Written questions by Dhesi.

What recent steps has she taken to help tackle crime in (a) Slough constituency and (b) Thames Valley region.

This Government has put prevention front and centre of our plans to improve the lives of people across the United Kingdom. The Safer Streets Mission is the vehicle to drive delivery across Government to halve violence against women and girls, halve knife crime, and restore confidence in the policing and justice system.As part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission, the Home Secretary has made a clear commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing through the introduction of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This includes delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles up and down the country and ensuring every community has a named officer to turn to. Every part of the country needs to benefit from this pledge and that includes Slough and the Thames Valley region.Finally, we are committed to intervening early to stop young people being drawn into crime, improving opportunities for children, and the mental health of young people. An essential part of achieving this will be the delivery of the Young Futures Programme. This will consist of the creation of Prevention Partnerships in every area and a network of Young Futures Hubs which will support young people, including those identified by Prevention Partnerships, with early adopters commencing in financial year 25/26.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 14130, whether the local authorities to take part in the kinship allowance trial have been selected.

The government has recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new Kinship Allowance in up to 10 local authorities to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. Further details on the process for selecting local authorities will be shared shortly.The programme will begin in 2025 and decisions about future national rollout will be informed by the findings of the evaluation. We will share further detail on the timetable and delivery of the programme in due course.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2024 to Question 14202, whether Ministers in his Department have had recent meetings with representatives of (a) Meta, (b) Snap inc. and (c) X.

The Government meets regularly with a range of stakeholders related to online safety, including social media platforms, to discuss implementation of the Online Safety Act, and the duties it will place on services to tackle illegal content, and content harmful to children, on their sites.Ministerial meetings and engagements are published through quarterly transparency reports on gov.uk.

What recent discussions she has had with the Crown Prosecution Service on the prosecution of covid-19 related fraud.

This Government is committed to recouping public money lost in pandemic-related fraud. As promised in our manifesto, the Government appointed a Covid Counter-Fraud Commissioner, Mr Tom Hayhoe on 3 December. He is expected to engage with both the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Serious Fraud Office.The CPS continues to bring those who have fraudulently exploited the pandemic to justice. In September 2024, an entrepreneur was sentenced to 18 months in prison for fraudulently securing a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan, which he misused for personal expenses and legal costs.

Whether his Department plans to restart regular written intelligence briefings to hon. Members on the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Since the new Government was formed we have held two oral briefings for Parliamentarians on Ukraine, with a third planned before Christmas. These offered Parliamentarians the chance to be briefed and ask questions about developments in Ukraine.Regular written intelligence assessments on the conflict will resume in the New Year.

How many and what proportion of steel companies that are classed by his Department as critical suppliers into UK defence programmes are based in the UK.

The UK steel industry is an important strategic national asset, vital for our security and our economy. Our industry partners of all sizes are very much at the heart of our One Defence approach and we recognise the value that suppliers bring to the UK defence programmes. We are bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy that will align our national security and economic priorities and maintaining a resilient Steel supply chain. The Government will also be bringing forward a new cross government strategy for the steel sector, which will be published in Spring 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 14333, from which Department's budget funding related to the proposed lease of the military base on Diego Garcia will be allocated; whether additional Treasury funding will be provided for that purpose; and whether she has had discussions with US counterparts on funding for the costs of the base.

The UK-Mauritius treaty enabling the continued operation of the base on Diego Garcia is still subject to finalisation and signature. The government will lay it before parliament for scrutiny and intends to introduce necessary implementation legislation before it will enter into force. No payments will be made until the treaty is legally binding. Financial obligations arising from this agreement, including departmental budgetary responsibilities, will be managed responsibly within the government’s fiscal framework. The military base on Diego Garcia is a joint UK-US facility and an essential part of the UK-US relationship. While the UK and Mauritius are the only signatories to the treaty, the US will continue to contribute to the operating costs of the base.

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on taking steps to help support high street businesses.

Revitalising our high streets is a priority for this government. The Secretary of State and I are working with MHCLG to engage colleagues across Whitehall in delivering a cross-government approach for creating better conditions for high street businesses to thrive.This means addressing anti-social behaviour and crime, working with the banking industry to roll out 350 banking hubs, reforming business rates, stamping out late payments, empowering communities to make the most of the vacant properties, strengthening the Post Office network, and upgrading the new apprenticeship levy.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to NHS dentists.

Dental Statistics - England 2023-24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

Whether his Department has had recent discussions with representatives of (a) Heathrow Airport, (b) Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce and (c) Network Rail on a potential western rail link to Heathrow.

Officials from my Department met with representatives of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce during the summer to discuss the business case for the Western Rail Link to Heathrow. There have not been recent meetings with Heathrow Airport Ltd and Network Rail about the scheme.

What the average staff to student ratio was in secondary schools in Slough constituency in each year since 2015.

Information on the school workforce, including the pupil to adult and pupil to teacher ratios at national, regional, local authority and individual school level, is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.In the 2023/24 academic year, which is the latest data available, the ratio of pupils to teachers (qualified and unqualified) was 16.8 in state-funded secondary schools in England, the same as the previous year. The ratio of pupils to adults (excluding auxiliary staff) was 12.0 to one in state-funded secondary schools in England, again the same as the previous year.The attached table provides the pupil to adult ratio and the pupil to teacher ratio for state-funded secondary schools in Slough constituency and England for the 2015/16 to 2023/24 academic years.

