Written questions by Glen.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 58204 on Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, if she will publish the data her Department collected on the costs of applications for (a) therapeutic interventions and (b) specialist assessments funded by the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.

The department published management data from the adoption and special guardianship support fund for the first time in September 2024 and is planning to publish updated data for 2024/25 in the autumn. This will include cost information data.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that the (a) financial and (b) related professional services industry is represented on the Defence Industrial Joint Council.

The Defence Industrial Joint Council (DIJC) aims to harness a wide and diverse set of expertise to shape the future of Britain's defence manufacturing, supply chain and innovation. The DIJC's top-level council is comprised of experts from across the sector, including representatives from the finance and investor community (Kerry Baldwin, IQ Capital and Dame Fiona Murray, NATO Innovation Fund). The membership of the DIJC runs on a principle of rotation, with all appointments for an initial tenure of 12 months. The financial sector will have opportunities for participation in DIJC initiatives as these are stood up. The DIJC has strong links through its membership to the CBI-led Defence Economic Growth Taskforce, an initiative that is mobilising defence and finance leaders, to shape the UK's future prosperity and is co-chaired by the Chancellor and Defence Secretary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of disputes involving religious communities in the Bukovina region of Ukraine; and what steps he is taking to support freedom of religion or belief in the area.

We are deeply disturbed by the impact of Russia's illegal war on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Ukraine. Ukraine's democracy is well known for its commitment to religious pluralism. The UK regularly engages with Ukrainian religious groups and the Government of Ukraine on this issue, including on Law 8371 which mandates that religious organisations must cut ties with the Russian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate. The Ukrainian Government and religious leaders have offered reassurances that the law responds to clear national security threats. In February, a delegation of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches met Parliamentarians and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials to discuss religious persecution in the temporarily occupied territories, and Law 8371.

What discussions his Department has had with the Treasury on (a) the Hughes Report and the recommendations for valproate, (b) redress for those harmed by sodium valproate.

The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report in due course.

With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, how much and what proportion of the additional British Business Bank funding will be allocated to the life sciences sector.

This Government is committed to ensuring high-potential life sciences businesses can access the finance they need to innovate, grow, and boost the UK economy. As part of the Industrial Strategy, the British Business Bank will invest £4 billion across key sectors, including life sciences, supporting both the expansion of the Life Sciences Investment Programme and direct investment in R&D-intensive companies. This funding is not hypothecated by sector, allowing the Bank to back the most promising opportunities, including through specialist fund managers. The percentage of Bank supported deals in life sciences was 7.2%, compared to 4.9% for the overall equity market and 6.1% for the wider PE/VC market from 2022-2024.

With reference to the British Business Bank's publication Small Business Equity Tracker 2024, if she will make a comparative assessment of (a) venture capital investment in the life sciences in the UK and the US and (b) the implications for companies in each jurisdiction seeking to scale-up.

The UK remains Europe’s leading destination for life sciences venture capital (VC) investment, according to the British Business Bank’s Small Business Equity Tracker 2024. The US market is larger in scale, supporting late-stage growth with deeper capital pools and larger fund sizes. While the UK VC market is competitive with the US at the seed stage, UK companies face a widening funding gap as they scale. At the recent Spending Review, the Government increased the British Business Bank’s financial capacity to £25.6 billion, a two-thirds increase in investment activity. Alongside reforms to give the British Business Bank greater flexibility to deploy funding responsively, this expanded capacity will enable more substantial support for SMEs and scale-ups, including life sciences companies, and move the UK market closer to the scale of late-stage financing seen in the US.

Communities and Local Government, under what circumstances she would direct Local Government Pension Funds to a specific asset pool.

The government’s firm preference is for pool membership to be determined on a voluntary basis at a local level. In the Pension Schemes Bill, the government has made provision for a power to protect the Local Government Pension Scheme over the long term. The power could be used to direct an administering authority to participate in a specific pool in the event that an authority is left without a pool to participate in or that a pool’s governance intractably breaks down. The government would intend only to use this power as a backstop in these circumstances.

How many children with a diagnosis of foetal valproate syndrome also have a diagnosis of (a) spina bifida, (b) neural tube defects, (c) cardiac malformations, (d) kidney malformations and (e) cleft (i) lip and (ii) palate.

Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies. The information requested is not held centrally.

How many children diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder also have a diagnosis of foetal valproate syndrome.

Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies. Information on the number of children diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder and a diagnosis of foetal valproate syndrome is not collected centrally.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of (a) abductions, (b) forced marriages and (c) religious conversions of (i) Christian and (ii) other minority girls in Pakistan.

Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I am deeply concerned by reports of abductions, forced marriages and religious conversions of Christian and other minority girls. I raised the importance of protecting minority rights with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights during my visit in November 2024 and Lord Khan raised this in meetings with senior Government of Pakistan interlocutors during his visit in April 2025. Our High Commission in Islamabad continues to raise these issues at the highest levels and engages regularly with civil society to monitor the situation. We urge the Government of Pakistan to uphold its international human rights obligations and ensure that all citizens, regardless of faith, are protected from coercion and violence.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Financial Conduct Authority is able to deliver final rules for Buy Now, Pay Later regulation that are proportionate to the product.

Regulating the Buy-Now, Pay-Later (BNPL) sector is a government priority. On 19 May, the government introduced legislation to bring BNPL products into regulation. Our legislative approach will disapply the elements of the consumer credit regulatory regime that were originally designed for interest-bearing loans. This will enable the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to create a proportionate information disclosure regime tailored specifically to BNPL products. At this stage, the government considers that BNPL agreements provided directly by merchants should remain exempt from regulation. Including merchant-provided BNPL in the regime would disproportionately impact small businesses offering low-risk agreements such as gym memberships and instalment plans for invoices. Consumers using merchant-provided BNPL will remain protected by wider consumer protection laws, including strict rules on advertising and financial promotions; and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, which prohibit unfair commercial practices such as misleading consumers. The government has not seen evidence that merchants are seeking to offer BNPL agreements on a scale similar to third-party lenders. However, my officials and I will continue to monitor the merchant-provided BNPL market closely, working with the FCA and industry. If we see clear evidence of significant market expansion or large-scale consumer harm, we will intervene swiftly to address these risks.

Whether her Department plans to require merchants that might offer unregulated Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) once BNPL regulation is in force to provide clear information to consumers to make it clear that certain consumer protections will not apply to their credit agreements.

Regulating the Buy-Now, Pay-Later (BNPL) sector is a government priority. On 19 May, the government introduced legislation to bring BNPL products into regulation. Our legislative approach will disapply the elements of the consumer credit regulatory regime that were originally designed for interest-bearing loans. This will enable the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to create a proportionate information disclosure regime tailored specifically to BNPL products. At this stage, the government considers that BNPL agreements provided directly by merchants should remain exempt from regulation. Including merchant-provided BNPL in the regime would disproportionately impact small businesses offering low-risk agreements such as gym memberships and instalment plans for invoices. Consumers using merchant-provided BNPL will remain protected by wider consumer protection laws, including strict rules on advertising and financial promotions; and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, which prohibit unfair commercial practices such as misleading consumers. The government has not seen evidence that merchants are seeking to offer BNPL agreements on a scale similar to third-party lenders. However, my officials and I will continue to monitor the merchant-provided BNPL market closely, working with the FCA and industry. If we see clear evidence of significant market expansion or large-scale consumer harm, we will intervene swiftly to address these risks.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that consumers are made aware that some forms of buy now, pay later will remain unregulated when BNPL regulation is in force.

Regulating the Buy-Now, Pay-Later (BNPL) sector is a government priority. On 19 May, the government introduced legislation to bring BNPL products into regulation. Our legislative approach will disapply the elements of the consumer credit regulatory regime that were originally designed for interest-bearing loans. This will enable the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to create a proportionate information disclosure regime tailored specifically to BNPL products. At this stage, the government considers that BNPL agreements provided directly by merchants should remain exempt from regulation. Including merchant-provided BNPL in the regime would disproportionately impact small businesses offering low-risk agreements such as gym memberships and instalment plans for invoices. Consumers using merchant-provided BNPL will remain protected by wider consumer protection laws, including strict rules on advertising and financial promotions; and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, which prohibit unfair commercial practices such as misleading consumers. The government has not seen evidence that merchants are seeking to offer BNPL agreements on a scale similar to third-party lenders. However, my officials and I will continue to monitor the merchant-provided BNPL market closely, working with the FCA and industry. If we see clear evidence of significant market expansion or large-scale consumer harm, we will intervene swiftly to address these risks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the protection of religious freedom for Christian communities in Nepal, in the context of (a) recent political movements advocating for the restoration of a Hindu kingdom and (b) trends in the number of attacks on Christians.

The UK condemns all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief, recognising that freedom of religion is a cornerstone of human rights and democratic societies. Our Embassy in Kathmandu engages a range of different faith leaders and civil society on human rights. Through this and other engagement, the UK will continue to signal respect for religious diversity and support for everyone's right to freely practise their faith, traditions, and beliefs without fear or prejudice.

