Written questions by Coyle.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with counterparts in EU Member States on simplifying CITES‑related processes for UK musicians travelling by train to perform in Europe.

The UK Government remains in constructive dialogue with the EU on tackling the challenges facing UK musicians when touring, and on CITES‑related processes for UK musicians. Our aim is to identify practical solutions to ensure that UK artists can continue to perform across Europe with minimal barriers while respecting the regulatory frameworks on both sides.The Government has consulted on reforms to the UK’s CITES framework, including Musical Instrument Certificates, to ensure the system is clear and effective. This consultation provided the opportunity for the music sector to make its voice heard directly on the proposals for fees, charges, and processes, ensuring the unique needs of touring artists are fully reflected in the outcome. The consultation closed on 23 October 2025, and responses are currently being analysed by Defra. The outcome of the consultation, and associated amendments, will be discussed and reviewed across Government. DCMS will continue working closely with Defra and other partners, including the EU, to ensure the impacts on the music sector are properly understood and considered.In the UK, there are currently 21 sea ports (including one land crossing) and 14 airports designated as official points of entry and exit for CITES-listed species. There are also 2 postal hubs designated for mail imports.There are currently no plans to make any Eurostar stations, including St Pancras, a CITES designated port following a review by the UK Border Force that concluded it does not currently have the necessary capacity and infrastructure to undertake CITES checks. This will of course be kept under review.More broadly, we are engaging with the EU and EU Member States, and exploring how best to improve arrangements for touring across the European continent without seeing a return to free movement. Our priority remains ensuring that UK artists can continue to thrive on the global stage.

Whether her Department has had discussions with transport operators, including Eurostar, on the provision and availability of guidance for the carriage of specialist equipment, including musical instruments.

The carriage of specialist items like musical equipment is down to the discretion of transport operators. Most operators have information available on their websites regarding the provision and availability of services to carry specialist items, for example the National Rail Conditions of Travel (NRCOT) which are available on the National Rail Enquiries website states that musical instruments exceeding 30 x 70 x 90 cm are only permitted at the discretion of individual train companies.

Whether she has plans to help ensure that all strip searches of children have an appropriate adult present.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 requires that when a child is strip searched an appropriate adult must be present except in cases where delay would pose a risk of serious harm, or where the child specifically requests otherwise and the appropriate adult agrees. This safeguard is necessary to protect the welfare and dignity of children, whilst also providing the police necessary powers to keep the public safe.For the year ending March 2025, the Home Office published data for the first time, on whether an appropriate adult was present for the full strip search of a child under stop and search powers (Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025 - GOV.UK). Analysis of this type of data helps to increase transparency and enable effective oversight of the use of these powers.The government remains committed to its manifesto commitment to introduce new legal safeguards around strip-searching children and young people.

With reference to the Royal College of Midwives' campaign entitled Safe staffing = safe care, January 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing multi-year funding through a national maternity and neonatal action plan on maternity services.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will build on the 10-Year Health Plan to set out how we will deliver a new workforce model with staff who are aligned with the future direction of reform. The Department launched a Call for Evidence in September 2025 until November 2025 to seek views from healthcare organisations and those with expertise in workforce planning to develop the new workforce plan.The independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, chaired by Baroness Amos, is expected to publish findings in the spring. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will chair the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to address the recommendations and develop a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.

What steps she is taking to help tackle the use of Royal Mail to transport illegal drugs into the UK.

Illegal drugs have a devastating impact on the health of individuals and communities. Deaths relating to drug misuse in England and Wales rose to 3,736 in 2024, with a total annual cost to society of over £20 billion.The Home Office and operational partners are working to disrupt the supply chain of illegal drugs across all trafficking modes into the UK. Our disruptive approach to illegal drug smuggling prioritises engagement with international partners, coupled with pursuing the criminals behind drug trafficking, and activity to seize drugs at the border.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a police hotline for reporting incidents of political intimidation towards (a) Hong Kongers and (b) others in the UK by the Chinese Communist Party.

