Written questions by Dhesi.

What recent steps has she taken to ensure the safety of women detained in immigration detention centres.

The Government keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a range of experts and stakeholders.We remain focused on the specific needs for women in our care and all our immigration removal centres (IRCs) are operated in line with the Detention Centre Rules 2001, published operating standards for IRCs and Detention Services Orders; a framework which ensures the safety and security of those detained in our care.All staff working with women receive appropriate gender specific training, in addition to any generic training they receive when they undergo initial training. This includes equality and diversity, human trafficking, and modern slavery. Detention Services Order 06/2016 ‘Women in the immigration removal estate’ sets out the processes that are undertaken in IRCs to ensure that the needs of women are identified and appropriately met and their rights to dignity and privacy are upheld. In addition, all Home Office staff working in the detention system are given training and support to identify and act upon indicators of vulnerability at the earliest opportunity.

What recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of teachers' pay in real terms.

Despite the challenging fiscal context, this government is taking action to restore teaching as the highly valued profession it should be. This includes prioritising pay with above inflation increases of almost 10% over two years.Our latest pay proposal of 6.5% over three years, when combined with the last two increases, would mean that teacher pay would rise by almost 17% across this parliament, equating to a real terms increase of almost 4%.Final decisions on the 2026/27 pay award will be made following recommendations from the independent pay review body process, which is ongoing.

What recent assessment has been made of the (a) availability and (b) adequacy of workplace mental health support available to (i) teachers and (ii) school staff.

The department takes the wellbeing and mental health of teachers and school staff very seriously.We have worked with the sector to develop the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter which can be used to inform a whole school or college approach to wellbeing. Over 4,300 schools and colleges have signed up.We fund Education Support to provide professional supervision for school and college leaders. Over 1,400 leaders have benefitted since April 2024.The department has funded a mental health lead resource hub to support mental health leads. This includes resources to support staff development and wellbeing.​Our Improve Workload and Wellbeing service provides resources for schools to reduce workload and improve wellbeing. The department also signposts to a range of mental health resources, including Education Support’s free 24-hour helpline.Employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees. Many employers provide employee assistance programmes offering confidential support and counselling. As the duty of care for staff wellbeing rests with employers, assessments of the availability and adequacy of workplace mental health support are made locally.

What recent progress has been made in recruiting 6,500 teachers.

We are making progress towards our pledge to recruit 6,500 additional teachers. The latest School Workforce Census reported 2,346 more secondary and special school teachers (FTE) in 2024/25 compared to 2023/24.The same publication also reported one of the lowest leaver rates in recent years, with 1,700 fewer teachers leaving the state-funded sector than the year before. More teachers are also returning to state schools than at any point in the last ten years. The latest data showed 17,274 teachers returned to the classroom.The future teaching pipeline is also looking positive. Latest initial teacher training census data shows strong growth in trainee numbers, with over 32,000 talented individuals beginning their training last September, a rise of 11% on the previous year, and we exceeded our STEM recruitment target for the first time since it was introduced in 2019.The number of physics trainees are up 36%, computing up 44%, and maths up by 16%. In total, the data shows an increase of 21% in STEM subjects, exceeding the trainee target, with 6,700 new entrants.

What recent assessment has been made of whether children’s social care practice adequately supports parents who are experiencing post-separation abuse.

The Children’s Social Care National Framework (2023) statutory guidance sets the direction for children’s social care practice. It describes expectations for practitioners working sensitively with whole families, including to identify and address the impact of trauma. It also sets out that leaders should put in place meaningful and collaborative forums with children, young people and families, such as family group decision making.The national rollout of Family Help, multi-agency child protection and family group decision making reforms, delivered through the Families First Partnership programme, will prioritise supporting the whole family and intervening at the earliest opportunity to prevent problems escalating, including supporting parents who are experiencing post-separation abuse. This will require excellent place-based service design driven by local authorities working effectively with local partners, including health, police, education providers and specialist agencies such as domestic abuse and victim support services, underpinned by good multi agency safeguarding arrangements and listening closely to families.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) transparency (b) financial protection and (c) value for money of leaseholders' service charges.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 109581 on 3 February 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered the potential merits of including glass in the proposed deposit protection scheme.

