Written questions by Antoniazzi.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of the recommendations of the Sullivan Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender, published on 19 March 2025.

Sex and gender in data, statistics and research is an important area of discussion, and this review contributes to this ongoing dialogue. Given the wide breadth of recommendations, the government has ensured that the review has been shared with all the relevant departments and policy teams, who will consider the findings in light of their ongoing policy work.

Whether her Department has had discussions with the DVLA on the timeliness of drivers receiving licence renewal reminder letters.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sends reminders for vocational licences and ten-year photocard licence renewals 56 days before the licence is due to expire. For those renewing their licence at the age of 70 and those renewing a short-period medical licence, reminders are sent 90 days before the licence is due to expire. There are no plans to change these timescales.

When he has held meetings with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to discuss his policy on legacy since July 2024; and what was discussed at each meeting.

I have met the Chief Constable of the PSNI on a number of occasions since I was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, including this week, to discuss a range of issues including the Government’s approach to legacy reform. This is in addition to written correspondence between the Chief Constable and I regarding legacy matters. Northern Ireland Office officials have also regularly met police officers in the PSNI’s Legacy Investigation Branch to discuss mutually relevant issues relating to legacy.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Australian government's introduction of tax relief for distillers from July 2026 on the UK spirits industry.

No formal assessment has been made by the department regarding this specific policy. As with all taxes, the Government keeps alcohol duty under review as part of its Budget process.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the alcohol-free threshold from 0.05% ABV to 0.5% ABV.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by No and Low alcohol alternative drinks. While the department has not made a specific assessment of the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) threshold on British brewers we will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.

What assessment he has made of the economic impact of the UK’s 0.05% ABV threshold on British brewers.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by No and Low alcohol alternative drinks. While the department has not made a specific assessment of the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) threshold on British brewers we will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.

What assessment he has made of the potential role of no and low alcohol products in supporting the Government’s public health objectives on alcohol harm reduction.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by No and Low alcohol alternative drinks. While the department has not made a specific assessment of the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) threshold on British brewers we will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.

If he will revise guidance on the maximum alcoholic strength at which a drink should be described as alcohol free from 0.05% to 0.5% ABV.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by No and Low alcohol alternative drinks. While the department has not made a specific assessment of the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) threshold on British brewers we will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.

Media and Sport, what recent progress her Department has made in ensuring women and girls have access to (a) safe and (b) fair play in gender-affected sports at all levels.

We want to break down the barriers that prevent women and girls from being active, including but not limited to kit, facilities, time and cost. As a government, we are investing £123 million in inclusive grassroots sport facilities that will support more women and girls to take part in the sports that they love.Sporting bodies have a responsibility to protect the integrity and fairness of women's sport and the safety of all participants, particularly when it is not possible to balance those factors with inclusion.National Governing Bodies set their own policies for who can participate in their sports in domestic competitions. Our UK sports councils have produced guidance to help domestic sports bodies determine the right position for their sport.

Innovation and Technology, when he plans to publish the Bertin Review.

The Independent Pornography Review is an important area of interest for this government. The Review has now concluded, the government is assessing its findings and the report will be published in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to medical cannabis on the NHS.

Licensed cannabis-based medicines are routinely funded by the NHS where there is clear evidence of their quality, safety and effectiveness. Two licensed cannabis-based medicines are available for prescribing on the NHS, but more research is required on unlicensed cannabis-based medicines to inform use on the NHS. We are supporting this by investing over £8.5m in randomised clinical trials.

What assessment she has made of the potential role of youth services in (a) preventing and (b) tackling violence against women and girls.

The Government has set an ambitious target to halve VAWG in a decade. To achieve this, we must reduce the current levels of offending and reoffending but also prevent abuse from happening all together.The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy will set out our strategic direction and concrete actions to deliver this ambition. We are considering a range of policy options across Government to prevent these crimes including education for young people around healthy relationships and consent, community interventions and tackling online VAWG.That includes looking at how we can work most effectively with youth services and through the Young Futures programme to deliver this ambition.

Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the Sullivan Review.

In line with the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, the government recognises the importance of transparency with publicly-funded research. As such, we expect the report to be published shortly.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of new measures to help ensure that independent distilleries in rural areas receive adequate support to help foster economic growth.

Alcohol duty is a reserved matter. The reformed alcohol duty system was introduced in August 2023 and taxes alcohol in a progressive manner, ensuring higher strength products pay proportionately more duty. This approach is supported by public health exports including clinical advisors to the Department of Health & Social Care and the Chief Medical Officer. Small Producer Relief (SPR) was introduced alongside the reforms and allows small producers to pay a reduced duty rate on products below 8.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV). Retaining a strength limit for SPR is important as it aligns the relief with the Government's public health objectives and the new simplified band structure. Small spirits producers are able to claim the relief on any goods they make below this level, such as pre-mixed spirits. At the recent Budget, the Chancellor announced that she would uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI inflation on 1 February 2025, except on qualifying draught products. This decision weighed the impacts on businesses, cost-of-living pressures on people who drink moderately and responsibly, and the public health case for higher duties to tackle increasing alcohol-related deaths, as well as economic inactivity. However, to support UK spirits producers, the government will invest up to £5 million to support the delivery of the Spirits Drinks Verification Scheme administered by HMRC. This scheme helps spirits producers, such as UK whisky distilleries, verify their products against protected geographical indicators. Further, alcohol duty stamps scheme will end from 1 May 2025, reducing the administrative burden on spirit producers and importers.

What steps her Department is taking with the devolved Administrations to support independent distilleries across the UK.

