Written questions by Lockhart.

When his Department plans to introduce a licensing and regulatory framework for practitioners in the aesthetic and cosmetic surgery industry.

The Government is committed to taking action to address longstanding concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector, and is exploring options for further regulation in this area. We will set out the details of our approach in our response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we will publish as soon as possible.

Whether he plans to increase research funding for (a) ovarian, (b) uterine and (c) other gynaecological cancers.

The Department invests in research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In the period 2020/21 to 2024/25, the NIHR’s Academy and other programmes invested approximately £39 million across 50 gynaecological cancer research projects. The following table shows the number of awards and the value of the awards for each gynaecological cancer type:Gynaecological cancer typeNumber of awardsAwards valueCervical cancer17£15,200,000Ovarian cancer17£6,300,000Vulval cancer1£3,700Womb (uterine) cancer10£3,600,000More than 1 gynaecological type5£10,000,000Grand total50£39,000,000 Additionally, the NIHR’s Research Delivery Network, which enables the health and care system to attract, optimise, and deliver research across England, and has supported 123 commercial studies and 148 non-commercial studies for gynaecological cancers covering the same period.The NIHR funds research in response to proposals received. The NIHR continues to welcome high quality, high impact funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including all gynaecological cancers.

What recent discussions he has had with relevant professional bodies on the (a) clinical management and (b) treatment of hay fever.

No recent discussions have taken place on the clinical management and treatment of hay fever specifically, however, as part of the Expert Advisory Group for Allergy, Department policy officials meet regularly with the National Allergy Strategy Group, which includes the professional body, the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The most recent meeting was in April 2025.The Expert Advisory Group for Allergy, which was established in 2023, is co-chaired by the Department and the National Allergy Strategy Group, and brings stakeholders together to inform policymaking and to identify key priorities in relation to the holistic care of people with allergies, including those with hay fever. The National Allergy Strategy Group is developing the UK National Allergy Strategy 2025-2035. The Department will carefully consider, and respond to, recommendations in the strategy when we receive it later this year.

Whether his Department plans to expand (a) Army, (b) Navy, and (c) Air Cadet programmes in Northern Ireland.

Given the fantastic benefits which can be gained from the Cadet experience this Government is committed to getting more young people to become Cadets. The Strategic Defence Review has recommended an expansion of in-school and community-based Cadet Forces across the country by 30% by 2030. Expanding the Cadet Forces, which provide skills and qualifications to young people from diverse backgrounds across the country, and support economic growth, will benefit all four nations of the UK including Northern Ireland. Planning for this expansion is currently underway, and more detail will be provided in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to improve energy security and grid resilience in Northern Ireland.

Whilst energy policy and electricity system resilience of Northern Ireland remains a devolved competence for the Northern Ireland Executive, the Department has maintained a close working relationship with the Department for the Economy to support them in managing energy security.

What steps his Department is taking to improve housing options for veterans in Northern Ireland.

On 26 June 2025, I was delighted to announce £300,000 of funding for wraparound housing support for veterans in Northern Ireland. This will sit alongside VALOUR, the Government's new UK-wide initiative to ensure easier access to essential care and support. This regional approach, based on a network of VALOUR support centres providing multiple services in one place, together with regional field officers coordinating the provision of local services, will ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of their local communities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to raise concerns about the treatment of (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in Burkina Faso at the United Nations.

The UK strongly condemns reports of attacks on religious minorities in Burkina Faso and has consistently called on all actors in Burkina Faso to respect human rights and adhere to international humanitarian law, which covers the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. For example, at the April 2025 Security Council briefing on the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, the UK expressed concern at the human rights abuses committed in the Sahel and called on the UN to lead the way in emphasising the importance of international humanitarian law.

What steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to expand access to apprenticeships in defence-related sectors in Northern Ireland.

Apprenticeship and skills policy is devolved to Northern Ireland, and any measures regarding apprenticeships there are a matter for the Northern Irish government.

Whether she has had discussions with (a) O2, (b) Vodafone, (c) EE and (d) other mobile network providers on tackling (i) SMS and (ii) calls-based scams; and whether she has plans to introduce stronger safeguards to protect consumers from mobile fraud.