Following consultations in 2019 and 2021, an extensive review of evidence was carried out in addition to engagement with industry stakeholders which informed our decision to exclude glass drinks containers from the Deposit Return Scheme. Glass drinks containers are included in the scope of the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of financial support available to apprentices.

From April 2026 the Apprentice National Minimum Wage will increase by 6% to £8.00 per hour, from £7.55. This new rate will help encourage more young people to enter the labour market via apprenticeships, helping fill the skills gaps our country faces. The department continues to provide employers and providers with additional funding to support apprenticeship opportunities for young people. The department provides £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, and up to age 24 for apprentices with an education, health and care plan, or who have been in local authority care. These payments can be used to support costs such as work equipment, uniforms, or travel. Apprentices under the age of 25 that have been, or are, in local authority care can claim a bursary of £3,000 when they start an apprenticeship. This supports them as they transition into employment. Apprentices may also be eligible for local discounted travel schemes. For example, apprentices over 18, living in a London borough and in the first year of an apprenticeship, can get discounted travel with an Oyster photocard. The government remains committed to keeping apprentice pay and financial support under review to support the attraction of talented individuals into apprenticeships, whilst remaining fair for employers.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterpart in Bangladesh on elections in that country and international law.

We welcome the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh which took place on 12 February 2026. The peaceful and credible election process represents an important step forward in Bangladesh's ambitions and the aspirations of its people.When I met Prime Minister Rahman on 17 February, I looked forward to working with Bangladesh on advancing democratic, economic and social reforms.The UK is providing £27 million in support through the Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme to protect civic and political space and address the underlying tensions that can lead to violence.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterpart in the Bangladesh Government on the protection of religious minorities in that country.

The UK condemns all forms of violence. I discussed Bangladesh's commitment to inclusion when I met Prime Minister Rahman in February. We engage with authorities in Bangladesh to ensure accountability, protect and promote interfaith harmony and uphold the rule of law.Our commitment to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is also demonstrated through our £27 million Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme (2023-2028), which aims to safeguard civic space, encourage inclusive dialogue and address the underlying tensions that can lead to violence.

What recent assessment she made of the affordability of train tickets for travel in the South East of England.

The Government knows how important affordable and reliable public transport services are in enabling people to get to education, work, access vital services, and keep communities connected. We are freezing rail fares, from March, for the first time in 30 years, putting money back in passengers’ pockets and easing the cost of living for hard working people. In the South East, our expansion of Pay As You Go with contactless ticketing has already simplified the complicated web of tickets to Peak and one Off-Peak price. This will allow passengers greater flexibility in their choice of tickets, with some seeing a reduction in their ticket price.

What recent assessment has she made of the adequacy of financial support available to university students.

The government needs to ensure that the student funding system is financially sustainable, and funding arrangements are reviewed each year.We are increasing loans for living costs each year in line with forecast inflation with students from the lowest income families receiving the largest year-on-year cash increases in support. Maximum loans for living costs will increase by 2.71% for the 2026/27 academic year.We are also reintroducing maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year for full-time students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the government’s missions and Industrial Strategy from the 2028/29 academic year.The department will also provide extra support for care leavers, some of the most vulnerable in our society, who will automatically become eligible to receive the maximum rates of loans for living costs from the 2026/27 academic year.

What recent steps he has taken to help reduce rates of obesity in Slough.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, we are taking decisive action on the obesity crisis to shift the focus from treatment to prevention and ease the strain on our National Health Service, including in Slough.We have fulfilled our commitment to restrict junk food advertising targeted at children on television and online. We have also implemented restrictions on volume price promotions for less healthy food and drink, such as three for the price of two offers, and consulted on our proposals to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children aged under 16 years old.We will go further by introducing mandatory reporting on the healthiness of sales for all large food businesses and setting new healthier food targets. We will also strengthen the existing advertising and promotions restrictions by applying an updated definition of ‘less healthy food and drink’. We published the updated Nutrient Profiling Model in January, ahead of consulting on its policy application.To support people already living with obesity, we will double the number of patients able to access the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme. From June 2025, the NHS began making weight loss drugs available through primary care. Approximately 220,000 adults will be considered in the first three years with access prioritised by clinical need. We are committed to expanding NHS access and will work closely with industry and local systems to identify innovative ways to do this.Officials in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ South East team work closely with local partners including local authorities and the NHS to support them with local initiatives to promote a healthy lifestyle and to tackle obesity.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the nutritional guidance for school dinners.

