalise its tailored rules for BNPL products. We expect regulation to be in place 12 months after the legislation has been made.

What assessment he has made of the prevalence of the use of fire and rehire practices in higher education in England; and what steps he plans to take to address it.

The Government has published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill including an impact assessment of the Bill’s measure to end the unscrupulous use of fire and rehire. The evidence on the prevalence of the practice of fire and rehire is limited, however. Department for Business and Trade analysis suggests that <1% of employers might engage in the practice each year.We are strengthening the law in this area to make it clear that the unscrupulous use of fire and rehire and fire and replace are not acceptable and will be an automatically unfair dismissal.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish an impact assessment for the changes to development assistance announced on 25 February 2025.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review on the basis of various factors including impact assessments.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2025 to Question 30613 on British Nationality, whether victims of (a) trafficking and (b) modern slavery who are given leave to remain will have any citizenship application they make affected by whether they entered the UK via an irregular route.

A person who previously entered the UK illegally, or who arrived without a required valid entry clearance or electronic valid authorisation, having made a dangerous journey, will normally be refused citizenship, regardless of the time that has passed since they entered the UK.However, when assessing good character, it is normally appropriate to disregard immigration breaches if it is accepted this was outside of the applicant’s control. Citizenship applications will continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis, allowing for mitigating factors to be properly considered, such as where a person is a victim of trafficking or modern slavery. Where it is appropriate, an exceptional grant may be supported.

If she will set out the the routes to British citizenship open to people who secure indefinite leave to remain having arrived in the UK by an irregular route after the 10 February 2025; and what estimate she has made of the cost of applying for naturalisation to this process.

An individual can apply for British citizenship if they believe they meet the requirements. Those wishing to naturalise will need to meet the statutory requirements set out in the British Nationality Act 1981, including to be of good character. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but a person who has entered the UK on irregular routes will not normally meet the good character requirement.Details of fees for immigration and nationality applications, including the estimated unit costs, can be reviewed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data.

How many NCC1 application forms were (a) received and (b) approved in each month in 2024.

The requested information is not readily available as it is not centrally collated and to provide this would be at disproportionate cost. Depending on the benefit being claimed, the clerical NCC1 forms are either handed into the Jobcentre Plus office, for Universal Credit, or are sent to the relevant postal address for Child Tax Credits and Income Support. The annual statistics about the policy that provides support for a maximum of 2 children in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit provides a range of statistics including statistics relating to the exceptions to the policy. The latest and previous publications can be found here: Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children, April 2024 - GOV.UK