Written questions by Shannon.

Whether he plans to review the funding model for hospices for children and young people as part of the 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS.

Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing services within the National Health Service. The amount of funding charitable hospices receive varies by integrated care board (ICB) area, and will, in part, be dependent on the breadth of palliative and end of life care provision within each ICB catchment area.We have committed to develop a 10-year plan to deliver an NHS fit for the future. We will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders, including those in the hospice sector, as we develop the plan.The engagement process has been launched, and I would encourage the palliative and end of life care sector, including hospice providers, service users and their families, to engage with that process to allow us to fully understand what is not working as well as it should and what the potential solutions are. More information is available at the following link:https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/

What data his Department holds on the number of people diagnosed with sleep apnea in the last 12 months.

The Department can provide the number of hospital admissions where there was a diagnosis of sleep apnoea, although it should be noted that there are likely to be other cases where the condition was diagnosed in a primary care setting. The number of hospital admissions for 2023/24 where there was a diagnosis of sleep apnoea was 21,042. Please also note that this data is a count of episodes, not patients, as a patient may have had more than one admission within the requested timeframe.

How many people were being treated for lung cancer in August 2024.

The number of people who received either a first or subsequent treatment for lung cancer in August 2024 was 4,672.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that children are taught about the potential impact of ultra-processed foods on health.

Education is a devolved matter, and response outlines information for England only.The government acknowledges there is no universally agreed definition of ultra-processed foods (UPF).The topic of UPFs could be covered under a number of subjects within the National Curriculum, including design and technology (D&T), science, and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). The department does not specifically prescribe the teaching of UPFs. This is because we want schools to have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, so they can develop an integrated approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils.The cooking and nutrition strand of D&T, which is compulsory for key stages 1 to 3 in maintained schools, teaches pupils how to cook and apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition.Similarly, in science, healthy eating is covered through topics relating to nutrition and digestion, which cover the content of a healthy diet and the impact of diet on how the body functions. Science teachers could decide to highlight UPFs and their impact where appropriate in the course.Furthermore, within the health education portion of RSHE it is expected that by the end of primary, pupils should know what constitutes a healthy diet, including understanding calories and other nutritional content, the characteristics of a poor diet, and the risks associated with unhealthy eating. Then by the end of secondary, pupils should know how to maintain healthy eating and the links between a poor diet and health risks, including tooth decay and cancer.At GCSE, pupils can choose to study the food preparation and nutrition course. The subject content requires pupils to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how foods are grown, reared or caught, and the primary and secondary stages of processing and production, along with how this processing affects the sensory and nutritional properties of ingredients.To support teachers, Oak National Academy currently have free online resources on their website that will help in delivering education on food processing in D&T, and also within geography as well where they highlight the negative impacts of UPFs. Included in this are lessons specifically on the different ways that food is processed and how new technologies are used in manufacturing.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to refresh the curriculum to ensure it is cutting edge, fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people to support their future life and work.

How many people are being treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Department does not hold this data. Most chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment will take place in the community, so this information will be held at a regional level.

What estimate he has made of the number of people being treated for diet related illnesses.

Diet is an important part of maintaining good health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, such as bowel, breast, and pancreatic cancer. Illnesses related to diet are very broad, ranging from malnutrition, dental decay, mental health conditions, and other diseases attributable to overweight and obesity.Comparable data is not directly available on the number of people being treated for all diet related illnesses. There is data on the number of people being treated for some illnesses which can be attributed to dietary risk factors. However, it is not known if all these cases were caused by diet related risk factors. From a malnutrition perspective, in 2022/23, there were 10,795 admissions for malnutrition reported by National Health Service trusts. Further information on malnutrition is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/supplementary-information/2024/malnutrition-admissions-by-provider-2009-10-to-2022-23It is estimated 8.5% of adults in the United Kingdom have diabetes. For people with type 2 diabetes, we estimate that 810,000 people achieved all three treatments targets, those being National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended treatment targets for Hba1c (glucose control), blood pressure, and serum cholesterol, in 2020/21, which is the equivalent to 35.5% of people with type 2 Diabetes. Further information is available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/cardiovascular/data#page/In 2022/23, NHS England data shows that 214,000 hospital admissions were due to coronary heart disease. It is possible to estimate the number of people with some illnesses which can be partly attributed to diet related risk factors, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. NHS England estimates that approximately 1.9 million individuals in England have coronary heart disease, which is a component of cardiovascular disease. Further information is available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/cardiovascular/data#page/The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities estimates that approximately 4 million individuals in England have both type 1 and 2 diabetes, with further information available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/diabetes-ft/data#page/Estimates are also available on the proportion of cases or deaths from some illnesses which can be attributed to diet related risk factors. The Global burden of disease estimated that in England there were approximately 50,000 deaths attributable to diet related risk factors in 2021. Further information is available at the following link:https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/Finally, Cancer Research UK estimates that 6%, or 23,000 out of 385,000, of cancer cases in the UK are attributable to obesity and overweight.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the prolonged use of steroid creams.

The decision to prescribe a particular drug is a clinical one, and should be based on the patient’s medical needs. Decisions about what medicines to prescribe are made by the doctor or healthcare professional responsible for that part of the patient’s care, and prescribers are accountable for their prescribing decisions, both professionally and to their service commissioners. It is for the general practitioner or other responsible clinician to work with their patient and decide on the course of treatment, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care for the individual always being the primary consideration.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for continually monitoring the safety of medicines and taking action to minimise risks to patients where necessary. The MHRA has reviewed topical steroid withdrawal reactions, and first communicated about these reactions in September 2021. This communication is available at the following link:www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/topical-corticosteroids-information-on-the-risk-of-topical-steroid-withdrawal-reactions.Since then, the MHRA has continued to monitor reports of topical steroid withdrawal reactions and has undertaken a further review, which was published in May 2024. This review is available at the following link:www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/topical-steroids-introduction-of-new-labelling-and-a-reminder-of-the-possibility-of-severe-side-effects-including-topical-steroid-withdrawal-reactions.Further advice has been sought from dermatologists, the National Eczema Society, and the Commission on Human Medicines, and the MHRA is taking forward a number of actions, including updated warnings in the product information and the inclusion of information regarding the potency of topical steroids on the packaging. The MHRA is engaging with the British Association of Dermatologists who have released an updated statement. The statement is available at the following link:https://cdn.bad.org.uk/uploads/2024/02/22095550/Topical-Steroid-Withdrawal-Joint-Statement.pdf.Topical corticosteroid product information contains the following warnings about the dangers of long-term use: ‘Long-term use of topical steroids can result in the development of rebound flares after stopping treatment (topical steroid withdrawal syndrome). A severe form of rebound flare can develop which takes the form of a dermatitis with intense redness, stinging and burning that can spread beyond the initial treatment area. It is more likely to occur when delicate skin sites such as the face and flexures are treated. Should there be a reoccurrence of the condition within days to weeks after successful treatment a withdrawal reaction should be suspected. Reapplication should be with caution and specialist advise is recommended in these cases or other treatment options should be considered’.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent rends in the level of butterfly numbers, in the context of the results from the recent Big Butterfly Count 2024.

The recently published Butterflies in the United Kingdom and in England: 2023 provides statistics on UK butterfly abundance and includes an assessment of population trends for different groups of species, and habitat type as well as the major drivers of decline. The detailed report is published on GOV.UK (Butterflies in the United Kingdom and in England: 2023 - GOV.UK). It contains data up to and including 2023; robust data for estimates of change in abundance of butterflies for 2024 will be available to Defra in summer 2025. In summary, on average the abundance of butterflies across the UK continues to show a long-term decline. This is due to a range of factors including weather patterns, habitat loss, pollution and the use of pesticides.

What assessment he has made of trends in the uptake of apprentices in the civil service in the last 12 months.

The uptake of apprenticeships within the Civil Service (in England) fell under the previous administration from 7,007 starts in 2022/23 to 6,508 starts in 2023/24.This Government is committed to apprenticeships as a means of removing barriers to opportunities and building the skills needed for the future workforce.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Nigerian counterpart for the release of Mubarak Bala.

Dialogue on human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief, is a vital part of the UK's partnership with Nigeria. The UK Government will proactively raise cases where blasphemy legislation has been used to restrict human rights with the Nigerian authorities, and calls for Mr Bala's immediate release. The right of individuals to express opinions, including expressing their non-belief, is essential to a free and open society.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of Aid to the Church in Need's report entitled Persecuted and Forgotten?, published on 22 October 2024; and whether he plans to implement the recommendations on helping tackle the persecution of religious minorities worldwide.

We note the recent report by Aid to the Church in Need; "Persecuted and Forgotten?" and are considering its findings and recommendations. The UK government seeks to address the severity and scale of violations and abuses of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We tackle these issues bilaterally through our diplomatic network, and multilaterally, by coordinating with partners at fora such as the UN to promote FoRB. We did so most recently at the UN General Assembly Third Committee, 79th Session, in discussion with the Special Rapporteur for FoRB.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of Government's fire safety in the workplace guidance; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating this guidance.

Article 50 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) places a legal duty on the Secretary of State to ensure that such guidance, as she considers appropriate, is available to assist Responsible Persons in the discharge of the duties imposed on them by articles 8 to 22, and by regulations made under article 24, of the FSO.The Home Office publishes a suite of guidance to meet this requirement and support Responsible Persons in meeting their duties under the FSO. This includes specific guidance on fire safety in the workplace. Work is underway to update the original suite of 12 guides published by the Home Office to ensure they reflect current legal requirements, standards, technical innovations and industry best practice.Over the last 3 years, we have published 10 new or revised guides, and work is progressing well to revise the original suite (which includes workplace fire safety guidance), with publication expected over the next 2 years.

