Written questions by Maguire.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential impact of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 on the (a) effectiveness and (b) operational capabilities of UK defence.

The Ministry of Defence operates within the Computer Misuse Act 1990, and we ensure that our activities are legally covered. We do not comment on details for security reasons. The Computer Misuse Act (CMA) plays a vital role in ensuring that the UK has the right legislative framework to allow us to tackle cyber harms. The Government is committed to ensuring the CMA remains up to date and effective to tackle criminality.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of aging hospital infrastructure on clinical outcomes.

The safety of National Health Service staff and patients is of vital importance to the Government. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a key part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future through our 10-Year Health Plan.In July 2024, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care commissioned Lord Darzi to conduct an independent and immediate investigation of the NHS. This report provided the Department with an expert of understanding of the current performance of the NHS across England and the challenges facing the healthcare system. As highlighted in Lord Darzi’s independent review of the NHS in England, demand is growing for new and improved health infrastructure that addresses the deteriorating condition of the NHS estate. The Darzi Review highlighted the impact of aging infrastructure on clinical activity, finding that aging infrastructure affected services at 13 hospitals a day in 2022/23.As part of the management of their estate, NHS trusts regularly assess the physical condition of their estate. The Estates Related Information Collection survey collects data from trusts on the quality of their estate annually, including estates related incidents. The latest data is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/estates-returns-information-collection-summary-page-and-dataset-for-eric-202223

What estimate he has made of the (a) number and (a) value of unclaimed armed forces (i) preserved and (ii) deferred pensions; and what steps he is taking to pass those pensions to beneficiaries.

The answer to this question could only be provided at disproportionate cost as all Armed Forces’ pensions would require review and a forecast conducted to confirm they are payable and to give a value. However, it may be helpful to know that with regards to unclaimed pensions, once a pension reaches 60 working days past the point of being due for payment, proactive attempts are made to trace the pensioner. On receiving a current address, an explanatory letter and application form is sent advising that a pension may be due, and if returned, the deferred pension is put into payment. Where there is information advising that the individual is deceased, the Ministry of Defence engages to confirm whether there are dependants and then process as normal.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional short term funding to hospitals who are the (a) second and (b) third phase of the New Hospital Programme to help mitigate the impact of deteriorating infrastructure on working conditions.

The safety of National Health Service staff and patients is of vital importance to the Government. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a key part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future through our 10-Year Health Plan.Integrated care boards will collectively receive over £4 billion in annual capital allocations in 2025/26. These allocations are managed at a local level, with funds allocated according to local priorities, including estate maintenance works at New Hospital Programme sites. In addition, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also committed over £1 billion to make inroads into the backlog of critical maintenance and to tackle dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. Further detail on funding will follow at the earliest opportunity, including local capital allocations and national capital programmes for 2025 to 2026, as part of NHS capital planning guidance. Capital funding levels for future years will be determined through the current Spending Review which concludes in June 2025.

How many new firearms licence certificates have been granted in each of the last five years.

The Home Office collects and publishes information annually on the number of new firearms licence certificates that have been granted in the Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates publication. The latest available data is for the year ending 31 March 2024 and can be accessed at the following link: Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates: April 2023 to March 2024 - GOV. UK (www.gov.uk).The number of new firearms licence certificates that have been granted in each of the last five years can be found in data table 1.

If her Department will take steps to support households with one-off unexpected costs including boiler repairs.

Budgeting Advances help Universal Credit customers meet intermittent miscellaneous expenses, such as buying essential items like furniture or household equipment. These advances ensure that low-income families that have an emergency financial need and do not have access to adequate savings or affordable loans can access funding to meet the emergency. Only eligible customers are able to access Budgeting Advances and there are limits set out in regulation on the amount that can be awarded. Information on the eligibility criteria can be found in the House of Commons Library.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a national strategy to make properties built before 1920 more energy efficient.

The UK has the oldest housing stock in Europe and the government recognises that there is no “one-size-fits-all" approach to tackle the UK’s diverse building stock, and the need to ensure more historic buildings are able to achieve Net Zero. The Department commissioned research into complex to decarbonise homes and is currently considering the findings available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/defining-and-identifying-complex-to-decarbonise-homes.Our Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock. We have committed £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of exempting alms-houses from Selective Licensing charges.

Registered providers of social housing are exempt from selective licensing. Almshouses are able to register as providers of social housing, and this exemption will apply for those that do.Local authorities are responsible for selective licensing schemes in their area and have discretion to discount or waive selective licensing fees for almshouses.

What steps she is taking to provide financial support for families during the three-month waiting period before applying for Disability Living Allowance; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a short-term financial grant for parents in this situation.

The three month qualifying period is not a waiting period. Its purpose is to help establish that the disability or health condition, and the resulting care, supervision or mobility needs are of a long-standing nature. This ensures that disability benefits are targeted to support those with long term health conditions or disabilities. Children applying for DLA do not always have to wait for the full three months from the date of their claim before they become entitled to the benefit. The case manager will always look at whether, and for how long, the person has required the necessary level of help for care/daily living and/or mobility purposes before the date of claim and consider whether some or all of the qualifying period has already been completed. Children claiming DLA under the special rules for end of life do not have to satisfy the three--month qualifying period. Their claim is fast tracked, and they are eligible for the higher-rate care component from the date of claim. Financial and practical support may be available during the qualifying period, for example through the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme or support provided by Local Authority.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20117 on Defence Equipment Expenditure, when his Department plans to send that letter.

The response to Question 20117 on Defence Equipment Expenditure is in the process of being finalised and will be sent shortly.

Pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 16652 on Military Bases, if his Department will now provide a response.

I’d like to thank the hon. Member for her question. As she will understand collating this data is a considerable exercise but I’m pleased to confirm that I wrote to her on 27 January 2025 and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 902156 on Palestinians: Sovereignty, whether he has a planned timetable for recognising a Palestinian state.

The ceasefire marks the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability. Our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people. Palestinians must be given a credible route to a Palestinian state, which is the right of the Palestinian people. We will recognise a Palestinian state at a time that is most conducive to making statehood a reality, and we will continue working with partners to support a path to long term peace and stability with a two-state solution: a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

How many (a) UK and (b) other personnel were in the Joint Expeditionary Force in each year since 2016; and how much the UK has contributed to the Joint Expeditionary Force in the same period.

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) HQ is operated through the UK Standing Joint Force Headquarters, which undertakes several commitments. Depending on the activity, the HQ can routinely provide up to 82 people from across 10 nations, with further augmentation from across the forces; for example, JOINT PROTECTOR in November 2024 saw an augmentation of a further 36 UK personnel. The advantage of the JEF is its ability to scale up dynamically in accordance with the requirement by generating forces from across 10 nations to meet the specific need encountered. An additional three personnel in the MOD are also permanently engaged managing the UK’s commitments to the JEF as the Framework Nation, with Participant Nation provided desk officers in each of their own Ministry of Defence (MOD) equivalent strategic HQs. Numbers of personnel engaged in JEF activity since 2016 have not been overall recorded. However, approximate figures have been captured since 2021: YearJEF ActivityTotal No of PersonnelUK Personnel2021Ex JOINT PROTECTOR 215003502022Op MARZANNA 22 - Ex JOINT PROTECTOR 22200 - 500150 - 3502023ASGARD 23 - JEF WARRIOR JEF - Response Option 3.2300 - 30 - 700200 - 20 - 3502024NORDIC WARDEN - Ex JOINT PROTECTOR700 - 400350- 3002025 (to date)NORDIC WARDEN5020 2,6802,090 As for costs, the JEF provides a framework to pool sovereign resources and coordinate their effect but does not routinely retain or command these national assets from across the Participant Nations, therefore costs remain with the relevant Participant Nation providing them for that specific activity. The JEF Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in 2018, outlines the requirements and arrangements for nations contributing and participating in JEF activities, with all costs allocated on a case-by-case basis, with the general principle that costs fall where they lie.

If he will make an estimate of the (a) number of days and (b) proportion of expected lifespans that naval vessels spend in maintenance.

All Royal Navy ships rotate through planned operating cycles involving maintenance, upgrades, repair, training and deployment. This results in individual ships being at various levels of readiness at any one time in accordance with the Long-Term Operational Programme (LTOP) and operational needs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in Denmark on the US interest in Greenland.

The Foreign Secretary and I have repeatedly and publicly made clear that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and that the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark.The UK has a strong relationship with all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark and recognises the strategic importance of Greenland. We are working with our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Allies to ensure the stability and security of the High North and North Atlantic areas.

How much his Department has spent on recruitment consultants in each year since 2016; and how many personnel have been recruited to the (a) RAF, (b) Army, (c) Navy and (d) Marines in each year since 2016.

Since entering Government, we have taken immediate action to stop all non-essential Ministry of Defence consultancy spending. The information requested specifically on external recruitment consultants is not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The intake to the Armed Forces is published in the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics and can be found online.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the waiting time for Emergency Care in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

The Government recognises the pressures on the National Health Service during the winter period and the impact this is having on waiting times for emergency care, including in Epsom and Ewell.We are committed to supporting the NHS to improve performance and achieve the standards set out in the NHS Constitution, but we must be clear that there are no quick fixes.However, we are determined to turn things around through investment and reform. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £25.6 billion of additional healthcare funding over the next two years, and we will set out an urgent and emergency care improvement plan shortly, as well as a 10-Year Health Plan to radically reform the NHS and build a health service that is fit for the future.

Communities and Local Government, what support her Department provides to local authorities for English language tuition for (a) British National (Overseas) visa holders and (b) their families.

As part of MHCLG's Hong Kong British National (Overseas) [BN(O)] Welcome Programme, we fund local authorities in England up to £850 per adult BN(O) visa holder to support access to English language classes. This funding aims to help BN(O) visa holders and their dependents to improve their English language skills, facilitating better integration into their communities. The funding is demand-led, meaning it is based on current estimates of need. Local authorities are encouraged to collaborate with existing community groups and English language providers to build upon the existing local English language infrastructure. This approach helps to maximize the effectiveness of the support provided.

What discussions she has had with individual police forces on ensuring a timely administration of the Immediate Choice Police pension group to receive their McCloud remedy pension payments.

While the Home Office has responsibility for overarching policy and legislative changes to the police pension regulations, the police pension scheme is locally administered by individual police forces.It is for each Chief Constable, in their role as scheme manager for their force, to determine their administrative timetable, including when remedy payments will be distributed.The Home Office is actively collaborating with policing to support the effective implementation of the McCloud remedy for all affected individuals.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing domestic fee status for the children of British National (Overseas) visa holders in the UK.

Generally, to qualify for higher education (HE) student support and home fee status in England, a person must have settled status and have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) for the three years preceding the first day of the first academic year of their course.This means that under existing student support legislation, holders of a Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa would qualify for home fee status and financial support once they have acquired settled status in the UK and meet the three-year ordinary residence requirement. This also applies to any dependants who have been granted Hong Kong British National (Overseas) status.There are no plans to extend HE student support and home fee status to Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) or their dependants before they are settled in the UK.