Written questions by Foxcroft.

What is the timeline in which his Department plans to introduce the revised testing framework for furniture fire safety proposed in the Office for Product Safety and Standards’ forthcoming consultation.

Awaiting answer.

For what reasons her Department is proposing a sector‑specific UK testing framework for furniture fire safety rather than adopting a general product safety approach.

Awaiting answer.

Whether an assessment was made of the potential merits of including second‑hand furniture in the scope of the 2026 Office for Product Safety and Standards consultation on furniture fire safety regulations.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce delays in processing indefinite leave to remain applications for people currently on the 10-year route to settlement.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on its policies of the proposed earned settlement model on the level of renewal applications.

The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact on visa holders already in the UK.We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received.  This analysis will help inform the development and deliverability of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.

How many custody images held are of individuals who have not been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of a crime.

The Home Office does not hold data on whether the people in the gallery of custody images on the Police National Database have been charged or convicted.

With reference to guidance issued to staff regarding the Right to Try regulations, what checks are in place to ensure that an order made by a decision-maker for a new a) work capability assessment or b) personal independence payment assessment is appropriate.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a statutory requirement for the deletion of custody images after convictions for minor crimes are spent.

The retention and deletion of custody images is currently governed by the statutory Police and Information Management Code of Practice, and the associated College of Policing’s Management of Police Information (MoPI) guidance and Authorised Professional Practice. These require forces to retain images only where necessary and proportionate and to review and delete them in line with assessed continuing policing need. Individuals are also able to apply to the police to have their custody image deleted, where they believe continued retention is not necessary.The Government intends to bring forward a new legal framework to underpin law enforcement use of biometrics.

Under what circumstances a decision-maker is required to order new a) work capability and b) personal independence payment assessments under Right to Try regulations.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department amended the draft Right to Try regulations from The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 2026 following the publication of the report by the Social Security Advisory Committee entitled The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 2026, published on 13 April 2026.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of drug and alcohol addiction treatment services in a) Lewisham North constituency, b) London and c) England.

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need.Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. As a condition of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are responsible for improving the uptake of, and outcomes from, their drug and alcohol treatment services, based on an assessment of local need and a plan which has been developed with local health and criminal justice partners. Over the next three years, through the Public Health Grant, we are providing local authorities with £3.4 billion of ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery.The Department delivers a robust monitoring and assurance programme, and quality improvement interventions, for local authorities commissioning drug and alcohol treatment services. The number of adults in treatment is now the highest since reporting began, with the latest annual statistics showing that between April 2024 and March 2025 there were 329,646 adults aged 18 years old and over in contact with community drug and alcohol treatment services. Of this total, in London there were 45,873 adults in treatment, 9% higher than the previous year, and in Lewisham there were 1,910, 28% higher than the previous year.

If his Department will conduct a longitudinal study of people treated with puberty blocking medication prior to its ban in 2024 to identify any issues before beginning another trial.

The Government is committed to supporting research that delivers a more robust, evidence-based understanding of gender incongruence support and treatment, especially for children and young people. The Cass Review received cross-party support and highlighted remaining significant gaps in clinical evidence. The PATHWAYS study positively responds to the Cass Review’s recommendation that a trial of puberty suppressing hormones should be taken forward urgently as part of a wider programme of research.We are supporting the National Health Service in delivering this programme of research, to ensure research is embedded at the heart of new children and young people’s gender services as they are shaped. One element of the programme of research is a data linkage study.The data linkage study is observational in nature, linking and analysing existing, routinely collected healthcare data for adults who, as children, were referred into the former Gender Identity Development Service, previously operated by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. This study requires no active patient participation and may provide useful insights on the experience and outcomes of former child gender service patients. It is important to highlight that as the study is not designed as a comparative clinical trial, it will not provide direct evidence on the cause or effect of any individual treatment approach, nor provide evidence relating to any treatment’s safety or efficacy. The data linkage study and the PATHWAYS clinical trial are separate, with different designs and purposes within a wider research programme.

What recent assessment the Department has made of the effectiveness of A&E navigator programmes in reducing a) youth violence and b) exploitation of young people.

According to the Youth Endowment Fund toolkit, the available studies suggest that A&E navigator programmes could have a high impact on preventing further involvement in violence.The majority of Violence Reduction Units in England and Wales deliver A&E navigator programmes. We will continue to learn from the ongoing delivery of A&E navigators to ensure victims of violence and exploitation are effectively supported.

What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recommendation from the Environmental Audit Committee's Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life report of 2019 to end the use of the ‘match and fillings’ tests; and whether he plans to prioritise the removal of chemical contaminants at source alongside existing cleaning protocols.

Whilst the government is not aware of any evidence that directly links elevated cancer rates to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (the FFRs), we recognise that there is an increasing body of evidence to support action to reduce the volume of chemical flame retardants (CFRs) which are used to ensure that upholstered furniture passes flammability tests.The policy paper 'The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture', published on 22 January 2025, set out the Government’s commitment to delivering reforms to the FFRs that maintain a high level of fire safety while also facilitating a reduction in the use of CFRs.Since publication, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken targeted engagement to inform next steps, including a roundtable in July 2025 that considered the issue of open-flame testing. The Government will provide an update on this in due course.

Whether the Department has made any assessment of the link between the 1988 Furniture Regulations and the 323% elevated cancer rates among young firefighters cited in London Assembly's Exposure to fire contaminants in London: A hidden, growing risk? - Fire Committee report (February 2026).

Whilst the government is not aware of any evidence that directly links elevated cancer rates to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (the FFRs), we recognise that there is an increasing body of evidence to support action to reduce the volume of chemical flame retardants (CFRs) which are used to ensure that upholstered furniture passes flammability tests.The policy paper 'The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture', published on 22 January 2025, set out the Government’s commitment to delivering reforms to the FFRs that maintain a high level of fire safety while also facilitating a reduction in the use of CFRs.Since publication, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken targeted engagement to inform next steps, including a roundtable in July 2025 that considered the issue of open-flame testing. The Government will provide an update on this in due course.

With reference to Final Police Funding Settlement (England and Wales) 2026-27, how much funding her Department has specifically provided for violence reduction units in the 2026-27 financial year.

Violence prevention is crucial to achieving our ambition of halving knife crime and making our streets safer.The 2026/27 Police Funding Settlement included an allocation of £66.6m for Serious Violence Reduction Programmes.This funding will be used to maintain our network of 20 Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) in the areas of England and Wales which are experiencing over 80% of knife crime; support public sector bodies to fulfil their statutory requirements under the Serious Violence Duty and continue the promising work of the Young Futures Panel pilots, which are identifying young people at risk of being drawn into crime and intervening earlier with positive, diversionary support.

When she expects RAND Europe to deliver the process evaluation and feasibility impact study of its Young Futures Panel pilots.

RAND Europe’s process evaluation and feasibility impact study of the Young Futures Panel pilots is ongoing and will be sent for independent peer review by academics with relevant expertise in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of its communication campaign in informing landlords of changes in the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

In November 2025, my Department launched a multi-platform communications campaign to raise awareness of reforms to the private rented sector in England resulting from the Renters’ Rights Act. To date, the campaign has seen strong engagement and achieved a wide reach. We continue to work closely with relevant media, and sector representative organisations to make sure we reach as many landlords as possible.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on ensuring courts are ready for changes due to come into force as a result of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 107063 on 28 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to allow letting agents to submit data to the Private Rented Sector database on behalf of their landlords.

The government expects that letting agents will be able to carry out certain functions relating to the Private Rented Sector Database on landlords’ behalf. The detailed requirements and any roles that may be undertaken by agents will be set out in regulations in due course.