Written questions by Davies.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing the electrification of the rail network in Wales to the same level as England on rail journey times in Wales.

Electrification of the rail network is one of a number of factors, including timetables, rolling stock and possible infrastructure works, which can improve journeys. The Wales Rail Board is responsible for assessing and recommending rail investments to support improved services and deliver Net Zero decarbonisation obligations, working in partnership with the two governments and the transport industry.

Whether her Department has plans to take steps to help lower the price of healthy food.

Steps to improve the affordability, availability, and accessibility of healthy foods are being considered as part of both the Child Poverty Strategy, due to be published in spring, as well as the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs-led Food Strategy, for which further updates will be released in due course.The Government is committed to increasing access to healthy foods for vulnerable populations by rolling out free breakfast clubs at all primary schools. This also supports free school meals, where under current programmes, 2.1 million of the most disadvantaged school pupils are registered to receive benefits-related free school meals, and a further 90,000 students in further education receive free lunches on the basis of low family income. Also, approximately 1.3 million infant pupils in reception, year one and year two, receive free lunches as part of the universal infant free school meals policy.We also have schemes to support those on low incomes such as Healthy Start, which reached over 354,000 vulnerable people in December 2024. Healthy Start supports a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households by providing vouchers for fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries also have access to free Healthy Start vitamins for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children aged under four years old.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to support farm-to-fork initiatives on publicly-owned land.

The Government recently announced a series of reforms for delivering on the Government’s New Deal for Farmers including backing British produce by monitoring food currently bought in the public sector and where it is bought from this will make it easier for British farmers to win a share of the £5 billion spent each year on public sector catering contracts. The Government also announced how it would boost profitability through fair competition across the supply chain. New rules for the pig sector will come this spring, ensuring contracts clearly set out expectations and changes can only be made if agreed by all parties. Similar regulations for eggs and fresh produce sectors will follow with the Government ready to intervene with other sectors if needed.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing the value of a primary residential property be included within Family Visa minimum financial requirement calculations.

Those using the family route to come to the UK must be capable of being independently supported by their sponsor. A couple’s income or cash savings are the most reliable and practicable indicator of their financial status and independence for the purposes of this requirement.Equity in a property cannot be used to meet the MIR. Owning a capital asset does not in itself provide any means to support a partner. However, any income received from the rent of a property can be counted towards the requirement, provided the property is not, or will not be, the couple’s main residence in the UK.On 10 September 2024, the Home Secretary commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules.There will be no changes to the current threshold of £29,000, or the ways in which the Minimum Income Requirement can be met, until the MAC review is complete.

Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to introduce transparency obligations on generative AI developers to disclose detailed information on all creative works used in AI training.

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024. This consultation seeks views on a number of issues relating to copyright and AI. It sets a clear objective of achieving proportionate transparency from AI developers over the creative content that is used to train their models. The consultation closes on 25 February.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to tackle the impact of grey imports on UK businesses.

There are regulations that enable intellectual property rights owners to limit the sale of goods in some territories and these regulations may be used by rights owners to manage the parallel import of goods covered by their intellectual property rights.

What estimate he has made of the number of properties in Wales waiting for remedial work as a result of work undertaken through the (a) ECO4 scheme and (b) Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency.

All insulation under ECO4 must be installed by a TrustMark-registered installer, and covered by a TrustMark approved 25 year guarantee. The Government has previously published guidance for consumers who suspect that they may have faulty cavity wall insulation installed in their home outlining the routes to redress under these circumstances. Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) is a non-profit organisation that provides guarantee certificates for cavity wall insulation measures. The Department has no oversight of CIGA’s business activities, or the number of certificates issued by it, or where these have been called upon for remediation.

What estimate he has made of the cost of remedial work due to be carried out in properties in Wales as a result of work undertaken through the (a) ECO4 scheme and (b) Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency.

Remediation costs can differ significantly from one property to another. All insulation under ECO4 must be installed by a TrustMark-registered installer, and covered by a TrustMark approved 25 year guarantee. The government has previously published guidance for consumers who suspect that they may have faulty cavity wall insulation installed in their home outlining the routes to redress under these circumstances. CIGA is a non-profit organisation that issues guarantee certificates for cavity wall insulation installations. DESNZ does not have oversight of CIGA’s business activities, or the number of certificates issued by it, or where these have been called upon for remediation.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) oversight and (b) remedial mechanisms of the (i) ECO4 scheme and (ii) Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency.

Since 2019, installations under Government backed energy efficiency schemes, including ECO4, have been required to be carried out by TrustMark registered publicly available specification (PAS2030) certified installers alongside an insurance backed guarantee. Consumers have a route to redress, with remedial work arranged through the original installer and oversight from the relevant scheme provider for quality and auditing, or through the guarantee if installers have ceased to trade. Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) is a non-profit organisation that provides guarantee certificates for cavity wall insulation measures. The Department has no oversight of CIGA’s business activities, including the number of certificates issued and/or recalled for remediation.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on funding for the Welsh National Opera.

