Written questions by Braverman.

How many trauma‑informed civilian liaison officers are currently employed within the Victim Witness Care Unit, and what assessment he has made of the Unit’s effectiveness in supporting victims of sexual assault since its establishment.

The Victim Witness Care Unit (VWCU) has 15 Victim Liaison Officer positions. The assessment of VWCU’s standard and quality of service has to date been based on internal assurance, reviews and proactively acting upon feedback surveys from both clients (victims/witnesses) and professional stakeholders. When His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services undertake their assessment of the Defence Serious Crime Command, the VWCU will welcome their review of the victim service that is being provided. Furthermore, the VWCU have welcomed and generated open and transparent visits with key stakeholders.

How many reports of sexual assault within the Armed Forces have been made to the Defence Serious Crime Command since 2022; how many have resulted in charges; and how many have resulted in convictions.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) publishes annual Official Statistics into Murder, Manslaughter and Sexual Offending in the Service Justice System. Based on the latest Official Statistic data (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/murder-manslaughter-sexual-offences-and-domestic-abuse-in-the-service-justice-system-2024), between 2022 and 2024 the Defence Serious Crime Command (DSCC) conducted 429 investigations into sexual assaults (s2 and s3, Sexual Offences Act 2003). Additionally, 65 sexual assault investigations were transferred to Civilian Police Forces for investigation or formed part of their enquiries, or were re-categorised following investigation and no longer fell under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Data for 2025 is not included as this will be published on 26 March 2026. Similar to the position in the published statistics from the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales, there is no central data set that tracks each investigation from initial report of an offence through to outcome. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate from our centrally held data how many initial reports of a sexual assault led to charges or a trial. From 2022 to 2024 there were 201 cases directed with charges for sexual assault by the Service Prosecuting Authority. This data is different to the Official Statistics data as it includes all cases with charges made each year, whereas the Official Statistics only report the outcomes from the referrals received each year. From Official Statistics data, since 2022 there have been 68 defendants convicted of sexual assault offences. Where a defendant has been tried for charges across multiple offence categories, it will result in the defendant being recorded more than once. Some cases that have been directed for Court Martial may still be ongoing. We are confident that a greater proportion of incidents got to trial in the Service Justice System for a number of reasons, including the rate that victims withdraw from investigations and prosecutions. Noting that there are procedural differences between the two systems, administrative data suggests 59% of victims of adult rape-flagged offences withdrew from investigations in 2024 in the Criminal Justice System compared to 24% of rape offences in the Service Justice System. During prosecutions, 19% withdrew in the Criminal Justice System compared to almost none in the Service Justice System.

What assessment he has made of the capacity of the Army Welfare Service to provide safeguarding, youth services, and mental health support to survivors of sexual assault within the Armed Forces.

The Army Welfare Service (AWS) has the capacity, professional expertise, and national coverage required to provide safeguarding oversight, youth service provision, and coordinated mental health support to survivors of sexual assault across the Army. For youth services, the AWS Community Support staff deliver early help services, youth engagement, and targeted support to Service children and young people which includes signposting and referral to specialist welfare and safeguarding services as required. Young people aged 11–18 from Armed Forces families, as well as Junior Soldiers and Cadets, can also access free and confidential online counselling through Kooth, including support for those affected by sexual harassment or assault. AWS Community Support staff deliver a Life Skills programme to Junior Soldiers at the Army Foundation College Harrogate. This programme includes sessions on consent, unacceptable behaviours, sexual harassment, and healthy relationships. It is Army policy that units must refer all incidents of sexual assault to AWS who work directly with the victim to agree an appropriate support plan. The AWS Specialist Welfare function delivers accessible, confidential, and independent welfare support to Army personnel and their families across the UK and overseas. AWS staff are trained to manage complex safeguarding and vulnerability concerns working within established Army and Defence safeguarding frameworks and advising the Chain of Command on their duty of care obligations and ensuring referrals are made to appropriate statutory services. Through the Vulnerability Risk Management process, AWS coordinates with Medical Officers, Departments of Community Mental Health, civilian GPs and NHS crisis mental health teams. This approach ensures survivors receive timely mental health assessment, therapeutic input, and ongoing multiagency support where required. However, we are not complacent and keep the provision, and communication of what is available, under consideration. For example, the Victim Support Pathway was launched on 1 September 2025: https://www.army.mod.uk/support-and-training/health-performance-and-wellbeing/ask-for-help/victim-support-pathway/ Where safety concerns exist, AWS has access to the Service Cotswold Centre, which can be used as a refuge setting, and can signpost victims to Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs) funded through the Armed Forces Covenant.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the confidential 24/7 crime line is accessible, well‑publicised, and adequately staffed for serving personnel seeking to report sexual assault or harassment.

