Written questions by Easton.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for treatment for people with arthritis.

Services for those with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, including arthritis, are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). The Department expects MSK services to be fully incorporated into integrated care system planning and decision-making. As announced in the Get Britain Working white paper, we are delivering the joint Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health and Social Care, and NHS England Getting It Right First-Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme. Launched in December 2024, with 17 ICBs selected in the first cohort, GIRFT teams have deployed their proven Further Faster model to work with ICB leaders to reduce MSK community waiting times, including for those with arthritis, and improve data, metrics, and referral pathways to wider support services. The Joint Work and Health team and GIRFT are continuing to develop the approach to better enable integrated care systems to commission the delivery of high quality MSK services in the community, which will benefit patients now and in the future. The NHS Constitution sets out that patients should start consultant-led treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral for non-urgent conditions. On 6 January 2025, NHS England published the new Elective Reform Plan, which sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target by the end of this Parliament. The Government has now exceeded its pledge to deliver two million extra operations, scans, and appointments, having delivered over three million more appointments as a first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the NHS constitutional standard, by March 2029. To support health and care professionals in the early diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published expert guidance for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, with further information on both available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng100https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng226

What steps his Department is taking to help support people living with arthritis to stay physically active.

Guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the diagnosis and management of osteoarthritis recommends therapeutic exercise for all people with osteoarthritis that is tailored to their needs and that is part of a wider structured treatment package. It advises that, for people with osteoarthritis, long-term adherence to an exercise plan can help to reduce pain and increase functioning and quality of life. Further information on this guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng226More widely, the Government and the National Health Service recognise the important role of physical activity in the prevention and management of long-term health conditions, including arthritis. The NHS Better Health Campaign promotes ways for adults, families, and children to move more, and signposts people, including those living with long term conditions who are ready to build movement into their routine, to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app.Local authorities and the NHS also promote and provide services for people living with long- term conditions, such as exercise on referral and social prescribing, including access to physical activity interventions, fall prevention, and walking groups.The Department, with Sport England, has delivered support and training to equip healthcare professionals to enable patients to move more to improve their physical and mental health. Sport England continues to support work in this area through the Physical Activity Clinical Champions programme, which is currently being piloted in local areas.NHS England is working closely with partners nationally and locally to explore how the NHS might galvanise support to make physical activity a core part of NHS care in order to benefit patients, NHS staff, and the wider public.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the 10 Year Health Plan will benefit people with (a) arthritis and (b) other long-term conditions.

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving arthritis care and management of long-term conditions in all parts of the country.More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all support people to manage their long-term conditions, including arthritis, closer to home.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of raising the income tax threshold to £20,000 for pensioners.

The Government is committed to making sure older people can live with the dignity and respect they deserve in retirement. The State Pension is the foundation of the support available to them. Over the course of this Parliament, the yearly amount of the full new State Pension is currently projected to go up by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility's latest forecast.The Government is committed to keeping people’s taxes as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility. Raising the personal allowance to £20,000 for all taxpayers would cost more than £50bn, roughly equal to the UK defence budget.

What estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the outcome of the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025.

We estimate that the Emission Trading System and food and agriculture elements of the agreement alone will boost the economy by nearly £9 billion by 2040.Implementation costs will be confirmed in due course when we have negotiated the details of these arrangements. This will include proportionate contributions in specific and limited areas, such as where access to specific IT systems will help to remove trade barriers for UK firms or help us to manage biosecurity risks. We will not be making general contributions to the EU budget.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-EU reset deal on businesses in Northern Ireland.

The Government's new strategic partnership with the EU will deliver greater prosperity and security for Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole. In particular, the new SPS Agreement with the EU will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, protecting the UK’s internal market, reducing costs for businesses and improving consumer choice. The Summit also marked the establishment of a new security and defence partnership that will help us work together with the EU on threats to national security and will support our defence industry, which has more than 9,000 aerospace, defence, space, and security jobs in Northern Ireland. In addition, we announced a closer law enforcement relationship with the EU that will help prevent crime and bring perpetrators to justice.

Whether he has had discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on increasing the rate of construction of social housing.

Construction of Social Housing is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Department of Communities. The UK Government has provided the Executive with a record £18.2bn for 2025-26. This includes an additional £1.5bn for 2025/26 and represents the largest settlement in the history of devolution. It is for the Executive to allocate money to the Department of Communities for social housing construction. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and I have met with the Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons MLA, to discuss a range of issues, including social housing.