The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated, irrespective of where the threat emanates.The Defending Democracy Taskforce’s review of TNR, carried out with Counter Terrorism Policing, examined how best to encourage reporting and ensure cases are taken seriously and handled appropriately.Existing reporting functions are efficient, effective, and well recognised, with trained officers and staff handling crime reports 24/7. This enables immediate police deployment in emergencies and provides clear routes to escalate potential state‑linked incidents to Counter Terrorism Policing for expert assessment and victim support.State threats training is being rolled out across all 45 territorial forces, including upskilling 999 call handlers on TNR, to strengthen frontline identification and response.Anyone who believes they are a victim of state‑directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station. Allegations of unlawful activity will be handled sensitively, treated seriously, and swiftly investigated in line with UK law.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2025 to question 92574, if his Department will support the wider utilisation of UPRNs in the property industry and make them a standard piece of data recorded for property transactions.

On 6 October, my Department published two consultations outlining reform proposals to transform home buying and selling. They can be found on gov.uk here and here. As part of those consultations, we highlighted our interest in ensuring that data is consistent, trusted, and shareable across the market. We also proposed to explore mandating a standardised core data set for digital logbooks and sales packs linked to the Unique Property Reference Number and Land Registry records. Both consultations closed on 29 December. We are now reviewing the feedback received and will set out details of next steps later this year.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of not resolving the status of children in care before turning 18 on their development.

The Home Secretary set out in the Immigration White Paper published on 12 May that the Home Office will ensure children who have been in the UK for some time, turn 18 and discover they do not have status, are fully supported and able to regularise their status and settle where appropriate. This will also include a clear pathway for those children in care and care leavers.Policy development is ongoing, but as part of this, separate targeted engagement will take place with external stakeholders to help us to understand the challenges in this area and develop a policy solution which supports children in care without status while upholding the need to have a robust and coherent migration system. Children who have claimed asylum are dealt with under separate provisions.A range of reforms are underway across the immigration and asylum system, and the development of a clear pathway to settlement for children in care and care leavers must be considered alongside these changes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what exemptions are permitted for small, not-for-profit operators under the Animal Rights Act to ensure reindeer used to help generate hospice and other charity donations are not destroyed.

Some reindeer displays may be required to be licensed. The type of licence needed will depend on the nature of the display (permanent or temporary) and whether the reindeer are being exhibited as part of a business. There are also licensing requirements for keeping certain species of reindeer regarded as dangerous, where they are kept outside of a licensed zoo or pet shop. Reindeer are also prohibited from being displayed as part of a travelling circus. Licences are granted by local authorities, who can decide on the most appropriate type of licence or licences depending on the circumstances of each individual collection. Local authorities can also consider whether an exemption or dispensation may be appropriate.

Communities and Local Government, if he will take legislative steps to ensure that no future election in the UK will be subject to outside interference.

The Government takes any attempts to intervene in democratic processes very seriously. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic and electoral processes, including from foreign interference. On the 16th of December, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced an independent review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The review will report at the end of March and will inform the forthcoming Elections Bill. This builds on the major reforms announced in the Elections Strategy in July, and the launch last month of the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan to disrupt and deter spying from states. The Government’s strategy for modern, secure and inclusive elections, published in July, sets out our plan to strengthen oversight of and safeguards against known and emerging threats, including foreign interference through covert political funding. We will deliver a robust and proportionate response to known risks, protecting the integrity of our system and reinforcing public trust in democracy. This sits alongside the government’s robust toolkit of measures to investigate and disrupt the threat from foreign interference in UK politics. This includes the National Security Act 2023, the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which coordinates work to protect UK political parties, elected officials and the electoral infrastructure, and the Joint Election Security and Preparedness unit, which coordinates work across government to protect UK elections and referendums, and the Online Safety Act which requires services to take steps to remove illegal disinformation content including illegal state-sponsored disinformation in scope of the Foreign Interference Offence.

How many people her Department’s Homelessness escalation service has helped move from No Recourse to Public Funds to having access to public funds in the latest period for which data is available.

The requested information is not currently included in published migration data, so we are unable to provide this.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has met with his French counterparts to consider parallel legislation to prevent outside interference in domestic elections.