Alcohol duty is a reserved matter. The reformed alcohol duty system was introduced in August 2023 and taxes alcohol in a progressive manner, ensuring higher strength products pay proportionately more duty. This approach is supported by public health exports including clinical advisors to the Department of Health & Social Care and the Chief Medical Officer. Small Producer Relief (SPR) was introduced alongside the reforms and allows small producers to pay a reduced duty rate on products below 8.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV). Retaining a strength limit for SPR is important as it aligns the relief with the Government's public health objectives and the new simplified band structure. Small spirits producers are able to claim the relief on any goods they make below this level, such as pre-mixed spirits. At the recent Budget, the Chancellor announced that she would uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI inflation on 1 February 2025, except on qualifying draught products. This decision weighed the impacts on businesses, cost-of-living pressures on people who drink moderately and responsibly, and the public health case for higher duties to tackle increasing alcohol-related deaths, as well as economic inactivity. However, to support UK spirits producers, the government will invest up to £5 million to support the delivery of the Spirits Drinks Verification Scheme administered by HMRC. This scheme helps spirits producers, such as UK whisky distilleries, verify their products against protected geographical indicators. Further, alcohol duty stamps scheme will end from 1 May 2025, reducing the administrative burden on spirit producers and importers.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of levels of excise duty on spirits on distilleries from 1 February 2025.

Alcohol duty is a reserved matter. The reformed alcohol duty system was introduced in August 2023 and taxes alcohol in a progressive manner, ensuring higher strength products pay proportionately more duty. This approach is supported by public health exports including clinical advisors to the Department of Health & Social Care and the Chief Medical Officer. Small Producer Relief (SPR) was introduced alongside the reforms and allows small producers to pay a reduced duty rate on products below 8.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV). Retaining a strength limit for SPR is important as it aligns the relief with the Government's public health objectives and the new simplified band structure. Small spirits producers are able to claim the relief on any goods they make below this level, such as pre-mixed spirits. At the recent Budget, the Chancellor announced that she would uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI inflation on 1 February 2025, except on qualifying draught products. This decision weighed the impacts on businesses, cost-of-living pressures on people who drink moderately and responsibly, and the public health case for higher duties to tackle increasing alcohol-related deaths, as well as economic inactivity. However, to support UK spirits producers, the government will invest up to £5 million to support the delivery of the Spirits Drinks Verification Scheme administered by HMRC. This scheme helps spirits producers, such as UK whisky distilleries, verify their products against protected geographical indicators. Further, alcohol duty stamps scheme will end from 1 May 2025, reducing the administrative burden on spirit producers and importers.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing small distilleries' relief to help support independent distilleries from 1 February 2025.

Alcohol duty is a reserved matter. The reformed alcohol duty system was introduced in August 2023 and taxes alcohol in a progressive manner, ensuring higher strength products pay proportionately more duty. This approach is supported by public health exports including clinical advisors to the Department of Health & Social Care and the Chief Medical Officer. Small Producer Relief (SPR) was introduced alongside the reforms and allows small producers to pay a reduced duty rate on products below 8.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV). Retaining a strength limit for SPR is important as it aligns the relief with the Government's public health objectives and the new simplified band structure. Small spirits producers are able to claim the relief on any goods they make below this level, such as pre-mixed spirits. At the recent Budget, the Chancellor announced that she would uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI inflation on 1 February 2025, except on qualifying draught products. This decision weighed the impacts on businesses, cost-of-living pressures on people who drink moderately and responsibly, and the public health case for higher duties to tackle increasing alcohol-related deaths, as well as economic inactivity. However, to support UK spirits producers, the government will invest up to £5 million to support the delivery of the Spirits Drinks Verification Scheme administered by HMRC. This scheme helps spirits producers, such as UK whisky distilleries, verify their products against protected geographical indicators. Further, alcohol duty stamps scheme will end from 1 May 2025, reducing the administrative burden on spirit producers and importers.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Regulation (EU) 2023/956 on Northern Ireland in the context of the terms of the Windsor Framework.

The Government plans to apply the UK CBAM across the whole UK, including Northern Ireland, from 2027. The UK will continue to work with international partners, including the EU, to ensure our approach is implemented in a way that works for businesses.The EU's CBAM could only apply in Northern Ireland with the agreement of the UK and in line with the democratic safeguards of the Windsor Framework.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the (a) reliability, (b) accuracy and (c) consistency of personal identity data on sex held by (i) HM Passport Office, (ii) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and (iii) the NHS in the context of the digital verification services framework.

The digital verification services (DVS) framework seeks to create rules for how those services operate. The DVS framework doesn’t create new ways to determine a person’s sex or gender. Nor does it intervene with how government departments record and store this and other identity data. Under data protection law, personal data which is processed must be accurate.Government believes processing accurate data is essential to deliver services meeting citizens’ needs. Public sector data about sex and gender is collected based on user and departmental needs and in compliance with any applicable legislation.The Government Statistical Service published a work plan for updated, harmonised standards and guidance on sex and gender in December 2024. This will align with the Office for Statistics Regulation guidance on collecting and reporting data about sex and gender identity, which was published in February 2024.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the full introduction of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Regulation on Northern Ireland under the terms of the Windsor Framework.

The Government plans to apply the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) across the whole UK, including Northern Ireland, from 2027. The UK will continue to work with international partners, including the EU, to ensure our approach is implemented in a way that works for businesses. The EU's CBAM could only apply in Northern Ireland with the agreement of the UK and in line with the democratic safeguards of the Windsor Framework.