Written questions by Eccles.

What steps he is taking to ensure the operation of NHS Practitioner Health beyond March 2026.

Looking after the mental health of our hardworking National Health Service staff is a priority for the Government.The National Staff Mental Health Treatment Service currently supplied by NHS Practitioner Health is funded until March 2026, and work is being completed to re-commission this service for the next three years, aligned to the Multi-Year Spending Review, from 2026 to 2029.More recently, the 10-Year Health Plan committed to roll out Staff Treatment Hubs. These hubs will provide a high-quality occupational health service for all NHS staff.

If he will make his policy to introduce a Long service and good conduct medal for (a) doctors and (b) nurses.

Employers across the National Health Service are best placed to identify and reward staff for either long service or excellence in the delivery of healthcare. Most organisations have developed a wide range of schemes to celebrate long service in the NHS and these include celebratory events, commemorative badges, and monetary awards and gifts.For NHS employees who have made an outstanding contribution, the honours system celebrates those who go above and beyond to change the world around them for the better. Nominations can be made online via the Cabinet Office website.There is also the opportunity for members of Parliament to acknowledge the work of NHS staff in their constituency through the NHS Parliamentary Awards, with further information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-parliamentary-awards/about/

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that essential NHS staff in Band 2 and Band 3 roles are eligible for inclusion on the (a) Health and Care Worker visa and (b) the Immigration Salary List.

National Health Service staff working in Agenda for Change band 2 roles have never been eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa as they do not meet the skills threshold of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 3 diploma.On 9 April, the minimum salary for Health and Care Worker visa holders increased to £25,000 per year. This applies to new Certificates of Sponsorship assigned on or after that date.Entry-level band 3 roles do not meet the new minimum salary threshold for a Health and Care Worker visa. However, band 3 staff currently on the Health and Care Worker visa are not required to meet the new minimum salary threshold until the point at which they need to renew their visa. At that point, we expect the majority of staff to have accrued two or more years of experience, and therefore be at the top of band 3, which is above the new minimum salary threshold.The expanded Immigration Salary List allows time-limited access to the United Kingdom’s immigration system for selected occupations of skill levels RQF 3 to 5 until the end of 2026, with restrictions on bringing dependants. The list includes occupations that the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) identified as being in shortage in its 2023 review and 2024 rapid review.No new roles will now be added to the list, as it is being phased out at the end of 2026. The MAC has been commissioned to advise on a future Temporary Shortage List.

Media and Sport, with reference to the press release of 19 June 2025 entitled Game changer for the nation, if she will provide a breakdown of the £900 million funding for sports by grant; and what funding will be allocated to the West Midlands.

High-quality, inclusive facilities help people get active. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, should have access to them and opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity. That is why, in June, we committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. This funding will be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities that promote health and wellbeing and remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of constructing an indoor Velodrome in Birmingham; and whether she plans to allocate funding from the £900 million funding for sport announced on 19 June 2025.

High-quality, inclusive facilities help people get active. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, should have access to them and opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity. That is why, in June, we committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. This funding will be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities that promote health and wellbeing and remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that children have access to a (a) full and (b) balanced curriculum; and what steps she is taking to help ensure that children have access to the creative arts (i) up to and (ii) after GCSE level.

The department wants every child, regardless of background, to have a rich and broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum.Art and design, music, dance (included in physical education) and drama (included in English) are in the national curriculum and are compulsory in all maintained schools. From key stages 1-3 for art and design, music, and dance; and key stages 1-4 for drama. At key stage 4, all pupils in maintained schools have an entitlement to study an arts subject, if they wish.The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review aims to ensure that all pupils gain knowledge and skills that set them up for life. The Review will publish its final report in the autumn, and the government will respond.Alongside the Review, we have announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, to help meet the government’s ambitions for improved and more equitable arts education.

What steps she is taking to ensure the safety of girls and young women in public places.

Ensuring the safety of women and girls in public spaces is a top priority for this Government. We have set out an unprecedented mission to halve the level of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. That means working to tackle threats to women's safety in all areas of their lives, including in public places. To underpin this ambition, we will shortly be publishing a VAWG Strategy.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of mandating DBS checks for people who wish to stand for election.

The Government has no plans to introduce a requirement for candidates to undergo DBS checks before standing for elections. Candidate selection in elections is a matter for political parties.

What steps she is taking to help end discrimination against the trans community.

