Written questions by Maguire.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of updating the Environment Agency’s treatment plant discharge permits to account for seasonal low flows.

The Environment Agency (EA) considers seasonal variations, including periods of low river flow, when setting and reviewing environmental permits for water discharge and groundwater activities under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. Where evidence shows that changing flow patterns, such as more frequent or prolonged low flows, affect environmental risk, the EA can review and vary permits accordingly. Defra keeps permitting approaches under review, taking account of evolving hydrological data, climate change projections, and wider environmental objectives to ensure permits remain protective, proportionate, and responsive to changing pressures. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan spill frequency targets for storm overflows (ecological, bathing and rainfall targets) are defined as an average over 10 consecutive years. It is recognised that a 10-year assessment requires significant time to determine permit compliance and therefore, to secure early identification of underperforming storm overflows, the EA may use a shorter-term regulatory compliance assessment.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the £104 billion investment in water and sewage infrastructure announced in July 2025 is aligned with figures proposed in water companies’ most recent Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans.

All English and Welsh water and sewerage companies published their final Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs), which informed the 2024 periodic review. These DWMPs were produced on a voluntary basis to industry-led guidance. The current cycle of DWMPs, which is now statutory, is supported by new Government guidance [Guidelines for Statutory Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs) - GOV.UK]. This cycle of DWMPs will inform the next periodic review and related water company infrastructure investment.

Whether he plans to bring forward the timeline for social care reform.

The Government is already delivering reform to adult social care and progressing towards a future National Care Service. This progress is built on higher standards, greater choice and control, and better join-up between services — with over £4 billion of additional funding available for adult social care by 2028/29.We are:Raising the quality of care, including by legislating for a Fair Pay Agreement backed by £500 million, expanding career pathways, and investing £12 million in workforce development.Improving join-up between health and social care through neighbourhood health services, reform of the Better Care Fund, and enhanced digital and data infrastructure to support safer, more personalised care.Expanding choice and control, including through encouraging the greater use of direct payments, £172 million for home adaptations, and new care technology standards to help people choose the right support.To help shape medium and longer-term reforms, the Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, chaired by Baroness Casey, will report in two phases — first in 2026, and again by 2028. Implementation will follow each phase. We have been clear that addressing the complex, deep-rooted challenges facing the sector will take time. This timeline allows Baroness Casey to carry out the national conversation needed to reach broad public and cross-party consensus on reforms to build a social care system fit for the future.

Food and Rural Affairs, (a) what recent assessment her Department has made of adequacy of the ecological health of chalk streams; and (b) what steps she is taking to meet Environment Act 2021 targets for their recovery.

Under the Environment Act 2021, a legally binding target was set to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture entering the water environment by 40% by 2038. We have committed to a review of the Environmental Improvement Plan which will set out how Defra will deliver our ambitious Environment Act targets to clean up our waterways. This Government is already taking action to restore our chalk streams to better ecological health. Our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan ensures chalk streams are prioritised for improvement as part of the record £11 billion investment to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows in England and Wales. We are reducing the risk of harmful abstraction by an estimated 126 million litres daily by 2030 through the amendment of water company abstraction licences, protecting vital water flows to these fragile ecosystems.

What steps he is taking to support (a) schools, (b) sports clubs and (c) community groups with the cost of purchasing defibrillators.

The Department of Health and Social Care’s Community AED Fund delivered 3,080 new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to local communities between September 2023 and February 2025.The Department for Education has published specific guidance on the provision of AEDs in schools. This guidance is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67936b102de28ea2d392f35b/Automated_External_Defibrillators__AEDs__guidance_for_schools.pdf

What steps his Department is taking to increase funding for sexual health services in Surrey.

Upper tier local authorities in England, including Surrey, are responsible for commissioning comprehensive, open access to most sexual health services (SHSs) funded through the public health grant (PHG). In 2025/26, we increased funding through the PHG to £3.884 billion, providing local authorities with an average 6.1% cash increase and a 3.4% real terms increase, the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending.From 2026/27, we will bring together over £4 billion of public health funding for local government by consolidating service-specific grants into the PHG. Individual local authorities are well-placed to make funding and commissioning decisions about the SHSs that best meet the needs of their local populations.The Government is committed to ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030 and is developing a new HIV Action Plan in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and a broad range of system partners, which we aim to publish this year. The Action Plan will have a key objective to support the system to work better together in the delivery of SRH services.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of President Trump’s State visit in September 2025.

Costs related to the State Visit will be published on GOV.UK in the usual way. President Trump's State Visit heralded a new era of the special relationship - securing a record £150 billion of inward investment from US companies and saw the signature of the first ever UK-US tech agreement.

What steps his Department is taking to promote regular exercise.

