Written questions by McMurdock.

How many alerts were triggered by alcohol monitoring tags in December 2024; and what proportion of those alerts resulted in enforcement action, including recall to prison and return to court.

The Department keeps the use of alcohol monitoring under review and has commissioned a programme of evaluations to assess impact on compliance and reoffending. For community sentences, compliance with court‑imposed alcohol bans is high. Published statistics show a compliance rate with the ban of over 97% for days monitored, since introduction, as shown here: Electronic Monitoring MI Publication, June 2025 - GOV.UK.For post‑custody use, we published the Alcohol Monitoring on Licence (AML) process and interim impact evaluation in October 2025, linked here: Alcohol monitoring on licence: process and interim impact evaluation - GOV.UK.Enforcement decisions are recorded within individual probation case management records and are taken on a case‑by‑case basis by supervising practitioners. To collate this locally held information could only be done at a disproportionate cost. Non‑compliance can lead to proportionate enforcement ranging from further engagement with the person on probation through formal warnings and breach action, up to recall where risk or persistent non‑compliance warrants it.We publish regular Alcohol Monitoring Statistics. The latest publication sets out statistics on AAMR orders and the use of AML orders from 31 July 2025 to 30 November 2025 and can be found here: Ad-Hoc Alcohol Monitoring Statistics Publication, Dec 2025 - GOV.UK.

How many arrests have been made for breaches of immigration bail conditions in each of the last three years.

The Home Office does not hold the specific information requested on arrests for breaches of immigration bail conditions.The Home Office collects and publishes information on arrests for notifiable offences (including Stop and search, arrests and mental health detentions) and bail statistics (including Police custody and pre-charge bail) on an annual basis. The most recent statistics for each are:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/stop-and-search-arrests-and-mental-health-detentions-march-2025https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-custody-and-pre-charge-bail-year-ending-march-2024

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 14 January 2026 and 13 October 2025 to Questions 102364 and 77631 on Local Government: Reorganisation, whether his Department has conducted research comparing the average cost effectiveness of providing public services in (a) unitary and (b) two-tier councils.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77631 on 13 October 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the ability of third-party contractors to appropriately distribute UK financial aid.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he received on 12 January in response to Question 102520.

What recent steps her Department has taken to reduce the risk of children being groomed through applications and games accessible to children such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Roblox.

Grooming through social media, messaging apps, and online games is a serious threat. Government is unequivocal in its commitment to protecting children from these crimes and we are determined to ensure that offenders cannot use these platforms to target children with impunity.The Online Safety Act introduces world‑leading protections for children by placing robust duties on tech to mitigate risks to children. Crucially, the Act requires companies whose services pose heightened risks to children’s safety companies, such as those with chat functions, friend‑finding features and livestreaming tools, to implement stronger and more proactive safeguards, including effective moderation, robust age assurance and safer design. Ofcom, as the regulator, will have strong enforcement powers to ensure compliance.Alongside platform regulation, the Government is taking decisive action to prevent harm before it occurs. In line with new commitments in the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, we are clear that children must be protected from being coerced into sharing nude images and from being drawn into cycles of sextortion, grooming and abuse. That is why we have set out an ambitious goal to make it impossible for children in the UK to take, share or view a nude image, and we are working proactively with industry to make this a reality. This complements wider work to ensure that children’s access to smartphones and digital services is safe, appropriate and protective of their wellbeing.The Government continues to work closely with law enforcement, industry, and child protection experts to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of efforts to tackle online child sexual abuse.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99417 on Undocumented Migrants, what steps she is taking to strengthen (a) statutory and (b) operational powers to (i) relocate and (ii) detain illegal migrants.

In our Restoring Order and Control statement, we set out a series of measures designed to increase the rate of removal of illegal migrants from the UK, focusing on five areas. First, scaling up removals of those whose claims have failed. Second, imposing sanctions on countries that refuse to take their citizens back. Third, reforming our appeals system. Fourth, pursuing legal reform, both nationally and internationally. Finally, tackling other barriers that are used today to block removals.Immigration detention plays a key role in maintaining effective immigration controls and securing the UK’s borders. We have made significant reforms to detention over the past few years in line with external reports and recommendations including strengthening our powers to detain individuals who arrive unlawfully through the Border, Security and Asylum Act 2025, enabling detention from the point an individual is notified they are liable for removal. We also expanded the detention estate with the opening of IRC Campsfield in December 2025.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has met representatives of the Smartphone Free Childhood campaign to discuss parental concerns about children’s access to smartphones and social media.

DSIT officials regularly engage with a range of stakeholders to discuss a variety of issues including parental concerns concerning children’s access to smartphones and social media.Creating a safer online world for children is a priority for this government and we are committed to continue working with campaigners like Smartphone Free Childhood, civil society and industry to achieve this goal.Details about ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK.

What recent discussions he has had with representatives of the logistics industry on enabling logistic workforce mobilisation.

Supporting the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy’s intent of enhancing surge capacity and resilience through industry collaboration, the Ministry of Defence has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with nine companies within the logistic workforce sector. The MoU explores ways of enabling rapid logistic workforce mobilisation within the Strategic Base, at times of national crisis.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Housing Sec pledges to 'go further than ever before' to hit 1.5 million homes, published on 16 December 2025, what estimate his Department has made of the number of applications refused by councillors in England in each year since 2020.

