Written questions by Roca.

Whether his Department is taking steps with (a) Google UK and (b) other search engines to help tackle advertisements by fraudulent locksmiths.

Online platforms must comply with The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act which prohibits unfair trading, including misleading omissions and actions. The Act clarifies that online platforms must exercise professional diligence in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms. The legislation carries criminal penalties and is enforced by Trading Standards officers.The Government encourages consumers to use providers that operate under a regulated trusted trader scheme, such as the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA), which has a Police Crime Prevention-approved licensing scheme in place to ensure approved locksmiths are appropriately vetted, inspected and qualified.

What steps his Department is taking to make mental health services more widely available to children and young people in Macclesfield.

Through our Plan for Change, we’re determined to give children and young people, including in Macclesfield, the best start in life. The Government is expanding access to mental health support teams in all schools and colleges to reach all pupils by 2029/30, ensuring that every pupil has access to early support services. More widely, we are investing £26 million in new crisis centres, rolling out young futures hubs, and hiring 8,500 more mental health staff.

What steps his Department is taking to improve support for veterans with complex PTSD in Cheshire.

NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, a bespoke integrated veterans’ mental health and wellbeing service. The service provides a fully integrated mental health care pathway for veterans which includes support for veterans with complex post-traumatic stress disorder. People benefit from personalised care plans, ensuring they can access support and treatment both in and out of hours. Op COURAGE is available across England and individuals can contact the service to make an appointment or to ask someone to do this on their behalf. The Op COURAGE North service, run by the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, covers the Cheshire area.The Government recognises that not all veterans want to use veteran-specific mental health services and can instead choose to use mainstream National Health Services, such as talking therapies, which are available to both veterans and civilians.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help increase economic growth through new technologies.

The Digital and Technologies sector plan sets out the government’s vision for the UK to be one of the best places in the world for fast-growing technology businesses, including through support for R&D, skills and growth financing. The government is also improving the business environment through pro-innovation regulatory reform. Government R&D spending will grow to £22.6bn per year by 2029-30, with a focus on frontier technologies with the greatest growth potential.

If he will extend (a) workplace protections and (b) formal recognition for (i) Mountain Rescue Team members and (ii) other voluntary emergency service personnel to supported them in their duties without detriment to their employment.

The Plan to Make Work Pay sets out an ambitious agenda to deliver our Plan for Change by ensuring employment rights are fit for a modern economy, empowering working people and contributing to economic growth.The Government values the vital work carried out by all volunteers particularly those who respond in emergencies and those who volunteer for public duties.We are currently reviewing the entitlement to time off for public duties under Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to ensure it remains fit for purpose or if any changes or additions need to be made.

What budget has been allocated for longitudinal monitoring of the financial impact of the proposed Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations on businesses post-implementation.

The Office for Equality and Opportunity in the Cabinet Office will consider the EHRC's updated draft Code of Practice once it has been submitted and engage with them to ensure it provides the further certainty and clarity service providers need, in line with the Supreme Court ruling. Employers and other duty bearers must follow the law and should take appropriate specialist legal advice where necessary. We do not centrally retain budgeting information on the EHRC’s spending on specific evaluations of its policies.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of a (a) phased implementation and (b) grace period for the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has opened its consultation on the draft updated statutory Code of Practice, seeking views from affected stakeholders. The Department for Business and Trade has made no assessment at this stage of the potential merits of a (a) phased implementation and (b) grace period for the EHRC’s revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations. We are sure the EHRC will make a concerted effort to fully explore the practical implications of the judgement and how this may be best reflected in the updated Code.

What progress he has made in securing an agreement to remove the need to batch test medicines exported from the UK to the European Union.

This Government is committed to reducing barriers to trade with the EU. We have secured a wide ranging deal with the EU that will reduce red tape, adding nearly £9 billion to our economy by 2040 and includes commitment to regular dialogue on economy and trade to ensure we keep talking about areas of mutual interest. The UK has also agreed a landmark deal with the US, which will protect the UK’s pharmaceutical sector.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of losing level seven levy funding to fund apprenticeships on the NHS.

Skills England and the Department for Education are reviewing the growth and skills offer, including whether employers will fund Level 7 apprenticeships outside of the levy. Ministers and officials from the Department of Health and Social Care, along with NHS England and other stakeholders across the sector, have been feeding into this review and will continue to work closely to ensure that the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

Whether she plans to review the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) is currently the best way to manage Child Benefit expenditure. By withdrawing Child Benefit from high-income families, the HICBC helps to ensure the sustainability of the public finances and protect our vital public services. As announced at Spring Statement 2025, the Government is simplifying the process for those who pay the HICBC by investing to modernise HMRC's IT and data systems.

How many meetings were held by her Department with external stakeholders to discuss the weight limits of volumetric concrete mixers prior to the publication of the Call for evidence outcome: Volumetric concrete mixers review on 18 March 2025.

My Department has engaged with hon. Members and the Volumetric Concrete Mixer (VCM) industry through correspondence prior to the announcement. The call for evidence on this topic conducted from October to December 2023 was an opportunity for interested parties to present evidence, but it did not reveal significant new evidence supporting a change in policy.The decision announced reflects the continuation of the existing policy, as set out in 2018, that the temporary weight exemption for VCMs will come to an end in 2028.

