Written questions by Rosindell.

What steps she is taking to support the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in (a) London and (b) Romford constituency.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of April 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 76,507 publicly available charging devices, up 28% on this time last year. London, which includes Romford constituency, was allocated over £41m capital and resource funding through the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to increase the number of local public chargepoints across the area. The £381m LEVI Fund will support the installation of at least 100,000 on-street chargepoints across the country. As of 1 January 2025, there were 22,200 public electric vehicle charging devices in London, 1,341 of which had a power rating of 50kW or above. 48 of these devices were in the constituency of Romford, of which 33 had a power rating of 50kW or above.

What steps he is taking to help prevent abortion drugs sent in the mail from being used to commit crimes.

Before an early medical abortion can be undertaken at home, a consultation is held with the woman requesting the termination. Women are given the choice to have either an in-person consultation or a virtual consultation. If the medical practitioner has any concerns during a virtual consultation, the woman will be asked to attend a clinic for an in-person consultation.The prescription of mifepristone and misoprostol for abortions is controlled by the Abortion Act 1967 and the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. During the consultation, women are informed that it is illegal to give their prescribed abortion medication to anyone else.

What steps he is taking to help improve the (a) research in, (b) diagnosis of and (c) the treatment of anaemia.

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, charities, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including anaemia, through its research programmes. From 2019/20 to 2023/24, the NIHR funded £10.7 million of research into anaemia. The NIHR also provides research support by funding facilities, expertise, training, and recruitment support, which includes approximately 176 studies from 2019/20 to 2023/24 on anaemia research supported across NIHR infrastructure. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced a clinical knowledge summary on anaemia which provides guidance on testing and treatment of all types of anaemia. It was last updated in September 2023. The clinical knowledge summary states that, in all people, serum ferritin levels of less than 30 micrograms per litre confirms a diagnosis of iron deficiency. NICE guidelines are not mandatory and, whilst clinicians and health and care commissioners are expected to take them into account, it is important for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan to be in place that address the specific needs of the individual. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has authorised a number of intravenous iron products for use by patients with anaemia in the United Kingdom, including iron dextran, iron sucrose, ferric carboxymaltose, and ferric derisomaltose.

What steps he is taking to help improve the (a) research on, (b) diagnosis of and (c) treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being the largest area of spend at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. Examples of NIHR investments in blood cancer research include:the £2.6 million PROPEL trial, testing whether a package of enhanced personalised prehabilitation can help people with acute myeloid leukaemia cope better with treatment;a £2.2 million trial exploring methods to reduce secondary infections as a result of acute myeloid leukaemia, with the aim of reducing the side effects of treatment and improving quality of life for patients during and after; anda £3 million trial of the drug ibrutinib for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and a £2.2 million study to evaluate the digital health platform AscelusTM, for the management of blood disorders including cancers, funded by the NIHR in partnership with the Offices for Life Sciences.The NIHR continues to welcome high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including acute myeloid leukaemia.Improving diagnosis rates and access to treatment are key priorities for the Government for all cancer types. To achieve this, the National Health Service is improving public awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlining referral routes, and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres. In addition, the NHS has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week during our first year in Government, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment. Additionally, the recently announced National Cancer Plan, which will complement the 10-Year Health Plan and support delivery of the Government’s Health Mission, will set out further actions to improve research, diagnosis, and treatment for cancer, including acute myeloid leukaemia.

What steps he is taking to help detect coercion in women seeking abortions during remote (a) phone and (b) video consultations.

Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care, and all providers are required to have effective arrangements in place to safeguard children and vulnerable adults, in compliance with the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in England. Providers must ensure that all staff are trained in recognising the signs of potential abuse and coercion in adult women, and know how to respond. This applies to remote phone, video, and in-person consultations.In addition, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published national safeguarding guidance for under 18 year olds accessing early medical abortion services, which will ensure that robust safeguarding processes are embedded across all abortion services. We expect all providers to have due regard to the RCPCH’s safeguarding guidance.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of data collection for abortions performed in the UK.

