Written questions by Barker.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and the Leader of the Israeli Opposition on 10 July 2025, whether the matter of Mr Golan's support for starving the Palestinian population of Gaza was raised.

I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing legally-binding poverty reduction targets.

This Government is committed to tackling Child Poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious child poverty strategy which we will publish in the autumn. The Taskforce will continue to explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term action across government to reduce child poverty. The Taskforce will be guided by the leading, internationally-recognised measure of poverty - Relative Poverty After Housing Costs (the proportion of families with below 60% of the median income, after deducting housing costs). We will also measure the experience of children in the most severe and acute forms of poverty, which we are considering how best to measure as we develop the strategy. These headline metrics will be supported by a range of other metrics as part of a monitoring framework to ensure the Strategy is on track to meet its aims. The strategy is focused on metrics related to child poverty, but we are working closely with colleagues on complementary metrics across government. An example is the Plan for Change measure on the percentage of five-year-olds reaching a good level of development in the early years foundation stage assessment.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Yair Golan on Thursday 10 July 2025, what the purpose of the meeting was; and if he will publish a transcript of the discussion.

I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers' continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures. As is usual with meetings with our international partners, we will not be releasing a transcript of this discussion.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and the Leader of the Israeli Opposition on 10 July 2025, in what capacity Mr Golan was meeting with the Government; and which organisations facilitated his meeting at the FCDO.

I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers' continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures. As is usual with meetings with our international partners, we will not be releasing a transcript of this discussion.

If he will make it his policy to require companies with Government contracts to recognise trade unions.

This Government is committed to creating jobs that provide security, treat workers fairly, and pay a decent wage. The Government’s Social Value Model provides an opportunity to reward suppliers who provide good working conditions for staff working on public contracts. The Employment Rights Bill also supports workers’ rights to access a Trade Union.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of Capita's approach to industrial relations when administrating government contracts.

As with all strategic suppliers to the government, we continue to monitor Capita's conduct and commercial performance. The Supplier Code of Conduct expects suppliers to treat employees and service users fairly and in line with employment laws, including non-discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and human rights. It also requires adherence to ethical standards, counter-fraud policies, and whistleblowing procedures, promoting lawful and appropriate working practices throughout the supply chain. Suppliers are expected to communicate these standards internally and to their subcontractors.As a strategic supplier to the Government, Capita has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which supports this framework through proactive risk management. It enables the Cabinet Office to monitor performance and financial health, identify breaches, and, where necessary, take action such as developing Improvement Plans to address any workplace conduct and governance issues.

What steps his Department is taking to help resolve the industrial dispute at pension administrator MyCSP.

The Government does not provide a running commentary on ongoing disputes.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the UKRI on its funded research projects on solar radiation modification.

The Department engages regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and its constituent Councils, on a range of research and innovation priorities.In April 2025, UKRI’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) invested £10 million in four research projects on solar radiation modification (SRM). These projects cover stratospheric aerosol intervention; marine cloud brightening; the environment’s response to SRM; and the cooling potential of lesser-known SRM approaches. These projects will not involve outdoor experiments.

What discussions she has had with schools on the potential impact of (a) children buying vapes from their peers and (b) preventing the use of vapes in schools on levels of (i) behaviour and (ii) teacher morale.

The sale of vapes to under 18s is illegal, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of all consumer nicotine products to anyone under 18.Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from school premises. The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour and the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour, including vaping anywhere in school.The relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance states that, in both primary and secondary school, pupils should be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks. This includes smoking, alcohol use, and drug taking.

What estimate her Department has made of the average weekly cost of (a) student accommodation, (b) food and (c) living for university students in the latest period for which data is available.

The latest Student Income and Expenditure Survey for 2021/22 collects data on income and expenditure across the academic year, assumed to be 39 weeks.In the 2021/22 academic year, full-time undergraduate students’ total median living costs were £5,841 including spending on food, entertainment, personal items and other spending not directly related to students’ courses.Full-time undergraduate students had a median spend of £1,814 on food in the 2021/22 academic year.The median expenditure on housing costs across full-time undergraduate students who incurred those costs was £4,940.

Whether his Department has undertaken a risk assessment on solar radiation modification.

The Government is not in favour of using Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). Given the significant uncertainty around the possible risks and impacts of deployment on the climate and environment, the Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so. The Department works closely with the research community to evaluate the latest research on the potential risks and impacts of solar radiation modification.

