Written questions by Timothy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the beet sugar industry’s Virus Yellows resilience fund.

This Government acknowledges the critical role of sugar beet farmers in the UK's sugar production and their ongoing contributions to the agricultural sector. This Government recognises the challenge posed to sugar beet growers by Virus Yellows (VY), and we strongly support the industry-led work to develop more sustainable alternative controls for the aphids that spread these diseases. This includes Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques such as novel companion crops, and the development of new pest resistant varieties using both traditional and precision breeding techniques. These novel control methods, alongside new active substances such as Flupyradifurone – approved this year – will ensure that sugar beet growers have the tools they need to address VY. The government is committed towards achieving crop resilience, especially in the sugar beet sector, to support Britain’s food security and nature’s recovery. Defra collaborates with the British Beet Research Organisation on IPM initiatives, with plans to observe their IPM trials in the coming Spring. As part of this, the Government remains fully committed to enhancing crop resilience and is progressing legislation to activate precision breeding in England.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department takes steps to verify statistics published by the Gaza Health Ministry.

Like many of our partners, we use data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to report on daily casualties in the current Gaza conflict. OCHA draws on figures issued from the Gazan Ministry of Health (MoH). Producing reliable casualty statistics in contexts of violent conflict is never straightforward. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has consulted experts, including from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Every Casualty Counts. Experts assess that the total number of deaths in Gaza since 7 October 2023 estimated by the Gaza Ministry of Health is a reasonable figure, though numbers of those still under rubble, and still missing, is not yet known.

Whether the National Security Secretariat uses Gaza Health Ministry statistics in its cross-Whitehall briefings.

NSS does use Gaza Health Ministry casualty figures for briefing. It is difficult to verify casualty statistics accurately during an active conflict. FCDO and CO rely on the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports which use figures issued from the Gazan Ministry of Health (MoH). Over the course of this conflict FCDO has consulted experts from the London School of Tropical Medicine, OCHA, WHO and Every Casualty Counts, and assesses that the total number of deaths in Gaza since 7 October 2023 is a reliable figure. The MoH collates information on casualty statistics using a health information system derived from eight major hospitals across the Strip. They verify and identify the dead by age, gender and ID number.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing support to the homegrown sugar industry in fast-tracking trials to help tackle Virus Yellows disease.

This Government acknowledges the critical role of sugar beet farmers in the UK's sugar production and their ongoing contributions to the agricultural sector. This Government recognises the challenge posed to sugar beet growers by Virus Yellows (VY), and we strongly support the industry-led work to develop more sustainable alternative controls for the aphids that spread these diseases. This includes Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques such as novel companion crops, and the development of new pest resistant varieties using both traditional and precision breeding techniques. These novel control methods, alongside new active substances such as Flupyradifurone – approved this year – will ensure that sugar beet growers have the tools they need to address VY. The government is committed towards achieving crop resilience, especially in the sugar beet sector, to support Britain’s food security and nature’s recovery. Defra collaborates with the British Beet Research Organisation on IPM initiatives, with plans to observe their IPM trials in the coming Spring. As part of this, the Government remains fully committed to enhancing crop resilience and is progressing legislation to activate precision breeding in England.

What the average cost of constructing a new (a) primary and (b) secondary school was in each year since 2015.

New school buildings are delivered by local authorities, the department and other bodies.The average cost of constructing new primary and secondary schools can be found in the national cost benchmarking study, published at: https://documents.hants.gov.uk/property-services/NationalSchoolDeliveryBenchmarkingreport.pdf. This report contains cost information on local authority delivered schools and department delivered schools, which are broken down each year from 2012 onwards. The primary school section can be found on page 10.Standards for new school buildings change over time, for example, to increase sustainability requirements, so care should be taken in comparing costs directly year to year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department uses Gaza Health Ministry statistics in its Cross Whitehall Briefings.

Like many of our partners, we use data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to report on daily casualties in the current Gaza conflict. OCHA draws on figures issued from the Gazan Ministry of Health (MoH). Producing reliable casualty statistics in contexts of violent conflict is never straightforward. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has consulted experts, including from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Every Casualty Counts. Experts assess that the total number of deaths in Gaza since 7 October 2023 estimated by the Gaza Ministry of Health is a reasonable figure, though numbers of those still under rubble, and still missing, is not yet known.

When his Department plans to provide further information on its long-term plans for the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.

The Government is making long-term plans to enable UK industry to decarbonize and reach Net Zero. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will update stakeholders as soon as possible on Funds that will be available to industry after the upcoming Spending Review, which will conclude in late spring.

Whether his Department takes steps to verify statistics published by the Gaza Health Ministry.

I refer the Right Honorable Gentleman to the response given for PQ 49111.

Whether his Department uses Gaza Health Ministry statistics in cross-Whitehall briefings.

I refer the Right Honorable Gentleman to the response given for PQ 49111.

