Written questions by Vaz.

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the prevalence of asbestos in school buildings in Walsall and Bloxwich constituency.

The department takes the safety of children and those who work with them incredibly seriously, which is why we expect all local authorities, governing bodies and academy trusts as responsible bodies to have robust plans in place to manage asbestos in school buildings effectively, in line with their legal duties, drawing on appropriate professional advice.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the regulator for asbestos, undertook inspections of a number of schools across the UK between September 2022 and April 2023 to look at compliance under Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. The inspections showed that most schools were complying with the legal duties and effective management systems are in place to manage and monitor the condition of asbestos-contained materials onsite.Additionally, the department is collecting data on the condition of school buildings in England as part of the Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme, in which we will visit all government-funded school buildings in England between 2021 and 2026. To date, we have visited 46 schools in the Walsall and Bloxwich constituency, and 33 schools have reported the presence of asbestos. CDC2 visits to the remaining schools in the constituency are scheduled to be completed by September 2025.The department follows the advice of the HSE as regulator that, as long as asbestos-containing materials are undamaged, and not in locations where they are vulnerable to damage, they should be left undisturbed and their condition monitored.The department has been clear, however, that when asbestos does pose a risk to safety and cannot be effectively managed in place, it should be removed. The decision to remove asbestos should be considered on a case-by-case basis and, annual condition funding provided by the department can be used for this purpose.As part of the 2025/26 budget, we have increased capital allocations to improve the condition of school buildings to £2.1 billion, £300 million more than this financial year. This is on top of the School Rebuilding Programme and targeted support for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Whether he plans to introduce an energy rebate for companies impacted by the imposition of tariffs.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. The government recognises that the UK’s industrial electricity costs are currently higher than those of our competitors, which partly reflects how the costs of the electricity system are distributed across households and industrial customers. There is support in place through the British Industry Supercharger to reduce the cumulative impact of energy and climate change policies on industrial electricity prices for eligible energy intensive industries (EIIs), including compensation for indirect emission costs of the UK ETS and Carbon Price Support and reductions in the indirect cost due to the Contracts for Difference, Renewables Obligation and small-scale feed-in-tariffs.

What her policy is on police (a) widows, (b) widowers and (c) surviving partners losing deceased spouse pensions if they (i) remarry and (ii) cohabit.

The 2015 police pension scheme is the scheme currently open to serving police officers. This scheme provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse. The introduction of the 2006 police pension scheme meant that all eligible police officers were able to join a pension scheme with such survivor benefits.Prior to 2006, the 1987 police pension scheme provides a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. In common with most other public service pension schemes of that time, these benefits cease to be payable where the widow, widower or civil partner remarries or cohabits with another partner. From 1 April 2015, the 1987 Police Pension Scheme was amended to allow widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers who have died as a result of an injury on duty to receive their survivor benefits for life regardless of remarriage, civil partnership or cohabitation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what Rural Payments Schemes are available to (a) farmers and (b) rural businesses in the next financial year; and how much has been paid out under those schemes in this financial year.

Defra operates a page on gov.uk, “Funding for farmers, growers and land managers” ( https://www.gov.uk/guidance/funding-for-farmers ). This page advises about grants and other funding currently open or opening soon and includes links to the relevant scheme or grant webpage. The farming blog published on Wednesday 12th March set out Defra’s spend for 24/25 and 25/26 split across the Farming and Countryside Programme schemes. Defra manages the farming budget flexibly to respond to demand, and achieve our intended outcomes for farm productivity, environment, climate and animal health and welfare. In line with its obligations under the Agriculture Act 2020, Defra regularly publishes an annual report, setting out commitments in the previous financial year. Separately, the Rural England Prosperity Fund funds capital projects for small businesses and community infrastructure in rural areas. The REPF provided £110 million of funding to eligible local authorities between 2023 and 2025. Additional funding of up to £33 million will be available in 2025/26.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the loss of supply routes to the US following the imposition of tariffs on UK companies; and if he will consider tariffs on imported metal goods.

The Department for Business and Trade are working closely with colleagues in DfT to understand and assess the impacts on supply routes of goods globally due to US tariffs. This is complex analysis and requires collaboration between multiple government departments.We remain committed to discussions with the US on a wider economic deal and this government will do what is necessary to defend the UK’s national interest. That is why on 3 April, the government launched a Request for Input from businesses, to keep all options on the table; and help inform the UK's response to US tariffs.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 17058 on Holiday Activities and Food Programme, whether she plans to make a statement on continued funding of the Holidays Activities and Food Programme before March 2025.

The department’s budgets for 2025/26 will be confirmed in due course, including the exact funding available for this type of support for children, young people and families during the holidays.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question 8623 on Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, whether she plans to make a statement on continued funding of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme before March 2025.

Yes, we will announce the outcomes of the Business Planning process, including any implications for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme soon.

With reference to the 2008 National Year of Reading, if she will make it her policy to organise a Year of Reading in 2026.

Excellent foundations in reading and writing are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.​We know that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a significant range of benefits. As well as strong links with attainment, wide recreational reading expands pupils’ knowledge about the world and about language, as well as their understanding of subject-specific academic and technical vocabulary. Pupils who read regularly also report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing. Reading allows readers to adopt new perspectives, develop empathy and become more socially conscious.In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure, with a further £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support this work. Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the distribution of Police Uplift Programme funding on the safety of poorer communities in the West Midlands.

West Midlands Police was allocated a total of £2,547.1m during the period covered by the previous Government’s Police Uplift Programme.By the end of the Police Uplift Programme West Midlands Police recruited 1,376 additional uplift officers (headcount) against a total three-year allocation of 1,218 officers.Forces are operationally independent, and it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions on how best to use their available resources to meet local needs.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the policing funding formula for meeting need in the West Midlands.

