Written questions by Easton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Open Doors 2025 World Watch List on levels of religious persecution.

The UK Government notes the launch of the Open Doors World Watch List 2025 report. The UK strongly believes that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We continue to champion the right to freedom of religion or belief, whilst promoting tolerance and mutual respect, through our engagement in multilateral fora, including through our position at the UN and Article 18 Alliance. We also use our global diplomatic network to engage directly with governments. In November last year, we lit up FCDO buildings to commemorate 'Red Wednesday', in solidarity with Christians, and all people across the world facing discrimination due to their religion or belief.

What discussions he has had with stakeholders on the future of the (a) workforce and (b) production lines at Spirit AeroSystems in Northern Ireland; and what steps he is taking to help (i) protect jobs and (ii) support the aerospace sector in Northern Ireland.

Government recognises the importance of Spirit Aerosystems’ operations, skills, capabilities and experience to the Northern Ireland economy, the wider UK aerospace sector and its future potential in the global market. My department has been a supporter of Spirit AeroSystems’s via Repayable Launch Investment (RLI) and Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) funding, and we retain a strong interest in seeing its operations prosper after the sale process has concluded. Ministers and officials are in conversation with the interested parties, including the Northern Ireland Executive, to ensure the best outcome whereby the new owners commit to invest and grow the businesses, thereby sustaining jobs and safeguarding the aerospace sector in Northern Ireland.

If he will make it his policy to prevent payments to people who were interned in the 1970s.

Sections 46 and 47 of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 have been found by the Northern Ireland courts to be incompatible with the UK’s human rights obligations. The Government is committed to bringing forward new legacy legislation and as part of this we are looking at all conceivable options for addressing the complex issue of Interim Custody Orders and related compensation claims, in a lawful way.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to (a) help tackle the disparity between house prices and average earnings and (b) ensure that affordable housing is accessible to (i) first-time buyers and (ii) low-income families.

The government’s Plan for Change includes an ambitious milestone of delivering 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. We are also committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. This government will work in partnership with councils, housing associations and the wider sector to build their capacity and ensure we hit our ambitious target to build the homes Britain needs.At the Budget on 30 October, the Chancellor announced a cash injection of £500 million to the Affordable Homes Programme. This is due to deliver up to 5,000 additional affordable homes, with bidding already open to local authorities and other registered providers of social housing.We will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent.The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of homeownership. In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, the government has committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme to support those first-time buyers who struggle to save for a large deposit.

What steps she is taking through the tax system to support small businesses with increases in employer National Insurance contributions.

The Government has protected the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that next year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all. The government has also frozen the small business multiplier. Together with Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR), which exempts over a third of properties from business rates, this will protect 90% of properties from inflationary increases in business rates liabilities.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) clarify (i) liability and (ii) enforcement thresholds under the Online Safety Act 2023 and (b) help tackle the unintended consequences of that Act for small, independent online community operators.

All user-to-user and search services in scope of the Act must tackle illegal content and, where relevant, protect children from harm. Ofcom is the independent regulator for this regime and takes a proportionate and risk-based approach to regulation. Ofcom must ensure burdens on providers are proportionate to their risk factors, size, and capacity.

How many officials are in the team supporting the Windsor Framework Review; what their roles and responsibilities are; what criteria were used to select that team; what the composition is of the selection panel for the Second Permanent Secretary for EU and International Economic Affairs; how that panel was appointed; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the Windsor Framework Review is (a) transparent and (b) independent.

Support arrangements for the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework are being put in place. Those arrangements will reflect routine Government practice for providing appropriate support to a panel or review. The Review will operate under the leadership of the Rt Hon the Lord Murphy of Torfaen and in line with the Terms of Reference which have been published by the Government. The selection process for the Second Permanent Secretary for EU and International Economic Affairs was overseen by the First Civil Service Commissioner. She was joined on the selection panel by the Cabinet Secretary and the HM Treasury Permanent Secretary.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure (a) equivalent health funding is allocated to the devolved Administrations and (b) all UK nations benefit equitably from health service improvements.