In accordance with the Abortion Act 1967, registered medical practitioners must notify the Chief Medical Officer of abortions within 14 days. The HSA4 abortion notification form is provided to collect the required information. The HSA4 form is a statutory instrument, the content of which cannot be changed without legislation.

What steps he is taking to ensure that (a) gestational ages of pregnancies are accurately recorded in cases without ultrasound scans and (b) abortion pills are not sent in the mail to women beyond the legal limit of 10 weeks.

Pregnancy duration can be assessed from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP). Advice from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is clear, that most women can determine the duration of their pregnancy with reasonable accuracy by their LMP alone.Before an early medical abortion can be undertaken at home, women are given the choice to have either an in-person consultation or a virtual consultation. However, if there is any uncertainty about the gestation of the pregnancy, the medical practitioner would ask the woman to attend an in-person appointment to enable them to form an opinion that the pregnancy will not have exceeded 10 weeks at the time the first abortion pill is taken.

What steps he is taking to support the work of armed forces chaplains.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) value our Armed Forces Chaplains and are committed to supporting their work to provide spiritual support and guidance to Service personnel and their families, in times of war and peace. In addition to providing and maintaining faith, belief and worship spaces across the Defence Estate, the MOD funds continued professional development for chaplains including places on coaching courses, post-graduate courses in chaplaincy, attendance at annual retreats, spiritual conferences, and visits to a spiritual director. Chaplains are also able to access health and wellbeing resources available to all Service personnel which are designed to support mental and physical resilience.

If he will take steps to regulate third party sellers who sell dangerous toys on online marketplaces.

Legislation is clear that toys must be safe before being placed on the market. The Office for Product Safety and Standards, within my department, works to ensure retailers, online marketplaces and third-party remove unsafe toys from sale. The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will enable regulations to be updated to reflect modern online supply chains. Government intends to use the Bill powers to create a proportionate regulatory framework where online marketplaces take steps to:ensure third-party sellers on their platforms comply with product safety obligations;prevent non-compliant products on their sites;provide appropriate consumer information; and,cooperate with regulators.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 38547 on China: Cook Islands, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of that strategic agreement on his negotiations on the proposed treaty with the Government of Mauritius on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Under the agreement we will retain full control over Diego Garcia with robust provisions to keep adversaries out. These include unrestricted access to and use of the base for the UK and US; a buffer zone around Diego Garcia; a comprehensive mechanism to ensure no activity in the other islands threatens base operations; and a ban on the presence of any foreign security forces. This will ensure the long term secure and effective operation of the base well into the next century.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Indo-Pacific counterparts on the risks of increased geopolitical competition over island territories.

Geopolitical competition and its implications are a consistent and central focus of engagement with the UK's Indo-Pacific partners. The Foreign Secretary regularly engages with his counterparts in the region, including most recently with the Foreign Ministers of China, Japan, India and the Philippines.

What steps he is taking to improve the defence of British undersea infrastructure.

The UK Government constantly monitors and assesses the security of critical underwater infrastructure, as part of a whole-of-Government effort involving multiple Departments, including the Ministry of Defence, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, alongside industry and international partners. The Royal Navy plays a critical part in maintaining security within UK waters, deploying a variety of vessels and aircraft. RFA Proteus, the UK’s first Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship (MROS), is now operational and is using its leading-edge technology to monitor underwater infrastructure in areas of UK sovereign interest.

What steps he is taking with faith groups to support veterans.

Britain’s rich history and our links with Commonwealth countries mean our Armed Forces have always benefitted from the dedication of personnel from diverse backgrounds and faiths. Whether they be Christian or Hindu, Muslim or Sikh, Jewish or Buddhist, of any other faith or indeed not of any faith, it is the contribution, dedication, personal sacrifice and bravery of diverse individuals which keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad. We recognise that faith plays an important part in the lives of many veterans. This is reflected in the participation of representatives of a diverse range of faiths in the national act of Remembrance. The National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire, provides a reflective space for people from all walks of life to celebrate lives lived and commemorate lives lost. Among the almost 400 memorials at the Arboretum are tributes to Sikh soldiers who served during the First World War, members of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women, and those who work in the Royal Army Chaplains Department. In recent years there have been many expressions of interest from many diverse groups and communities interested in sponsoring a memorial at the site, including people wishing to recognise the contribution of Armed Forces personnel from the Caribbean and those of Muslim faith. Another example of support for faith groups is how the Government is exploring plans to deliver a Muslim War Memorial and recently ran a market engagement exercise to inform our thinking on delivery options. Muslim soldiers are among the many people who fought incredibly bravely throughout the World Wars alongside the British Army and Allied Forces and it is right that they’re respected and remembered for their vital contribution to our country.

