Written questions by Hayes.

What steps the Border Security Command is taking to assess the age of asylum seekers arriving on small boats.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Answer I gave on 4 December to Question UIN 16274.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on the NHS budget.

Now that Parliament has voted to give the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill a Second Reading, the Government will assess the impacts of the bill and publish these in due course.This continues to be a matter for Parliament and, as the bill progresses, Members of Parliament, both Honourable and Right Honourable, will further debate and scrutinise the legislation and the Government will respect Parliament’s will.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a horticulture strategy for England.

We appreciate the vital work of the horticulture industry and recognise that a long-term vision would recognise the specific needs and huge diversity of the sector.As part of our mission-driven government, and in partnership with the sector, we are considering a number of ways to ensure our strategic approach to horticulture aligns with wider Government ambitions for the food system and represents the unique needs of the sector. This includes a 25-year Farming Roadmap, which we will work with horticulture growers to develop a forward-looking plan for farming, making the sector more profitable and sustainable in the decades to come.

If she will make an estimate of the number of people working illegally in nail bars in England and Wales.

The government takes illegal working very seriously, and we are determined to clamp down on the employment of individuals with no right to work in the UK, including the sectors highlighted by the Rt Hon Gentleman. Since this government came to office, Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigation teams have charged six individuals with employing illegal workers, compared to just four in the previous two and a half years combined. Those six charges may represent progress on the dismal record of inaction seen under the previous government, but they still add up to an unacceptably low rate of enforcement against businesses employing, and in many cases exploiting, illegal workers, and we are therefore determined to go further over the coming months and years.As part of this, we are also determined to establish a more comprehensive, accurate and up to date evidence base of the scale and nature of illegal working in the UK, which we hope will in due course allow us to provide robust answers to the questions raised by the Rt Hon Gentleman concerning the estimates of the number of people working illegally in specific, high-risk sectors and industries.

What recent estimate she has made of the number of people working illegally in the food and drink sector.

The government takes illegal working very seriously, and we are determined to clamp down on the employment of individuals with no right to work in the UK, including the sectors highlighted by the Rt Hon Gentleman. Since this government came to office, Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigation teams have charged six individuals with employing illegal workers, compared to just four in the previous two and a half years combined. Those six charges may represent progress on the dismal record of inaction seen under the previous government, but they still add up to an unacceptably low rate of enforcement against businesses employing, and in many cases exploiting, illegal workers, and we are therefore determined to go further over the coming months and years.As part of this, we are also determined to establish a more comprehensive, accurate and up to date evidence base of the scale and nature of illegal working in the UK, which we hope will in due course allow us to provide robust answers to the questions raised by the Rt Hon Gentleman concerning the estimates of the number of people working illegally in specific, high-risk sectors and industries.

How many full time equivalent staff are employed by the Race Equality Unit.

There is currently a total of 7 full time equivalent staff within the Race Equality Unit.

Media and Sport, whether external (a) guidance and (b) training has been contracted for discussing (i) unconscious bias, (ii) critical race theory and (iii) decolonisation with staff in her Department.

The information requested is not centrally held.However, Ministers believe that the application of critical race theory threatens to undermine integration and community cohesion, by exaggerating differences within local communities. Instead, we should be seeking to build and strengthen a shared local and national identity across class, colour and creed.The Government has a plan for an Inclusive Britain which will address the causes for racial disparity, which are complex and are not always caused by discrimination or prejudice. The central mission of our approach is to improve people’s lives, and to do that we need to address the root causes of the disparities that they face.

If she will hold discussions with the Office for National Statistics on the reliability of its immigration statistics.

The development of the long-term international migration statistics are a matter for the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS). The UK Statistics Authority oversees the quality and reliability of national statistics. The ONS’ migration statistics are ‘Official Statistics in Development’, meaning they are tested with a wide range of users, in line with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

If she will make an assessment of potential impact of reopening Littleworth Railway station at Deeping St Nicholas on the local economy.

The Government believes that local transport authorities and local leaders are best placed to prioritise and take forward transport projects which are most appropriate for the areas they serve.Reopening Littleworth railway station is currently not a government priority and our focus remains on improving the reliability of the existing network.

If she will make an assessment of the potential economic merits of existing East Midlands rail services stopping at (a) Deeping St Nicholas and (b) Donington.

The Department has no current plans for an economic assessment into the re-opening of stations at Deeping St Nicholas (Littleworth) or Donington (Donington Road).

What steps she is taking to increase the level of funding for railways in Lincolnshire.

The Budget and first phase of the Spending Review reaffirmed our commitment to funding for rail and confirmed our commitments to transformative major projects. This builds on the regulatory settlement for the current 5-year period, which ensures continued funding for the railway. We will be looking in detail at how we can improve the railway further as part of the second phase of the Spending Review, and through the DfT Capital Review which ensures continued funding for the operations, maintenance and renewal of the railway infrastructure.

Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to ensure that a proportion of the money raised from the statutory levy on gambling operators will be allocated to (a) charities and (b) other organisations that focus on the prevention of gambling harms and that are not sponsored by the gambling industry.

