Written questions by Smith.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to implement targeted sanctions on Chinese and Russian companies supplying (a) drones, (b) military hardware, (c) surveillance tools and (d) aviation fuel to the Myanmar government.

The UK has sanctioned a number of targets responsible for supplying arms to the military regime since the coup in 2021. In 2022, the UK sanctioned two Russian companies involved in the supply and upkeep of aircraft for the Myanmar Armed Forces. In October 2024, the UK issued its 19th round of sanctions, targeting companies involved in the procurement of aviation fuel and equipment to the Myanmar Armed Forces. The UK has now imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and entities in connection with the import of aviation fuel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date he last discussed levels of Chinese support for the military regime in Myanmar with his Chinese counterparts; and if he will publish the minutes of that meeting.

The UK regularly raises the Myanmar crisis with China and other neighbouring countries, including at the UN Security Council (UNSC). At the UNSC and other multilateral fora, the UK continues to call for the need for all actors to protect civilians and for the Myanmar military to cease violence and engage with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 5 Point Consensus. UK sanctions include a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to prohibit the owners of white label gambling operator TGP Europe from holding gambling licenses in the future.

Gambling operating licences are issued by the Gambling Commission, the regulator for gambling in Great Britain. Following the Commission’s investigation, TGP Europe surrendered their operating licence.Where a licensee surrenders its licence whilst a licence review is underway (as per section 116 of the Act), the Commission may still decide to continue its investigation to determine the facts of the case. This approach enables the Commission to refer to the investigation in the future if, for instance, the licensee applies for a new licence.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 41783 on Bet365, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Gambling Commission’s regulatory action against operators that fail to comply with the requirements of the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.

An assessment of which regulatory actions may be appropriate in a compliance case is for the Gambling Commission to make. The Commission expects licensed operators to obey the laws of all other jurisdictions in which they operate, such as China, and requires them to report any regulatory investigation or finding into their activities in any other jurisdiction.There are a variety of ways that the Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action. The Commission also has powers to launch criminal investigations and bring criminal proceedings against companies and individuals. Where a licensee is found to be operating illegally in another jurisdiction, the Commission may also consider their suitability to hold a licence to offer gambling services in Britain. However, it is for authorities in other jurisdictions to enforce their own gambling laws.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 41783 on Bet365, what enforcement measures the Gambling Commission has considered in relation to Bet365’s operations in China.

An assessment of which regulatory actions may be appropriate in a compliance case is for the Gambling Commission to make. The Commission expects licensed operators to obey the laws of all other jurisdictions in which they operate, such as China, and requires them to report any regulatory investigation or finding into their activities in any other jurisdiction.There are a variety of ways that the Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action. The Commission also has powers to launch criminal investigations and bring criminal proceedings against companies and individuals. Where a licensee is found to be operating illegally in another jurisdiction, the Commission may also consider their suitability to hold a licence to offer gambling services in Britain. However, it is for authorities in other jurisdictions to enforce their own gambling laws.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with international human rights organisations on (a) the Xinjiang Police Files and (b) the adequacy of human rights in the Uyghur Region.

This Government stands firm on human rights, including in Xinjiang, where China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uyghur Muslims. We continue to refer to the OHCHR's 2022 Xinjiang Assessment, which is based on independent evidence and China's own records, including the Xinjiang Police Files. We raise our concerns on human rights at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts. We continue to coordinate efforts with our international partners to hold China to account, for example, joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly in October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his (a) international and (b) Chinese counterparts on (i) the Xinjiang Police Files, published in 2022, and (ii) allegations of human rights violations in those documents.

This Government stands firm on human rights, including in Xinjiang, where China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uyghur Muslims. We continue to refer to the OHCHR's 2022 Xinjiang Assessment, which is based on independent evidence and China's own records, including the Xinjiang Police Files. We raise our concerns on human rights at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts. We continue to coordinate efforts with our international partners to hold China to account, for example, joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly in October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the Xinjiang Police Files in 2022.