The Government takes any attempts to intervene in democratic processes very seriously. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic and electoral processes, including from foreign interference. We have a robust toolkit of measures including the foreign interference offence and foreign influence registration scheme introduced under the National Security Act 2023, the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which coordinates work to protect UK political parties, elected officials and electoral infrastructure from threats including foreign interference, the Joint Election Security and Preparedness unit, which coordinates work to protect UK elections and referendums, and the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan launched last month to disrupt and deter spying from states. Additionally, on 16 December the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced an independent review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics, led by Philip Rycroft. We will consider how to take forward any recommendations from the review, including through the upcoming Elections Bill.

If her Department will publish data on the number of ‘change of circumstances’ applications received last year from people with No Recourse to Public Funds status due to homelessness, and how many applicants gained access to public funds as a result.

Information on change of conditions is published at Migration transparency data - GOV.UK in the Immigration and protection dataset.When an individual is considered for assessment of Change of Conditions, various No Recourse to Public Funds conditions are checked, with ‘destitution’ being one of these conditions.The specific information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Whether his Department is considering piloting the youth guarantee scheme in London.

Our Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET are already underway in eight areas across England. Two of our Trailblazers are being delivered by the Greater London Authority, a ‘Pan London’ Trailblazer focused on better join-up of the systems supporting NEET young people including those with mental health conditions across London, and another delivering tailored support to young care leavers in 12 Central London Boroughs. We will use learning from the Trailblazers to inform future design and delivery of the Youth Guarantee. For long-term unemployed 18–21-year-olds on Universal Credit, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment. This is part of the expanded Youth Guarantee, through which young people aged 16-24 across Great Britain are set to benefit from further support into employment and learning. Delivery of the Jobs Guarantee will begin in six areas from spring 2026. No areas in London are included in this initial phase; however, this will be followed by national roll-out across Great Britain, including in London.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of including data for a Latin American ethnic group in national statistics.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 8th of December is attached.

Whether the Department has assessed the potential impact of the medical discharge process on Armed Forces recruitment and retention.

Medical discharge process policy is delegated to the three Services to afford each of them the necessary flexibility to respond effectively to the unique and varying environments in which their people serve. However, Defence’s Tri-Service policy for medical discharge boards aligns the Services in terms of procedure and consistency of process. The board can recommend a medical category that may lead to a Service Person’s discharge from the Armed Forces. Defence recognises the need to develop a Tri-Service Occupational Health Service to simplify policy and process, improve patient experience and support the retention of Armed Forces personnel. Work is underway to review timelines for referral to medical boards to ensure consistency across the single Services. Our comprehensive policies and procedures facilitate a smooth discharge process, providing a timeline of actions to be taken from nine months before leaving. These actions include arranging a final medical and dental examination, meeting with a resettlement officer, submitting pension forms, and ensuring personal records are accurate. The process also includes returning Service property and identifications, taking terminal leave, and receiving a Service leavers' pack. Support is also offered through the Career Transition Partnership and Defence Transition Services (DTS), which provide help with employment, housing, health, and other aspects of transitioning to civilian life. Defence also has a comprehensive policy in place for managing personnel who are wounded, injured, or sick, which includes coordinated support for those medically discharged. Medical discharges follow a specific process involving a medical board review, and personnel may be eligible for compensation. Before personnel leave, they are provided with a final case conference to ensure their issues are resolved or a plan is in place to manage them. Whilst Defence has not assessed the proportion of medically discharged personnel who report feeling unprepared for civilian life, all are automatically referred to DTS or the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS). Service leavers, veterans, and their families can access support, help and information with issues that may endure beyond discharge irrespective of their reason for discharge. Healthcare support is tailored to their needs and preferences, ranging from simple transitional needs to enduring support for more complex challenges.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure consistency in the medical discharge process across the Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force.

