Written questions by Morton.

What steps is she taking to a) support and b) encourage new open access rail applications.

We want a rail sector that is innovative and provides greater connectivity and understand that Open Access can support this aim. That is why we have been clear that we will support Open Access in the right circumstances, and why my department stands ready to engage with Open Access operators to assess the financial, operational and performance impacts of individual applications on a case-by-case basis. We will, however, only provide support to individual applications where benefits clearly outweigh costs to taxpayers and do not impact upon the efficient operation of the network.

What progress she has made on the Midlands Rail Hub West Chord link; and when this work will be completed.

In the 2025 Spending Review the Chancellor committed to progress the next stage of Midlands Rail Hub, building on £123m previously released. Network Rail are procuring a contractor to design and build the scheme. The western scope of MRH is due to be completed in the early 2030s.

How many and what proportion of people who arrived by small boat crossings have been identified as being involved in people smuggling activity since 1 July 2024.

The information requested on those identified as being involved in people smuggling activity and on prosecutions is not currently available from published statistics.On returns, in the year ending June 2025, there were 2,330 returns of people who had arrived by small boat, this information can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2025/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk#s-5The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK in each quarter in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseThe latest data on returns of people who arrived by small boat crossings are presented in table Ret_06 of the ‘returns summary tables’ (of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) and can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#returnsThe latest data relate to the year ending June 2025.The Home Office also publishes data on small boat arrivals, with data available in table Irr_01 of the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’ : ‘https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release’In further publications, The National Crime Agency (NCA) publish a performance overview in their ‘Annual Report and Accounts’. This provides a summary of the NCA’s purpose, objectives and performance during the year, including information on organised immigration crime disruptions. The latest report can be found here: National Crime Agency Annual Report and Accounts - 2024-2025.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reducing levels of funding for Level 7 apprenticeships on the number of nurses in training.

This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Apprenticeship starts by young people under 25 fell by almost 40% over the last decade. The government therefore wants to ensure that public funding is prioritised towards those at the start of their working lives, rather than those already in work with higher levels of prior learning and qualifications. That is why from January 2026 the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level – except for young apprentices under the age of 22, and those under 25 who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This decision was informed by a wide range of evidence, including analysis by Skills England of official apprenticeship statistics and engagement with relevant stakeholders, including other government departments such as the Department of Health and Social Care. Skills England evidence also suggested that there was unlikely to be a significant or unavoidable fall in the supply of these skills in the long term, post-defunding. The department also continues to work across government to tackle the skills needs of different sectors, including addressing the skills gaps in the health and social care industry which were identified in Skills England’s first report on driving growth and widening opportunities. There is a complete apprentice pathway for nursing, from entry level to postgraduate advanced clinical practice. A person can join the NHS as an entry level Healthcare Assistant apprentice with a view to eventually qualifying as a Registered Nurse. In addition, the Department of Health and Social Care will be funding ongoing provision of Level 7 apprenticeships in five professions, including Specialist community public health nurse (SCPHN) and District nurse (Community Specialist Practice Qualification).

How many and what proportion of people who arrived by small boat crossings have been (a) prosecuted and (b) deported since 1 July 2024. .

The information requested on those identified as being involved in people smuggling activity and on prosecutions is not currently available from published statistics.On returns, in the year ending June 2025, there were 2,330 returns of people who had arrived by small boat, this information can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2025/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk#s-5The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK in each quarter in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseThe latest data on returns of people who arrived by small boat crossings are presented in table Ret_06 of the ‘returns summary tables’ (of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) and can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#returnsThe latest data relate to the year ending June 2025.The Home Office also publishes data on small boat arrivals, with data available in table Irr_01 of the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’ : ‘https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release’In further publications, The National Crime Agency (NCA) publish a performance overview in their ‘Annual Report and Accounts’. This provides a summary of the NCA’s purpose, objectives and performance during the year, including information on organised immigration crime disruptions. The latest report can be found here: National Crime Agency Annual Report and Accounts - 2024-2025.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve broadband (a) speed and (b) quality in underserved areas; and how his Department plans to (i) monitor and (ii) report on progress.