This Government stands firm on human rights, including in Xinjiang, where China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uyghur Muslims. We continue to refer to the OHCHR's 2022 Xinjiang Assessment, which is based on independent evidence and China's own records, including the Xinjiang Police Files. We raise our concerns on human rights at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts. We continue to coordinate efforts with our international partners to hold China to account, for example, joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly in October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his counterpart in Ukraine on religious freedom, in the context of the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under law 3894.

We are deeply disturbed by the impact of Russia's illegal war on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Ukraine. In contrast, Ukraine's democracy is well known for its commitment to religious pluralism. The UK fully supports the intention behind Law 3894 "about protection of the constitutional system in field of activity of the religious organisations". The Ukrainian Government and religious leaders have offered reassurances that the law is not aimed at restricting freedom of religion or belief in Ukraine, but instead responds to clear national security threats. The Ukrainian Government is in ongoing consultation with religious and belief communities in Ukraine on the terms of the law, including the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of law 3894 on religious freedom in Ukraine.

We are deeply disturbed by the impact of Russia's illegal war on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Ukraine. In contrast, Ukraine's democracy is well known for its commitment to religious pluralism. The UK fully supports the intention behind Law 3894 "about protection of the constitutional system in field of activity of the religious organisations". The Ukrainian Government and religious leaders have offered reassurances that the law is not aimed at restricting freedom of religion or belief in Ukraine, but instead responds to clear national security threats. The Ukrainian Government is in ongoing consultation with religious and belief communities in Ukraine on the terms of the law, including the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations.

Media and Sport, what recent progress her Department has made on the establishment of the gambling ombudsman.

We are looking at options for improving Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provision for customers, including the establishment of a gambling ombudsman. The Minister for Gambling will confirm our plans in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the use of surveillance technology by authoritarian governments to target religious minorities; and what steps he is taking to ensure UK-based companies are not complicit in such repression through the (a) export and (b) licensing of relevant technologies.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. We are working bilaterally and multilaterally to hold countries to account for repression of religious or belief minorities.The UK takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and we operate one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. We will not grant an export licence for controlled surveillance technology, if to do so would be inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, including if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate internal repression. The UK has measures in place to ensure that the development, sale, export and use of any UK commercial surveillance tools happens responsibly. Such tools must not be used to facilitate arbitrary and unlawful surveillance, including the targeting of individuals or members of a group based on discriminatory grounds, or to violate or abuse human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Whether she has had discussions with the Metropolitan Police on the cost of (a) overtime payments, (b) equipment, (c) special measures and (d) mutual aid from the policing of protests outside the Royal Mint court on (i) 8 February and (ii) 5 March 2025.

The Home Secretary has regular meetings with all policing leaders, including the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), covering a range of matters.The police are operationally independent from the government. This means that the Home Office is unable to direct the police to take any particular operational decision, including those around the management of protests. How the police resource such events, including the management of overtime and other logistical considerations, is a matter for the police to decide. However, the Government expects the police to enforce the law as is necessary to maintain public safety.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve enforcement against unlicensed gambling operators.

We are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed.In the past year, the Commission has significantly increased its disruption activity and has a renewed focus on finding innovative ways to tackle the illegal market. Since April 2024, they have issued over 1,150 cease and desist, and disruption notices. In the same period, over 118,000 URLs relating to illegal gambling have been referred to search engines, Google and Bing, with over 81,000 URLs removed by those search engines.The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of enforcement action against unlicensed online gambling operators.

We are committed to working closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed.In the past year, the Commission has significantly increased its disruption activity and has a renewed focus on finding innovative ways to tackle the illegal market. Since April 2024, they have issued over 1,150 cease and desist, and disruption notices. In the same period, over 118,000 URLs relating to illegal gambling have been referred to search engines, Google and Bing, with over 81,000 URLs removed by those search engines.The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.

What steps he is taking to ensure that community-based glaucoma (a) monitoring, (b) referral and (c) refinement services are made available to patients in (i) Chingford and Woodford Green constituency and (ii) England.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services in their local areas to meet patient need, and this will include services to meet the needs of patients with glaucoma.The North East London ICB has confirmed that residents living in Chingford and Woodford Green already have access to glaucoma referral refinement and glaucoma monitoring services in the community.