What steps he is taking to improve defences against hypersonic missiles.

The UK continually reviews its approach to evolving threats, including hypersonic missiles, as part of wider plans for Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD). We mitigate air and missile threats through a spectrum of activities including counter proliferation, arms control and deterrence as well as active and passive defences. Allied co-operation is key to addressing advanced threats and we are working with the USA and Australia on this topic through the AUKUS framework. In addition, we are investing in developing future defensive capabilities of tomorrow through our defence science and technology portfolio.Additional measures are under consideration as part of the Strategic Defence Review.

Whether she plans to provide support to people affected by the inclusion of unused pension funds in Inheritance Tax calculations from April 2027.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, from 6 April 2027 most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included within the value of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes. Estates will benefit from the normal nil-rate bands, reliefs, and exemptions available. For example, the nil-rate bands mean an estate can pass on up to £1 million with no inheritance tax liability, and the general rules mean any transfers to a spouse or civil partner are fully exempt from inheritance tax. Comprehensive guidance will be published in the normal way ahead of the changes coming into effect, which will support individuals in understanding the rules.

Whether life insurance policies written in trust will be subject to taxation following the changes made to Inheritance Tax rules at the Autumn Budget 2024.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, from 6 April 2027 most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included within the value of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes. No changes were announced to the taxation of life assurance policies written into trust.

Whether he discussed the constitutional position of Northern Ireland with his Irish counterpart during the UK-Ireland Summit 2025.

The 2025 UK-Ireland Summit strengthened cooperation between the UK and Ireland, as set out in the UK-Ireland 2030 Joint Statement. The constitutional position of Northern Ireland was not discussed at the Summit. In accordance with the Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent upon which it rests, Northern Ireland will remain a part of the United Kingdom for as long as its people wish it to be.

What steps he is taking to reduce the cost of wholesale medications bought by the National Health Service.

The Department has well established mechanisms to control the level of spend on medicines. For example, the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access, and growth, the statutory scheme for branded medicines to control their growth in sales, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s evaluations all ensure that spend on new medicines represents a clinically and cost effective use of National Health Service resources.The Government’s policy on generic medicines is to allow suppliers freedom of pricing for their products, relying on competition between suppliers and efficient purchasing by community pharmacies to deliver value for money for the NHS. However, this can mean that prices can fluctuate because of normal market forces, and can go up as well as down. Typically, this approach leads to some of the lowest prices of generic medicines in Europe.

How much British Transport Police has spent on electric vehicles in each of the past 5 years.

The British Transport Police have provided the following figures: 2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25TotalFully Electric Vehicles (VAT inclusive)£0£495,544£2,509,465£0£0£3,005,009

With reference to the Review of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees), published on 17 July 2023, when she plans to (a) (i) consult on the proposals and (ii) bring forward the legislative proposals outlined in that review and (b) bring forward legislative proposals to increase the fixed fees for High Court and non-High Court Fees.

The Government is committed to ensuring that there are fair and sustainable enforcement processes available to judgment creditors for the enforcement of judgment debts and fines. We also want to ensure that those facing enforcement action, particularly the most vulnerable in society, are treated fairly.The Government notes the findings of the 2023 review of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 and will set out the way forward shortly.The Government supports the important work undertaken by the Enforcement Conduct Board to ensure that people facing enforcement action are treated fairly. We are actively considering whether further legislation is required to ensure appropriate oversight of enforcement firms and enforcement agents using the Taking Control of Goods procedure.The Government will set out its approach in due course.