Written questions by Kumaran.

If she will ensure that consideration of (a) maternity pay and (b) pregnancy poverty are included in the work of the child poverty taskforce.

The Child Poverty Taskforce is considering all children across the United Kingdom and is exploring all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. The Taskforce is listening to experts and campaigners and ensuring the voices of families and children with experience of poverty are brought into policy thinking and decision making as part of the development of the Child Poverty Strategy. This programme of work has ensured people’s experiences have been shared with Ministers and senior decision makers, and the findings are directly informing the development of the Strategy.

What her planned timetable is for providing eVisas to (a) people on leave extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 and (b) others; and when that rollout will be completed.

We are developing a border and immigration system that is more digital and streamlined.We plan to provide digital status for all those with a valid UK immigration status, including those on whose permission has been extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971. This is being rolled out gradually as we transition to a digital system.We do not currently produce data on the number of people whose permission has been extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 and who have eVisas. Also, this number would change on a daily basis as people make new applications and applications are decided.People with UKVI accounts and eVisas are already able to prove their status digitally. When they subsequently submit a valid, in-time immigration application and their permission has been extended by section 3C, their eVisa will automatically reflect that.A small proportion of people who submitted immigration applications before they were transitioned to an eVisa, for which an outcome is still pending, will be unable to demonstrate that their permission has been extended by section 3C using our digital services. However, their digital immigration status will be updated when their pending application is decided, and if it is granted, they will receive an eVisa.If a person’s eVisa does not display their 3C leave because their pending application was made before the eVisa system went live, and they need to prove their right to work or to rent whilst their application remains outstanding, employers can use the Employers Checking Service (ECS) and landlords can use the Landlord Checking Service. These services are for people with outstanding applications, administrative reviews, or appeals, who cannot provide evidence of their status digitally.If a government department requires information in relation to benefits and healthcare, and they are unable to confirm an individual's’ immigration status, they are able to seek clarification via the Home Office Status Verification Enquiry and Checking Service (SVEC).

How many people on leave extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 have been provided e-Visas.

We are developing a border and immigration system that is more digital and streamlined.We plan to provide digital status for all those with a valid UK immigration status, including those on whose permission has been extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971. This is being rolled out gradually as we transition to a digital system.We do not currently produce data on the number of people whose permission has been extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 and who have eVisas. Also, this number would change on a daily basis as people make new applications and applications are decided.People with UKVI accounts and eVisas are already able to prove their status digitally. When they subsequently submit a valid, in-time immigration application and their permission has been extended by section 3C, their eVisa will automatically reflect that.A small proportion of people who submitted immigration applications before they were transitioned to an eVisa, for which an outcome is still pending, will be unable to demonstrate that their permission has been extended by section 3C using our digital services. However, their digital immigration status will be updated when their pending application is decided, and if it is granted, they will receive an eVisa.If a person’s eVisa does not display their 3C leave because their pending application was made before the eVisa system went live, and they need to prove their right to work or to rent whilst their application remains outstanding, employers can use the Employers Checking Service (ECS) and landlords can use the Landlord Checking Service. These services are for people with outstanding applications, administrative reviews, or appeals, who cannot provide evidence of their status digitally.If a government department requires information in relation to benefits and healthcare, and they are unable to confirm an individual's’ immigration status, they are able to seek clarification via the Home Office Status Verification Enquiry and Checking Service (SVEC).