As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, we will introduce a statutory levy charged to all licensed gambling operators to fund the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm.The government is clear that the third sector will play an important role in the future levy system. NHS England, and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, will commission treatment and support services, working collaboratively with the third sector. The levy will also provide sustainable funding to support the development of a coordinated approach to prevention, providing investment for organisations, including in the third sector, to develop and deliver harm reduction activities across Great Britain. Prevention remains a crucial part of the Government’s efforts to tackle gambling-related harm and it is important we take the time to get the policy right. The Department will continue to carefully consider the most effective approach to prevention and will publish a further response document setting out our final decisions in the coming months.

If she will make it her policy to introduce a cap on annual net migration.

The Prime Minister has made clear the Government will not be introducing a cap on migration. Instead, the Government wants to see immigration come down significantly and we will take an evidence-based approach, linking migration policy to skills policy so immigration is no longer used at the expense of home-grown talent.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ban the importation of pregnant cats in the last half of their pregnancy.

The Government recently announced its support for the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP. The Bill will give the government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to Great Britain’s pet market. We will use these powers to prohibit the bringing into Great Britain of cats that are more than 42 days pregnant. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through both Houses as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

How much police forces in England and Wales spent on roles related to equity, diversity and inclusion in the last three years.

The Home Office does not hold information relating to how much money is spent by police forces on roles related to equity, diversity and inclusion.Decisions on how funding and resources are utilised are an operational matter for Chief Constables and locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners, who are best placed to make resourcing decisions within their communities based on their local knowledge and experience.

What steps he is taking to increase (a) recruitment and (b) retention of NHS staff in (i) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (ii) Lincolnshire.

This information is not collected centrally. National Health Service organisations are responsible for their own recruitment and develop their own workforce plans based on service needs. At a national level, we are committed to training the staff the NHS needs, and will work closely with partners in education to do this.NHS England continues to lead on a range of initiatives to boost the retention of existing staff and to ensure that the NHS remains an attractive career choice for new recruits. This includes a strong focus on improving organisational culture, supporting staff wellbeing, and promoting flexible working opportunities. It is continually reviewing the effectiveness of these, and their impact on the workforce.

What recent estimate she has made of the number of people working illegally in car washes.

The government takes illegal working very seriously, and we are determined to clamp down on the employment of individuals with no right to work in the UK, including the sectors highlighted by the Rt Hon Gentleman. Since this government came to office, Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigation teams have charged six individuals with employing illegal workers, compared to just four in the previous two and a half years combined. Those six charges may represent progress on the dismal record of inaction seen under the previous government, but they still add up to an unacceptably low rate of enforcement against businesses employing, and in many cases exploiting, illegal workers, and we are therefore determined to go further over the coming months and years.As part of this, we are also determined to establish a more comprehensive, accurate and up to date evidence base of the scale and nature of illegal working in the UK, which we hope will in due course allow us to provide robust answers to the questions raised by the Rt Hon Gentleman concerning the estimates of the number of people working illegally in specific, high-risk sectors and industries.

If she will make an estimate of the number of people working illegally in the construction industry.

The government takes illegal working very seriously, and we are determined to clamp down on the employment of individuals with no right to work in the UK, including the sectors highlighted by the Rt Hon Gentleman. Since this government came to office, Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigation teams have charged six individuals with employing illegal workers, compared to just four in the previous two and a half years combined. Those six charges may represent progress on the dismal record of inaction seen under the previous government, but they still add up to an unacceptably low rate of enforcement against businesses employing, and in many cases exploiting, illegal workers, and we are therefore determined to go further over the coming months and years.As part of this, we are also determined to establish a more comprehensive, accurate and up to date evidence base of the scale and nature of illegal working in the UK, which we hope will in due course allow us to provide robust answers to the questions raised by the Rt Hon Gentleman concerning the estimates of the number of people working illegally in specific, high-risk sectors and industries.

How many business owners have been charged with employing illegal workers in each of the last three years.

The government takes illegal working very seriously, and we are determined to clamp down on the employment of individuals with no right to work in the UK, including the sectors highlighted by the Rt Hon Gentleman. Since this government came to office, Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigation teams have charged six individuals with employing illegal workers, compared to just four in the previous two and a half years combined. Those six charges may represent progress on the dismal record of inaction seen under the previous government, but they still add up to an unacceptably low rate of enforcement against businesses employing, and in many cases exploiting, illegal workers, and we are therefore determined to go further over the coming months and years.As part of this, we are also determined to establish a more comprehensive, accurate and up to date evidence base of the scale and nature of illegal working in the UK, which we hope will in due course allow us to provide robust answers to the questions raised by the Rt Hon Gentleman concerning the estimates of the number of people working illegally in specific, high-risk sectors and industries.

For what reason there is no mention of (a) farming and (b) agriculture in the Government's industrial strategy entitled Invest 2035: the UK's modern industrial strategy, published in October 2024.

The Industrial Strategy identified eight growth-driving sectors but all sectors can shape and will benefit from wider policy reform through the Industrial Strategy’s cross-cutting policies alongside the broader Growth Mission. This will create the pro-business environment for all businesses to invest and employ, with growth that supports high-quality jobs and ensures that the benefits are shared across people, places, and generations. The Government is engaging with the food, drink and farming industries regularly. The Government has committed £5 billion to the farming budget for England over two years directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery.