Written questions by McMurdock.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32835 on Health Services: Migrants, whether (a) his Department and (b) the NHS has made an assessment of the potential merits of collecting patient information categorised by immigration status; and if he will consider making this his policy.

The Department and the National Health Service do not collect patient information categorised by immigration status. No assessment has been made or is planned by the Department or the NHS to collect patient information categorised in this way.Due to the way in which data is held across multiple agencies, it is not possible to categorise the total number of people who have received medical treatment by immigration status.NHS treatment is prioritised by clinical need, and resources are allocated by integrated care boards based on the specific clinical requirements of a local area, with all patients treated equally.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the average wait time for an Employment tribunal application to reach a tribunal hearing.

Following recruitment, in 2024 we had 21 more salaried and 34 more fee-paid judges than in 2023, with further fee paid judge appointments to follow; and recruitment for up to 36 salaried Employment Judges commencing on 13 March 2025. HMCTS continues to invest in improving tribunal productivity through the recruitment of additional judges, deployment of Legal Officers to actively manage cases, the development of modern case management systems, and the use of remote hearing technology. A ‘Virtual Region’ of judges has delivered over 1,500 extra sitting days, which has allowed judicial capacity in certain regions of the country to be made available to hold remote hearings in other parts where capacity is stretched. The demand and pressures on London and the South East are particularly acute, and this initiative has allowed sitting capacity in other regions, such as Scotland, Wales etc to be deployed to ease them. The Lord Chancellor was able to announce on 5 March a sitting day allocation for the Employment Tribunals of 33,900 in 2025/26, the maximum allocation they are able to sit. We recognise that there remain significant challenges for the performance of the Employment Tribunals. We are therefore continuing to monitor demand on Employment Tribunals and will work with the judiciary and HMCTS on any further actions needed to improve efficiency and reduce waiting times.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the rate of statutory sick pay on financial costs for small businesses.

The Department undertook a Regulatory Impact Assessment covering the measures in the Employment Rights Bill to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay: removing the Lower Earnings Limit and the waiting period. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments. The Regulatory Impact Assessment estimates that small and micro businesses pay around 60% of the annual SSP cost to employer.

Whether he plans to allow businesses to retain the ability to offer zero-hours contracts where that is in the interests of employees.

The Employment Rights Bill seeks to end exploitative zero hours contracts, ensuring that all jobs provide a baseline of security and predictability so workers can better plan their lives and finances. We recognise that some workers need and value the flexibility that a zero hours contract can provide.Under the Bill, those who are offered guaranteed hours will be able to turn these down and remain on their current contract or arrangement if they wish.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the expansion of solar farms does not compromise domestic food security.

The Government recognises that food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers. To support this commitment, the Government has launched a consultation on Land Use in England. The outcome will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later this year, which will provide certainty and clarity to landowners and land managers as they transition towards new farming models in a way that protects the most productive agricultural land, and best secures the nation’s long term food security. The National Planning Policy Framework is also clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential economic impact of agricultural land being converted to solar energy production on farming communities.

The Government recognises that food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers. To support this commitment, the Government has launched a consultation on Land Use in England. The outcome will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later this year, which will provide certainty and clarity to landowners and land managers as they transition towards new farming models in a way that protects the most productive agricultural land, and best secures the nation’s long term food security. The National Planning Policy Framework is also clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of solar farm developments on the availability of agricultural land for food production.

The Government recognises that food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers. To support this commitment, the Government has launched a consultation on Land Use in England. The outcome will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later this year, which will provide certainty and clarity to landowners and land managers as they transition towards new farming models in a way that protects the most productive agricultural land, and best secures the nation’s long term food security. The National Planning Policy Framework is also clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to introduce soil management requirements for solar farm developments.

Defra has no plans to introduce soil management requirements for solar farm developments. However, Biodiversity Net Gain and other mechanisms will influence how the soil/land is managed over the lifespan of the panels after construction. When considering development proposals that affect agricultural land and soils, the Government also encourages developers and local planning authorities to refer to relevant Government policies and guidance that aim to protect all soils by managing them in a sustainable way.

What steps he is taking to ensure the transparency of all spending related to the Government's response to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.

