Written questions by Dean.

When she plans to publish further information on proposed Young Future Hubs.

The government’s is committed to a Young Futures programme made up of Young Futures prevention partnerships and Young Futures Hubs.Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes and enabling them to thrive.To roll out Young Futures Hubs, the department will first establish early adopter hubs. These, and work with local areas, will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs. Young Futures Hubs will build upon the successes of existing infrastructure and provision. We will set out more details in due course.Young Futures Hubs are one part of delivering this within a much wider youth landscape. They will be designed to complement core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing.

What steps she is taking to help reduce knife crime in Sutton.

Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission and we are taking a range of steps to realise this ambition.We have implemented the ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes approved by Parliament in April. The ban came in to force on 24 September 2024 and it is now illegal to sell or own these weapons.We launched a consultation on 13 November 2024 seeking views on the legal description of a Ninja sword to help our plans for an effective ban.We know that more needs to be done to tackle the sale of knives online which is why last October, the Home Secretary commissioned Commander Stephen Clayman, as the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for knife crime, to carry out a full review into the online sale and delivery of knives. The report was received at the end of January and once we have considered the review in full, the Government will set out its next steps for strengthening the controls and processes around the online sale and delivery of knives.Ahead of this, the Home Secretary has already announced that the Government intends to strengthen age verification controls and checks for all online sellers of knives at the point of purchase and on delivery.We have also consulted on introducing personal liability measures on senior executives of online platforms or marketplaces who fail to take action to remove illegal content relating to knives and offensive weapons. The consultation closed on 11 December 2024, and we are carefully considering the responses as we plan our next steps.Additionally, over £9.3m has been made available this financial year to the London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU). VRUs bring together police, local government, health, community leaders and other key partners to tackle violent crime and its underlying causes. London VRU is using this funding to deliver a range of interventions across all 32 boroughs to divert young people from a life of crime. This includes intensive mentoring by YOUthink for children and young people in Sutton to reduce re-offending.We have also created a new Young Futures programme, which will include the establishment of Young Futures Prevention Partnerships across England and Wales, bringing partners together to intervene earlier to stop young people being drawn into crime. It is vital we have a system that can identify and support those young people who need it most.

What assessment he has made of potential merits of (a) enforcement and (b) early intervention in the prevention of knife crime.

Halving national levels of knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s mission to ensure the safety of our streets. Both early intervention and enforcement will be crucial in meeting this mission.On enforcement, we have implemented the ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes approved by Parliament in April. The ban came in to force on 24 September 2024 and it is now illegal to sell or own these weapons.We launched a consultation on 13 November 2024 seeking views on the legal description of a Ninja sword to help our plans for an effective ban.We know that more needs to be done to tackle the sale of knives online which is why last October, the Home Secretary commissioned Commander Stephen Clayman, as the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for knife crime, to carry out a full review into the online sale and delivery of knives. The report was received at the end of January and once we have considered the review in full, the Government will set out its next steps for strengthening the controls and processes around the online sale and delivery of knives.Ahead of this, the Home Secretary has already announced that the Government intends to strengthen age verification controls and checks for all online sellers of knives at the point of purchase and on delivery.We have also consulted on introducing personal liability measures on senior executives of online platforms or marketplaces who fail to take action to remove illegal content relating to knives and offensive weapons. The consultation closed on 11 December 2024, and we are carefully considering the responses as we plan our next steps.Additionally, the Home Secretary and Policing Minister have set up a new Knife-Enabled Robbery Taskforce, which brings together Chief Constables and other criminal justice partners to take immediate operational action to tackle the fastest rising type of knife crime. Working with the College of Policing, the Taskforce has completed a Call for Practice to establish what the evidence tells us works when tackling knife-enabled robbery.On early intervention, a new Young Futures programme has been created, which will include the establishment of Young Futures Prevention Partnerships across England and Wales, bringing partners together to intervene earlier to stop young people being drawn into crime. It is vital we have a system that can identify and support those young people who need it most.Independent evaluation found that Violent Reduction Units, in combination with additional hotspot police patrols, have delivered a statistically significant reduction in hospital admissions for violent injuries since funding began in 2019 (an estimated 3,220 admissions have been prevented in areas where the programmes operate).We recognise the valuable work and significant progress VRUs have made in understanding and preventing serious violence. The proposed Police Funding Settlement for 2025/26 includes £49.7m for the continuation of work to prevent serious violence, delivered via the VRU programme.The Youth Endowment Fund, was established to learn ‘what works’ in preventing children and young people becoming involved in violence and crime, as well as transforming the local and national response to serious violence through disseminating new knowledge and best practice. The Home Office works closely with the Youth Endowment Fund to ensure that their findings are carefully considered to positively influence services for young people.The Government will continue to draw on the best available evidence on both prevention and enforcement and will closely monitor trends in national and local levels of knife crime.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of existing knife crime prevention programmes.

