Written questions by Campbell.

How many people were entitled to (a) old style and (b) new style State Pensions in Northern Ireland as of December 2025; and what was the average annual payment paid to each recipient.

The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold complete information on State Pension entitlement and payments in Northern Ireland, as the majority are administered by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland under the devolution settlement. The Department holds information on the number of people in receipt of the State Pension, including payments, but not on the number of people with entitlement. The number of people in receipt of State Pension payments administered by DWP to people resident in Northern Ireland is estimated to be a) 229 for pre-2016 State Pension and b) 279 for new State Pension. The average weekly payment for these people is estimated to be £183.15 overall, a) £178.69 for pre-2016 State Pension and b) £186.85 for new State Pension. These are based on latest figures for the quarter ending August 2025. Source: DWP Stat-Xplore. These figures do not reflect State Pension payments administered under the devolution settlement by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland publish Benefit Statistics Summaries, with latest data to quarter ending November 2025, at the following link: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/publications/benefits-statistics-summary-publication-accredited-official-statistics-november-2025

Pursuant to WPQ 112574 dated 11 February 2026 on the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers scheme, when does he expect to be able to reply.

Parliamentary Question 112574 was answered on 3 March. I apologise for the delay in responding.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 109971 on Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum: Northern Ireland, what indicative dates for re-commencing online sales to Northern Ireland residents were discussed.

The Victoria and Albert Museum have indicated that they are aiming to resume online sales to Northern Ireland by the end of the financial year 2026/27. The Science Museum Group has not yet shared a target date, but is exploring options to re-open ecommerce sales in Northern Ireland.

How much revenue was raised through business rates from charities operating commercial premises in the North East Combined Authority in 2024/25.

As Local Authorities are not required to report the business rates revenue they raise from different types of properties, the Government does not hold this data. More broadly, properties that are wholly or mainly used for a charitable purpose benefit from 80% business rates relief. Local Authorities can, at their discretion, top this up to 100% relief from business rates.

What discussions she has held with the Metropolitan Police on the advisability of allowing the proposed Al Quds parade to take place in London on March 15, in the context of the current security situation in the Middle East.

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, wrote to the Home Secretary on 9 March requesting her consent to an order under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 to prohibit processions and counter-processions in relation to Al Quds Day.The Home Secretary approved the order, to prevent serious public disorder. The Government’s foremost duty is the protection of its citizens, and this includes ensuring the safety of participants at the protest and counter-protests, as well as the wider public.A decision to prohibit protests under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 is exceptional. This power is used rarely and only where the legal threshold is met. The Metropolitan Police were clear that imposing conditions would not be sufficient to manage the risks in this case.The decision reflects the unique circumstances this year, including the scale of the planned march, multiple counter-protests, and heightened tensions linked to events in the Middle East.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the change in the bowel screening age to 50 on rates of diagnosis of prostate cancer.

This Government is committed to improving cancer screening services in line with the National Cancer Plan and as part of the 10-Year Health Plan’s shift from treatment to prevention. The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of lowering bowel cancer screening age to 50 years old on prostate cancer diagnoses as these are two separate conditions.The Government is advised on all screening matters by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which is made up of leading medical and screening experts. Where the Committee is confident that to offer screening provides more good than harm, they recommend a screening programme.The National Health Service’s bowel screening programme in England was recently extended from people aged between 60 and 74 years old to those aged between 50 and 74 years old. This aligns with the evidence of where the screening programme can do the most good with the least harm caused. Harm can include increased anxiety, misdiagnosis, over diagnosis, where unnecessary and invasive follow up tests are offered, or unnecessary treatment.Bowel cancer screening uses home tests called the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT). FIT test was introduced into the bowel screening pathway with a sensitivity threshold of 120 micrograms per gram. The screening programme is currently in the process of improving the FIT sensitivity by moving it to 80 micrograms per gram. This will be rolled out gradually by 2028, to ensure colonoscopy capacity required is available.When FIT80 is fully rolled out, an additional 700 bowel cancers and 2000 pre-cancerous polyps will be detected per year.

What assessment she has made of the impact of the Statement of Strategic Priorities for the National Wealth Fund in March 2025 on Northern Ireland.

The Strategic Plan sets out the National Wealth Fund’s ambition to accelerate place-based investment across all four nations of the UK. It has a dedicated director based in Northern Ireland, and opened a Belfast office in December 2024. The National Wealth Fund is already investing in Northern Ireland, for example in rural broadband development

Pursuant to Questions 112100 and 115340, what was the breakdown in each of the years specified in Northern Ireland.

None in 2024 and 4 in 2025.

What funding has been allocated in the next financial year to assist research into prosopagnosia.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).No funding for the next financial year has allocated specifically to prosopagnosia. However, the NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including prosopagnosia. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic

If she review the overall objectives of the Local Transport Grant to ensure that manufacturers of zero emission buses across the whole of the UK can benefit.

The Department keeps the objectives and operation of all its local transport funding streams under regular review to ensure they support decarbonisation, growth and improved passenger outcomes. Our wider zero emission bus policy is designed to stimulate demand across the UK, with bus operators and local transport authorities transitioning fleets and creating opportunities for domestic manufacturers.

What changes have been introduced to postgraduate medical education as a result of the review published in October 2025.