My Department does not collect data on rates of refusal for planning applications made at planning committees.

Media and Sport, what recent research her Department has conducted on the impact on children of gambling-based mechanics in video games which utilise microtransactions such as loot boxes.

The Government is committed to ensuring games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, there are appropriate protections in place for players of all ages. To improve those protections, industry-led guidance was published in 2023 with a 12-month implementation period after which DCMS commissioned independent academic research into its effectiveness. We will publish the research shortly, alongside our next steps.

Media and Sport, pursuant to her Department's report of 18 July 2023 entitled Loot boxes in video games: update on improvements to industry-led protections, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of those protections on protecting consumers.

The Government is committed to ensuring games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, there are appropriate protections in place for players of all ages. To improve those protections, industry-led guidance was published in 2023 with a 12-month implementation period after which DCMS commissioned independent academic research into its effectiveness. We will publish the research shortly, alongside our next steps.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the UK Minister Councillor Jennifer McNaughtan Statement at the Security Council on 19 December 2025, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department's work to encourage stability in Libya since 2020.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement mentioned in his questions, which sets out the UK's current position on these issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the UK Minister Councillor Jennifer McNaughtan Statement at the Security Council on 19 December 2025, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen Libya's internal stability and progress towards democratic elections.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement mentioned in his questions, which sets out the UK's current position on these issues.

Innovation and Technology, what research her Department has commissioned on whether major social media apps have addictive features targeted at children.

Ofcom has found that 64% of all children, and 95% of 13-15 year olds, use social media.The current evidence base on the impacts of social media on children’s wellbeing and mental health is mixed. The latest review of existing literature, published on 20 January, found that evidence remains inconclusive about causal links between social media use and mental wellbeing.On 20 January, the government announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including what the right minimum age for children to access social media is, as well as whether there should be curfews overnight or breaks to stops excessive use or doom scrolling.The government is clear that it will act quickly and robustly to deal with concerns that are being raised.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has received communications from social media companies on the effectiveness of measures aimed at preventing child users from viewing content only appropriate for adults.

DSIT has regular discussions with social media companies about online safety matters, including protecting children from accessing harmful content.Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must implement measures to protect children from illegal and harmful content. Measures include implementing age assurance to prevent children encountering the most harmful content such as pornography. Ofcom is the regulator of the Act and can take robust enforcement action against services failing to comply with their duties. Ofcom’s analysis shows over 6000 services now use age assurance.We expect Ofcom to publish data this year on children’s online experiences since the child safety duties came into force.

Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of the number and proportion of children who have been exposed to content not suitable for their age due to smartphone and social media usage in 2025.

DSIT has regular discussions with social media companies about online safety matters, including protecting children from accessing harmful content.Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must implement measures to protect children from illegal and harmful content. Measures include implementing age assurance to prevent children encountering the most harmful content such as pornography. Ofcom is the regulator of the Act and can take robust enforcement action against services failing to comply with their duties. Ofcom’s analysis shows over 6000 services now use age assurance.We expect Ofcom to publish data this year on children’s online experiences since the child safety duties came into force.

Innovation and Technology, what information her Department holds on the number of children under 16 who have access to social media.

Ofcom has found that 64% of all children, and 95% of 13-15 year olds, use social media.The current evidence base on the impacts of social media on children’s wellbeing and mental health is mixed. The latest review of existing literature, published on 20 January, found that evidence remains inconclusive about causal links between social media use and mental wellbeing.On 20 January, the government announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including what the right minimum age for children to access social media is, as well as whether there should be curfews overnight or breaks to stops excessive use or doom scrolling.The government is clear that it will act quickly and robustly to deal with concerns that are being raised.

What recent steps her Department has taken to educate children on the safe use of social media.

As part of statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught about online safety and harms, including the implications of sharing private or personal data online, and the risks associated with over-reliance on social media.The department published updated RSHE guidance in July 2025, including new content on artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and how social media can escalate conflicts. Pupils should be taught how to identify when social media is used as part of bullying, harassment and other forms of abusive and/or illegal behaviour, and how to recognise and manage peer influence on social media in relation to risk-taking behaviour and personal safety. The department’s guidance on teaching online safety covers how to teach about all aspects of internet safety.In response to the recently published Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are committed to strengthening digital and media literacy in the updated national curriculum. Full details of the final report are accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-final-report.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to introduce mandatory age verification measures to prevent children accessing social media applications.

The Online Safety Act requires in-scope services, including social media, to protect children from illegal, harmful content and age-inappropriate content. Services likely to be accessed by children are required to use highly effective age assurance to prevent children encountering the most harmful content such as pornography.The government has announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including what the right minimum age for children to access social media is, as well as explore a ban for children under a certain age. We will also look closely at Australia and their ban on social media for under 16s.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has recently analysed the mental health impacts of social media use on children and young people under the age of 16.

Ofcom has found that 64% of all children, and 95% of 13-15 year olds, use social media.The current evidence base on the impacts of social media on children’s wellbeing and mental health is mixed. The latest review of existing literature, published on 20 January, found that evidence remains inconclusive about causal links between social media use and mental wellbeing.On 20 January, the government announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including what the right minimum age for children to access social media is, as well as whether there should be curfews overnight or breaks to stops excessive use or doom scrolling.The government is clear that it will act quickly and robustly to deal with concerns that are being raised.