The Government regularly publishes the cost to government in responding to the Inquiry. Most recently, costs for Quarter 3 2024/25 were published on 3 March 2025.

How much each Department has spent on legal costs in responding to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.

It is important that lessons are learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic. The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is independent of government and it is right that we allow the Chair to continue her important work. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work, and she has been clear in her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible. The Cabinet Office regularly publishes government costs, including legal costs, in responding to the Inquiry. These publications show that from the start of the 2023/24 financial year to the end of Q3 2024/25, the government has spent approximately £42.3m on legal costs.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support working age non-graduates find permanent employment.

The Get Britain Working White Paper set out Governments ambition to reduce economic inactivity and increase the number of people in work.Key proposals include:Creating a new jobs and careers service to support more people into work and help them progress in their careers.Introducing a Youth Guarantee for all 18-21 year olds in England, ensuring they have access to education, training, or help to find work.Developing local Get Britain Working plans to tackle economic inactivity at a local level, led by Mayors and local areas.Launching the Keep Britain Working review, an independent review into the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces.Reforming health and disability benefits to support people who can work to remain in or start employment. In addition, more pre-employment training courses are being made available to benefit claimants through an expansion of DWP’s Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). (Up from 80,000 a year in 2021/22 to 2024/25, to 100,000 a year from 2025/26.) SWAPs offer certain participants in England and Scotland the opportunity of training towards a job in a particular industry, alongside a work placement and a guaranteed interview. We have set out plans to overhaul our support for employers by hosting summits with representatives across sectors crucial to growth, serving employers through a dedicated team, providing an account manager for employers and commissioning Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead an independent review into the role of employers in reducing health-related inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces. In addition, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is tasked with making work pay through upgrading workers' rights and engaging businesses, with a focus on key sectors to take advantage of new opportunities and promote growth. The DBT's Employment Rights Bill and Industrial Strategy Council aim to make work more secure, boost wages, and help working people thrive.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the National Security Online Information Team: privacy notice, published on 16 April 2024, what steps his Department is taking to identify the potential risks to (a) public safety and (b) national security that the National Security Online Information Team focuses on; and what measures his Department has put in place to ensure that this process is politically impartial.

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers. NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.

Innovation and Technology, what personal data the National Security Online Information Team may (a) receive and (b) process in the course of its work.

DSIT’s National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) does not actively collect personal data. However, it may receive or process some personal data in the course of its work and follows the requirements of UK GDPR and any advice or guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office. NSOIT has published privacy notices on Gov.uk which set out how personal data may be processed. These notices include a section explaining the public’s data protection rights and how to establish if NSOIT does hold any individual data.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the processes used by the National Security Online Information Team in determining what online content is a risk to (a) national security and (b) public safety.

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers. NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the collection of (a) political and (b) philosophical opinions by the National Security Online Information Team.

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers. NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has met representatives of Faculty AI.

DSIT’s contract with Faculty AI came into force in February 2024. Details of that contract can be found here. DSIT officials routinely engage with representatives of Faculty AI as part of the contract management process.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with the Centre for Countering Digital Hate on monitoring online content.

Ministers, special advisers, and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings, including the purpose of meetings, are published quarterly on the gov.uk website.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department plans to provide for countering disinformation online in each of the next three financial years.

In October 2023 the Counter Disinformation Unit became the National Security and Online Information Team (NSOIT). The name more accurately reflects the team’s revised remit to identify and understand information threats that pose national security and public safety risks to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. It would not be appropriate for me to share details of the department’s spend on counter-disinformation as this could give hostile actors insights into UK capabilities.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the National Security Online Information Team on freedom of expression.

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers. NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.

Innovation and Technology, what (a) themes and (b) trends will be monitored by the Counter Disinformation Data Platform.

DSIT uses the Counter Disinformation Data Platform (CDDP) in accordance with relevant existing UK legislation, including on data protection and human rights.DSIT officials use the platform to analyse disinformation narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to risks to national security and public safety, which is a remit set by ministers. In line with the role of government and DSIT’s compliance policies, the CDDP is not used to restrict freedom of expression.