Phase 1 of the Medical Training Review identified key challenges and areas for improvement across postgraduate medical training, alongside what currently works well. Bottlenecks in postgraduate medical training were identified as a continuing concern for resident doctors and medical graduates. The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, which became an Act of Parliament on 5 March 2026, seeks to address these bottlenecks and prioritises United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training and UK graduates and other doctors with significant experience working in the National Health Service for specialty training.Phase 2 of the Medical Training Review is already underway and will involve working with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK to design a package of reform.

How many Border Force employees were routinely employed at (a) Belfast, (b) Larne, (c) Foyle, and (d) Warrenpoint ports during 2025.

It is longstanding Home Office policy to not disclose port‑specific staffing information, as to do so could prejudice our law enforcement capabilities. Border Force operates a flexible resourcing model, regularly assessing operational needs and deploying staff dynamically in response to passenger volumes and security requirements. As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland. The UK does, however, operate intelligence‑led operational activity on CTA routes—away from the land border. If an individual is suspected to be unlawfully in the UK, their biometrics may be checked in order to ascertain their identity and status.

Innovation and Technology, when she plans to publish the outcome of the Artificial Intelligence regulatory approach discussions with the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee.

The UK is committed to a proportionate AI regulatory approach which is grounded in science and supports growth and innovation.The European Council has published its proposal for a decision to apply the EU AI Act to a limited extent in Northern Ireland under Article 13(4) of the Windsor Framework. The Act would only apply following an agreement at a Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, which will be subject to the mechanisms in Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.The UK Government is assessing the proposal and will continue to engage closely with the EU on it. Joint statements on previous Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee meetings can be found on gov.uk.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of a recent report from COELIAC UK indicating that sufferers spend in excess of a third more on food purchases than the average consumer.

The Government recognises the increased costs incurred by people with coeliac disease because they must buy gluten-free options, which are often more expensive. The current position in England that gluten-free bread and mixes can be provided to coeliac patients on NHS prescription, based on a shared decision between prescriber and patient, while being mindful of local and national guidance. However, local Integrated Care Boards can restrict or end the prescribing of gluten-free food locally as they retain the right to make prescribing policies meeting the needs of their local population within allocated resources. Food prices depend on a range of factors including import prices, domestic agricultural prices, domestic labour and manufacturing costs, and exchange rates. Defra regularly engages with supermarkets and producers on a range of food supply matters. However, it is not for Government to set retail food prices or to comment on day-to-day commercial decisions taken by businesses.

What discussions he has had with InterTrade UK on the support his Department is able to provide on the (a) operations and (b) objectives of that body.

I engage regularly with Intertrade UK, most recently when I met its Chair Baroness Foster in January at the East-West Council in Belfast, where I heard an update on Intertrade UK’s work to date and its future plans.The Northern Ireland Office provides secretariat support for Intertrade UK, as set out in its terms of reference, which are publicly available alongside the group’s work programme here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/intertrade-uk-terms-of-reference-and-work-programmeAt last year’s Autumn Budget, the Government allocated £2.25 million over the next three years to Intertrade UK to support implementation of its published work programme. This formed part of a wider £16.6m package to strengthen trade within the UK internal market.

If she will hold discussions with the Metropolitan Police on the potential merits of investigating an incident at 12.55pm on 25 February 2026 at Parliament Square where protestors allegedly chanted death to the IDF.

Where the activity of protestors breaks the law, the police have the Government’s backing to use their powers that they need to respond.It would not be appropriate for Ministers to intervene in those operational decisions, but we continue to work closely with policing to ensure they have the right capabilities and support in place to keep the public safe and uphold the law.The Home Secretary launched an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation on 5 October 2025 led by Lord Ken Macdonald of River Glaven KC. The review will ensure police powers remain fit for purpose, are used consistently, and strike the right balance between protecting the public and upholding the right to lawful protest.  It is expected to report in the spring.

When he plans to respond to WPQ 107963 tabled on 23 January 2025.

A response has been issued here 107963.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Northern Ireland element of the Defence Growth Deal on (a) jobs and (b) private sector investment in areas beyond Greater Belfast.

The Northern Ireland Defence Growth Deal will combine defence and wider Government investment to support companies across a number of sub-sectors that are key for defence and align with Defence’s strategic priorities. The Deal will harness NI’s defence and dual-use strengths, driving innovation and increasing competitiveness. It is anticipated to attract significant private sector investment and support hundreds of jobs across Northern Ireland.

Whether he plans to announce an outcome of the consultation on the provision of statutory paid leave and job protection for parents of critically ill children by the summer recess.

As set out in the terms of reference for the review of employment rights for unpaid carers, the government plans to consult this year. The consultation response will be published during the final phase of the review. This will be between autumn 2026 and winter 2026/27.

If he will hold discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the funding implications of the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy announced in December 2025.

Strong transport connections are vital to strengthen links between communities and allow business to grow. I welcome the publication of the Rail Project Priorisation Strategy in December. Improved infrastructure in Northern Ireland will help support the Executive’s plans for economic growth and enable people to get to where they need to be. As transport, including railways, are devolved it is for the Northern Ireland Executive to determine their infrastructure investment priorities, within the record funding settlement for Northern Ireland announced by the Chancellor at the spending review.