According to the independent website, Thinkbroadband.com, 89% of premises in the UK have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection. Our goal is for nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032, ensuring at least 99% of UK premises can access a gigabit-capable connection.As part of Project Gigabit, the government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans, more than £2.4 billion of contracts have already been signed to connect over one million more premises with gigabit-capable broadband.Building Digital UK (BDUK) reports on delivery progress through its annual report and quarterly official statistics. BDUK has also committed to publishing monthly reports on how many premises are contracted and built under each of its gigabit contracts.

How many people have been prosecuted for offences related to people smuggling by small boat crossings since 1 July 2024.

The information requested on those identified as being involved in people smuggling activity and on prosecutions is not currently available from published statistics.On returns, in the year ending June 2025, there were 2,330 returns of people who had arrived by small boat, this information can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2025/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk#s-5The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK in each quarter in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseThe latest data on returns of people who arrived by small boat crossings are presented in table Ret_06 of the ‘returns summary tables’ (of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) and can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#returnsThe latest data relate to the year ending June 2025.The Home Office also publishes data on small boat arrivals, with data available in table Irr_01 of the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’ : ‘https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release’In further publications, The National Crime Agency (NCA) publish a performance overview in their ‘Annual Report and Accounts’. This provides a summary of the NCA’s purpose, objectives and performance during the year, including information on organised immigration crime disruptions. The latest report can be found here: National Crime Agency Annual Report and Accounts - 2024-2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the incinerator capacity for waste destined for landfill in Scotland.

I have engaged with the Scottish Government on the potential impacts of their forthcoming ban on the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste. We don’t have an estimate for the amount of waste transported from Scotland to England, but the Scottish Government has assured the department that it is not acceptable for a large amount of waste to be transported from Scotland to landfills in England and they are working closely with Scottish Local Authorities to prevent this outcome.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of using the Sutton Park freight line for passenger services on (a) the capacity of the West Coast main line and (b) passenger services into central Birmingham.

The Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline investment portfolio was set out in the June 2025 Spending Review settlement.The Department for Transport is not actively exploring this proposal for the Sutton Park freight line, but local authorities such as West Midlands Combined Authority, are free to develop local proposals for investment using their own devolved transport funding.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employers’ National Insurance contributions on levels of redundancies in schools.

School funding is increasing by £3.7 billion in 2025/26, meaning that core school budgets will total £65.3 billion, compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25. This includes the additional funding being provided to support schools and high needs settings, with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 66180 on Housing: Finance, whether he plans to publish a regional breakdown of Affordable Homes Programme allocations (a) outside London via Homes England and (b) by tenure type.

Homes England publish allocations data for the Affordable Homes Programme on gov.uk here. Further updates on allocations, including those with Strategic Partners, will be released in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab, (b) Europol, (c) other international accountability bodies, (d) the International Criminal Court and (e) Ukrainian prosecutors on the (i) preservation and (ii) accessibility of data collected by that Lab.

The UK is committed to securing accountability for those responsible for atrocity crimes. For example, the International Criminal Court's investigation into the situation in Ukraine is ongoing, with six arrest warrants already issued for current or former senior Russian officials. The data that the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab provided to Ukraine was part of a wider accountability project, a small part of which was dedicated to the tracking of forcibly deported children. The Office of the Prosecutor General has confirmed that Yale's data on deported children has been transferred to the Ukrainian government.

What discussions the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Local Transport) had with the Mayor of the West Midlands on Aldridge Train Station on 15 July 2025.

Mayor Richard Parker and I meet regularly, with discussions covering a range of transport issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the amount of humanitarian aid that reached (a) Chad, (b) South Sudan, (c) Egypt, (d) Ethiopia, (e) the Central African Republic and (f) other neighbouring countries to Sudan for supporting Sudanese refugees in the last 12 months.

Sudan is currently experiencing the world's largest displacement crisis, with over 12 million people displaced since the conflict began. As part of the UK's £120 million Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment this financial year, humanitarian assistance is being provided to Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries through key UN agencies such as the World Food Programme and UNICEF. In May, Baroness Chapman announced £36 million in support for over 260,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad. The UK also supports Education Cannot Wait, which is delivering safe learning spaces and psychosocial support for 200,000 vulnerable children in refugee and host communities across Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Uganda. In total, UK aid reached over 700,000 people affected by conflict in Chad, South Sudan, Libya, and Uganda in the last financial year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the £120m in food aid for Sudan announced at the London Sudan Conference in April is reaching people who need it most.