What steps he is taking to improve the (a) monitoring and (b) treatment of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a statutorily notifiable disease in the United Kingdom. Surveillance data on all individuals diagnosed with TB is collected via the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) National TB Surveillance System (NTBS), which was launched in 2021 to replace older systems.Scotland joined the NTBS in March 2025, bringing all four UK nations into a single system to improve TB control. Regular data and analysis to support TB control activities is published by the UKHSA, with both annual and quarterly analyses and updates available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuberculosis-in-england-2024-reporthttps://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tuberculosis-in-england-national-quarterly-reports/national-quarterly-report-of-tuberculosis-in-england-quarter-3-2024-provisional-dataAnnual data sorted by National Health Service and local authority geographies is also available publicly on the Fingertips website, which is available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/tb-monitoringThe UKHSA and NHS England’s joint Tuberculosis (TB): action plan for England, 2021 to 2026 details actions to support prevention, detection, and control of TB. This includes actions targeted at improving treatment completion and ensuring effective management of drug-resistant TB.The UKHSA routinely undertakes whole genome sequencing of all TB strains through the National Mycobacterial Reference Service to support treatment decisions based on resistance profiles and public health action with high resolution typing.NHS England and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital’s Getting it Right First Time review of TB services reported in March 2025, with a series of recommendations to reduce unwarranted variation and improve care, including to underserved populations. Work is underway, including a call for evidence launched on 2 April 2025, to review and update the national action plan, with further information available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/tuberculosis-national-action-plan-2026-to-2031#:~:text=The%20government%20is%20developing%20the,for%20England%2C%20published%20in%202021

What steps her Department is taking to tackle upskirting.

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and we are committed to addressing all forms of VAWG, including non-contact sexual offences, such as exposure and voyeurism (such as so-called 'upskirting').Through the Crime and Policing Bill, three new offences will be introduced, for the taking of intimate images without consent, alongside two offences for the installation of equipment with intent to enable these offences. This will cover a broader range of behaviour than the two existing voyeurism offences that they will replace.We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that the right powers are available for the authorities to tackle sexual crimes, bring perpetrators to justice and manage sex offenders. More broadly, we will be publishing a new VAWG Strategy later this year, taking forward our unprecedented mission to halve VAWG over the next decade.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce the number of incidences of upskirting.

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and we are committed to addressing all forms of VAWG, including non-contact sexual offences, such as exposure and voyeurism (such as so-called 'upskirting').Through the Crime and Policing Bill, three new offences will be introduced, for the taking of intimate images without consent, alongside two offences for the installation of equipment with intent to enable these offences. This will cover a broader range of behaviour than the two existing voyeurism offences that they will replace.We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that the right powers are available for the authorities to tackle sexual crimes, bring perpetrators to justice and manage sex offenders. More broadly, we will be publishing a new VAWG Strategy later this year, taking forward our unprecedented mission to halve VAWG over the next decade.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding allocations for adult learning in the (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27 financial years.

This government is facing a very challenging fiscal context. Fixing the foundations of the economy will take time and tough decisions are needed across the public sector to get finances back under control and ensure delivery on priorities through the Plan for Change.The department will spend about £1.4 billion on the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that adult learners can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work. Currently, 62% of the ASF is devolved to 9 Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) and Greater London Authority. ASF allocations to MSAs are based on 2017/18 learner data and these authorities are responsible for the allocation of the ASF to learning providers.The department is responsible for the remaining ASF in non-devolved areas, and allocations are made on an academic year basis. Our allocation methodology for the 2025/26 academic year recognises where providers have delivered above their allocations. It also recognises priority courses at higher funding rates introduced in August 2024. We are choosing to prioritise those higher funding rates which recognise delivery in certain subjects, such as engineering or construction.

If she will make an assessment of the (a) quality, (b) suitability and (c) adequacy of the nutrition of food provided to (i) babies and (ii) children in contingency asylum accommodation.

The Home Office remains committed to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of those staying in asylum accommodation. There are mechanisms in place to allow asylum seekers to request assistance, provide feedback and/or report issues, including any related to the provision of food for themselves or their children.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Person At Risk of Violence fee on victims of domestic violence; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making all personal details on the Individual Insolvency Register private.

The fees applied for Persons at Risk of Violence (PARV) orders should never have the effect of denying access to the courts. The government is presently reviewing the fee framework for PARV orders. The government is also undertaking a wider review of the personal insolvency framework, which includes whether the Individual Insolvency Register should be private.

Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that families in all forms of temporary accommodation have access to adequate cooking facilities.

Our Homelessness Code of Guidance provides a summary of the homelessness legislation duties, powers and obligations on local housing authorities, including the quality standards of temporary accommodation.Legislation is clear that temporary accommodation must be suitable for the needs of the household and that suitability of accommodation should be kept under review. Households may ask for a review of their accommodation if they feel it is unsuitable.The Government will consult this year on a reformed Decent Homes Standard for the social and private rented sectors. It is the government’s intention that the Decent Homes Standard should apply to as much of the temporary accommodation sector as possible. We will consult on the detail of the new standard in due course.

