Written questions by Race.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to take steps to support the UK Safer Internet Centre after March 2025.

The government recognises the important work of the three organisations that form the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) in improving online safety. We are committed to continued engagement with UKSIC in support of its aim to establish a sustainable funding model.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 14217 on Loans: Developing Countries, how many loan commitments have been published under the Principles for Debt Transparency since June 2023; and if she will take steps to ensure that the (a) existence and (b) details of loans to governments by private lenders are published.

The UK is a strong advocate for enhancing debt transparency, including for private sector debt. We have supported the Institute of International Finance (IIF) and the OECD Debt Transparency Initiative, set up in 2021, and the IIF’s Voluntary Principles for Debt Transparency, which underpinned it. The UK has taken a lead in ensuring its own lending is transparent and meets G20 best practice, publishing details of all new direct lending quarterly and the stock of debt owed to the UK annually. The UK continues to engage closely with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders through international fora, such as the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable, to promote the importance of transparency and to explore ways to build on and improve existing efforts.

How much funding his Department plans to provide for active travel infrastructure in each of the next three financial years.

This Government announced an additional £100 million investment in cycling and walking infrastructure in 2025-26 at the Autumn budget. Final levels of funding for 2025-26 will be confirmed following completion of the Department for Transport’s business planning process. Funding for the next two years will be a matter for the Spending Review.

Innovation and Technology, what progress he has made on the roll-out of gigabit-capable broadband in urban areas.

Rollout of gigabit-capable broadband in urban areas is strong but there is still more to do, with coverage at 84% This is based on data collected up to January 2024 and is the most recent data we have breaking down coverage by urban and rural. Government and Ofcom have deployed a range of measures to support urban roll-out. For instance, by establishing regulation to allow infrastructure sharing between providers, and working with local authorities to overcome planning barriers.

What steps she is taking to provide (a) residents and (b) workers with access to spaces for (i) shared bike schemes and (ii) other bike storage facilities.

As part of its statutory consultee role for large-scale planning applications, Active Travel England (ATE) assesses the quantity and quality of cycle parking in new residential, retail and business developments alongside measures that would secure access to shared cycle schemes. In particular, ATE applies the best practice parking standards set out in chapter 11 of LTN 1/20 and reviews development travel plans to ensure that bike share schemes can be accessed where the size and location of development will engender demand. Operations and access to spaces for dockless cycle schemes are for local authorities to manage, working with e-cycle scheme operators. Funding for public-accessible cycle storage has been made available from a range of local transport funds, including the Active Travel Fund and City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of cycle commuting on (a) mental health and (b) healthy behaviours.

Public Health England’s 2018 cycling and walking evidence review confirms positive impacts on both mental health and healthy behaviours. This review is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5bf41840e5274a2af47c464e/Cycling_and_walking_for_individual_and_population_health_benefits.pdfEvidence shows that cycling can reduce stress and lower risk factors for mental health conditions. It can also encourage other healthy behaviours by integrating physical activity into daily routines.The Department of Health and Social Care is currently working with the Department for Transport and Active Travel England on an evidence review, which will further examine active travel’s effects on mental health, physical health, and health inequalities as well as effective behaviour-change techniques. Findings are expected by mid-2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that affected local people are included in the delivery of Official Development Assistance.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) takes a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the delivery of Overseas Development Aid, with a focus on ensuring that affected local people are actively involved in all stages of the programme cycle. The Programme Operating Framework sets out the FCDO's approach to programme management - including the mandatory rules, principles, roles and responsibilities and governance. This emphasises the importance of beneficiary engagement to improve outcomes - and ensuring interventions are context-specific, good value for money and transparent. It also highlights the importance of ensuring beneficiaries are safe from harm, as well as being empowered to speak out if harm is done through established feedback mechanisms. Additionally, the FCDO collaborates with local partners to understand their capacity and ensure sustainable interventions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to invest in (a) prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation, (b) breastfeeding (i) promotion and (ii) support, (c) vitamin A supplementation and (d) other early nutrition interventions.