What discussions her department has had with (a) Serco and (b) other contract providers on the scope of contingency accommodation for asylum dispersal.

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to meet our statutory obligations, while also delivering our commitments to reduce overall asylum accommodation costs, and end the use of hotels over time.

Whether the scope of contingency accommodation for asylum dispersal has been changed since 5 July 2024.

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to meet our statutory obligations, while also delivering our commitments to reduce overall asylum accommodation costs, and end the use of hotels over time.

What discussions her Department has had with (a) West Suffolk District Council and (b) other local authorities on an increase in the number of asylum seekers dispersed.

The Home Office works with local authorities and other stakeholders across the country to ensure that it can fulfil its statutory obligations, and meet the Government’s commitment to reduce the overall costs of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels over time.The Home Office regularly publishes statistics on the numbers of asylum seekers in receipt of support nationally, and further broken down by region and local authority. These data sets can be found on GOV.UK: (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67bc51acd157fd4b79addd4f/support-local-authority-datasets-dec-2024.xlsx).

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time period between the introduction of the (a) Extended Producer Responsibility and (b) Deposit Return scheme on levels of glass usage in packaging.

Defra has worked closely with industry, including the glass sector, throughout the development of the scheme. In October 2024 the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging producers. This assessment factored in the introduction of DRS in 2027.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether all (a) glass, (b) steel, (c) aluminium and (d) PET drinks containers are subject to reporting and payment of Extended Producer Responsibility as there is no exemption for Wales under EPR Regulation 11.

Under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, Deposit items of a relevant deposit scheme are exempt from reporting, recycling and disposal fee obligations. Prior to the introduction of a relevant deposit scheme, steel, aluminium, and PET drinks containers are subject to data reporting and recycling obligations but not disposal fees. Provided that a deposit scheme comes into operation in at least one part of the UK by 1 January 2028, steel, aluminium and PET drinks containers will not be subject to disposal fees in any part of the UK. However, if a deposit scheme is not in operation in any part of the United Kingdom by 1 January 2028, liable producers of steel, aluminium, and PET drinks containers will also pay disposal fees for this packaging. Glass drinks containers are subject to the full range of pEPR obligation and liable producers are obliged to pay disposal fees for this packaging.

Whether his Department plans to introduce retaliatory tariffs on horse importations from the US.

We remain committed to discussions with the US on a wider economic deal that works for both the UK and the US but nothing is off the table; this government will do what is necessary to defend the UK's national interest. That is why on 3 April, the government launched a Request for Input from businesses as a formal step, to keep all options on the table; and to give businesses the chance to have their say and influence the design of any possible UK response.

What support his Department provides to Local National Direct Hire staff members who have been dismissed or placed on furlough from their positions at US Air Force bases.

Individuals hired under the US Local National Direct Hire programme are not employees of the Ministry of Defence and therefore receive no support from the Department if dismissed or displaced on furlough.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether all (a) glass, (b) steel, (c) aluminium and (d) PET drinks containers are subject to reporting and payment of Extended Producer Responsibility in Wales.

All steel, aluminium and PET plastic drinks containers across the UK are exempt from pEPR disposal fees but remain subject to reporting and recycling (PRN) obligations until Deposit Return Schemes (DRS’s) enter into operation. Should DRS’s not enter into operation by the 1 January 2028 this exemption will cease. Glass drinks containers across the UK are subject to pEPR data reporting and both disposal fees and recycling obligations.

For what reason the dementia diagnosis target has been removed from the NHS Operational Planning Guidance.

We remain committed to recovering the dementia diagnosis rates (DDR) to the national ambition of 66.7%, with rates in England being 65.4% as of the end of February 2025. A timely diagnosis is vital to ensure people with dementia can access the treatment and support they need. Overall, the rate remains higher than previous years.We have taken a new approach to National Health Service Planning Guidance this year, reducing the number of national directives from 32 to 18. These are the first steps on our journey for long-term reform of the NHS. NHS Planning Guidance is not an exhaustive list of everything the NHS does, and the absence of a target does not mean it is not an area of focus.The Darzi Investigation found that there are too many targets set for the NHS, which made it hard for local systems to prioritise their actions or to be held properly accountable. Our aim is to give more power to local systems and let them decide how they use local funding to best meet the needs of their local population. This approach signals our ambition for reform, recognises the role of the NHS in driving economic growth, and enshrines our commitment to financial rigour in the system.

What discussions his Department has had with US Government officials and representatives on horse importations as part of negotiators on a potential trade deal.

The government has been focused on negotiating an economic deal with the United States that strengthens our existing fair and balanced trading relationship. The UK is committed to continuing these discussions, but the UK will only do a deal that is in the national interest of the UK and its businesses.

How many Local National Direct Hire staff members have been (a) dismissed and (b) placed on furlough in US Air Force bases in the UK this year.

The Local National Direct Hire Programme is a United States' programme and the Ministry of Defence is not privy to the information requested. It is for the US to determine how they support their mission.