What information his Department holds on the average number of men who have committed suicide in each of the last five years.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon lady’s Parliamentary Question of 26th June is attached.

What information his Department holds on the proportion of boys and men aged between 10 and 50 that have suffered from mental health issues.

The following table shows the percentage of male children and young people with a probable disorder, sorted by age group: Age group in years8 to 1617 to 1920 to 25Male children and young people with a probable disorder20.8%15.4%13.4%Source: Mental Health of Children and Young People in England Survey 2023. In addition, the following table shows the percentage of male adults with a common mental health condition, sorted by age group: Age group in years16 to 2425 to 3435 to 4445 to 55Male adults with a common mental health condition13.5%20.8%14.9%18.4%Source: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023/24.

What recent estimate her Department has made of the cost of policing the supply of cannabis.

The Dame Carol Black Independent Review of Drugs (2020) is the most recent estimate of the total cost of drug-related enforcement costs.

Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the England and Wales Cricket Board on increasing levels of access to cricket in cities.

This Government is committed to ensuring everyone, no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active. The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment to the England and Wales Cricket Board, the National Governing Body for cricket, which receives up to £11.6 million for five years to invest in community cricket initiatives. This includes programmes that will benefit everyone, including people who live in cities, as set out in their “Inspiring Generations” strategy for 2025-2028. On 20 June 2025, the Culture Secretary announced at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK following the Spending Review, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of (a) the long-term viability, (b) the financial position and (c) levels of participation in cricket clubs in cities.

This Government is committed to ensuring everyone, no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active. The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment to the England and Wales Cricket Board, the National Governing Body for cricket, which receives up to £11.6 million for five years to invest in community cricket initiatives. This includes programmes that will benefit everyone, including people who live in cities, as set out in their “Inspiring Generations” strategy for 2025-2028. On 20 June 2025, the Culture Secretary announced at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK following the Spending Review, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of cricket participation rates among state school pupils.

Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People Survey for Academic Year 2023-24 shows that 252,500 (6.6%) children in academy schools have participated in cricket at least once a week or more, and 253,000 (7.3%) children in maintained schools have participated in cricket at least once a week or more. The Government is committed to protecting time for physical education in schools. The Prime Minister recently announced a new School Sport Partnerships approach and a new Enrichment Framework for schools to ensure all young people have equal access to high-quality sport and extracurricular activity. The ongoing independent expert-led review of the curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the National Governing Body for cricket, has committed to making the sport as inclusive as possible for children and young people through their new strategy and state school action plan. I have also seen the work of their charitable arm, Chance to Shine, to encourage more children to take up cricket, at the Mill Academy in Worsbrough last year. We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million of National Lottery and government money. The ECB receives £10.2 million funding from Sport England across up to five years to help deliver strategic objectives, including tackling inequalities and improving access to sport.

How many people have been convicted for carrying cannabis in England and Wales in the last 12 months.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for possession of cannabis at criminal courts in England and Wales in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.

What steps her Department is taking to support university students with the cost of living.

The government recognises the impact that the cost-of-living crisis has had on students.The government has therefore announced that maximum loans for living costs will increase by 3.1% for the 2025/26 academic year. A 3.1% increase is in line with forecast inflation based on the Retail Prices Index Excluding Mortgage (RPIX) inflation index.We continue to provide means-tested non-repayable grants to low-income full-time students with children and adults who are financially dependent on them.In addition, students with disabilities can apply for non-means tested disabled students’ allowance to support additional disability-related study costs. For the 2025/26 academic year, maximum dependants’ grants and disabled students’ allowance are being increased by 3.1%.Students undertaking nursing, midwifery and allied health profession courses also qualify for additional non-repayable grant support through the NHS Learning Support Fund.The department aims to publish our plans for higher education reform as part of the Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy White paper in the summer, and work with the sector and the Office for Students to deliver the change that the country needs.

What estimate he has made of the proportion of children aged 12-16 who are vaping.

NHS England publishes estimates of the prevalence of vaping in children in the Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England Survey. This survey covers children in years 7 to 11 in secondary school, the majority of whom will be aged 12 to 16 years old, although some 11 year olds will also be included.The latest figures for England are from the 2023 survey, which showed that 5% of children were regular vapers, 4% were occasional vapers, and 25% reported having ever tried vaping. The report is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/smoking-drinking-and-drug-use-among-young-people-in-england/2023