The Service Police Confidential crime line is monitored continuously by Service Police Officers employed within the Service Police Crime Bureau Operations Room. The service is widely publicised throughout the Services and on the internet, including but not limited to https://www.army.mod.uk/support-and-training/health-performance-and-wellbeing/ask-for-help/victim-support-pathway/ and https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-serious-crime-unit-dscu.

When the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce will become fully operational, and what its remit will be in relation to prevention, education, and survivor support within the Armed Forces.

The Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce will address the cultural and behavioural drivers of unacceptable sexual behaviour, particularly against women, within the Armed Forces. Based on sites with significant training footprints, teams will work with local military training, welfare and other partners to design and test early intervention initiatives targeted at trainees, supporting the highest behavioural standards from the outset. The Taskforce is being introduced in phases to deliver quickly and iteratively. Phase 1 locations are HMNB Devonport (South West) and Catterick Garrison (Yorkshire and the Humber). Locations were selected to maximise impact across major training sites. Phase 2 locations will be RAF Halton and British Forces Cyprus, providing Tri-Service coverage. Future sites will be determined through ongoing data analysis. All Phase 1 Taskforce posts have now been filled and onboarding is underway, with teams expected to be fully operational this year. In parallel, the central Defence team is advancing wider victim survivor support measures, including launching the Independent Legal Advocacy Pilot.

How OFGEM monitors the adequacy of the energy market for small businesses; and what enforcement action has been taken in the last three years against suppliers found to be overcharging small business customers.

Licence conditions and compliance and enforcement matters, for both domestic and non-domestic customers, are a matter for Ofgem as the sector regulator. The Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. That’s why the Government has decided to regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This will improve consumer outcomes and enhance consumer protections for non-domestic consumers, particularly charities and small businesses. Regulation will be introduced once parliamentary time allows. Since December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees have been able to access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards. We consulted in late 2025 on measures to strengthen the Ombudsman’s tools for ensuring suppliers implement decisions in a timely manner.

How many regional outreach teams will be established under the VAWG Taskforce, and what criteria will be used to determine their deployment across the UK.

The Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce will address the cultural and behavioural drivers of unacceptable sexual behaviour, particularly against women, within the Armed Forces. Based on sites with significant training footprints, teams will work with local military training, welfare and other partners to design and test early intervention initiatives targeted at trainees, supporting the highest behavioural standards from the outset. The Taskforce is being introduced in phases to deliver quickly and iteratively. Phase 1 locations are HMNB Devonport (South West) and Catterick Garrison (Yorkshire and the Humber). Locations were selected to maximise impact across major training sites. Phase 2 locations will be RAF Halton and British Forces Cyprus, providing Tri-Service coverage. Future sites will be determined through ongoing data analysis. All Phase 1 Taskforce posts have now been filled and onboarding is underway, with teams expected to be fully operational this year. In parallel, the central Defence team is advancing wider victim survivor support measures, including launching the Independent Legal Advocacy Pilot.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the new Independent Legal Advocacy service launching in 2026 provides impartial, accessible, and comprehensive legal advice to survivors of sexual assault in the Service Justice System.

