Written questions by Wishart.

For what reason paramedics employed by air ambulance charities are excluded from eligibility for the Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; and if his Department will review that policy.

Employees of air ambulance charities and independent ambulance services are not eligible for the Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal as they are not employed by the National Health Service or an NHS foundation trust. There are no current plans to extend the eligibility of the award.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help support people who are unable to re-mortgage their properties because of fire safety issues.

Ten mortgage lenders (banks and building societies) have signed a joint statement confirming they will lend on properties in buildings before they have been remediated. Leaseholders should be able to re-mortgage their homes with one of these lenders, even...

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to withdraw Georgia from the list of safe states as defined in immigration legislation.

Section 80AA of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (as amended and inserted by section 59 of the Illegal Migration Act 2023) provides for a list of generally safe states for whom asylum and human rights claims would be declared inadmissible;...

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of implementing the recommendations of the 14th Report of Session 2017-19 of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Immigration detention,

No recent review of this report has taken place. However, the Government is committed to tackling irregular migration and strengthening border security. We are maximising efforts to establish a system that is better controlled and managed by increasing en...

What estimate her Department has made of the cost to the public purse of immigration detention (a) in total, (b) per person detained and (c) by detention centre in the 2024-25 financial year.

The total amount spent on immigration detention in the 2024/25 financial year will be published in the Home Office annual report and accounts in 2025.The Home Office does not publish the costs associated with each Immigration Removal centre as this is com...

What estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of increasing the immigration detention estate by 290 places.

The Home Office does not comment on service provider procurement exercises, which are commercially sensitive. However, contracts are published upon the Contracts Finder website, once awarded. The Home Office is committed to ensuring value for money on all...

If she will take steps to repeal Part II of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Amendment of List of Safe States) Regulations 2024.

The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Amendment of List of Safe States) Regulations 2024 amended Section 80AA of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (as inserted by section 59 of the Illegal Migration Act 2023).The provisions in t...

Media and Sport, what progress she has made with Cabinet colleagues on easing restrictions for UK artists seeking to tour in EU countries.

This Government is working collaboratively across departments to look at how best to help touring artists, and improve arrangements for musicians, performing artists and their support staff being able to tour across the EU.We will engage with the new Euro...

Where the role of Envoy to the Regions and Nations will be based.

The terms of reference for the Prime Minister's Envoy for the Nations and Regions will be published online in the normal way, setting out the purpose, scope and remit of the role.

What the total operating budget of the Envoy to the Regions and Nations will be.

The terms of reference for the Prime Minister's Envoy for the Nations and Regions will be published online in the normal way, setting out the purpose, scope and remit of the role.

How many full time equivalent staff will be allocated to the office of the Envoy to the Regions and Nations.

The terms of reference for the Prime Minister's Envoy for the Nations and Regions will be published online in the normal way, setting out the purpose, scope and remit of the role.

How much funding her Department has allocated to the Pension Credit Week of Action campaign, launched on 2 September 2024.

The Government wants those eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to, including their Winter Fuel Payment. We will continue to maximise opportunities to promote Pension Credit – such as the rece...

How much funding was allocated to the Pension Credit week of action campaign, launched on 2 September 2024.

The Government’s Pension Credit awareness week of action, during which the DWP joined up with key stakeholder organisations such as Age UK, Citizens Advice, and local authorities to promote Pension Credit, was one part of the Department’s ongoing promotio...

Whether the devolved Administrations will have a role in determining where the National Wealth Fund is spent in those nations.

The National Wealth Fund will improve our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, and playing a central role in our industrial strategy. And it will generate a return for the taxpayer.The National Wealth Fund will deliver for the entire United Kingdom. We have formally engaged devolved Governments for input on National Wealth Fund policy design.To ensure investments can start immediately, the National Wealth Fund will deploy an additional £7.3bn of funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), to invest in the priority sectors set out in the Manifesto, such as automotive, steel, carbon capture and green hydrogen.The UK Infrastructure Bank already has an active presence in Scotland and works with Scottish Government, local authorities, industry bodies and a wide range of project sponsors, investors and lenders.Further detail will be set out ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit in October.

What steps her Department plans to take to determine how the National Wealth Fund will be spent; and whether she plans to hold discussions with the devolved Administrations on such decisions.

The National Wealth Fund will improve our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, and playing a central role in our industrial strategy. And it will generate a return for the taxpayer.The National Wealth Fund will deliver for the entire United Kingdom. We have formally engaged devolved Governments for input on National Wealth Fund policy design.To ensure investments can start immediately, the National Wealth Fund will deploy an additional £7.3bn of funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), to invest in the priority sectors set out in the Manifesto, such as automotive, steel, carbon capture and green hydrogen.The UK Infrastructure Bank already has an active presence in Scotland and works with Scottish Government, local authorities, industry bodies and a wide range of project sponsors, investors and lenders.Further detail will be set out ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit in October.

How much and what proportion of the National Wealth Fund will be allocated to (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

The National Wealth Fund will improve our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, and playing a central role in our industrial strategy. And it will generate a return for the taxpayer.The National Wealth Fund will deliver for the entire United Kingdom. We have formally engaged devolved Governments for input on National Wealth Fund policy design.To ensure investments can start immediately, the National Wealth Fund will deploy an additional £7.3bn of funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), to invest in the priority sectors set out in the Manifesto, such as automotive, steel, carbon capture and green hydrogen.The UK Infrastructure Bank already has an active presence in Scotland and works with Scottish Government, local authorities, industry bodies and a wide range of project sponsors, investors and lenders.Further detail will be set out ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit in October.

What recent discussions she has had with the Scottish Government on the administration of the National Wealth Fund.

The National Wealth Fund will improve our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, and playing a central role in our industrial strategy. And it will generate a return for the taxpayer.The National Wealth Fund will deliver for the entire United Kingdom. We have formally engaged devolved Governments for input on National Wealth Fund policy design.To ensure investments can start immediately, the National Wealth Fund will deploy an additional £7.3bn of funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), to invest in the priority sectors set out in the Manifesto, such as automotive, steel, carbon capture and green hydrogen.The UK Infrastructure Bank already has an active presence in Scotland and works with Scottish Government, local authorities, industry bodies and a wide range of project sponsors, investors and lenders.Further detail will be set out ahead of the government’s International Investment Summit in October.