Written questions by Dhesi.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82712 on Firearms Licensing, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not implementing the recommendation of the Law Commission on codifying existing firearms legislation.

The Government has no plans to take forward the recommendation made by the Law Commission in 2015 to codify existing firearms legislation.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential risk of interference by the US in UK elections.

The UK Government takes attempts by any country to intervene in democratic processes very seriously. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic and electoral processes. The Government has renewed the mandate of the Defending Democracy Taskforce (DDTF), which brings together Government Ministers, representatives from law enforcement and the intelligence community, to coordinate work to protect our democratic institutions and processes from threats, including foreign interference.In April 2023, DDTF created the Joint Election Security and Preparedness (JESP) Unit, which sits jointly between Cabinet Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, as a permanent function dedicated to protecting UK elections and referendums and coordinating work across government to respond to issues of protective security, cyber threats and mis and disinformation, including foreign interference.In December 2025, the Secretary of State commissioned former permanent secretary Philip Rycroft to lead an independent review into foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The review was published on 25 March 2026 and can be found here.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent legislative steps she has taken to protect marine life.

The Government is committed to protecting and improving the marine environment at home and internationally to meet the global commitment to protect 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030. The Government introduced legislation on 10 September 2025 to enable the UK to implement its obligations under the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement and move towards ratification. The Act received Royal Assent on 12 February. Further secondary legislation will be required before the BBNJ Agreement can be ratified by the UK. This will happen when the parliamentary timetable allows. Under the BBNJ Agreement, the Conference of the Parties can establish area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas, in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Once we have ratified the Agreement, as a Party the UK will be able to participate fully in decisions on the establishment of such tools. We continue to take legislative and non-legislative steps to protect our domestic marine environments. The Marine Recovery Fund was established on 17 December 2025 with secondary legislation laid on the same date. The MRF’s aim is to help accelerate decision-making within the planning and consenting process for offshore wind, while delivering effective compensation to protect the marine environment. Government has also laid secondary legislation on 26 February to create a more flexible approach to environmental compensation for offshore wind, whilst also unlocking opportunities for nature recovery at scale. In June 2025, the Marine Management Organisation launched a consultation proposing plans to limit bottom trawling in a further 41 MPAs, covering 30,000 sq km of England’s waters. Defra also launched a consultation on proposed changes to the marine licensing process. Defra and the Marine Management Organisation are carefully considering all responses received before making any decisions on future legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of bottom trawling on (a) the environment and (b) marine life.

Bottom trawling can damage the seabed and marine life if used in the wrong place but also provides catch that is important for food production and supports the fishing industry. Defra is taking an evidence‑based approach to managing fishing impacts. This includes taking steps to ensure that our Marine Protected Areas are properly protected. The Marine Management Organisation last year ran a consultation on proposals to restrict bottom trawling in a further 41 Marine Protected Areas, following an assessment of the impacts. It is now carefully analysing the large number of responses received, and decisions will be made in due course.

How many armed forces personnel, who were serving as of 01 January 2026, had legacy accruals under (a) AFPS75 and (b) AFPS05.

As of 1 January 2026, 22,600 Armed Forces personnel had legacy pension accruals under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 (AFPS75), and 38,115 had accruals under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (AFPS05).

What technical controls are in place within NHS patient record systems to prevent employees from accessing the records of family members without clinical need; and whether patients can request that named individuals be proactively blocked from accessing their records.

There are systems and safeguards in place to keep patient information secure and confidential. The National Health Service prioritises security and privacy in its handling of personal data. NHS systems operate Role Based Access Controls. This means only appropriate health and care staff can access the medical records they need to see to carry out their role in delivering care. Robust governance processes are required to ensure organisations comply with data protection law, and that access to personal data is necessary and appropriate. All staff accessing systems which contain personal data are bound by their contract of employment and their professional codes of conduct. There is currently no way to block named individuals from accessing the health records of family members. However, all access is audited and care settings can see which patient records their staff have accessed. This audit report can be used to investigate complaints or to perform proactive monitoring for inappropriate usage. There is a policy allowing patients to request that access to their demographic record is restricted. This is to protect the location of patients who may be at risk. It ensures that information like the patient’s address cannot be easily accessed by any healthcare professional other than the patient’s general practice. Further information on this can be found at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/personal-demographics-service/restricting-access-to-a-patients-demographic-record

Whether police and fire call handlers are required to have working knowledge of (a) What Three Words and (b) the NATO phonetic alphabet.

Police Call Handlers are not required to have working knowledge of What Three Words and the Nato Phonetic Alphabet. This is an operational matter for Chief Constables.For matters regarding the Fire Service, I would direct my Rt Hon friend to the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government, which is responsible for fire policy.

Whether Ambulance call handlers are required to have working knowledge of (a) What Three Words and (b) the NATO phonetic alphabet.

There is no national requirement for ambulance call handlers to have working knowledge of What3Words or the NATO phonetic alphabet, as responsibility for delivering and implementing training to call handlers on use of What3Words and the NATO phonetic alphabet sits with individual ambulance services.

Whether NHS ambulances are equipped with an MHRA approved anti-choking device.