The Government and the National Health Service recognise that reducing physical inactivity in people of all ages is important in helping people live longer, healthier lives. Building movement back into people’s everyday lives is a key part of the Health Mission and requires action across the Government and the NHS to deliver, as part of the shift from treatment to prevention.As committed to in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will develop a national movement campaign led by Brendan Foster and will explore ways to recognise what places and communities are doing to help people build movement back into everyday lives. Wider cross-Government action is underway to invest in grassroots sport, develop a new physical education and school sports partnership network, to support children in reaping the benefits of movement, and to support cycling and walking infrastructure and promote active travel.The NHS Better Health Campaign promotes ways for people of all ages to move more, and signposts to digital support like the NHS Couch to 5k and the NHS Active 10 walking app providing free and accessible ways of building movement into everyday life.

Innovation and Technology, if her Department will issue guidance to businesses to protect against cyber-attacks.

The government has written to Chairs and CEOs of the largest UK companies and asked them to better identify and protect themselves from cyber threats by making cyber a board-level priority by using the Cyber Governance Code, signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Early Warning service, and requiring Cyber Essentials in supply chains. These actions are relevant to all businesses, who can also help protect themselves by using the wide range of free advice, training and tools available on the NCSC website, including the check your cyber security tool and the Cyber Action Toolkit for small businesses.

What steps his Department is taking to support young offenders identified as SEND.

The Ministry of Justice does not currently hold the requested data on the number of young offenders identified as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). However, in 2023 the Ministry of Justice introduced a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) which measures the proportion of children with identified SEND and whether they have a formal support plan in place. KPI data is intended to be published by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) after complete collection of 2025/26 data and ensuring quality standards are met.The Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education jointly hold a linked dataset - the MoJ DfE share - which may provide helpful context: Education, children's social care and offending. This analysis examines a cohort of children who were cautioned or sentenced for an offence between the ages of 10 and 17, comparing their education and social care characteristics, including whether they had ever been identified as having Special Educational Needs, with those of the wider pupil population.The Ministry of Justice recognises the importance of SEND within the youth justice system and is committed to ensuring that children with SEND receive the right support to meet their individual needs and reduce reoffending.Last year, this Government invested over £100 million for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) to deliver multi-agency support for young people, including those with SEND, who have offended or are at risk of offending. This included extending the Turnaround early intervention programme until March 2026. Turnaround supports children on the cusp of the justice system, via bespoke interventions including social and emotional support and mentoring. In the first year of delivery, to December 2023, 27% (2,214) of children who proceeded to a Turnaround assessment had a formally recognised SEND.Moreover, the Ministry of Justice has funded training for youth solicitors, through the Youth Justice Legal Centre, to help them identify and respond to children’s individual needs, including communication difficulties. The Department also funds intermediaries to facilitate effective communication with children who have specialist communication needs in court.To support inclusion, Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) have Neurodiversity Support Managers, and public-run YOIs have qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children.

What support his Department provides to people with migraine in employment; whether migraine is recognised as a disabling condition where appropriate; and what steps he is taking to promote migraine-friendly workplace policies.

Employers are crucial in enhancing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and those with health conditions, such as migraines, to thrive in the workforce. All employers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace where a disabled person would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act and providing guidance on reasonable adjustments. Migraines may be recognised as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, where the condition has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The Act does not list specific conditions but applies broadly to any physical or mental impairment meeting this definition. There are a range of existing initiatives that already provide support. The Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. The scheme provides resources such as the Disability Confident Manager’s Guide, which includes guidance on flexible working and workplace adjustments. The Government also offers tailored guidance to employers on supporting disabled people and people with health conditions in the workplace, through its Support with Employee Health and Disability service. This includes guidance on disclosures and having conversations about health and disabilities, plus guidance on legal obligations and making reasonable adjustments and we continue to explore ways to increase access to occupational health services. The WorkWell pilot provides low intensity integrated work and health support for people with health-related barriers to work and is live in 15 areas across England. Participants get a holistic assessment, and a tailored support plan that can include employer liaison and advice on workplace adjustments. In our Get Britain Working White Paper, published November 2024, we committed support for employers to recruit, retain and develop staff. As part of that, the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Business and Trade have asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead ‘Keep Britain Working’, an independent review to consider how best to support and enable employers to recruit and retain more people with health conditions and disabilities, promote healthy workplaces, and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence. Sir Charlie Mayfield will deliver a final report with recommendations later in the autumn.

How many young offenders are identified as SEND.

The Ministry of Justice does not currently hold the requested data on the number of young offenders identified as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). However, in 2023 the Ministry of Justice introduced a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) which measures the proportion of children with identified SEND and whether they have a formal support plan in place. KPI data is intended to be published by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) after complete collection of 2025/26 data and ensuring quality standards are met.The Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education jointly hold a linked dataset - the MoJ DfE share - which may provide helpful context: Education, children's social care and offending. This analysis examines a cohort of children who were cautioned or sentenced for an offence between the ages of 10 and 17, comparing their education and social care characteristics, including whether they had ever been identified as having Special Educational Needs, with those of the wider pupil population.The Ministry of Justice recognises the importance of SEND within the youth justice system and is committed to ensuring that children with SEND receive the right support to meet their individual needs and reduce reoffending.Last year, this Government invested over £100 million for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) to deliver multi-agency support for young people, including those with SEND, who have offended or are at risk of offending. This included extending the Turnaround early intervention programme until March 2026. Turnaround supports children on the cusp of the justice system, via bespoke interventions including social and emotional support and mentoring. In the first year of delivery, to December 2023, 27% (2,214) of children who proceeded to a Turnaround assessment had a formally recognised SEND.Moreover, the Ministry of Justice has funded training for youth solicitors, through the Youth Justice Legal Centre, to help them identify and respond to children’s individual needs, including communication difficulties. The Department also funds intermediaries to facilitate effective communication with children who have specialist communication needs in court.To support inclusion, Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) have Neurodiversity Support Managers, and public-run YOIs have qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children.