The FCDO supports the scale up of evidence-based interventions to tackle maternal and child malnutrition. Through the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), the FCDO supports the procurement and distribution of micronutrient supplements - Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTFs) - for children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women (PLW). This includes a recent contribution to a $60 million match funding arrangement with the Government of Nigeria, and promotion of exclusive and continued breastfeeding. The FCDO funds the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to increase access to maternal micronutrient supplements in selected low- and middle-income countries.

If she will amend the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010 to make private sector loans to Global South countries (a) lawful and (b) transparent.

The UK is a strong advocate for sustainable lending and enhancing debt transparency, including across the private sector. In this regard, we firmly support the Principles for Debt Transparency published by the Institute for International Finance (IIF), which applies to loans.The UK continues to engage closely with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders through international fora, such as the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable, to promote the importance of transparency across the debt architecture, and to explore ways to build on existing efforts.

Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to prioritise research funding for myalgic encephalomyelitis.

UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Medical Research Council (MRC) has invested in research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) for many years, awarding £6.6 million in this area since 2012.This includes through DecodeME, the world’s largest ME/CFS study, via strategic co-funding with the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHIR), which aims to find genetic factors to better understand ME/CFS disease pathways and unlock future treatment pathways. Initial results of the DecodeME study, posted on NIHR Open Research, include consideration of the impact of ME/CFS on women.UKRI continue to encourage high-quality proposals across their funding opportunities, maintaining an open highlight notice to encourage ME/CFS research. MRC also co-funded the ME/CFS Priority Setting Partnership to identify research priorities for ME/CFS, led by people with ME/CFS, their carers and clinicians, and facilitated by Action for M.E.

Innovation and Technology, if he will prioritise funding for research on the impact of myalgic encephalomyelitis on women.

UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Medical Research Council (MRC) has invested in research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) for many years, awarding £6.6 million in this area since 2012.This includes through DecodeME, the world’s largest ME/CFS study, via strategic co-funding with the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHIR), which aims to find genetic factors to better understand ME/CFS disease pathways and unlock future treatment pathways. Initial results of the DecodeME study, posted on NIHR Open Research, include consideration of the impact of ME/CFS on women.UKRI continue to encourage high-quality proposals across their funding opportunities, maintaining an open highlight notice to encourage ME/CFS research. MRC also co-funded the ME/CFS Priority Setting Partnership to identify research priorities for ME/CFS, led by people with ME/CFS, their carers and clinicians, and facilitated by Action for M.E.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Fur (Import and Sale) Bill.

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The report that they produce will support our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps. In accordance with parliamentary convention, the Government will set out its formal position on this Bill when it receives its Second Reading.

What steps her Department is taking to end the use of hotel accommodation for women and girls seeking asylum.

We are working to fix the asylum system, clearing the backlog to reduce demand on accommodation and ending the use of hotels, including for women and girls.

What steps he plans to take to promote awareness of World Hepatitis Testing Week in November 2024.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will be supporting the World Hepatitis Testing Week’s drive to increase testing for hepatitis by promoting the campaign materials through our social and stakeholder channels. This will follow the publication of the latest evaluation of the NHS England funded emergency department opt-out testing programme for bloodborne viruses, and will be accompanied by media activity.The UKHSA previously published a range of promotional material on awareness of viral hepatitis, including testing for hepatitis C and testing and vaccination for hepatitis B, on World Hepatitis Day in July this year.

What steps his Department is taking to plan for the sustainable maintenance of hepatitis C elimination in England.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) supports and monitors progress towards the World Health Organisation’s goal of eliminating the hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public health threat by 2030. As part of disease surveillance, the UKHSA monitors HCV prevention, testing, diagnoses and treatment, and longer-term outcomes in England.The UKHSA supports and monitors progress towards ending the transmission of HCV within England by 2030. The UKHSA will continue to publish HCV surveillance and monitoring reports during the maintenance phase. The UKHSA’s HCV reports and supporting documents are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hepatitis-c-in-the-uk

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government response to the Independent review of protected site management on Dartmoor, what his planned timescale is for (a) agreeing, (b) implementing and (c) completing a Molinia reduction strategy across the more; what level of Molinia reduction he plans to secure; and who the senior responsible officer for the Molinia reduction strategy will be.