The Independent Legal Advocacy pilot will provide impartial legal support to anyone aged 18 or over, irrespective of whether they are Service personnel or civilians. Anyone who reports a sexual offence pursuant with the Sexual Offences Act 1956/2003, that has been committed by a Service person subject to Service Law or a civilian subject to Service Discipline that is being investigated by the Service Justice System, will qualify for support from Spring 2026. It fills a longstanding gap by giving complainants clear procedural legal information to help them understand and navigate a complex system. The pilot will be delivered entirely by external specialist solicitors, fully independent of the Defence Chain of Command. The service will be free, with advice delivered virtually to ensure maximum accessibility across Defence, including overseas.

Whether he has had discussions with OFGEM regarding the potential impact of its guidance on the pricing practices of energy suppliers towards small businesses.

Licence conditions and compliance and enforcement matters, for both domestic and non-domestic customers, are a matter for Ofgem as the sector regulator. The Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. That’s why the Government has decided to regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This will improve consumer outcomes and enhance consumer protections for non-domestic consumers, particularly charities and small businesses. Regulation will be introduced once parliamentary time allows. Since December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees have been able to access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards. We consulted in late 2025 on measures to strengthen the Ombudsman’s tools for ensuring suppliers implement decisions in a timely manner.

What formal mechanisms exist for survivors of sexual assault in the Armed Forces to provide feedback on their experience of the investigative and welfare support systems, and how this feedback is used to inform policy.

The Defence Serious Crime Command (DSCC) has a Professional Standards Department where people can raise complaints/concerns in respect of the DSCC and Victim Witness Care Unit. The Service Police Complaints Commissioner also provides oversight of the Service Police complaints process to raise standards in Service policing, and secure trust and confidence in the Service Police complaints system.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with OFWAT regarding the accessibility of its public contact channels; and what steps are being taken to ensure that members of the public receive timely responses to enquiries.

Customers can contact Ofwat by phone, post, email and via the website. Ofwat’s Customer Enquiries and Disputes (CED) team has worked hard over the past year to improve the timeliness of responses to customers which was impacted by increased contacts to Ofwat last year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of administrative and financial processes that small businesses are required to follow by the non‑household water retail market; and whether she plans to reform that market to help reduce those processes for small businesses.

We ensure the water retail market is operating effectively and acting as a vehicle to support economic growth and reduce burdens for businesses.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of MOSL’s administrative overheads on levels of investment in water infrastructure; and whether she has considered changes to ensure that increased funding is directed to frontline services.

Market Operator Services Ltd (MOSL) is the not-for-profit operator of the non-household (business) retail water market. MOSL is funded through market operator charges levied on retailers and wholesalers, rather than through customer bills or capital investment allowances. MOSL costs have no bearing on the levels of investment that Ofwat permits water companies to make in infrastructure. MOSL is a relatively small organisation in the context of the wider water sector. For 2025-2026, MOSL's annual budget of expenditure is £13.7m, which will be funded through Market Operator (MO) charges. These costs represent a very small proportion of overall expenditure in the water sector; by way of comparison industry total expenditure in the next regulatory period is anticipated to around £20 billion per year. Decisions on infrastructure investment are driven by Ofwat's price review process and water companies' statutory obligations.

Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason small businesses are prohibited from purchasing water and wastewater services directly from local water companies; and whether she plans to review this restriction.

Businesses, charities and public sector organisations are free to choose their water retailer for water or sewerage services. Advice for customers on choosing their retailer can be found on Ofwat’s website.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of transparency of pricing information provided by non‑household water retailer; and what steps she is taking to ensure that small businesses can access clear, complete and comparable quotations for water and wastewater services.

The water retail market enables businesses, charities and public sector organisations in England to choose their retailer. This market can help to deliver lower bills and lead to improved services. If customers are not satisfied with the service they receive, they are free to switch to alternative retailers. The water retail market is closely regulated and there are measures in place to protect customers. The Customer Protection Code of Practice states that information provided to non-household customers shall be in clear and plain language, complete, accurate and not misleading. Ofwat also set limits on the price customers pay if they have not switched or renegotiated a new deal, to prevent them losing out.

What assessment he has made of the operational independence of the Defence Serious Crime Command from the military chain of command, and what steps he is taking to ensure that investigations into sexual assault are free from command influence.