Medical discharge process policy is delegated to the three Services to afford each of them the necessary flexibility to respond effectively to the unique and varying environments in which their people serve. However, Defence’s Tri-Service policy for medical discharge boards aligns the Services in terms of procedure and consistency of process. The board can recommend a medical category that may lead to a Service Person’s discharge from the Armed Forces. Defence recognises the need to develop a Tri-Service Occupational Health Service to simplify policy and process, improve patient experience and support the retention of Armed Forces personnel. Work is underway to review timelines for referral to medical boards to ensure consistency across the single Services. Our comprehensive policies and procedures facilitate a smooth discharge process, providing a timeline of actions to be taken from nine months before leaving. These actions include arranging a final medical and dental examination, meeting with a resettlement officer, submitting pension forms, and ensuring personal records are accurate. The process also includes returning Service property and identifications, taking terminal leave, and receiving a Service leavers' pack. Support is also offered through the Career Transition Partnership and Defence Transition Services (DTS), which provide help with employment, housing, health, and other aspects of transitioning to civilian life. Defence also has a comprehensive policy in place for managing personnel who are wounded, injured, or sick, which includes coordinated support for those medically discharged. Medical discharges follow a specific process involving a medical board review, and personnel may be eligible for compensation. Before personnel leave, they are provided with a final case conference to ensure their issues are resolved or a plan is in place to manage them. Whilst Defence has not assessed the proportion of medically discharged personnel who report feeling unprepared for civilian life, all are automatically referred to DTS or the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS). Service leavers, veterans, and their families can access support, help and information with issues that may endure beyond discharge irrespective of their reason for discharge. Healthcare support is tailored to their needs and preferences, ranging from simple transitional needs to enduring support for more complex challenges.

What procedures are in place to ensure an effective handover of medical records from Defence Medical Services to the NHS for personnel that are medically discharged.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the importance of facilitating the transfer of healthcare information to civilian healthcare provider(s) when an individual leaves the Armed Forces,. Personnel are advised to register with an NHS GP one to three months before discharge. On leaving Defence Medical Services (DMS) care, Service personnel are provided with a medical care summary, known as an FMed133, and advised to provide a copy of their FMed 133 to their NHS GP. If a patient’s full DMS health record is required, this is provided on request from their NHS GP. To improve the transfer of healthcare information, DMS is working towards the greater interoperability with NHS systems and the electronic transfer of medical records from DMS to NHS GPs and expects to implement changes over the next one-two years.

Whether the Department has assessed the proportion of medically discharged personnel who report feeling unprepared for civilian life.

Medical discharge process policy is delegated to the three Services to afford each of them the necessary flexibility to respond effectively to the unique and varying environments in which their people serve. However, Defence’s Tri-Service policy for medical discharge boards aligns the Services in terms of procedure and consistency of process. The board can recommend a medical category that may lead to a Service Person’s discharge from the Armed Forces. Defence recognises the need to develop a Tri-Service Occupational Health Service to simplify policy and process, improve patient experience and support the retention of Armed Forces personnel. Work is underway to review timelines for referral to medical boards to ensure consistency across the single Services. Our comprehensive policies and procedures facilitate a smooth discharge process, providing a timeline of actions to be taken from nine months before leaving. These actions include arranging a final medical and dental examination, meeting with a resettlement officer, submitting pension forms, and ensuring personal records are accurate. The process also includes returning Service property and identifications, taking terminal leave, and receiving a Service leavers' pack. Support is also offered through the Career Transition Partnership and Defence Transition Services (DTS), which provide help with employment, housing, health, and other aspects of transitioning to civilian life. Defence also has a comprehensive policy in place for managing personnel who are wounded, injured, or sick, which includes coordinated support for those medically discharged. Medical discharges follow a specific process involving a medical board review, and personnel may be eligible for compensation. Before personnel leave, they are provided with a final case conference to ensure their issues are resolved or a plan is in place to manage them. Whilst Defence has not assessed the proportion of medically discharged personnel who report feeling unprepared for civilian life, all are automatically referred to DTS or the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS). Service leavers, veterans, and their families can access support, help and information with issues that may endure beyond discharge irrespective of their reason for discharge. Healthcare support is tailored to their needs and preferences, ranging from simple transitional needs to enduring support for more complex challenges.

How his Department is working with local authorities to ensure they are equipped to deliver the Crisis and Resilience Fund from 1 April 2026.

My Department has actively engaged with stakeholders on the design for the new Crisis and Resilience Fund through a structured co-design process. This has involved a representative group of local authorities, third-party organisations and academics. The concluding event on 22 October 2025 was attended by over 750 stakeholders. We plan to publish guidance in January 2026. Provisional allocations will be published as part of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, ahead of the scheme going live in April 2026.