At present, 'anti-choking' devices have not been adopted into routine National Health Service ambulance practice, as the current evidence base and national clinical guidance do not support their use over established techniques. As such, they are not included within standard ambulance equipment specifications. Ambulance crews are equipped with a comprehensive range of airway management tools, including suction, oxygen, bag-valve-mask ventilation, airway adjuncts, both oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal, and, at a paramedic level, supraglottic airway devices, laryngoscopy, with the potential use of Magill forceps for removal of visible foreign bodies, and intubation equipment where appropriate. These enable clinicians to manage airway obstruction safely and in line with current clinical standards.

What recent steps he has taken to encourage a higher uptake of regular diabetes health checks for eligible patients.

Improving the uptake of annual diabetes health checks recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is a key primary care metric in the NHS Oversight Framework, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/nhs-oversight-framework-2025-26/The framework sets out how NHS England will assess providers and integrated care boards, to identify where support is needed and promote improvement.The annual checks are based on NICE’s nine recommended care processes to manage diabetes and to reduce the risk of complications. NHS England is also working closely with National Health Service systems to monitor the improvement of achievement rates in delivering the annual diabetes health checks. To help deliver this, NHS England has recently launched a new National Diabetes Audit Care Processes and Treatment Targets dashboard to support systems to benchmark and improve delivery of the health checks.

Whether he plans to adopt a similar policy as the United States' Navy’s No Sailor Lives Afloat Initiative.

The Royal Navy already employs a range of measures to support work‑life balance and to minimise the need for personnel to live on board when ships are in harbour, including the use of shore‑side accommodation, flexible duty arrangements, and planned maintenance periods designed to maximise time ashore. These arrangements are kept under continuous review to ensure they meet operational requirements and the wellbeing needs of Service personnel.

Whether any a) instruction and b) guidance is given to Instructors at Army Training Centres not to fail recruits undergoing Phase 1 training.

The British Army upholds consistently high professional standards for all recruits undertaking Basic Training. Throughout this period, recruits are trained and mentored to ensure they meet and maintain these standards, not only during Basic Training, but throughout the entirety of their military careers. Instructors seek first to “train in” rather than “select out” individuals. Recruits will not progress beyond Basic Training until they have met the prescribed Basic Training output standard.

How many Remediable Service Statement's are outstanding as of 19 March 2026, and what estimate he has made as to when all remaining statements will be issued.

As at 16 March 2026, the number of members awaiting their initial Remediable Service Statements (RSS) was 37,515.100,592 members have successfully been issued with their RSS. Any pension adjustments arising from members' elections will be backdated with interest to ensure members receive their full entitlement.The Ministry of Defence is working with the scheme administrator to finalise the timeline for issuing all RSSs. Once a timeline has been finalised, this will be communicated with members.Regular progress updates are available to members at the following link on the Armed Forces Pensions gov.uk website:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pensions-and-compensation-for-veterans#remediable-service-statement-delivery-update

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Questions 118252, 118255 and 118258, for what reason the College of Policing and Independent Office for Police Conduct have not met their statutory obligation to respond within 56 days to the Prevention of Future Deaths reports of Oladeji Omishore, Sean Fitzgerald and Ashley Crews.

I refer my Honourable friend to the response published on 19 March and suggest that he consider writing to the College of Policing and the Independent Office for Police Conduct concerning their statutory obligations to respond to the respective coroners who published the PFD reports in these cases.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact on a) turnover rates within Royal Navy catering services, b) the quality of food provided in messes, and c) sales receipts in mess facilities of returning responsibility for cooking and catering at shore‑based establishments to the Catering Services branch; and whether he has estimated the cost of phasing in such changes over time.

The Royal Navy continuously reviews the catering provision provided to Service personnel to ensure this meets the standards expected. Recent initiatives have been introduced to further enhance nutrition, consistency, and customer satisfaction. There are currently no plans for the catering provision provide to shore-based establishments to be delivered by the Catering Services branch.

How many service leavers who left in 2014 subsequently rejoined in a) 2014, b) 2015, c) 2016, d) 2017, e) 2018, f) 2019, g) 2020, h) 2021 and i) 2022.

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

The size and set-up of each ministerial private office can vary significantly, as they are often determined by the specific requirements and nature of the workload involved at any given time. This flexibility ensures that each office is best equipped to meet its unique responsibilities and demands.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

Private Office in the Scotland Office has an average staffing complement of 12 staff and serves 2 Ministers, appointed from EO to Grade 6. Typical contracted hours for these posts are 37 hours a week, with additional private office allowance paid to qualifying staff for regular out of hours work.AA0AO0EO3HEO4SEO3G71G61 LondonNational 2025/2026 pay range minima2025/2026 pay range maxima2025/2026 pay range minima2025/2026 pay range maximaAA£26,618£25,012AO£30,109£25,582EO£33,551£35,564£29,303£31,061HEO£40,014£42,859£35,335£37,847SEO£49,325£53,081£42,914£46,182G7£63,343£70,725£58,511£65,329G6£75,674£85,257£71,381£80,419 In the last 12 months, there has been a turnover rate of 50% in Private Office.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

HMT ministerial private offices hire an average 6.5 FTE per office. Staff are appointed at grades: AO, EO, HEO, SEO, G7, G6 and Deputy Director. Contracted working hours for these staff members are 37 hours per week. Staff salaries for the appointed grades are typically between £26,200 - £117,800. Designated posts may also benefit from Private Office Allowance. The average staff turnover over the last 3 years was between 20-30%, which can include staff on loans to HMT returning to their home departments, or individuals leaving to other government departments, including on promotion.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

The size, grading and remuneration of ministerial office staffing vary depending on the responsibilities of the Minister.