Whether he plans to make clean air a public health priority.

Improving the environment where we live, work, and play is critical to support everyone to live longer healthier lives. We know that air pollution is one of the greatest environmental risks to public health in the United Kingdom and so tackling it plays a crucial role in the shift from treatment to prevention of ill health. Leading our Health Mission, the Department of Health and Social Care is working across Government on ways to reduce the health harms of air pollution, including with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support their plans for cleaner air so that everyone’s exposure to air pollution is reduced.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Soft Power Council on the role of science and research in supporting the UK's diplomatic efforts; and whether the contribution of the science and research sector will be included in the upcoming soft power strategy.

The membership of the Soft Power Council includes several individuals with expertise spanning science, technology, education and research, in recognition of the importance of these themes to the UK's diplomatic work. As the strategy is developed over the coming months, science and research are among a broader set of sectors that are central to our planning.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) resources and (b) legal powers available to the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the context of the introduction of mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting requirements for large companies.

As set out in the King’s Speech in July, the government is committed to introducing mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers. These measures will be part of the upcoming Equality (Race and Disability) Bill.We will shortly be consulting on our proposals to help us shape the legislation. This will include considering how the new reporting requirements will be monitored and enforced.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 23666 on Cabinet Office: Media, which Ministers received that training.

Information about attendees of the training sessions is not being disclosed to protect individual confidentiality.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including shared (a) walking and (b) cycling paths in the National River Walks.

We are committed to making the nine new river walks accessible to a wide range of users where it is feasible to do so, so that where possible they can benefit walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

What steps her Department is taking to set national standards on stalking perpetrator programmes.

Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims living in fear just going about their daily lives. That is why on 3 December the Government announced six new measures to tackle it and put victims first, making sure they can be protected at the earliest opportunity.This included a commitment to develop national standards for police-funded stalking perpetrator programmes, which seek to engage with perpetrators to address the root causes of their stalking behaviour.In developing these, we will take into account relevant learning from the stalking perpetrator programmes funded through the Home Office's Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund alongside analysing the international evidence base and input from expert stakeholders.

When he plans to respond to Question 23666 on Cabinet Office: Media, tabled on 13 January 2025.

I apologise to the Honourable Member for the delay in responding to her Parliamentary Question of 13 January. An answer has now been issued, as of 3 February.

How many (a) away days and (b) leadership conferences for senior civil servants his Department organised between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and what the cost of these were.

Between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024, the Cabinet Office has not organised any away days for Senior Civil Servants. During the same period, there were a total of seven leadership conferences for Senior Civil Servants. 27 October 2022£13,17019 January 2023£27,75025 April 2023£28,2456 July 2023£32,14112 October 2023£19,70518 January 2024£20,72525 April 2024£18,710

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on alleged reports of (a) gender-based and (b) conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan.

The UK remains committed to tackling gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Sudan. From 23-25 January, the Foreign Secretary visited Chad and travelled to the Sudan-Chad border. He spoke directly to Sudanese refugees, including survivors, who shared harrowing stories of sexual violence and torture. The UK has galvanised international efforts on this issue, including through the UN Human Rights Council, Security Council and International Alliance on PSVI. In September, the UK convened an event at the UN General Assembly with Dutch and Swiss partners to draw attention to the situation, spotlight the plight of women and girls and stress the importance of survivor-centred, local and women-led responses. The UK co-led a Resolution at the UNSC with Sierra Leone on the protection of civilians which called on parties to take urgent steps to prevent CRSV and to improve protection and access to services. Despite unanimous support from the Council, the Resolution failed to pass due to a Russian veto. I visited South Sudan from 19-21 August 2024, where I heard first-hand the horrifying experiences of women who fled the war in Sudan.

How much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024.

Between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024, the Department has spent £23668 on media and voice training for Ministers. This spend only came to light after the original answer was published.The training took place in 2023.