Whether he has made an assessment of the impact of differences in regulations on ear wax removal between registered nurses and non-registered practitioners on patient care.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not made a formal assessment of the impact of differences in regulations on wax removal between registered nurses and non-registered practioners on patient care. The Department does not have plans to intervene in locally led arrangements for the provision of ear wax removal services. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning ear wax removal services in local areas in line with the recommendations for ear wax removal as set out in guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

What information her Department holds on whether people claim to be from Eritrea to improve their chances of asylum being granted.

The Home Office is committed to ensuring that the asylum system is not open to abuse. All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to confirm their identity and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.The Home Office uses several processes and tools to identify a claimant’s nationality and other identity features including fingerprint and other systems, identity documents, language analysis, and asylum interviews.For further information regarding security checks during the asylum screening process, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-screening-and-routing/asylum-screening-and-routing-accessible.The guidance for doubtful or disputed nationality can be found here: Doubtful and disputed nationality cases: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.

What steps she plans to take to ensure the Child Maintenance Service (a) is easier to navigate, b) reduces instances of lack of payment by one parent, (c) is faster at resolving cases and appeals and (d) reduces the total number of appeals allowed.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is taking steps to make improvements across the child maintenance system and create a modern, accessible, and robust service through our Service Modernisation Programme (SMP) and CMS reforms. Through the SMP, we have worked with suppliers who have experience of transforming organisations globally – this is ongoing, and we benefit from their insight and innovation. The SMP has already delivered significant improvements to the customer experience through the provision of online services and Digital Assist Telephony Service, enabling parents to access their on-line My Child Maintenance Case at any time. We have restructured our telephony call routing system, made incremental improvements to customer communications, including a full review of letters, and made significant advancements to our IT systems. The wide-reaching programme aims to continue to reform and modernise CMS services with increased effectiveness and efficiency, and will continue to engage a wide range of statutory and non-statutory bodies to do this. A principle of child maintenance is to increase levels of cooperation between separated parents and encourage parents to meet their responsibilities to provide their children with financial support. Where a family-based child maintenance arrangement is not suitable the CMS offers a statutory scheme for those parents who need it. The Government is dedicated to ensuring parents meet their obligations to children and the CMS will do everything within its powers to make sure parents comply. Where parents fail to pay their child maintenance, the Service will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers, including deductions from earnings orders, removal of driving licences, disqualification from holding a passport, and committal to prison. The Service is committed to using these powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families. The Child Support (Enforcement) Act 2023 proposed regulations to support the introduction of administrative liability orders (ALOs), removing the requirement to obtain a court issued liability order. Introducing this process should enable the CMS to take faster action against those paying parents who actively avoid their responsibilities and get money to children more quickly. We are working with His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and the Scottish Government to establish a process for implementing ALOs and plan to introduce regulations to Parliament by the end of this year. Appeals fall under the jurisdiction of HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the national driver offender retraining scheme course a standard part of the driving theory test.

The government has no plans to make the national driver offender retraining scheme (NDORS) course a standard part of the driving theory test.NDORS courses are designed for drivers who have committed appropriate road traffic offences; not those learning to drive. NDORS courses cover the most up to date road rules and legal requirements, as set by The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, and are already assessed in the theory test for learner drivers.NDORS courses are developed using nationally recognised behavioural change techniques by industry experts and academics. Courses focus on changing minds and behaviour to prevent future re-offending relating to appropriate road traffic offences.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the UK joining the pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) convention.

We are looking at ways to reduce barriers to trade and to reset the relationship with our European friends to help drive investment and growth - within our clear manifesto red lines. We are in regular dialogue with industry about the best options for doing this and are open to looking at PEM if that reflects business sentiment and the national interest.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support debt relief for poorer nations.

Supporting developing countries to tackle unsustainable debt is a key development priority of this government. The UK is playing its full part to support countries who face unsustainable debt burdens. Where we are a creditor, we have fully engaged in debt restructuring negotiations. We welcome recent Common Framework debt agreements with Zambia and Ghana and are calling for efforts to strengthen and speed up future debt restructurings.We are also focussed on strengthening the system for the future. This means improving debt transparency, strengthening debt management, global implementation of sustainable lending and borrowing practices, and wider roll out of Natural Disaster Clauses which pause debt repayments when a climate or health disaster hits.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a visa scheme for Palestinians.

Palestinians who wish to come to the UK can already do so via the existing range of routes available which allow a person to apply to work, study, settle or join family in the UK. More information on all routes available for a person to apply to work, study or settle/join family in the UK can be found here: Visas and immigration - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides.

This Government is clear that we will change existing policies to end the use of neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten bees and other vital pollinators.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of making defibrillators exempt from VAT.

The Government currently provides VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of defibrillators. For example, when an Automated External Defibrillator is purchased with funds provided by a charity and then donated to an eligible body, no VAT is charged. Furthermore, all state schools in England have been fitted with AEDs. A key consideration for any potential new VAT relief is whether savings would be passed on to the consumer. Evidence suggests that businesses only partially pass on any savings from lower VAT rates.