The Defence Serious Crime Command became operational on 5 December 2022 and since its inception has been independent of the single Service Chains of Command to protect its operational investigative independence. Under Clause 12 of the Armed Forces Bill 2026 we are introducing a Service Policing Protocol which will formally set out expectations, obligations and roles of all parties in respect of the investigation of criminal offences within Defence in a way that has not previously been articulated. It will improve clarity for everyone in Defence who interact with all Service Police and helps build confidence and transparency as the Service Justice System continues to modernise.This will also give Service Policing a level of equivalence with civilian practice and will accompany the expansion of a policing governance structure within Defence. A protocol loosely modelled on the civilian equivalent (as issued under s79 of the Police Reform and Social responsibility Act 2011) is appropriate and an effective method of achieving the aim.Currently under s113 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 (AFA 06), Commanding Officers have a duty to report any suspected Schedule 2 offences (this includes sexual assault) to the Service Police. Clause 17 of the Armed Forces Bill 2026 expands the current duty on Commanding Officers under s113 of AFA 06, to also include persons not within their own Chain of Command.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a mandatory national screening programme for prostate cancer to help improve early detection and reduce mortality.

On 28 November 2025, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) opened a 12-week public consultation on a draft recommendation to offer targeted screening for prostate cancer in men with variants of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, every two years from the age of 45 to 61 years old. This consultation has now closed, and the committee is considering the responses.We welcome the UK NSC’s consideration of the evidence and robust consultation process. We expect the UK NSC to make a final recommendation soon. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will then consider the advice, make a decision, and determine the next steps.

Whether his Department has issued guidance to integrated care boards on local commissioning in the context of patients’ legal right to choose under the NHS Choice Framework.

The Government is committed to patients having the right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient. Patients’ right to choose is set out in legislation and integrated care boards remain responsible for ensuring their own processes comply with the Right to Choose, including clinical appropriateness, eligibility criteria, and qualifying contract requirements. NHS England has issued national Patient Choice Guidance, available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/patient-choice-guidance/ This sets out an overview of the choices available to patients and the rules that underpin those rights. The guidance explains how commissioners can meet their statutory duties in relation to patient choice, supports greater consistency in the application of those rights across the National Health Service, and describes how NHS England manages enquiries and complaints relating to patient choice. NHS England has also published, as part of its Enforcement Guidance, further material explaining how it exercises its enforcement powers in relation to patient choice. Further information on the choices available for patients can be found on the NHS Choice framework, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework

What steps he is taking to reduce NHS waiting times for ADHD assessments; and what role he expects the independent sector capacity to have in meeting demand.

The Government has recognised that, nationally in England, demand for assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England will make the National Health Service fit for the future, recognising the need for early intervention and support.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to ADHD assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.The independent sector provides important service capacity within ADHD services. We are committed to ensuring patients have equitable access to safe, effective, and high-quality services, irrespective of their service provider. Patients being referred for consultant-led elective care, or to a mental health professional, have the right to be treated by any clinically appropriate provider who holds a contract for the provision of NHS services.This includes the independent sector, which holds contracts with ICBs across the country to deliver services for the NHS. By working with the independent sector, we are making sure patients have greater choice in their local areas.NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. This independent review will inform our approach to enabling people with ADHD and autistic people to have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Integrated Care Boards placing (a) activity caps and (b) other restrictions on NHS Right to Choose ADHD providers on patient (i) access, (ii) waiting times and (iii) clinical risk.

No specific assessment has been made on the potential impact of integrated care boards (ICBs) placing activity caps and other restrictions on NHS Right to Choose ADHD providers on patient access, waiting times or clinical risk.Patients have a legal Right to Choose their provider when referred for NHS-funded eligible care. ICBs are responsible for ensuring that their processes comply with the legal Right to Choose.NHS England issued advice to systems on ADHD service delivery and prioritisation on 7 October 2025. This advice includes guidance on managing service provisions, reviewing waiting lists and providing patient support. The advice is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/adhd-service-delivery-and-prioritisation-advice-to-systems/