The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism has held a series of very productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera to understand the issue in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, DCMS can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO.The core point of agreement across all these meetings and across all partners was a recognition of the value of the Welsh National Opera and its work - both for the people of Wales, but also for people elsewhere in the UK. It was clear that all partners are keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation, and are working towards that goal.The Minister was pleased that this series of meetings was able to reassure everyone that all partners wanted to see a positive future for Welsh National Opera, that the funding bodies across the border will work more collaboratively in future and that the new leadership at the WNO have a clear idea of how to progress. Everyone wants to burnish and sustain the WNO so that as many people as possible in Wales and England have a chance to enjoy world class opera close to home. Funding decisions are for the Welsh Arts Council and Arts Council England, but I am confident that the WNO is in a strong place to succeed.

Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the sizing of electronic monitoring equipment.

The Ministry of Justice set out its requirements relating to Electronic Monitoring devices as part of a procurement process that saw contracts awarded in October 2023 for the provision of Electronic Monitoring services. The Secretary of State is satisfied that the devices in use meet the standards required whilst acknowledging there will be circumstances when Electronic Monitoring is not a viable option. To maintain the integrity of the equipment, including anti-tamper measures, and taking account of the necessarily robust nature of the equipment, there is a minimum strap size for the secure and safe fitting of monitoring devices. Field staff carry a range of strap sizes with them when conducting installation visits. Ministry of Justice staff continue to work with suppliers to develop innovations and solutions in both technology and processes to expand the use of Electronic Monitoring.

Communities and Local Government, on what date she plans to publish the Shared Prosperity Fund allocations for 2025-26.

Allocations for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2025-26 were published on GOV.UK on 13 December and can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, if she will provide an update to applicants who successfully submitted a stage one bid to the Community Ownership Fund on the next stage of the process.

Applicants to the Community Ownership Fund (COF) were required to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form and have this approved as a first stage before being able to submit a full application in the next available round of the fund.The last bidding window Round 4.1 closed on 10 April 2024.Communities will rightly be seeking clarity regarding the future of the Community Ownership Fund.We recognise uncertainty is challenging for groups seeking to save vital community assets; the Government is carefully considering all available options and will confirm plans in due course.

What cost comparison he has made of repairing (a) overhead and (b) underground power lines following storm damage.

The benefits and costs of investing in under grounding power lines were considered following Storm Arwen in 2021. As noted in the Storm Arwen Review Final Report, investing in undergrounding would not be a cost-effective on long spur routes that serve smaller numbers of customers. It is not possible to make the network be fully resistant to severe weather. Undergrounding comes at a cost of up to 20 times that of overhead lines, before secondary costs and disruption are factored in. Whilst underground cables are prone to fewer faults, they incur longer repair times when a fault does occur.

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the pensions of former Allied Steel and Wire workers.

The Government is committed to supporting both current and retired steelworkers. That is why we are supporting the continuation of steelmaking at Port Talbot and providing up to £100million to support the community through this transition.The Government is aware of the concerns surrounding the matter of indexation of pre-1997 accruals in the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS), including for former members of the Allied Steel and Wire pension scheme.Affected members of the FAS have engaged with the Department for Work and Pensions on this issue, and this was a matter considered by the Work and Pensions Select Committee in its recent inquiry into Defined Benefit pensions.The Minister for Pensions is looking closely at this issue, supported by the Committee’s final report, published in March 2024, which helpfully outlines areas to be considered.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on data matching to establish a social tariff for vulnerable customers.

Data matching is being used effectively to provide financial help with energy bills to over three million households this winter through the Warm Home Discount. DWP officials are working closely with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and the cross-government Child Poverty Taskforce to explore options for enhanced data sharing and data matching to support the future development of policy to reduce fuel poverty.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Barnett formula for Wales.

The Welsh Government’s budget is increasing in real terms and is the largest settlement since devolution. This includes £1.7 billion through the Barnett formula to spend on public services like the NHS, which I noted didn’t feature in the Honourable Member’s pre budget ‘demands’.The outcome of the formula is actually that the Welsh Government receive 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in other parts of the UK.

What discussions has she had with the Welsh Government on the impact of the measures announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 on the Welsh Government's Welsh language strategy Cymraeg 2050.

The Welsh Government will be provided with a £21 billion settlement in 2025/26 – the largest in real terms since devolution. This includes an additional £1.7 billion through the Barnett Formula with £1.5 billion for day-to-day spending and £250 million for capital investment in 2025/26. The Welsh Government will decide how to allocate funding on devolved matters like the Welsh language strategy Cymraeg 2050.Although the Welsh language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cmyraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C continues to thrive because of its vital role in ensuring the ongoing promotion and use of the Welsh language.

With reference to the Written Statement of 30 October 2024 on Social Security, HCWS175, what estimate has she made of the number of additional welfare recipients affected by the benefit cap from April 2025 in (a) Wales and (b) the UK.

No estimate has been made.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending eligibility of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance to individuals over the age of 65.

Disability Living Allowance and government mobility support is focused on providing additional help with the extra costs of disability to people who are severely disabled early, or relatively early, in life and who as a result, have had fewer opportunities to work, earn and save. Developing mobility needs in older life is a normal consequence of ageing, which non-disabled younger people have had opportunity to plan and save for. It is normal for pensions and benefits systems to contain different provisions for people at different stages of their lives, because the help provided needs to reflect varying priorities and circumstances. We constantly review our policies to ensure they meet the needs of our customers.