Written questions by Juss.

If he will make it his policy to phase in the introduction of new reduced quotas and increased tariffs on steel imported from overseas.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to prevent the Child Maintenance Service being used as a method of coercive control in previously abusive relationships.

Awaiting answer.

If he will make an assessment of the impact of State Pension age changes for 1950s-born women living in Wolverhampton West.

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age. Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle violence against women and girls.

We have published our transformative VAWG Strategy, which sets out an ambitious cross-government vision and concrete commitments to halve VAWG in a decade. I chair a cross-government ministerial Board with Minister Davies-Jones to oversee the implementation of these commitments. We have already delivered a pilot for the Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in five forces and £13.1 million of funding for the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection to improve the policing response to these crimes. We have also appointed Richard Wright KC to lead the Stalking Legislation Review ensuring the criminal law on stalking is fit for purpose.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections in place for homeowners affected by spray foam insulation.

For installations under DESNZ schemes consumers are entitled to remediation where work has not been up to standard, however we understand most spray foam loft insulation has been installed outside of our schemes where the protection available depends on what was agreed at the time between the homeowner and the installer. Poor-quality installations are the result of years of a failed system, and this government is committed to introducing new reforms to drive up quality and protect consumers through the Warm Homes Plan. Faulty work is completely unacceptable. This is why we have taken it so seriously as a department and are working to address the issues that have arisen. Consumers have a right to expect that work is done properly.

What recent progress her Department has made on the national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs.

We are working urgently to establish the national inquiry and appoint a suitable independent chair.Baroness Casey is now actively supporting this process. We are also developing the Terms of Reference with partners across government and beyond, informed by early consultation with victims and survivors so that work on the inquiry can begin as soon as possible.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK's membership of the European Convention on Human Rights on the Good Friday Agreement.

The UK is a proud signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights which underpins many international agreements on trade, security and migration, as well as the Good Friday Agreement. That Agreement also required domestic incorporation of the ECHR into Northern Ireland law which was enacted through the Human Rights Act 1998.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of including the music industry in the creative industries tax reliefs.

The Government supports the creative industries, including orchestras, through funding and through the tax system. Specifically in respect of orchestras, Orchestra Tax Relief provides tax relief on production costs and provided £33 million of support in 2022-23. When considering changes to tax reliefs, the Government takes into account a wide range of factors including costs, complexity, and fairness. Announcements on tax are made at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of regulations allowing dormant companies to be appointed to (a) statutory and (b) regulatory roles.

It may be appropriate for dormant companies to hold some statutory or regulatory roles. No recent assessment has been undertaken across all statutory and regulatory roles. The Government keeps company law, as a whole, under regular review and makes changes when issues arise. If there is evidence of an issue, the department is happy to look into it.

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle pump and dump cryptocurrency schemes.

The Government intends to bring forward legislation this year to create a financial services regulatory regime for cryptoassets in the UK. This regime will include the establishment of a market abuse framework for relevant qualifying cryptoassets that will prohibit insider dealing, the disclosure of insider information, and market manipulation.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that funding provided through the National Portfolio is distributed equally between (a) charities and (b) for-profit companies in (i) Wolverhampton, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) England.

Arts Council England (ACE) makes decisions about which organisations and projects to fund in the National Portfolio independently of government and Ministers, which means there is no political involvement in arts funding decisions.However, ACE ensures fair distribution of the National Portfolio, by using a place-based approach. It analyses data on regional cultural engagement, local needs, and economic conditions to address historic funding imbalances. Initiatives like Priority Places support underrepresented areas. The assessment process considers geographic diversity alongside artistic quality and public benefit. Funding also includes support for charities and non-profit organisations that deliver cultural, educational, and community outcomes. Regular monitoring and reporting ensure accountability, transparency, and that investment benefits audiences and artists nationwide, not just in major urban or historically well-funded regions. The current Portfolio delivers activity in every corner of England, with over £1 million going to Wolverhampton this year, and £88m going to the West Midlands more broadly each year.

What recent steps she has taken to assess the unregulated lending market.

The market for lending in the UK is diverse. Consumer credit is highly regulated, while business lending is largely a commercial matter save for regulatory protections that are afforded to the smallest businesses, requiring protections equivalent to those given to consumers. A number of different public bodies routinely make assessments of lending provision in the UK as a whole, its shape and character, including the British Business Bank and Bank of England. The Government takes an interest in this work, and engages with various stakeholders to understand the provision of finance in the UK and matters relating to business lending. More widely, the Government recognises the importance of understanding private credit provision in the UK, as both banks and private markets play important roles in lending to the real economy, diversifying funding sources and supporting innovation. Globally, private markets have become an increasingly important source of finance for firms, and drove nearly all of the increase in lending to UK businesses between 2008 and 2023. The Government therefore supports the recent efforts of the Bank of England, FPC and domestic and international regulators to deepen their understanding of, and work to mitigate, any emerging risks in private markets, and better understand the connections between private credit and the wider banking system.

What steps he is taking to tackle (a) racism and (b) racial discrimination in the NHS.