What data his Department holds on the proportion of steel used in defence programmes that was manufactured in the UK.

The Ministry of Defence contributes to the Department for Business and Trade’s annual steel in public procurement return available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/steel-public-procurement The Government will bring forward a new cross Government strategy for the steel sector, to be published in Spring 2025. This will examine how the Government can increase steel capacity and capability in the UK.

How many full-time equivalent employees are employed by (a) his Department and (b) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department; and what estimate he has made of the number of such employees who will be employed in 12 months.

We are working to ensure our workforce remains affordable and targeted at delivering the Department’s priorities and are committed to achieving a more efficient and effective civil service. The number of civilian personnel employed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) as at 1 October 2024 was 56,800 (Full Time Equivalent (FTE), rounded). This includes civilians within MOD Main Top Level Budgets, Executive Agencies and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, but excludes Locally Engaged Civilians. The latest forecast is that the MOD will employ 55,430 (FTE, rounded) civilian personnel on 1 April 2025 (using the above inclusions and exclusion). The forecast is informed by assumptions based on historic outflow and current recruitment plans. This is an indicative number used for planning purposes, and not a target. This figure represents only one part of MOD's workforce, and the actual figure may be impacted by changes to the size and shape of other workforce types including military staff, reservists and contractors. For those Non-Departmental Public Bodies that employ public servants, responsibility for their staffing levels and human resources policies is delegated to the organisation and information is not held centrally.

What steps he is taking to improve (a) diagnosis times and (b) treatment of invasive lobular breast cancer.

We will improve cancer survival rates and hit all National Health Service cancer waiting time targets so no patient waits longer than they should.Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including breast cancer, is a priority for the Government. There are multiple NHS initiatives and funding streams across the NHS in England that support the early detection of breast cancer, and many organisations across the health service are involved.The Department spends £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer the largest area of spend at more than £121.8 million in 2022/23. NIHR spends more on cancer than any other disease group, reflecting its high priority. Our investments in cancer, including lobular breast cancer, are pivotal to informing efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment, and outcomes.We are proud to have invested £29 million into the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NIHR Biological Research Centre in 2022, supporting their efforts to strengthen research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. This is complemented by wider investments into breast cancer research including, for example, a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, again including lobular breast cancer.The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health, including lobular breast cancer. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

Whether the rate paid to nursery providers for free hours childcare will increase proportionately to cover the increase in employer national insurance contributions.

I refer the hon. Member for Slough to the answer of 11 November 2024 to Question 12804.

What steps she is taking to reduce levels of drug offences in Slough constituency.

Reducing drug-related crime is a key priority for this Government and is part of our mission to drive down crime and antisocial behaviour.An additional £267 million in drug and alcohol treatment is being invested into services this year to improve quality and capacity, which has the potential to reduce crime and reoffending.As part of the Government’s work to reduce drug-related harms and crime, every area in England has a dedicated Combating Drugs Partnership (CDP). Slough sits within Berkshire, where the Government has supported the establishment of a Berkshire Combating Drugs Partnership to help bring together key local partners to address drug related-crime, drug use and drug deaths, in line with local context and need. Between March 2022 and August 2024 there has been an increase of 72 treatment places in Slough.Broader work across the county to reduce drug offences has included targeting drug treatment referrals at offenders. As well as continuing work with the National Police Chiefs Council to increase police referrals into drug treatment.We are committed to reducing drug offences in supply of illicit drugs. Recent police activity on County Lines has resulted in over 5,100 drug dealing line closures, over 15,600 arrests and over 8,000 safeguarding referrals. In addition, we are working continuously to disrupt the organised criminal gangs behind the importation and supply of drugs in the UK.

What proportion of patients at (a) Upton Hospital and (b) Wexham Park Hospital have been discharged into social care in each of the last 12 months.

The Department does not hold information on the proportion of patients that have been discharged into social care in individual hospitals in each of the last 12 months. NHS England publishes data detailing how many patients are discharged through each discharge pathway, broken down by trust. This includes data on discharge pathway 3, which involves discharge to a care home placement. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/discharge-delays-acute-data/

If he will make an estimate of the number of jobs created via foreign direct investment in Slough constituency in the last 12 months.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) works closely with local authorities and investment partners to monitor and support the impact of foreign direct investment in the Slough constituency. Foreign direct investment in the Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) area resulted in 33 FDI projects and the creation of 399 new jobs in 2023-24, including both single-site and multi-site projects. While this area covers Slough, specific statistics for the parliamentary constituency are not published due to confidentiality concerns.

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the financial support available to kinship carers.

The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children.The government recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new Kinship Allowance in up to ten local authorities to test whether paying an allowance to cover certain costs, such as supporting a child to settle into a new home with relatives, can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends.This is the single biggest kinship care investment made by government to date. This investment could transform the lives of vulnerable children who can no longer live at home.The programme will begin in 2025 and decisions about future national rollout will be informed by the findings of the evaluation. The department will share further detail on the timetable and delivery of the programme in due course.

What recent steps he has taken to increase uptake of cervical screenings.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 October 2024 to Question 8464.