It is crucial that LGBT+ people are safe, included and protected from discrimination. To achieve this we must end the recent politics of division. Trans people are protected from harassment and discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment in the Equality Act 2010.Work is already underway to fulfil the commitments set out in the Government’s manifesto, advancing the rights and protections afforded to trans people including: delivering a trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices; ensuring that all trans people receive appropriate and high-quality health care; and equalising all existing strands of hate crime to make transphobic hate crime an aggravated offence.

What steps she is taking to help reduce violence against women and girls in the West Midlands.

Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this Government and we have set an unprecedented mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.West Midlands Police is one of the first five police forces to embed domestic abuse specialists in 999 controls rooms under Raneem's Law. ·The domestic abuse specialists are using their expertise to advise on risk assessments, work with staff to quality assure the standard of response being given, and ensure victims are referred to appropriate support services swiftly. Raneem's Law is made in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, who were murdered by Raneem's ex-partner. There were 13 reports made to the police reporting concerns for Raneem's safety, but no arrest was made. On the night she was killed, she rang 999 four times. We want to ensure police control rooms are prioritising domestic abuse incidents, so that this cannot happen again.The Home Office has invested £1.6 million this year in the West Midlands to identify what works to prevent VAWG and to increase the availability of domestic abuse perpetrator intervention programmes in order to improve victim safety and reduce the risk posed by abusers. We are providing over £500,000 to The Children's Society to deliver interventions for children affected by domestic abuse in the North West, West Midlands and the South West. These provide trauma-informed support provision to children and work with frontline agencies to raise awareness of children and young people who are affected by domestic abuse.In May, I announced the Government was investing up to £19.9 million this year to provide vital support to victims of VAWG. This money is being invested in national VAWG helplines, supporting victims of domestic abuse, 'honour'-based abuse, revenge porn and stalking services to help prevent and improve the response to VAWG. As well as providing funding for national services across England and Wales, we are providing support for children affected by domestic abuse, support for migrant victims, work to increase the understanding and identification of VAWG, work to prevent 'honour' based abuse and improving multi-agency working and risk management.We will go further than ever before to deliver a cross-Government transformative approach to tackling violence against women and girls, which will be underpinned by a new VAWG Strategy later this year

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10 Year Health Plan for England on the Black Country.

The 10-Year Health Plan will ensure a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or geography. The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver more care locally, including in urban areas like the Black Country, supporting people to stay healthier.The neighbourhood health service will reflect the specific needs of local populations. Over the course of the plan, neighbourhood health centres will be available in every community, including the Black Country, providing easy access to general practitioners, nurses, and wider support, such as employment advisers, all under one roof. The Government will begin establishing neighbourhood health centres in places where healthy life expectancy is lowest.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the post- (a) 16 and (b) 18 support for young people raised in kinship.

This government is committed to ensuring more children are supported in a strong kinship care arrangement, avoiding care where possible, because we know that this leads to better outcomes.We are legislating through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to require local authorities to publish a local offer for children and families in kinship arrangements and requiring local authorities to offer family group decision making to families with children on the edge of care. These measures will ensure more children are supported within their family networks, and with kinship carers instead of entering care.Some children in kinship care, such as those placed with kinship foster carers, are entitled to leaving care support if they have been in care for a minimum of 13 weeks, some of which was after they reached age 16, when they cease to be looked after. This includes support from a Personal Adviser up to the age of 25, and support to engage in education, employment or training, including a £2,000 bursary if they attend higher education.This support will also include providing continuity of support and relationships when care leavers reach age 18 through the ‘Staying Put’ programme and investing in family-finding, mentoring and befriending programmes.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of oral nicotine pouches on public health.

Nicotine is the active ingredient in oral nicotine pouches, which is a highly addictive drug. Unlike vapes, nicotine pouches currently have no set nicotine limits, and nicotine strengths can be extremely high. The use of nicotine pouches is increasing, particularly among young men. Among adults in Great Britain, 5.4% tried nicotine pouches in 2024.The Government is committed to protecting future generations from the harms of nicotine addiction. That is why, alongside vapes, we are taking action to control these products through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of all consumer nicotine products, ban their sale to anyone under 18 years old, and prohibit free distribution. The bill also provides powers to regulate the flavours, ingredients, which includes nicotine strength, packaging, and displays of vapes and nicotine products.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the probation service in the West Midlands.