What estimate he has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the (a) Northern Ireland Protocol and (b) Windsor Framework on the number of businesses based in Great Britain that have ceased trading with Northern Ireland.

The Government is committed to the Windsor Framework and to protecting the UK internal market. The Framework guarantees unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the UK market and also supports traders to do business. Many are taking advantage of the support provided by the Trader Support Service. On 1 May 2025, the Government introduced important new arrangements for freight and parcels movements to ensure that goods can continue to move smoothly from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The new arrangements ensure that goods sent to or from consumers will not be subject to customs declarations or duty. We have also introduced a range of schemes to support businesses by removing unnecessary checks and paperwork; over 10,000 businesses are already signed up to the UK Internal Market Scheme. Furthermore, the Government’s renewed partnership with the EU will deliver a broader range of benefits for people and businesses across the UK, including the SPS Agreement which, once implemented, will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, reduce costs for businesses and improve consumer choice.

What discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on reports of businesses in Northern Ireland processing card transactions in euros, in the context of currency conversion charges for customers.

The decision on which currencies to accept for payment, including whether to process card transactions in euros or any other international currency, is a matter for individual businesses across the UK, including in Northern Ireland. Businesses are responsible for ensuring transparency in any associated currency conversion charges applied to customers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the conduct of financial services firms in the UK and sets out rules to ensure customers are treated fairly, including in relation to payment services and foreign exchange disclosures. The Government continues to monitor developments and maintain dialogue with relevant regulators and stakeholders where appropriate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, in the context of recent statements by the Israeli Government on the future governance of the territory; and what steps the Government is taking to support the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

The UK strongly opposes the expansion of Israel's operations in Gaza. We consider that any attempt to annex land would be unacceptable. As I said to the house on 14 May, we are calling on the Government of Israel to lift its block on aid immediately, and to enable the UN and humanitarians to save lives. We have been clear that humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool or military tactic, and that UK will not support any aid mechanism that seeks to deliver political or military objectives or puts vulnerable civilians at risk. Ministers have raised concerns about Israel's aid block with their Israeli counterparts, and on 13 May the UK, along with European partners, called an urgent session of the UN Security Council to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

What recent discussion he has had with Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland on the potential impact of regulatory divergence between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom on the oversight of post-Brexit trade arrangements.

I speak regularly on a wide range of matters to Northern Ireland Executive Ministers and the Northern Ireland political parties. This includes discussion of the Government's commitment to safeguarding the UK internal market, handling divergence and encouraging economic growth, in line with the Government's manifesto and the five missions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to support the growth of the Dartmoor pony population.

To help enable growth, Defra supports the conservation of livestock and equines, including the Dartmoor Pony, by monitoring populations of native breeds, with data published in the annual UK National Breed inventory. Defra also protects eligible native breeds at risk from culling during notifiable disease outbreaks. Defra can utilise the Zootechnical animal breeding legislation to support the recognised breed society to meet the aim of their approved breeding programme. Actions will be available in Countryside Stewardship for grazing with both cattle and ponies. The Dartmoor Pony is listed on the Native Breeds at Risk list so are eligible for payments under the native breeds supplements. Defra have also made it clear within the new offer that ponies are exempt from stock removal requirements, in recognition that removal of ponies from moorland is neither feasible nor desirable in most circumstances. For those with existing Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements and those currently working with Natural England on new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier applications, the new moorland offer will be subject to monitoring and evaluation, particularly in the first year. Any change in the pony population during this time will be investigated and further mitigations will be explored if necessary. At present Defra are focussed on developing a new and improved SFI offer, more information will be available in due course.

What plans his Department has to increase the number of serving personnel in the British Army.

The current Government inherited a crisis in recruitment and retention from the last administration, and we are committed to addressing this through a range of targets, initiatives and measures. The British Army continues to implement Future Soldier, with a whole force of over 100,000 comprising of 73,000 Regular Service Personnel and 30,100 Army Reserve. Recruiting and retention remain one of our highest priorities - the Army/Capita Recruiting Partnering Project is completely focused on delivering a significant increase in recruitment in 2025-26, with the Army’s Retention Strategy focusing on reducing voluntary outflow. On 6 February 2025 we announced the award of the contract for the new tri-service Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS). It will provide a streamlined, single-entry point for prospective recruits, with the aim of attracting the best talent from across the country into the Armed Forces. The service will launch in 2027, replacing the individual schemes run by the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force. Further announcements will be made in due course, in line with the future Strategic Defence Review.