Halving national levels of knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s mission to ensure the safety of our streets. Both early intervention and enforcement will be crucial in meeting this mission.On enforcement, we have implemented the ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes approved by Parliament in April. The ban came in to force on 24 September 2024 and it is now illegal to sell or own these weapons.We launched a consultation on 13 November 2024 seeking views on the legal description of a Ninja sword to help our plans for an effective ban.We know that more needs to be done to tackle the sale of knives online which is why last October, the Home Secretary commissioned Commander Stephen Clayman, as the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for knife crime, to carry out a full review into the online sale and delivery of knives. The report was received at the end of January and once we have considered the review in full, the Government will set out its next steps for strengthening the controls and processes around the online sale and delivery of knives.Ahead of this, the Home Secretary has already announced that the Government intends to strengthen age verification controls and checks for all online sellers of knives at the point of purchase and on delivery.We have also consulted on introducing personal liability measures on senior executives of online platforms or marketplaces who fail to take action to remove illegal content relating to knives and offensive weapons. The consultation closed on 11 December 2024, and we are carefully considering the responses as we plan our next steps.Additionally, the Home Secretary and Policing Minister have set up a new Knife-Enabled Robbery Taskforce, which brings together Chief Constables and other criminal justice partners to take immediate operational action to tackle the fastest rising type of knife crime. Working with the College of Policing, the Taskforce has completed a Call for Practice to establish what the evidence tells us works when tackling knife-enabled robbery.On early intervention, a new Young Futures programme has been created, which will include the establishment of Young Futures Prevention Partnerships across England and Wales, bringing partners together to intervene earlier to stop young people being drawn into crime. It is vital we have a system that can identify and support those young people who need it most.Independent evaluation found that Violent Reduction Units, in combination with additional hotspot police patrols, have delivered a statistically significant reduction in hospital admissions for violent injuries since funding began in 2019 (an estimated 3,220 admissions have been prevented in areas where the programmes operate).We recognise the valuable work and significant progress VRUs have made in understanding and preventing serious violence. The proposed Police Funding Settlement for 2025/26 includes £49.7m for the continuation of work to prevent serious violence, delivered via the VRU programme.The Youth Endowment Fund, was established to learn ‘what works’ in preventing children and young people becoming involved in violence and crime, as well as transforming the local and national response to serious violence through disseminating new knowledge and best practice. The Home Office works closely with the Youth Endowment Fund to ensure that their findings are carefully considered to positively influence services for young people.The Government will continue to draw on the best available evidence on both prevention and enforcement and will closely monitor trends in national and local levels of knife crime.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of knife bans on the level of knife-related incidents.

The legislation in this area is kept under review in the interests of public safety and in line with this we implemented a ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes on 24 September 2024 and it is now illegal to sell, supply, manufacture or own these weapons.The Government is also committed to banning Ninja swords, and following a consultation between 13 November and 11 December 2014, we are working on plans for an effective ban.The prohibition of certain types of knives and other bladed articles gives the police powers to seize the weapons and to prosecute offenders, a valuable tool in addressing knife crime and wider criminality.Statistics on knife related offences do not record the level of detail necessary to assess the effectiveness of specific knife bans.

What assessment he has made of the capacity of health care services in the England and Wales to provide take home Naloxone kits to people at risk of opioid overdose.

The Government has amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to expand access to naloxone. This means that more professionals and services than ever before can give out take-home supplies of naloxone to those at-risk of overdose. This follows the Department’s public consultation, published on 24 January 2024, in which the responses were overwhelmingly supportive of our proposals. The legislation came into force on 2 December 2024.The legislation also enables the development of a new registration service, which will further expand the number of professionals and services able to give out naloxone. This will take longer to implement, and work is ongoing across the devolved administrations to ensure alignment where appropriate.This legislation is United Kingdom wide, and we will continue to work closely with colleagues in the devolved administrations to share learning and align our approaches where appropriate.Health is a devolved issue, and as a result there are currently different existing arrangements for naloxone supply across the UK and each administration takes its own decisions on the provision and funding of naloxone. I have therefore not had discussions on UK wide Government-funded naloxone programmes.These legislative changes are enabling only, meaning it will be a choice for individuals or organisations to decide whether they want to use this power and give out naloxone, which will be based on local need and capacity. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services as part of their public health responsibilities, and they provide funding for naloxone supplied through drug treatment services based on their assessment of local need.

With reference to the consultation outcome entitled Expanding access to naloxone, published on 24 January 2024, whether he plans to increase the number of organisations able to distribute Naloxone.

The Government has amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to expand access to naloxone. This means that more professionals and services than ever before can give out take-home supplies of naloxone to those at-risk of overdose. This follows the Department’s public consultation, published on 24 January 2024, in which the responses were overwhelmingly supportive of our proposals. The legislation came into force on 2 December 2024.The legislation also enables the development of a new registration service, which will further expand the number of professionals and services able to give out naloxone. This will take longer to implement, and work is ongoing across the devolved administrations to ensure alignment where appropriate.This legislation is United Kingdom wide, and we will continue to work closely with colleagues in the devolved administrations to share learning and align our approaches where appropriate.Health is a devolved issue, and as a result there are currently different existing arrangements for naloxone supply across the UK and each administration takes its own decisions on the provision and funding of naloxone. I have therefore not had discussions on UK wide Government-funded naloxone programmes.These legislative changes are enabling only, meaning it will be a choice for individuals or organisations to decide whether they want to use this power and give out naloxone, which will be based on local need and capacity. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services as part of their public health responsibilities, and they provide funding for naloxone supplied through drug treatment services based on their assessment of local need.

What discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on the impact of government-funded Naloxone programmes.

The Government has amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to expand access to naloxone. This means that more professionals and services than ever before can give out take-home supplies of naloxone to those at-risk of overdose. This follows the Department’s public consultation, published on 24 January 2024, in which the responses were overwhelmingly supportive of our proposals. The legislation came into force on 2 December 2024.The legislation also enables the development of a new registration service, which will further expand the number of professionals and services able to give out naloxone. This will take longer to implement, and work is ongoing across the devolved administrations to ensure alignment where appropriate.This legislation is United Kingdom wide, and we will continue to work closely with colleagues in the devolved administrations to share learning and align our approaches where appropriate.Health is a devolved issue, and as a result there are currently different existing arrangements for naloxone supply across the UK and each administration takes its own decisions on the provision and funding of naloxone. I have therefore not had discussions on UK wide Government-funded naloxone programmes.These legislative changes are enabling only, meaning it will be a choice for individuals or organisations to decide whether they want to use this power and give out naloxone, which will be based on local need and capacity. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services as part of their public health responsibilities, and they provide funding for naloxone supplied through drug treatment services based on their assessment of local need.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a programme of naloxone provision in the NHS.

The Government has amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to expand access to naloxone. This means that more professionals and services than ever before can give out take-home supplies of naloxone to those at-risk of overdose. This follows the Department’s public consultation, published on 24 January 2024, in which the responses were overwhelmingly supportive of our proposals. The legislation came into force on 2 December 2024.The legislation also enables the development of a new registration service, which will further expand the number of professionals and services able to give out naloxone. This will take longer to implement, and work is ongoing across the devolved administrations to ensure alignment where appropriate.This legislation is United Kingdom wide, and we will continue to work closely with colleagues in the devolved administrations to share learning and align our approaches where appropriate.Health is a devolved issue, and as a result there are currently different existing arrangements for naloxone supply across the UK and each administration takes its own decisions on the provision and funding of naloxone. I have therefore not had discussions on UK wide Government-funded naloxone programmes.These legislative changes are enabling only, meaning it will be a choice for individuals or organisations to decide whether they want to use this power and give out naloxone, which will be based on local need and capacity. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services as part of their public health responsibilities, and they provide funding for naloxone supplied through drug treatment services based on their assessment of local need.

If he will take steps to expand Start for Life services to include Carshalton and Wallington constituency.