Performance ratings for prisons in the West Midlands are published by the Ministry of Justice as part of the Annual Prison Performance Ratings. The 2023-24 ratings can be found at: Prison Performance Ratings: 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK.The performance of the Probation Service in the West Midlands is published as part of the Community Performance Annual publication. The 2023-24 edition can be found at: Community Performance Annual, update to March 2024 - GOV.UK.The ratings for 2024-25 for both prisons and probation will be published on 31 July 2025.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of prisons in the West Midlands.

Performance ratings for prisons in the West Midlands are published by the Ministry of Justice as part of the Annual Prison Performance Ratings. The 2023-24 ratings can be found at: Prison Performance Ratings: 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK.The performance of the Probation Service in the West Midlands is published as part of the Community Performance Annual publication. The 2023-24 edition can be found at: Community Performance Annual, update to March 2024 - GOV.UK.The ratings for 2024-25 for both prisons and probation will be published on 31 July 2025.

What steps is she taking to tackle misogyny against girls and young women.

Tackling misogyny is central to our mission to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade and we will address the drivers and root causes of VAWG as part of our upcoming cross-Government Strategy, due to be published this year. Education has an important role to play in reducing misogyny; statutory guidance on Relationships, Sex and Health Education makes clear that schools must build a culture where issues such as everyday sexism, misogyny, and gender stereotyping are not tolerated. The Department for Education is reviewing this guidance to ensure that it enables schools to tackle harmful behaviour, as this Government is determined to ensure that misogyny and sexual violence are stamped out.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations has he made to his Israeli counterpart on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The Prime Minister spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 29 July. He said that the situation in Gaza was intolerable and that the need for humanitarian access is now more pressing than ever before. He urged him to take immediate action to lift all restrictions on aid access and get those suffering in Gaza the food they need. Further to this, the Prime Minister made a statement on 29 July in which he outlined the need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages still held by Hamas, and that the UN be allowed to send humanitarian assistance into Gaza on a continuing basis to prevent starvation in Gaza. We recognise Israel's decision to allow temporary pauses and partially unblock aid; however, we have been clear with our Israeli counterparts that this is not enough to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza. Restrictions on aid must be permanently removed, and the UN must be enabled to deliver aid safely and at-scale.

Communities and Local Government, what steps has she taken to ensure (a) fairness and (b) transparency in the allocation of social housing.

Local housing authorities set their own allocation schemes, governed by a legal framework set by central government. This allows councils to design schemes in a way that best meets local needs.Local housing authorities must publish a summary of their allocation scheme and ensure that advice and information is available free of charge to everyone in their area about the right to apply for an allocation of accommodation.Applicants have the right to information that will enable them to assess how their application is likely to be treated under the authority’s allocation scheme, including whether they are likely to fall within any of the priority categories and whether accommodation appropriate to their needs is likely to be made available.Allocation schemes must also be framed so as to give applicants the right to be informed of certain decisions and the right to review certain decisions.To ensure that the most vulnerable in society can access the housing support they need, this government has exempted domestic abuse victims and young care leavers, alongside veterans, from local connection tests to facilitate their access to social housing. We will be updating statutory guidance to reflect these changes and will keep this guidance under review.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of holding the second stage of the Leveson Inquiry.

The Government has clearly laid out its priorities in the manifesto and in the King’s speech, and the second part of Leveson is not among them.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the BBC on the balance of political views in their programming.

The Secretary of State was clear in her statement to Parliament that the scenes from the Bob Vylan performance at Glastonbury were utterly appalling and unacceptable. This Government will not tolerate antisemitism – it has absolutely no place in our society and we will be unrelenting in our work to root it out and it should not be given a platform.The BBC is editorially independent, and decisions on what content to broadcast, and how they broadcast that content, are a matter for the BBC. However, it is right that the BBC has acknowledged that the livestream of the performance should have come off air and that they are reviewing their guidance. There remain very serious questions at the highest levels of the BBC about operational oversight and the way in which editorial standards are implemented.As set out to Parliament, the Secretary of State has spoken to both the BBC Director General and Chair directly and has written to the Chair to ask for an urgent and detailed explanation about what immediate steps they intend to take. We expect answers to these questions without delay and expect lessons to be learned and rapid action to be taken.Ofcom is also in the process of obtaining further information from the BBC as a matter of urgency, including what procedures were in place to ensure compliance with its own editorial guidelines.Charter Review will consider editorial standards for the BBC. The Government will also build on the Media Act and Ofcom’s Public Service Media review by taking action to support public service media and the wider television ecosystem. As set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government will update the policy and regulatory framework to respond to the changing market and promote a more level playing field, while maintaining universal access to distinctive and trusted public service content. This work will complement the BBC Charter Review.