Written questions by Dhesi.

What information her Department holds on the number of (a) food banks there are, (b) donations made to food banks and (c) people who used foodbanks in (i) Slough and (b) the South East in 2024.

The Department does not hold information on the number food banks there are, nor the number of donations made to food banks in (i) Slough and (ii) the South East in 2024.Regional breakdowns of the number of individuals living in households that accessed a food bank in the 12 months prior to interview are available on Stat-Xplore - Home. Disaggregation by geographical regions should be presented as three-year averages. This is because single-year regional estimates are considered too volatile.We are committed to tackling food poverty and ending mass dependence of emergency food parcels. To inform this work, DWP officials have engaged with a range of organisations to better understand the complex food poverty landscape. We also continue to provide substantial funding to Local Authorities to support those most in need and are extending the Household Support Fund (HSF) by a further year until March 2026, providing funding of £742 million in England. This will ensure low-income households can continue to access support towards the cost of essentials, such as food.We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. Our plan to Make Work Pay, will help more people to stay in work, improve job security and boost living standards, including by increasing the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour to boost the pay of three million workers. It is a core part of the mission to grow the economy, raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all.

Whether she conducted an economic impact assessment on changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.

The criteria for the adoption and special guardianship support fund will enable as many children and families as possible to access funding. The department always assesses the impact, including the economic impact, of changes on vulnerable children.

What recent steps she has taken to help increase prosecution rates for knife crime.

This Government is committed to halving knife crime in the next decade as set out in our Safer Streets Mission.The number of cases that the CPS prosecuted for possession of a knife under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and Prevention of Crime Act 1953 has risen from 26,500 (2022-2023) to 27,818 (2023-2024).The Crime and Policing Bill introduces several knife crime specific measures including a new offence of possession of a knife or offensive weapon with intent to use it for violence; and increasing the maximum penalties for offences relating to the sale and possession of offensive weapons from six months to two years imprisonment. We will also give police power to seize and destroy knifes that they suspect will be used for violence.Additionally, the Government has set up a national taskforce with policing leaders, which the CPS is supporting. This taskforce is exploring actions to prevent, tackle and reduce knife enabled robbery.The Government is also acting to address the deadly cycle of knife crime by getting more dangerous weapons off our streets and preventing young people from being drawn into violent crime in the first place, with a radical new Young Futures prevention programme and early intervention for those at-risk. Working with our criminal justice partners, we will also introduce tough consequences for youths caught with knives, including more referrals to Youth Offending Teams.

What recent discussions he has had with defence manufacturers on skills levels in that sector.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with the defence industry to ensure we have the skilled workforce we require across the defence sector and this is an important focus in the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy. We will continue working with industry, including through the newly established Defence Industrial Joint Council, to ensure the sector has access to the skilled workforce it requires now and into the future.

Whether he is taking steps to increase the number of apprenticeships within the defence sector.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in the UK with over 25,000 apprenticeships across the Armed Forces and Civil Service in 2024. The MOD is working closely with the Department for Education and with the defence industry to ensure we have the skilled workforce we require across the defence sector. This is an important focus in the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to remain a signatory to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (also known as the Ottawa Convention) continues to play an important role in protecting civilians from harm caused by anti-personnel landmines. As a State Party to the Ottawa Convention, the UK's commitment to it remains unwavering. We continue to encourage countries to join the Ottawa Convention and subscribe to its provisions, and we discourage States from using anti-personnel landmines.His Majesty's Government continues to publicly express its commitment to the Ottawa Convention, most recently by Minister of State, Baroness Chapman, at a House of Lords debate on Landmines and Cluster Munitions on 03 April 2025.[https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-04-03/debates/F6C91136-946C-463C-81BC-A41C98E6386D/LandminesAndClusterMunitions]

Innovation and Technology, what recent steps he has taken to support (a) innovation and (b) invention among (i) SMEs and (ii) sole traders.

Growth is the key mission for this government and supporting firms of all sizes to innovate is key to unlocking it. Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, supports over 10,000 businesses annually on their innovation journey and over the final six months of the previous financial year, Innovate UK launched £276m of competitions. This is in addition to work underway to increase the availability of growth capital for innovative firms, which includes increasing the National Wealth Fund’s capitalisation to £27.8bn, reforms to the British Business Bank, and new pension reforms aimed at unlocking £80 billion of investment.

Whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on an unified security clearance system across the (a) Ministry for Defence, (b) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and (c) Home Office for prospective suppliers in the defence sector.

I can confirm that there is a unified security clearance system for His Majesty's Government, provided by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV), which is part of the Cabinet Office. UKSV is the single government vetting provider of National Security Vetting, including for suppliers, or prospective suppliers, where personnel require a national security clearance. I am meeting cross government colleagues shortly to continue His Majesty’s Government co-ordination of our vetting efforts.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of training available to police forces for engaging with neurodiverse suspects.

Training on mental ill health and autism is already integrated throughout the initial police learning programme which all new recruits must complete.Policing is operationally independent, and it is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake. The National Police Chiefs’ Council has produced an e-learning course and a glossary of terms on neurodiversity, which are available to all police officers.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator on the potential impact of aid shortages on baby mortality in Gaza; and if he will take additional steps to help prevent potential loss of life.