We fully support the recommendations of the independent review, which includes the recommendation to tackle the over domination of Molinia in some places on Dartmoor. Defra is supporting the establishment of the Land Use Management Group (LUMG) in the coming weeks. The LUMG will oversee the broader plan for restoring Dartmoor’s SSSIs, including the management of Molinia to benefit biodiversity, carbon and farming interests. The reduction of Molinia will require a strategic approach across large areas of Dartmoor and it will take time.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Independent review of protected site management on Dartmoor, published on 12 December 2023, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the design of the (a) Sustainable Farming Incentive and (b) Countryside Stewardship scheme will facilitate retention of the number of semi-wild hill ponies on Dartmoor.

Our new moorland offer includes actions in the Sustainable Farming Incentive, available now, and new and amended actions to be included in Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier. We will confirm next steps in the rollout of Countryside Stewardship in due course. Through the new offer, we provide payment for grazing with both cattle and ponies and both cattle and ponies are eligible under the native breeds at risk supplement. We are thereby removing the competition between the two as recommended in the Dartmoor review. We have also made clear within the new offer that ponies are exempt from stock removal requirements, in recognition that removal of ponies from moorland is neither feasible nor desirable in most circumstances. We cannot, exclude either cattle or ponies from stocking density calculations. All livestock contribute to the overall grazing pressure exerted on moorland. On some moorland habitats (such as peatland), it is necessary to graze with low stocking densities to support habitat restoration and maintenance. If any livestock are excluded from the stocking density calculation, over grazing would result. This would prevent us achieving desired improvements in habitat condition. The moorland offer will be subject to monitoring and evaluation. Any change in the pony population during this time will be investigated and further mitigations will be explored if necessary.

Whether he plans to continue the Hepatitis C opt-out testing programme beyond March 2025.

Opt-out testing in emergency departments for bloodborne viruses, including hepatitis C, is live at 34 sites in areas of extremely high prevalence of HIV, and is expanding to areas of high prevalence of HIV. A further 47 emergency department sites will be funded for a 12-month period across the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26.On 9 November 2023, the UK Health Security Agency published a report evaluating the first 12 months of the NHS England funded emergency department opt-out testing programme for bloodborne viruses. The initiative has so far been successful, with 499 people being diagnosed with hepatitis C in the first year of the testing. Further information on this programme is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bloodborne-viruses-opt-out-testing-in-emergency-departments

Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of funding remains to be (a) allocated and (b) spent through the Affordable Homes Programme.

As the Deputy Prime Minister made clear in her written ministerial statement of 30 July 2024, the government is aware that, particularly outside London, almost all the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme funding is contractually committed.The programme is delivered by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in London and by Homes England in the rest of England. Homes England’s Annual Report and Financial statements for 2023/24 confirm that, by the end of 2023/24, Homes England had invested £3.7 billion of its £7.4 billion budget for the 2021-26 programme.The GLA does not publish details of its capital spending for individual programmes.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to rule out any reductions in the minimum population of Dartmoor's iconic semi-wild Hill Ponies as part of future land management or environmental strategies for the Dartmoor area.

Through the new offer we will be providing payment for grazing with both cattle and ponies and making both cattle and ponies eligible under the native breeds at risk supplement. We are thereby removing the competition between the two as recommended in the Dartmoor review. We have also made it clear within the new offer that ponies are exempt from stock removal requirements, in recognition that removal of ponies from moorland is neither feasible nor desirable in most circumstances. We cannot, exclude either cattle or ponies from stocking density calculations. All livestock contribute to the overall grazing pressure exerted on moorland. On some moorland habitats (such as peatland), it is necessary to graze with low stocking densities to support habitat restoration and maintenance. If any livestock are excluded from the stocking density calculation, then over grazing would result. This would prevent us achieving desired improvements in habitat condition. The new moorland offer will be subject to monitoring and evaluation, particularly in the first year. Any change in the pony population during this time will be investigated and further mitigations will be explored if necessary.