If she will make an estimate of the number of 15-21 year olds that have been prosecuted for violent crime involving a weapon in the last 12 months.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of defendants prosecuted, which can be filtered to specific offences and broken down by age range of defendants. This can be obtained in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, which can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2023.However, data held centrally does not include information on whether a weapon was involved in the course of a violent offence. This information may be held on court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.

If she will make an estimate of the number of pension credit claims received between January and November (a) 2024 and (b) 2023.

In 2024 we have received approx. 206,000 claims up to and including week commencing 16 Sept 2024, this figure includes data published by the Department on the 27 of Sept 2024. The Department has announced it will publish updated Pension Credit application and award statistics on 28 November 2024. Releases will be quarterly, including Pension Credit application, clearance, and award/non-award volumes data from 1 April 2024, up to the most recent data available before each publication. The previous publication can be found here: Weekly Pension Credit claims received from 1 April 2024 to 22 September 2024 - GOV.UK In 2023 for the same period, we received 201,000 claims, with an additional 22,000 claims made after this period and up to the end of October 2023. Please Note:• The figures presented have been collected for internal departmental use only and have not been quality assured to the same extent as Official Statistics• Intakes have been rounded to the nearest 1000• Data for 2023 is from two different sources, data from Jan 23 to end of March 23 and data from Apr 23 onwards• Methodology changes for intakes from 03.04.2023, impacting quality of data for 2023

How many people have been convicted of attacks involving acid in the last 12 months.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions and convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool. This can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.However, data held centrally does not include specific offences where acid has been used during the offence. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.

How many people have been convicted of theft offences involving (a) cars and (b) motorcycles in the last 12 months.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of offenders convicted of theft offences, including theft of/from a motor vehicle. This can be obtained in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, which can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2023.This information will not include broader offences involving cars and motorcycles however, for example where a car was used as a getaway from a general theft offence. That information may be held on court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of dementia diagnosis times; and what steps his Department is taking to improve diagnosis rates.

We are committed to improving dementia diagnosis rates and recovering them to the national ambition for two thirds of people with dementia to have a formal diagnosis.NHS England has funded an evidence-based improvement project to fund two trusts in each region, 14 sites in total, to pilot the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate tool to improve the diagnosis of dementia and the provision of support in care homes. All pilots completed at the end of May 2024, and it is anticipated that learning will be shared by end of the third quarter of 2024/25.The Government’s Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme is investing in innovations in biomarkers, clinical trials, and implementation. Some of these innovations could support improved diagnosis in the future, if validated for clinical use.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support (a) religious tolerance and (b) the Rohingya people in (i) Myanmar and (ii) Bangladesh.

The UK is committed to supporting religious minorities in Myanmar and we continue to raise our concerns over discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in international fora. We are deeply concerned about the situation of the Rohingya. Since 2017, the UK has provided over £48 million in aid including cash assistance and water, sanitation and hygiene services to the Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Rakhine State. In Bangladesh, we have provided £391 million in humanitarian assistance to support the Rohingya since 2017.

What funding his Department provides for research on rare genetic disorders.

The Department remains committed to supporting research into rare diseases, and pioneering research is an underpinning theme of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. Since April 2022, the Department has invested over £2.2 million for the National Institute of Health and Care Research to carry out research programmes related to rare genetic diseases, and £341 million for Genomics England. This covers all funding allocated to Genomics England for the 2022/23 to 2024/25 financial years, including to deliver the National Genomic Research Library to enable research into rare genetic diseases, and for the Generation Study to evaluate the use of whole genome sequencing to diagnose rare genetic conditions in newborns.

What steps she is taking to tackle the sexual exploitation of women to pay drug debts.

County Lines is the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of exploitation. Gangs exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store drugs and money, often using coercion, intimidation, violence - including sexual violence - and weapons to ensure compliance.The Home Office funded County Lines Programme was launched in 2019 to tackle this violent and exploitative drug distribution model. Through the Programme we are funding specialist support providers to support victims of county lines gangs, including girls, to help them escape from exploitation.In addition, this Government will also work closely with the voluntary and community sector to help sexually exploited people to exit prostitution.To help support people at risk of being sexually exploited, Changing Lives has received £1.36m from the Home Office over three years (2022-2025) for their Net-Reach project, which provides online outreach, early intervention and intensive support for women and girls at high-risk of exploitation and abuse.We are also providing funding to Trevi Women, who provide trauma-informed support to women wishing to exit on-street prostitution and survivors of VAWG crimes, remove barriers that prevent prostituted women from accessing necessary support. They also provide long-term support to reduce the likelihood of clients being further exploited. In addition, the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract provides support to adult potential and confirmed victims of modern slavery in England and Wales, including a support worker to help them access wider services, such as medical treatment, legal aid, legal representatives, and legal advice.