The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day. We are revising the School Food Standards and engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history. As part of our work, we expect to revise our guidance.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to help reduce dog bites.

The Government has reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. The taskforce is considering four themes: educating the public on how to stay safe around dogs, training for both dogs and their owners, enforcement, and improving data on dog attacks. We look forward to receiving its findings and recommendations in due course.

What recent steps has he taken to increase bowel screening uptake in Slough constituency.

Improving cancer services is a priority for the Government. We will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system. Slough is seeing an improvement in bowel screening uptake, although this remains below the national average.Commissioners and providers continue to work together to address this variation and to ensure that all eligible residents are supported to participate in screening at the earliest opportunity.The Berkshire Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and local partners have undertaken several initiatives to increase awareness and participation in Slough including:a presentation on bowel cancer screening delivered to the Cippenham Carers group;engagement with the 50+ Group at Kingsway United Reformed Church, promoting the importance of early detection; anda bowel cancer screening awareness poster circulated to general practices in Slough through the Frimley Health communications team.In addition, Slough Borough Council is actively supporting improvement in cancer screening uptake through communication and training measures.All partners remain committed to collaborative working to reduce inequalities, strengthen pathways, and support increased uptake among underserved populations.

Whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that private parking companies provide adequate notice to individuals served with a fine regarding the period in which they must (a) pay or (b) appeal.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with her cabinet colleagues on this matter. Private parking companies are the policy responsibility of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

What information his Department holds on the number of people that have been waiting over six months to access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services support in Slough constituency.

There are currently six young people living within the Slough Local Authority area who have been waiting for a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) intervention for over 26 weeks. There are no young people within Slough waiting for longer than 104 weeks to be seen by CAMHS.

What recent steps he has taken to help improve Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services referral times in Slough.

The Department has made no assessment of the adequacy of access to child and adolescent mental health services for children in the Slough constituency. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country, including for children and young people’s mental health services in the Slough constituency.As prioritised in our Medium-Term Planning Framework, we are taking action to reduce the longest waits for specialist mental health support, tackling regional disparities, and expanding access, thereby making services more productive so children and young people spend less time waiting for the treatment they need.We are also accelerating the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges to reach full national coverage by 2029. As part of this, we are investing an additional £13 million to pilot enhanced training for staff so that they can offer more effective support to young people with complex needs, such as trauma, neurodivergence, and disordered eating. An additional 900,000 children and young people had access by this spring, which means that 60% of all pupils will have access to this early support at school, up from 44% in spring 2024.More widely, we are, rolling out Young Futures Hubs. The Government’s first 50 Young Futures Hubs will bring together services at a local level to support children and young people, helping to ensure that young people can access early advice and wellbeing intervention. We will work to ensure there is no wrong door for young people who need support with their mental health.

Whether his Department has assessed the adequacy of children's access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in the Slough constituency.

The Department has made no assessment of the adequacy of access to child and adolescent mental health services for children in the Slough constituency. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country, including for children and young people’s mental health services in the Slough constituency.As prioritised in our Medium-Term Planning Framework, we are taking action to reduce the longest waits for specialist mental health support, tackling regional disparities, and expanding access, thereby making services more productive so children and young people spend less time waiting for the treatment they need.We are also accelerating the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges to reach full national coverage by 2029. As part of this, we are investing an additional £13 million to pilot enhanced training for staff so that they can offer more effective support to young people with complex needs, such as trauma, neurodivergence, and disordered eating. An additional 900,000 children and young people had access by this spring, which means that 60% of all pupils will have access to this early support at school, up from 44% in spring 2024.More widely, we are, rolling out Young Futures Hubs. The Government’s first 50 Young Futures Hubs will bring together services at a local level to support children and young people, helping to ensure that young people can access early advice and wellbeing intervention. We will work to ensure there is no wrong door for young people who need support with their mental health.