This Government is determined to ensure the police have the resources they need to protect our communities.On 19th November, the Home Secretary announced that government funding for policing will increase by over half a billion pounds; this includes an increase of over £260m in the core grant for police forces, additional funding for neighbourhood policing, the NCA and counter terrorism.Force level funding allocations for the financial year 2025-26 will be confirmed at the police funding settlement. Funding for future years beyond 2025-26 will be set out in phase two of the Spending Review where we will want to consider police funding in the round. This will include how police funding is allocated to forces.

How many (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers there were in (i) rural and (ii) urban areas in the West Midlands in each year since 2019; and if she will make an estimate of the number there will be in each of the next three years.

The Home Office does not hold information on the number of police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) specifically in rural and urban areas of West Midlands.The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales on a bi-annual basis in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.The data is collected at Police Force Area (PFA) level only, and information at lower levels of geography is not collected.Information on the number of police officers and PCSOs, broken down by PFA, as at 31 March 2007 to 2024 can be found in the ‘Police Workforce Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669a910da3c2a28abb50d34b/open-data-table-police-workforce-240724.odsData on the police workforce as at 31 March 2025 is due to be published in Summer 2025.The restoration of neighbourhood policing is at the heart of this Government’s plans for police reform. We are working with policing to implement a new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which will be supported by delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles across the country and we will ensure every community has a named officer to turn to.

What estimate she has made of the level of funding that will be required for policing in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Walsall and Bloxwich constituency in each of the next three years; and how much funding her Department plans to provide for policing in those areas in the same period.

This Government is determined to ensure the police have the resources they need to protect our communities.On 19th November, the Home Secretary announced that government funding for policing will increase by over half a billion pounds; this includes an increase of over £260m in the core grant for police forces, additional funding for neighbourhood policing, the NCA and counter terrorism.Force level funding allocations for the financial year 2025-26 will be confirmed at the police funding settlement. Funding for future years beyond 2025-26 will be set out in phase two of the Spending Review where we will want to consider police funding in the round. This will include how police funding is allocated to forces.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of additional (a) police officers, (b) police community support officers and (c) special constables there will be in each police force in each of the next three years.

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, 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.We are working closely with policing to implement this commitment and will announce our plans for the delivery of neighbourhood officers shortly.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the horticultural industry on changes to phytosanitary certificates.

Defra engages with GB businesses well in advance of any such changes, through the Plant Health Portal and Plant Health Advisory Forum Any changes to the required content of phytosanitary certificates are communicated to third country trading partners via World Trade Organisation notifications and through letters directly to third country competent authorities. Such notifications are sent months in advance to ensure that third countries have time to comment on, and adapt to, the changes. The exception to this is during emergency situations, when the high level of biosecurity risk means new requirements are implemented more rapidly.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the horticultural industry on the potential impact of EU-UK border processes on biosecurity.

Defra continues to monitor and review the impact of the controls. We are working closely with industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to minimise disruption and costs to trade, while continuing to protect our biosecurity. Defra engages with the horticultural industry through the Plant Health Portal and Plant Health Advisory Forum.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many inspectors work for the Animal and Plant Health Agency; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the number of inspectors for protecting the UK's biosecurity.

Below is the number of inspectors the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has in post at Executive Officer (EO) and Higher Executive Officer (HEO) grade, along with the number of Senior Executive Officers (SEO) who also support delivery. APHA also has apprentice plant health inspectors. The numbers are subject to change as APHA has several vacancies which it is recruiting to fill, and has potential new starters who are going through the security checks and onboarding process. They are not included in the figures until they have started working for APHA. InlandApprentice18EO105Contractor3HEO102SEO12ImportsApprentice20EO71Contractor10HEO32SEO5 Total - 378 GB plant health services have increased the number of plant health inspection staff to service the demand for import checks in England and Wales of EU plants and plant products. Inspector levels are being monitored to ensure these meet demand and deliver checks in line with set Service Level Agreements and ensure minimal trade disruption. Border Control Posts (BCPs) are designed to handle high volumes of imported sanitary and phytosanitary goods with inspectors working shifts to carry out reliable checks which minimise friction on traffic flow. Checks at BCPs are handled by trained staff ensuring inspections are undertaken safely and efficiently.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of robotics capability for cancer operations at Walsall Manor Hospital.

No specific assessment is planned. There is a robotic assisted surgery clinical strategy for the Black Country Provider Collaborative which has increased robotic surgery access for all patients in the Black Country, particularly for renal service.

What estimate he has made of the two year survival rate for patients with bowel cancer in Walsall; and what assessment he has made of the impact of levels of availability of robotics for cancer operations on that figure.

The Department has not made a specific estimate on the two-year survival rate for patients with bowel cancer in Walsall, however, the Department is focused on improving survival rates for all cancers, and on meeting all National Health Service cancer waiting time targets, so no patient waits longer than they should. No specific assessment has been made on the impact of the levels of availability of robotics for cancer operations. However, there is a robotic assisted surgery clinical strategy for the Black Country Provider Collaborative which has increased robotic surgery access for all patients in the Black Country, particularly for renal service.

What discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on removing barriers to trade.

The Government is committed to improving the UK's trade and investment relationship with the European Union (EU). Only a few days ago I met the German Ambassador, and I recently has the pleasure of meeting with my Italian counterpart. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has had a range of positive discussions with his counterparts, including the EU Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis and other European ministers. As a Government, we are committed to restarting the UK-EU relationship, so from the Prime Minister down, we have established ongoing and productive engagement with the European Union and Member States.