As the Foreign Secretary said to this house on 20 May, the threat of starvation hanging over hundreds of thousands of civilians is abominable, this includes the risk to infants and children who are disproportionately affected by the conflict. On 19 May, we issued a statement, with France and Canada, calling on the Israeli Government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter. The Minister for Development reiterated our support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and its critical role in delivering desperately needed aid and services in a meeting with Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on 12 May and in a visit to the region on 21 May where she met UNRWA staff and separately announced a further £4 million in funding to the British Red Cross to deliver humanitarian relief in Gaza through their partner the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial support available for therapy for adoptive children.

The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) continues to offer adopted and kinship children a good standard of support, tailored to meet their individual needs. Where needed, local authorities and regional adoption agencies can use their own funding to increase the amount of therapy.The ASGSF is an important source of support, but it is not the only support available to adoptive families. The department is funding Adoption England with £8.8 million this year to improve services, including specific projects to improve adoption support. This includes the establishment of Centres of Excellence as multidisciplinary teams across health, social care and education.We are also making £500 million available to local authorities to roll out Family Help and Child Protection nationally to transform services and transition towards earlier intervention. This will nearly double direct investment in preventative services.

What estimate she has made of the number of vacancies for educational psychologists.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department does not hold any specific data regarding the number of vacancies for educational psychologists.As the employers of educational psychology services, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that their services are adequately staffed. The department is, however, taking measures to support local authorities by investing in building the pipeline.The department is investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024. This is in addition to the £10 million currently being invested in the training of over 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023. As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support local authority educational psychology services.To support local authority services to recruit and retain their educational psychology workforce, following graduation, trainees who have had their training funded by the department are required to remain in local authority employment for a minimum period. For trainees beginning their course in September 2024, this requirement has increased to three years.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2024 to Question 10460 on Railways: Electrification, whether she has made an estimate of the potential savings to the public purse per mile of track electrified from introducing a rolling programme of electrification.

The department has not made an estimate of the potential savings of a rolling programme of electrification; however, we recognise the potential benefits such a programme could have for reducing the cost of delivering electrification infrastructure in this country. Officials are working closely with Network Rail to develop updated plans for where and when electrification is required to deliver a fully decarbonised railway over the next 25 years that considers both track and train and the significant recent progress in battery technology, and will consider potential cost savings as part of this process.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on the provision of potential evidence possessed by the Government of (a) genocide, (b) war crimes, (c) crimes against humanity and (d) crimes of aggression to the International Criminal Court (i) where the evidence is relevant to an ongoing case before the ICC and (ii) in other circumstances.

Support for international criminal justice and accountability is a fundamental element of our foreign policy. The International Criminal Court is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern. We strongly support its work and endeavour to cooperate with the Court wherever possible.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to (a) prevent and (b) punish the crime of genocide.

Working closely with our partners and civil society, we take steps to help address the root causes and protect civilians at immediate risk using development, diplomacy and humanitarian action. UK funding has enabled the UN Office for Genocide Prevention and the independent Global Centre on the Responsibility to Protect to help improve ways to support populations at risk of atrocities. The UK is also one of the biggest contributors to the UN Peacebuilding Fund, the primary UN mechanism supporting violence prevention activity in over 40 countries.Support for international criminal justice and accountability is a fundamental element of our foreign policy. The UK supports and fully respects the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern, including genocide.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Joint statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, published on 19 May 2025, and the Answer of 10 December 2024 to Question 16737 on Gaza: Israel, whether his Department's assessment of Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law included whether genocide had been committed.

The UK's long-standing policy is that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. It should be decided after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process.Our International Humanitarian Law assessments address Israel's record of compliance across four domains: the conduct of hostilities; forced displacement; provision and facilitation of humanitarian relief; and the treatment of detainees.

Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) regulations and (b) testing are in place to monitor environmental lead.

The Environment Agency routinely monitors water quality in surface waters. The legal basis for assessing whether substances are causing water pollution is set out in The Water Framework Directive (Standards and Classification) Directions (England and Wales) 2015. Lead is a priority substance. Many rivers polluted by lead are downstream of abandoned metal mines; the Government has set a statutory target to halve the 1,491kms of English rivers polluted by target metals (including lead) from these mines by 31st December 2038. The Government supports the Water & Abandoned Metal Mines Programme. The main responsibility for dealing with terrestrial legacy lead contamination in England lies with local authorities under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Deposition from sewage sludge spreading is controlled under the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989. Limit values for lead concentrations in ambient air are found in the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2010) and lead emissions to air are measured as part of the Heavy Metals Network and the Particle Concentrations and Numbers Network. Emissions of lead from industrial sources are also regulated under the Environmental Permitting Regime. The UK has been compliant with the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2010) limit values for lead since 2008.

Whether his Department segregates armaments into (a) defensive and (b) offensive categories.

The Ministry of Defence does not categorise armaments as defensive or offensive during the procurement process. Items are generally considered in terms of the capability that they provide, and many items are capable of being used both offensively and defensively.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with the United Nations on the proportion of the population of Gaza who are at risk of (a) famine and (b) starvation.

In our statement to the UN Security Council on 13 May, we highlighted the recent report of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Partnership, and called on Israel to lift its cruel and inexcusable block in the flow of aid to Gaza. The report found that the whole of Gaza faces a critical risk of famine and that half a million people are facing starvation. In a joint statement with Canada and France on 19 May, the Prime Minister called on Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. This must include engaging with the UN to ensure a return to delivery of aid in line with humanitarian principles.

What his planned timeline is for the introduction of the Digital Veteran Card.

The digital HM Armed Forces Veteran Card is scheduled for release by the end of summer 2025.