Written questions by Maguire.

Whether her Department plans to review the Child Maintenance Service threshold for assessing (a) inheritance and (b) other non-earned income.

Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax, including bonuses and overtime received by an employed paying parent, is included within their gross weekly income when calculating a child maintenance liability.The Department has been conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s social trends. The review will also consider the treatment of unearned income and assets within the automatic calculation. Unearned income and assets can still be captured through the current variation process up until changes are introduced.

Whether his Department is conducting or plans to commission research into the long-term health impacts of explosive exposure for military personnel.

Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials reviewed with interest the recent British Journal of Urology International research letter on a potentially increased risk of bladder cancer in military personnel exposed to explosive ordnance. This is a complex scientific area, and the MOD has referred this matter to the Independent Medical Expert Group (IMEG) for their independent medical advice. The possible link between exposure to explosives and an increased risk of bladder cancer among military personnel will be discussed by the IMEG at their June 2025 meeting.

What guidance is available for councils contracting private security firms to patrol town centres.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is a Home Office arm’s length body established by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA) as the regulator of the private security industry.The SIA publishes guidance for buyers of private security which is available at: Do you buy security?.Complaints or concerns about the SIA, or about private security companies, or people working in the private security industry, can be raised at: Complaints procedure - Security Industry Authority - GOV.UK, Report a Crime or Concern.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed reforms to Personal Independence Payment on households with (a) one and (b) more than one young carer.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of removing return tickets on disabled people.

We will carefully consider and give due to regard to any equality considerations as we move to improve fares and ticketing for passengers. To ensure disabled passengers are not disadvantaged, they can get a one third discount on their fares with a Disabled Persons' Railcard.

If he will make an estimate of the current number of hospital beds occupied by patients who are medically fit for discharge.

Data collections that monitor the number of patients who are medically fit for discharge but who are not discharged are available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/discharge-delays/acute-discharge-situation-report/

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to expand the designation of vessels considered part of Russia’s shadow fleet.

The Prime Minister has been clear that we must strengthen economic pressure on the Kremlin. The UK has led international efforts to disrupt Russia's shadow fleet, which it spent over $10 billion to purchase. We have sanctioned 129 oil tankers under this government with many ships left idling outside ports, costing Putin and his war effort millions in wasted funds. We have also spearheaded a 49-nation 'Call to Action' against the shadow fleet condemning the risks that it poses to the environment, maritime safety and security, and adherence to international maritime law. We do not comment on future designations as this could affect their impact.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 27962 on Police: Workplace Pensions, whether she plans to calculate the cost of allowing police survivors who (a) remarry and (b) cohabit after losing a spouse who had a pre-2006 police pension scheme to retain their full pension entitlement.

The 1987 Police Pension Scheme provides a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. In common with most other public service pension schemes of that time, these benefits cease to be payable where the widow, widower or civil partner remarries or cohabits with another partner. With the introduction of the 2006 and 2015 police pension schemes, all eligible police officers were able to join a pension scheme that provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse.From 1 April 2015, the 1987 Police Pension Scheme was amended to allow widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers who have died as a result of an injury on duty to receive their survivor benefits for life regardless of remarriage, civil partnership or cohabitation.There are no plans at this time to make any further changes to benefits accrued in the 1987 police scheme.

If he will make an assessment of the merits of reintroducing the requirement for companies to report their charitable donations.

The requirement for companies to disclose charitable donations in their annual reports was removed in 2013. This decision followed a consultation in which two-thirds of respondents supported its removal, after an impact assessment found no evidence that the requirement increased levels of charitable giving. Removing reporting that is redundant or duplicative is consistent with our ongoing Non-Financial Reporting Review that aims to streamline and modernise non-financial reporting requirements. A consultation will be published at the end of this year offering respondents an opportunity to comment on non-financial reporting requirements relevant to the Annual Report.

What proportion of (a) Challenger 2, (b) Warrior, (c) Boxer and (d) protected patrol vehicles were (i) fit for service and (ii) not fit for service in each year since 2015.

We do not routinely disclose a breakdown of total capability fleets in the interests of security and operational effectiveness. However, the total fleet figures of Challenger 2, Warrior and Protected Mobility Vehicles since 2016 can be found in the annual UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations statistics. This is accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with Thames Water on the adequacy of the time it takes to stop sewage overflows.

My officials and I have regular conversations with Thames Water and other water companies to discuss a range of activities, including the reduction of sewage discharges. I am also meeting with the boards of all water companies, including Thames Water, to set out the government’s expectation of improved performance across all metrics. Cleaning up England’s rivers, lakes and seas is a priority for the government. The government has taken immediate and substantial action to address the performance of water companies who are not delivering for the environment or their customers.That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act. This will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector. Furthermore, as part of Ofwat’s Price Review 2024 settlement, Thames Water will undertake a significant investment programme to improve the environment over the 2025-30 period. These investments include: £784 million to reduce the use of storm overflows and £1.2 billion to prevent nutrient pollution. Ofwat expects the reduction of the use of storm overflows by at least 29% by 2029-30, down to an average of 14.2 spills per overflow.

Which recommendations of the Etherton Report have yet to be implemented; and what his planned timeline is for the implementation of those outstanding recommendations.