Any form of racism or discrimination is unacceptable and has no place in our National Health Service.Action is being taken to address racism and discrimination in the NHS, including an urgent review of antisemitism, other forms of racism, and the oversight and regulation of healthcare professionals. The NHS is also strengthening mandatory anti-racism training across the NHS.Additionally, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment which will include reducing violence against staff and tackling racism and sexual harassment. They will underpin the NHS Oversight Framework and act as an early warning signal for the Care Quality Commission.

What steps he is taking to impose penalties on NHS Trusts who fail to tackle (a) racism and (b) racial discrimination.

Any form of racism or discrimination is unacceptable and has no place in our National Health Service.Action is being taken to address racism and discrimination in the NHS including an urgent review of antisemitism, other forms of racism and the oversight and regulation of healthcare professionals. The review will consider how regulators address complaints of antisemitism and other forms of racism from a complaint being raised, to investigation and fitness to practice proceedings. The review will also consider how greater transparency can be brought to regulatory processes, including General Medical Council investigations and Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service decision making on antisemitism and other racism complaints.Additionally, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment which will include reducing violence against staff and tackling racism and sexual harassment. They will underpin the NHS Oversight Framework and act as an early warning signal for the Care Quality Commission.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposals in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's final draft guidance, issued on 14 August 2025, to not recommend using cerliponase alfa, also called Brineura, for the treatment of children newly diagnosed with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2, also called CLN2.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes its decisions independently of the Government and in line with its carefully developed methods and processes. It would not therefore be appropriate for the Department to comment on or intervene in NICE’s decision making. However, these are very difficult decisions to make, and NICE recognises that they have real and important implications for patients. It only publishes final guidance on the use of a medicine after a very careful consideration of the evidence and a consultation with stakeholders. NICE has not yet concluded its appraisal. It has received two appeals against its draft recommendation which will be heard by NICE’s independent appeal panel on 25 November 2025. Progress of the appraisal is available at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-hst10061 Brineura is currently available to National Health Service patients for a limited period, under a managed access agreement that was agreed in 2019. This will ensure continued access for patients who have already started treatment. It will also ensure continued access for patients who begin treatment either before the agreement ends in December or when NICE publishes its final recommendations, depending on which is sooner.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the number of missing children in the West Midlands; and what steps she is taking to help reduce the number of Black and Asian missing children.

The Missing Persons Authorised Professional Practice, issued by the College of Policing, sets out best practice guidance for all missing person investigations, including missing children.The Government recognises the need for an effective multi-agency response to missing person investigations. To this end, the Home Office and Department for Education have been supporting the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Missing Persons in the development of a ‘Missing Children from Care’ framework, which has been piloted in West Yorkshire. This framework outlines good practice that can be adopted by local areas when setting up their own multi-agency protocols for the strategic and operational response to a missing incident, with an aim to ensure that the appropriate safeguarding partner responds in the best interest of the missing person.The Home Office has also funded the NPCC for Missing Persons to conduct research to explore disproportionality and discrimination in police missing persons investigations; comparing how risk is categorised in different ethnic groups. The final report is nearing completion.

Innovation and Technology, when he plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton West dated 1 May 2025 on a constituent's concerns with auditors.

The Department apologies for the delay in our response on this occasion. Our response was issued on 4th July 2025.

What assessment he has made of the potential short term impact of (a) restructures of Integrated Care Systems and (b) abolition of NHS England on the ability of the NHS to deliver services.

NHS England has asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure, with the expectation of achieving a reduction in their running cost allowance. NHS England provided additional guidance to ICBs, National Health Service trusts, and NHS foundation trusts in a letter on 1 April 2025. This letter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/ Along with the reform of NHS England’s responsibilities, these changes will form part of a package of measures, including the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan, that positively impact on patient care and safety by driving quality of care, productivity, and innovation in the NHS. ICBs will continue to deliver their statutory responsibilities and NHS England’s transformation team will continue to work with ICBs to develop their plans and ensure the implementation of changes whilst maintaining a focus on delivering NHS statutory functions.

If he will take steps to include the voices of patients in the ongoing NHS England consultation on ADHD assessments; and if he will ensure all patients have the Right to Choose.

Earlier in 2025, NHS England ran a consultation on the 2025/26 NHS Payment Scheme. This consultation was not specific to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment services, but some concerns were raised about a perceived potential impact on ADHD services, particularly in respect of the impact on the right to choose. No changes to the legal right to choose were proposed as part of this. Following consultation, the original proposals have not been implemented.NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors, to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the report expected in summer 2025.The Government is also committed to patients’ legal right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient. This commitment is reflected in the NHS Constitution for England and the NHS Standing Rules, and is explained in the NHS Choice Framework. In addition to this, NHS England has regulatory oversight responsibilities to ensure patient choice operates effectively in the NHS.

Media and Sport, what the terms of the Creative Foundations Fund will be; and who will be eligible to apply.

The new Creative Foundations Fund will invest £85 million to support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This will ensure their buildings and infrastructure will provide improved user experience for visitors and will ensure they can be enjoyed by visitors for many years to come. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.