What steps he is taking to ensure (a) oversight of and (b) international collaboration in research into solar radiation management technologies.

The Government is not in favour of using Solar Radiation Modification. Given the significant uncertainty around the possible risks and impacts of deployment on the climate and environment, the Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so.The Department works closely with the international research community to evaluate the latest research on Solar Radiation Modification including participating in forums such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of tackling (a) trauma, (b) addiction and (c) mental health in reducing the rate of re-offending among young people; and whether she has had discussions with (i) UHub in North Down and (ii) other organisations that (A) provide counselling and (B) promote emotional well-being.

The Ministry of Justice recognises that addressing trauma, substance misuse and mental health challenges among young people is key to reducing re-offending rates – and that early intervention and prevention is an important part of this. In England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice has provided over £100 million to Youth Offending Teams this year, to support their delivery of needs-based interventions to reduce their risk of reoffending.As justice is devolved in Northern Ireland, I have not discussed youth justice matters with uHub in North Down. However, in England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice works with a range of organisations that provide counselling and promote emotional wellbeing, including through our Turnaround youth justice early intervention programme.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing a new approach to help tackle hyper prolific offending through (a) the monitoring of offenders, (b) effective intervention programmes and (c) the enforcement of appropriate legal penalties; and whether she has had discussions with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on the potential impact of its Reducing Offenders Unit on crime rates.

We take prolific offending seriously and recognise that prolific offenders commit a disproportionate number of offences. Between 2000 and 2021, for example, prolific offenders represented nearly 10% of offenders but accounted for just over 50% of convictions.That clearly cannot continue. That is why the Lord Chancellor asked David Gauke to specifically consider the issue of prolific offenders as part of the Sentencing Review, to ensure that we have fewer crimes committed by prolific criminals.Prolific offenders often have a complex set of needs, and to tackle the underlying causes of offending community sentences may also have rehabilitative requirements attached, including drug, alcohol and mental health difficulties. We are:Better linking data within and across Departments to better understand and support individuals with complex needs, such as prolific offenders.Piloting Intensive Supervision Courts which target the root cause of offending through supervision and intervention delivered by a multi-agency team.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many lorries transporting goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland have been turned away at points of entry in the last 12 months due to (a) incorrect or (b) incomplete paperwork under the provisions of the Windsor Framework.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given the hon. Member for North Down, Alex Easton, on 13 November, PQ UIN 12673.

What guidance her Department has issued on processing cases of irregular migrants who have been found to be involved in violent crime.

Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of at least 12 months. A foreign national convicted of an offence that has caused serious harm, who is a persistent offender or who poses a threat to national security will also be considered for deportation where it is deemed to be conducive to the public good under the Immigration Act 1971. Guidance on the use of those powers can be found here: Deporting foreign nationals on conducive grounds: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.

What steps her Department is taking to decarbonise school buildings through (a) energy efficiency retrofitting and (b) renewable energy installations; and how these measures will help ensure that the Department meets its net zero commitments.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The department is committed to supporting the UK net-zero carbon targets. Since 2021, our own building standards require that all new school buildings we deliver are net-zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change​.The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.​Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.In addition, the department is working with Great British Energy, as part of their solar programme, and investing a total of £80 million to install solar and other related interventions in 200 schools and colleges. This is targeting areas of deprivation, to reduce emissions and energy bills, whilst also combining it with a behaviour change and skills programme that seeks to inspire young people to take up career and training opportunities in clean energy and construction.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on the Chagossian people of transferring sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius; and whether the Government has made an assessment of the feasibility of establishing a protected reservation or similar arrangement on the islands to enable the return and settlement of the native Chagossian population.

We have worked hard to ensure this agreement reflects the importance of the islands to Chagossians.  We will finance a new trust fund for Mauritius to use in support of the Chagossian community. We will also work with Mauritius to start a new programme of visits for Chagossians to the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. Mauritius will be able to develop a programme of resettlement on the islands, other than Diego Garcia.