What steps he is taking to move toward patient self-referral for community audiology services as a default pathway in (a) Chingford and Woodford Green constituency and (b) England.

Community audiology services are commissioned by integrated care boards. The priorities and operational planning guidance states that systems are expected to put in place self-referral routes to community audiology services. This was reiterated in the Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care, which specified audiology for older people including hearing aid provision as a service for which self-referral should be available.Self-referral is not offered for community audiology in north east London, and we have no reported issues with patient access or backlogs in adult audiology services. In Chingford and Woodford Green, residents have access to several community audiology providers in Waltham Forest, such as Audiological Science, Scrivens, Specsavers and The Outside Clinic, and also audiology services at Whipps Cross Hospital.As part of the National Health Service primary care access recovery plan in England, approximately 380,000 people per year have been able to self-refer for services such as incontinence support, community nursing, podiatry, audiology, and physiotherapy without seeing their general practitioner.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recent $1.5 billion cryptocurrency theft by North Korea; what steps he has taken to trace the assets and prevent further illicit transactions; what steps have been discussed to strengthen security protocols; and whether this has included the imposition of sanctions on cryptocurrency and related entities linked to North Korea.

The UK Government is aware of reporting relating to the recent cyber activity linked to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, involving the cryptocurrency exchange ByBit. The UK has been consistent in challenging malicious cyber activity carried out by North Korean groups. This has included exposing and sanctioning North Korean actors for disruptive attacks that impacted the NHS. The National Cyber Security Centre has also issued multiple Cyber Security Advisories specifically on threats from North Korean groups, informing UK technical audience on the way these groups operate and ways to defend against them. We do not comment on future sanctions as this could affect their impact.

What steps her Department is taking to improve (a) awareness and (b) understanding of (i) gambling-related suicide and (ii) other gambling-related harm at all levels of the justice system.

In the Ministry of Justice, general training on wellbeing and resilience is available to all Civil Servants and we provide guidance to employees on suicide and self-harm. In previous Mental Health Awareness Weeks, specific events on ‘gambling addiction and mental health’ were available to all staff.Within His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), National Debt Awareness week was observed in 2024, with several live events concerning gambling-related harms. Further materials such as the "Reach Out Save Lives" initiative, and bite-sized learning modules like the ‘HMPPS Problem Gambling: Prevalence and Practice’ course, are available to all staff. There is also the ‘Addiction to Gambling long-read’ which collates peer-reviewed literature on the matter and serves as operational guidance on working with those in prison and probation who experience gambling-related harms.Support for prisoners who are experiencing gambling-related harm is provided by the NHS.As an organisation, we take an evidence-based approach to ensure the Ministry of Justice is able to provide targeted support to respond to environmental factors. At this time, we are not planning any specific events training for the workforce related to gambling-related harm.

What steps her Department plans to take to improve training across all levels of the justice system on gambling-related harm.

The Ministry of Justice takes a person-centric approach to workplace wellbeing. Our support offer to individuals is delivered though the employee assistance programme, occupational health, staff networks and related policies. There have been a range of events and operational guidance made available to staff on gambling-related harms. In previous Mental Health Awareness Weeks, specific events on ‘gambling addiction and mental health’ were available to all staff.Within His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), National Debt Awareness week was observed in 2024, with several live events concerning gambling-related harms. Further materials such as the "Reach Out Save Lives" initiative, and bite-sized learning modules like the ‘HMPPS Problem Gambling: Prevalence and Practice’ course, are available to all staff. There is also the ‘Addiction to Gambling long-read’ which collates peer-reviewed literature on the matter and serves as operational guidance on working with those in prison and probation who experience gambling-related harms.As an organisation, we take an evidence-based approach to ensure the Ministry of Justice is able to provide targeted support to respond to environmental factors. At this time, we are not planning any specific events training for the workforce related to gambling-related harm.