As of 1 April 2025, 42 of the 49 recommendations have been implemented, with work to implement the outstanding seven recommendations underway, demonstrating our commitment to supporting the LGBT veteran community. Of the seven remaining recommendations, two are for Defence and five are for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Defence officials are also supporting DHSC colleagues with progressing their five remaining recommendations (recommendations 31, 35, 36, 38 and 42). The two for Defence include recommendation 44 focusing on female veterans affected by the ban; this will be implemented as part of the new inclusive veterans’ strategy. Recommendation 17 to implement a dedicated memorial to LGBT personnel at the National Memorial Arboretum is expected to be unveiled before the end of 2025. Defence encourages those affected to apply for non-financial restorative measures and the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme by completing the application forms available at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/lgbt-veterans-support-and-next-steps.

What steps his Department has taken to protect British supply chains from Russian interference and sabotage.

We closely monitor the impact of global conflicts including the extent of Russian content in our critical programmes and the supply chains that support them, with the aim of identifying and managing emergent issues. The Department is actively engaged in a range of activity to de-risk critical defence supply chain vulnerabilities to enable us to make informed decisions around if and how to intervene. We work collaboratively with industry to mitigate risks via initiatives such as the recent joint Ministry of Defence (MOD)-industry wargaming event. The MOD also continues to work alongside the National Protective Security Authority and with allies to ensure our industry colleagues are aware of the threats posed by Russia, and the National Security and Investment Act 2021 is used to address national security risks posed by malign Russian ownership where appropriate.

How many incidents of Russian military activity in (a) the North Sea, (b) the English Channel, (c) the Irish Sea and (d) the North Atlantic his Department has recorded per month for the last 24 months.

The Royal Navy continuously monitors UK waters and stands ready to respond to the presence of Russian vessels. For reasons of national security, we cannot disclose the specific number of incidents of Russian military activity recorded during any given period.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions to the level of the Personal Independence Payment on people in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

No estimate has yet been made.Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

What processes his Department undertook in its impact assessment into proposals for the Care Quality Commission to regulate sporting and cultural events; and if he will publish that work.

The Manchester Arena Inquiry Volume Two report recommended that the Government make changes to the law to enable the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to regulate event healthcare at sporting venues and gymnasiums and at temporary sporting and cultural events, to ensure public safety.The Government has considered the impacts of this change, and a public consultation allowed stakeholders to provide information on the potential effects. A de minimis impact assessment was developed, which looked at a range of options and considered the impact on the event sector and event healthcare providers. The assessment includes costs, benefits, and risks.An updated de minimis assessment will be published before the Statutory Instrument is laid before Parliament. This will outline the direct cost to business. The Government and the CQC continue to engage with stakeholders within the health, sports, and events sector regarding the changes in the regulations and their impact.

What the average number of months are between a service person enlisting and leaving the (a) Navy, (b) RAF and (c) Army; what the 2015 average number of months was between a service person enlisting and leaving the (a) Navy, (b) RAF and (c) Army; and what the 2020 average number of months was between a service person enlisting and leaving the (a) Navy, (b) RAF and (c) Army.

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to her when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Innovation and Technology, how many cables his Department has recorded as damaged or suspected of being damaged by Russian ships in (a) the North Sea, (b) the English Channel, (c) the Irish Sea and (d) the North Atlantic in each of the last 24 months.

Accidental cable damage from industrial maritime activity is part of the cable operating ecosystem. There are 65 cables systems connecting to the UK, with 45 of those cables connecting internationally. The large continental shelf and busy maritime sector in the UK mean there are a high number of accidental breaks each year, 12-15 mainly caused by industrial fishing and some from anchor drags or drops, and a small amount by underwater seismic activity. In the UK we have an exemption from permitting for emergency repairs meaning we have the fastest repair time in the world at 5-7 days. The cables provide redundancy for each other as data is diverted along other cables while a cable waits for repair.We are aware Supporting cable repair industry and working with international partners to deter this activity through initiatives such as the Joint Declaration on cooperation to protect energy and telecommunications infrastructure in the North Sea, NATO’s Baltic Sentry and the Joint Expeditionary Forces Nordic Warden.

With reference to the Professor Alice Sullivan's review entitled Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, published on 19 March 2025, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to establish a new non-departmental public body to (a) standardise and (b) improve the effectiveness of the work of the (i) Council of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations and (b) the Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations.

The 2019 Review of the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCAs) was published on 24 March 2020 and placed in the Library of the House. The Review recommended that the Council of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (CRFCA) and the 13 RFCAs should be merged into a single Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), with a National Office and a set of regional organisations. The review can be found at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-the-reserve-forces-cadets-associations-2019. The NDPB implementation work was paused in March 2023 due to it failing to obtain a legislative slot in the last Parliament, but this work has now re-commenced, and we are currently progressing work on the required legislation.

How many (a) type 23 Duke Class, (b) type 31 Inspiration Class and (c) type 26 City Class frigates the UK navy has; how many of each of those types are currently not fit for purpose; and for each frigate currently not fit for purpose, how many days each ship has been out of service.

The Royal Navy operates eight Type 23 Frigates, and as of 2 April 2025, six Type 23 frigates are at readiness and available for operations. Each ship follows a normal operating cycle, going through different readiness levels based on their schedules and maintenance. In addition to the eight operational Type 23 frigates, the Royal Navy has three that are in the process of being decommissioned. It has been 321 days since the decision to retire HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll, and 133 days for HMS Northumberland. The retirement announcements are part of the UK’s plan to modernise its surface fleet. The Royal Navy will replace the Type 23 Frigates with new Type 26 and Type 31 Frigates. All eightType 26 ships are scheduled to enter service between 2028 and 2035, with all five Type 31 ships expected to be operational by the early 2030s.