The devolved governments are each responsible for deciding how to allocate their funding across their devolved responsibilities in their respective nations, including health. The devolved governments’ Spending Review settlements for 2025-26 are the largest in real terms of any settlements since devolution, each receiving at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK. That translates into over £8.5 billion per year for the Scottish Government, over £4 billion for the Welsh Government and £2.5 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that people in Northern Ireland who (a) have their vehicles damaged by stolen cars where the driver is not apprehended and (b) do not have comprehensive insurance are aware of their eligibility to claim compensation through the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB); when the MIB took responsibility for compensating victims in these cases; and what steps he has taken to inform the public of this change.

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) is an independent organisation within the motor industry and separate from the UK Government. The Northern Ireland Office has no role in decisions relating to the investigation and payment of claims, which are the responsibility of the MIB.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Australian counterpart on (a) the arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne and (b) changes in the level of antisemitic incidents in Australia,.

We regularly discuss issues relating to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) with Australia. We condemn antisemitism globally and welcome the Australian government's condemnation of the global rise in antisemitism, as well as specific incidents in Australia. We will continue to work closely with allies like Australia to counter the rise of antisemitism in our own societies and globally.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much Mauritius has requested in (a) reparations and (b) annual subsidy in the negotiations on sovereignty of the Chagos islands.

A financial element was crucial to securing the agreement between the UK and Mauritius on 3 October. It is not normal practice to reveal payments for military bases and we have not done so for any other base. Further details of the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny, after signature and before ratification, in the usual way.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help tackle anti-Semitism.

Antisemitism has no place in our, or any, society and the UK has a long-standing track record of fighting it. Last year, the UK contributed to drafting new Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism, which were launched in Buenos Aires in July and endorsed by 36 countries. We currently hold the presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and are demonstrating global leadership in tackling antisemitism and promoting Holocaust remembrance, education, and research. We are championing the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our bilateral work and engagement in multilateral fora.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18801 on European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill, whether he received legal advice on that Bill.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Secretary of State’s reply of 17 December 2024 to Question 18801.

What steps the Government is taking to review the regulations surrounding the sale of potent medications such as (a) finasteride, (b) dutasteride, and (c) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors vi

There are no current plans to review the legal avenues of online prescribing and the dispensing of prescription-only medications.Decisions about what medicines to prescribe are made by the doctor or healthcare professional responsible for that part of the...

Whether he received legal advice on the European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill.

I refer the Honourable Member to the reply I provided to the question he previously tabled on this subject and published on 17 December 2024 (UIN 18801).

What steps his Department is taking to ensure greater oversight of UK-based multinational corporations.

As set out in the King’s Speech, the Government will publish a draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill to strengthen audit and corporate governance oversight of corporations including UK-based multinationals. The draft Bill will uphold standards ...

What steps her Department is taking to help improve road safety for cyclists; and what financial support she has provided for programmes delivered by The Bikeability Trust since July 2024.

In 2022, Active Travel England was established as an executive agency to the Department for Transport, with the strategic aim of enabling people to walk, wheel and cycle and protecting them when they do by reducing road danger through the creation of safe...

Innovation and Technology, if he will hold discussions with Ofcom on the adequacy of (a) the competitiveness of pricing, (b) customer retention practices and (c) service standards in the (i) mobile and (ii) telev

I have held regular meetings with Ofcom, both on their own and with others, when these and many other issues have been discussed.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the two-child limit on recent trends in the level of child poverty; and whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of e

We published the framework ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing Our Strategy’ on 23 October and will explore all available levers to deliver an enduring reduction in child poverty in this parliament, as part of a 10-year strategy for lasting change. The Ch...

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that planned reforms to the disability benefit system provide adequate (a) security and (b) support for (i) seriously ill and (ii) disabled people while ena

This government believes there is a strong case to change the system of health and disability benefits across Great Britain so that it better enables people to enter and remain in work, and to respond to the complex and fluctuating nature of the health co...