When his Department plans to set a timeline for the consultation on leave and pay for parents of critically ill children.

The government has already committed to publish a terms of reference and timeline for its ongoing review of employment rights for unpaid carers this autumn. This will also outline the scope and include a timeline for consulting on employment rights for parents of seriously ill children.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help promote democracy in Russia.

The UK has consistently called on Russia to cease repression, release political prisoners and to safeguard space for independent media and civil society, most recently at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on 6 October, and will continue to do so. The UK supported the renewal of the UN's Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Russia this September.

What steps his Department is taking to increase women’s engagement with healthcare providers for fertility concerns.

There are no particular measures in place to increase women’s engagement with healthcare providers for fertility concerns.More broadly, achieving our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service will rely critically on a strong partnership working between health and social care, also working closely with wider local government services and the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector to better understand and meet the needs of individuals and local populations in a holistic way.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) current and (b) future impact of the number of people seeking asylum in the UK because of the impact of climate change in their countries of origin.

The Home Office regularly assess all potential current and future causes of asylum and irregular migration to the UK, including the impact of climate change on the movement of people. The Home Office and other Government departments consider all available evidence to assess the situation.There is mixed evidence on the impact of climate change on migration flows. FCDO conducted a Rapid Evidence Assessment and found strong evidence that climatic shock events are linked to increased internal and, to a lesser extent, international, migration. In the medium- to long-term, other gradual climate-related emergencies may impact migratory movements, though this is likely to be within the borders or to the immediate neighbours of countries with low climate resilience. The report found there are no rigorous global estimates of the number of people displaced by or migrating in response to weather shocks or climate change, and high-end projections of future climate-related migration are not considered credible.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with European counterparts on joint sanctions for people attempting to forcibly deport and indoctrinate Ukrainian children.

As the Foreign Secretary said in her statement to the House on 15 October: "The forcible deportation - and kidnapping - of almost 20,000 Ukrainian children by Russia is one of the most disturbing aspects of this war. We have been supporting organisations such as Bring Kids Back UA and Save Ukraine, which are supporting efforts to return Ukrainian children. Just two weeks ago, Baroness Harman attended the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children event at the UN General Assembly. We will continue to do all we can to support the return of those children."Last month, the UK announced sanctions against those supporting the forcible deportation, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children, a despicable and systematic attempt to erase Ukrainian identity, and with it, Ukraine's future. Our sanctions aim to hold those responsible to account and shed light on those crimes. UK sanctions are strategically coordinated with allies to impose severe costs on Putin and his regime. We work closely with EU partners, and where appropriate, we seek to align our approaches to sanctions, including against those involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of people with epilepsy in the workplace.

Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. Disabled people and people with health conditions, including epilepsy, are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including epilepsy, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell. It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the DWP and DHSC Joint Work & Health Directorate (JWHD) is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025. Additionally, the JWHD has developed a digital information service for employers, continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme, and continues to increase access to Occupational Health.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implication for her policies of the the IMF report, the Urgency of Conflict Prevention – A Macroeconomic Perspective, published in 2024.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international financial institutions (IFIs) bring valuable expertise and investment to address key drivers of fragility and conflict, improving employment and livelihoods, natural resource management, access to essential services and governance.The UK is working closely with IFIs to prioritise early engagement in conflict prevention. This includes enhancing the use of analytics to anticipate potential conflict, increasing funding in at-risk areas before violence breaks out, and guiding timely interventions.

What steps her Department is taking to close chat-mediated services that facilitate the purchasing of Russian crypto assets in Britain.

Since 2020 UK cryptoasset firms have been subject to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Regulations, requiring strict supervision, customer checks and suspicious activity reporting. Since 2023, these firms have also been required to collect, verify and share information about the sender and receiver of transfers.The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (2023) gave law enforcement new powers to seize criminal cryptoassets. These powers, alongside the 475 new financial investigators funded by the Economic Crime Levy, new crypto track-and-trace technologies, and public-private working, empower law enforcement to tackle crypto crime, including peer-to-peer transactions between self-hosted wallets.In addition, Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) works alongside other government agencies to tackle the threats posed to sanctions by illicit cryptoasset activity. OFSI’s recent Cryptoassets Threat Assessment informs how UK cryptoasset firms can combat breaches. OFSI is fully prepared to pursue any sanctions offences, and continues to scale up its enforcement capacity.