During the London Sudan Conference, the former Foreign Secretary announced a further £120 million towards the crisis which will provide life-saving aid to more than 650,000 people. This funding supports UN agencies such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme to deliver a range of life-saving services including food, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene support. We also support the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which funds local responders including Emergency Response Rooms to reach hard-to-access areas, such as North Darfur. We continue to use our role as UN Security Council penholder to press all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, ensure the safety of aid workers, and remove bureaucratic barriers to delivery. On 14 August, the UK joined 28 partners in a Joint Donor Statement on El Fasher calling for a pause in fighting to allow urgent unimpeded aid to reach civilians trapped by the Rapid Support Forces' siege and guarantees for the protection of civilians and aid workers.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Palestinian Government, published on 28 April 2025, what (a) safeguards and (b) conditionality measures his Department has put in place to ensure aid for education is used to support peace.

The UK has a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and robust controls against the diversion of aid. We select our partners for the strong safeguards they have in place, which reduce delivery risks and will ensure the maximum impact of UK aid for Palestinians.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support dialogue between Sudanese (a) civilian and (b) political forces.

Throughout the duration of the conflict in Sudan, the UK has continually advocated for a return to a civilian-led government that represents the interests of Sudanese people across the country. In our engagements with the warring parties and their aligned governance structures, we continue to reiterate the importance of engaging with a broad range of civilians to facilitate an inclusive transition that delivers peace and stability. We have also frequently engaged directly with a range of Sudanese civilian actors, notably in the run-up to the London Sudan Conference to ensure that Sudanese views on how to end the crisis were represented. In addition, the UK supports the neutral, anti-war element of the Somoud civilian coalition (formerly known as Taqaddum) with technical facilitation and logistics to help broaden its base and promote a more inclusive and unified civilian vision for Sudan. The UK will continue to champion the importance of Sudanese civilians, especially women and youth, as well as civil society, in any efforts to resolve the conflict and shape the future of Sudan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what aid agencies he is working with to deliver the £120m in food aid for Sudan announced at the London Sudan Conference in April; and what steps he is taking to ensure the safety of those aid workers working in-country.

During the London Sudan Conference, the former Foreign Secretary announced a further £120 million towards the crisis which will provide life-saving aid to more than 650,000 people. This funding supports UN agencies such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme to deliver a range of life-saving services including food, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene support. We also support the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which funds local responders including Emergency Response Rooms to reach hard-to-access areas, such as North Darfur. We continue to use our role as UN Security Council penholder to press all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, ensure the safety of aid workers, and remove bureaucratic barriers to delivery. On 14 August, the UK joined 28 partners in a Joint Donor Statement on El Fasher calling for a pause in fighting to allow urgent unimpeded aid to reach civilians trapped by the Rapid Support Forces' siege and guarantees for the protection of civilians and aid workers.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support he is providing to the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that group on prosecutions for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

The UK, in partnership with the EU and the US, launched the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) in May 2022. Its mission is to support the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG), and to ensure efficient coordination of our respective support to accountability efforts on the ground, including facilitating the deployment of financial resources and skilled personnel. UK funding for this work has totalled £6.2 million to date. ACA has made significant progress in supporting the OPG, including through the case-mapping and prioritisation of over 170,000 recorded atrocity crimes. ACA's Mobile Justice Teams operate on the ground across Ukraine to support OPG investigations, including in areas such as evidence collection and case building.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a strategy for tackling anti-microbial resistance globally; and how much funding he plans to provide for anti-microbial resistance official development assistance programmes in the 2025-26 financial year.

The UK's approach to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is set out in the UK National Action Plan. The UK has played a key role globally in advocating for the need for strong action on AMR, for example, helping to secure a strong outcome from last year's UN High Level Meeting on AMR. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office supports action to tackle AMR through its bilateral and research investments and through support to multilateral organisations that play a key role in tackling AMR globally, such as the World Health Organisation, the Global Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. It is not possible to identify the specific AMR element of such spending for 2025/26, as we are unable to disaggregate the AMR element of our multilateral and bilateral funding. Funding for the period beyond 2025/26 remains under review.