What information her Department holds on the market costs of specialist assessments given under the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund; and whether applicants applying for an assessment of need will also receive therapy under that fund.

The department took a range of factors into account when setting the new £3,000 fair access limit for the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF). In the 2024/25 financial year, the average cost per ASGSF recipient was £3,170 for therapy and £2,399 for specialist assessments (£3,090 overall). In addition, since July 2024, the department has collected detailed data on the costs of applications for therapeutic interventions and specialist assessments funded by the ASGSF. Using this information, the department assessed that £3,000 could fund an average of 19-20 hours of therapy, on the basis of median hourly rates for contact time and allowing for additional costs.Where ASGSF funding has been used for a specialist assessment, remaining funding up to the £3,000 fair access limit may be used for therapy, where this is assessed as being needed. If appropriate, local authorities and regional adoption agencies may use their own funding to offer extra therapy.

What estimate her Department has made of the market cost of therapeutic support interventions delivered via the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, and what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the new reduced Fair Access Limit of £3000 per application to cover the support required, based on those costs.

The department took a range of factors into account when setting the new £3,000 fair access limit for the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF). In the 2024/25 financial year, the average cost per ASGSF recipient was £3,170 for therapy and £2,399 for specialist assessments (£3,090 overall). In addition, since July 2024, the department has collected detailed data on the costs of applications for therapeutic interventions and specialist assessments funded by the ASGSF. Using this information, the department assessed that £3,000 could fund an average of 19-20 hours of therapy, on the basis of median hourly rates for contact time and allowing for additional costs.Where ASGSF funding has been used for a specialist assessment, remaining funding up to the £3,000 fair access limit may be used for therapy, where this is assessed as being needed. If appropriate, local authorities and regional adoption agencies may use their own funding to offer extra therapy.

What data her Department holds on the average amount of funding allocated per child awarded via the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund in the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial years.

The table below provides the data requested on the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF). 2023/24 financial year2024/25 financial yearAverage amount of ASGSF funding awarded per recipient (total covers therapy and specialist assessments combined) £3,044£3,090Allocated departmental budget£48,000,000£49,000,000Overspend£639,996.35£11,355,181.91Surrendered funds £11,268,383.37£13,894,781.10 All surrendered funding from 2023/24 and 2024/25 was repurposed for other ASGSF applications and added to the total spend.

What the (a) allocated Departmental budget, (b) amount of overspend, (c) amount of surrendered funds not used by local authorities and (d) amount of surrendered funds repurposed for other applications for the adoption and special guardianship support fund was in (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25.

The table below provides the data requested on the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF). 2023/24 financial year2024/25 financial yearAverage amount of ASGSF funding awarded per recipient (total covers therapy and specialist assessments combined) £3,044£3,090Allocated departmental budget£48,000,000£49,000,000Overspend£639,996.35£11,355,181.91Surrendered funds £11,268,383.37£13,894,781.10 All surrendered funding from 2023/24 and 2024/25 was repurposed for other ASGSF applications and added to the total spend.

Media and Sport, with reference to the press notice entitled Government outlines ambitious plans to level up activities for young people, published on 1 February 2022, whether it remains her Department's policy to maintain the level of spending on young people to that of the National Youth Guarantee.

This government recognises the transformative role that youth services play in young people’s lives. That is why we are co-producing a new National Youth Strategy with young people and the sectors that support them.We committed to maintaining or increasing funding for our other youth programmes, following the closure of NCS. DCMS will invest £145 million in youth programmes in 2025-26, which is consistent with funding in 24/25, taking into consideration the planned tapering of the Youth Investment Fund. This investment will provide stability to the youth sector and ensure young people can access opportunities, as we transition to the National Youth Strategy. This includes over £28 million to increase access to more and better enriching activities, over £3 million to increase sector and workforce capacity, £8.2 million to improve local youth offers, and over £107 million to invest in ensuring safe, welcoming, fit-for purpose youth centres.Additionally, on 2nd June we announced £132.5 million of Dormant Assets Funding will be allocated to support the provision of services, facilities or opportunities to meet the needs of young people. This will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of levels of (a) freedom of religion or belief and (b) rights for people to engage in peaceful religious expression; and what steps she is taking to balance those rights with other (i) legal and (ii) public interest considerations.

Freedom of religion or belief expression is a fundamental human right. The Government believes that everyone in Britain has the right to feel safe and at ease in the place where they live. Any individual or group is free to express views and beliefs, but they have a duty to behave responsibly and to respect other people’s rights.