In 2025/26, £57 million will be made available to 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation to provide a range of Start for Life services.Due to the challenging fiscal context, we have had to make difficult decisions for 2025/26, and only those areas currently in the scheme will receive Start for Life funding. We will continue to evaluate the programme and assess evidence to support wider rollout in future financial years.

If she will take steps to extend the Targeted Retention Incentive to specialist SEND teachers.

High-quality teaching is the in-school factor that makes the biggest difference to a child’s outcomes and is therefore essential to delivering the government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child.We are committed to ensuring that all learners, including learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), have access to a world-class education that sets them up for life and supports them to achieve positive outcomes. We recognise the critical work SEND teachers do in achieving this.A successful teacher recruitment strategy starts with a strong retention strategy. The targeted retention incentive is worth up to £6,000 after tax per year for early career teachers in key science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and technical subjects in disadvantaged schools and all further education (FE) colleges. It is targeted at key STEM and technical subject teachers because specialists in these subjects have high earning potential outside teaching and are often the most difficult to recruit and retain.The targeted retention incentive is available to school teachers in both mainstream and special schools if they teach mathematics, physics, chemistry or computing and have completed either a degree or Initial Teacher Training (ITT) course in one of these subjects. The incentive is also available to eligible FE college teachers of those same subjects and also construction, digital, early years and engineering and manufacturing. This includes any eligible specialist SEND teachers in FE colleges teaching those subjects.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing financial support to specialist education colleges to help mitigate the increase in employer National Insurance contributions.

The department is receiving compensation in recognition of the increase in National Insurance contributions (NICs) paid by institutions it funds, including colleges, schools and other state-funded special education needs and disabilities provision. Work is in progress to determine how that funding will be distributed, and more information will be provided as soon as is practicable. This NICs funding will be in addition to the £300 million and £1 billion funding increases announced at the Autumn Budget 2024 for further education and young people with high needs respectively, in 2025/26.

With reference to Q36 of the oral evidence given by the Office for Value for Money to the Treasury Select Committee on 11 December 2024, HC 521, which Departments have not (a) defined and (b) commenced their zero-based reviews.

Phase 2 of the Spending Review launched on the 10th December 2024. At launch, I asked each department to carry out a line-by-line review of existing day-to-day budgets to identify where spending is no longer aligned with this government’s priorities or is poor value for money. Departments are working with HM Treasury on an ongoing basis to define and agree their zero-based reviews. The findings of these reviews will inform Departments’ Spending Review submissions and the allocation of departmental budgets in Phase 2 of the Spending Review, which will conclude later this year.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the provision of military support in the context of conflict in the Middle East.

We keep our military engagement in the Middle East under continuous review and any changes are discussed with relevant Departments as appropriate.

When she plans to publish the feedback from the consultation on the Child Maintenance System.

A consultation on proposed reforms to the Child Maintenance System (CMS) was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. These proposed reforms included removing Direct Pay and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-c...

Whether he plans to extend opt-out HIV testing beyond emergency departments.

On 28 November 2024, the Prime Minister announced a further £27 million of funding for the continuation of the HIV Emergency Department opt-out testing programme for 2025/26. As part of the extension, more than 90 sites will be offered funding to continue...

What estimate his Department has made of the number of people with diagnosed HIV who are not currently in care; what research it has conducted into the reasons for disengagement from care; and what

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has estimated that the number of people with diagnosed HIV who are not currently in care, which is defined as not attending care for at least 15 months, in 2023 was 4,960. This represents 5.3% of people diagnosed with...

What steps his Department are taking to tackle changes in rates of HIV diagnoses among heterosexual men and women.

HIV is a priority for the Government, and we have commissioned a new HIV Action Plan for 2025 to 2030, to achieve no new HIV transmissions within England by 2030, which we aim to publish in summer 2025.The new action plan will include a focus on ensuring ...

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the prior consultation on the Down Syndrome Act 2022; and when he plans to publish the statutory guidance.

The Down Syndrome Act 2022 started as a Private Members Bill, introduced into the House of Commons in summer 2021. As such, this specific assessment has not been made.A national call for evidence was launched on 19 July 2022 to inform the development of t...

What proportion of facilities staff are on Agenda For Change contracts.

Facilities staff in the National Health Service may be employed both directly by NHS bodies but also by separate companies who are contracted to deliver services. The Department does not hold information on the number of staff who are employed by companie...