We work extremely closely with mobile network providers, regulators, law enforcement and consumer groups to close the vulnerabilities that criminals exploit, and stop scam messages and calls reaching the UK public.We are currently developing a second Telecommunications Fraud Charter to build on previous success, and go further in identifying, preventing and disrupting this type of fraud.

How many asylum seekers have been housed in Upper Bann constituency in the last five years.

The Home Office publishes data on a quarterly basis on the number of asylum seekers in supported accommodation, broken down by local authority and located within Asy_D11 tab at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

If she will list her Department's integration schemes available for asylum seekers in Upper Bann constituency.

There are no integration schemes for asylum seekers as integration support is only available once refugee status is granted. As Integration is an area of devolved competence, integration support available to refugees in Northern Ireland is determined by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) detect and (b) prevent illegal immigration in Northern Ireland.

The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security. That collaboration includes a joint commitment to protect the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.Everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet the UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

What are the primary countries of origin for legal migrants in Upper Bann constituency in the last five years.

The requested information is not held in a reportable format. To provide this information would require a manual review of case records, which could only be done for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

What is the average processing time for asylum applications for people based in Upper Bann constituency; and how many applications have been refused in the last five years.

The average time taken to process a substantive decision is not currently available from published data.However, the Home Office does publish data on the number of asylum claims awaiting an initial decision by duration in table Asy_D03 of the ‘Asylum detailed datasets’, as part of the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.Additionally, data on the percentage of applications processed within 6 months is published in table ASY_01 of the ‘Immigration and Protection’ data of the Migration Transparency Data collection.The Home Office publishes data on asylum claims that have been refused at initial decision in Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum detailed datasets’. The latest available data relates to the year ending March 2025.

What steps her Department is taking to monitor the compliance of visa conditions in Upper Bann constituency.

The Home Office takes the monitoring of visa compliance seriously and has a range of measures in place to ensure individuals adhere to the conditions of their stay in the UK. Immigration Enforcement (IE) has dedicated regional teams based across the UK, including in Northern Ireland, who are responsible for identifying and taking appropriate enforcement action against those who breach immigration rules. These teams use a combination of intelligence-led operations, data analysis, and compliance visits to monitor adherence to visa conditions. Where non-compliance is identified, action may include curtailment of leave, removal from the UK, or prosecution where appropriate.

How many people breached their visa conditions in Upper Bann constituency in the last five years; and how many people were subsequently deported.

The requested information is not held on a constituency level and could only be collated and verified for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Our published national data on enforcement is available at the following link and includes data on returns from the UK: Immigration system statistics, year ending March 2025 - GOV.UK.

How many legal migrants have settled in Upper Bann constituency in the past five years.

The requested information is not held in a reportable format. To provide this information would require a manual review of case records, which could only be done for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Scottish government’s decision to use ultra high frequency electronic identification technology for animals on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

I am aware of the Scottish Government’s decision to adopt ultra-high frequency electronic identification technology for animals, and the Government is committed to understanding its potential implications for trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.We will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that any developments are closely monitored and that robust livestock traceability is maintained across the UK.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the research presented to the Scottish government on ultra high frequency electronic identification technology in livestock.

Farming policy is a devolved matter, and the Government has not formally assessed the impact of the Scottish Government's decision. Defra officials are working closely with devolved administrations to ensure compliance with the UK Internal Markets Act (2020).In the recent UK-EU joint statement, the Government committed to building on the Windsor Framework and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to reduce trade barriers.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Scottish Government’s decision to use Ultra High Frequency electronic identification technology for animals on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Farming policy is a devolved matter. The Government has not conducted a formal assessment on the impact of the Scottish Government’s decision. Defra officials are working closely with the devolved Governments to ensure compliance with the UK internal markets Act (2020). In the recent UK-EU joint statement, the government committed to building on the stable foundation of the Windsor Framework, and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to further reduce barriers to trade. Moving goods between GB and NI will be easier, reducing the need for paperwork and checks due to the removal of SPS and other requirements.