Written questions by Gill.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent progress his Department has made in efforts to decrease the number of instances of persecution on Bahai communities.

The UK champions, and remains strongly committed to, freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. Working with the Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, we are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral organisations, our bilateral work, and our programme funding,The continued persecution of the Baha'i community including in Iran and Yemen, including unfair arrest and detention, land grabs, and denial of burial rights, is unacceptable. We are committed to working with international partners to hold countries to account for repression of the Bahai's, and other religious or belief minorities, including at the United Nations.

How many firearms-related offences there were by the type of firearm in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on offences involving firearms recorded by the police in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level.These data, by offence group and type of weapon, are published in Open Data Tables, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6793b6b48a0829895f24bf55/prc-firearms-open-data-march2009-onwards-300125.ods

How many firearms-related offences there were by the type of offence in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on offences involving firearms recorded by the police in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level.These data, by offence group and type of weapon, are published in Open Data Tables, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6793b6b48a0829895f24bf55/prc-firearms-open-data-march2009-onwards-300125.ods

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) practical and (b) theory driving (i) lessons and (ii) tests are accessible for people who are d/Deaf.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) works with publishing partners, the Stationary Office, to publish The Highway Code and other materials to help people when learning to drive. The DVSA wants the content it produces to be as accessible as possible to everyone.When booking a theory or practical test, candidates are advised to say if they have a reading difficulty, disability or health condition.DVSA has recently worked with Cabinet Office to identify how the customer journey can be improved for d/Deaf candidates working towards their theory test. As a result, DVSA will be introducing improvements to British Sign Language (BSL) learning, theory test content, the theory test booking journey (including using BSL), and the experience at the theory test centre.Candidates can already take their theory test in BSL if they are d/Deaf or have a hearing impairment; a BSL video appears on the screen next to the questions and answers.Other options for theory test candidates include:having a sign language interpreter or lip speaker with them during the testusing a listening aid (hearing loop)It usually helps BSL users to learn their theory with a d/Deaf-aware driving instructor. The Disabled Driving Instructors association can help d/Deaf people with learning to drive and can be accessed at: www.disabilitydrivinginstructors.com/driving-advice/hearing-difficultiesWhen taking a car practical driving test, candidates can use a BSL interpreter, who can also be their driving instructor.When taking the test, the driving examiner can use prompt cards to support a candidate that is d/Deaf or has hearing loss. These prompt cards give short written instructions and diagrams, so candidates know what they need to do.These prompt cards are published on GOV.UK so learners can familiarise themselves with them before the test, and so that driving instructors can use them as part of their training or mock tests. Driving tests: prompt cards to support learner drivers who are deaf - GOV.UK.

What steps he is taking to improve NHS Organ Donor Register registration rates among ethnic minority groups.

The NHS Organ Donor Register is operated by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). Improving NHS Organ Donor Register registration rates overall and particularly for ethnic minority groups is a priority for the Government and NHSBT, to save and improve more lives. NHSBT runs marketing and communication activity throughout the year to increase organ donation, particularly for underrepresented groups, which includes but is not limited to:- publication of the Annual Report of Ethnic Differences in Transplantation, with supporting media coverage, including on the BBC Asian Network;- raising awareness during South Asian Heritage Month with charities and organisations; and- Organ Donation Week 2024, which saw continued activity with partners, including Dalgety Tea, and an exclusive screening of the living donation film The Final Gift at Brixton’s Ritzy cinema NHSBT’s Community Grants Programme is part of NHSBT’s works to build support for organ donation amongst black, Asian, mixed heritage, and minority ethnic communities, working through faith groups to increase understanding and drive behavioural change on organ donation. NHSBT works closely with the National Black, Asian, Mixed Race, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Transplant Alliance to deliver culturally and religiously sensitive messaging about low donation rates amongst their communities. In addition, a range of online and printed materials in relation to faith are available on the dedicated faith and beliefs section of the NHSBT website, which is available at the following link: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/helping-you-to-decide/your-faith-and-beliefs/

What steps he is taking to improve NHS Organ Donor Register registration rates among (a) Sikh and (b) Jewish people.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) manages transplant services across the United Kingdom. NHSBT works with an extensive network of organisations and individuals who have established and trusted relationships with their communities. Last year, in collaboration with the National Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Transplant Alliance (NBTA), NHSBT delivered a conference with the aim of developing culturally and religiously sensitive messaging to promote organ donation within these communities by engaging faith leaders and organisations. Representatives from 51 organisations attended, including British Sikh Nurses. This promotes the sharing of messaging guidance with many faiths, including Sikhism. The report will be shared with all community grant groups and organisations working to increase engagement with faith groups. NHSBT and the NBTA, along with the Race Equality Commission, will continue to work together, and have established a Messaging Conference Implementation Group which will take forward the actions arising from the conference. NHSBT also creates and shares a host of faith-based assets on its website, including for Judaism, with further information available at the following link:https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/helping-you-to-decide/your-faith-and-beliefs/judaism/The Jewish Organ Donor Association is a recipient of the Community Grant Programme, which is a two-year programme focused on building long-term relationships through trusted peers and leaders in the community, engaging with black African and Caribbean, South Asian, East and South East Asian, Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Muslim, and Christian communities. It aims to raise awareness, tackle misinformation, and change perceptions and behaviours around organ donation. A total of £600,000 was given to 51 recipients in 2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential role of cooperative models in strengthening economic resilience in developing countries.

Cooperatives and producer organisations have an important role to play in enabling smallholder farmers and communities to access services and markets and raise productivity sustainably. The UK has supported cooperatives and other forms of collective action through the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) managed by the World Bank, which has a dedicated funding facility for producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which provides support to help producer organisations in Africa access markets.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of screening relatives of people with type 1 diabetes.

The Early Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes (ELSA) study is researching a screening programme for children, aged three to 13 years old, to detect for type 1 diabetes with a simple finger stick blood test. This looks for four antibodies, protein markers, which are associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.elsadiabetes.nhs.uk/This study is currently screening children across the United Kingdom to identify those at risk of developing type 1 diabetes. The programme has been running through schools and general practice surgeries, as well as through online recruitment, and has been hugely successful, with over 24,000 children stepping forward for this test. The ELSA study launched in November 2022 with the intention for all enrolled children to be screened by the end of February 2025. The Department is awaiting the publication of the results of this study.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of levels of screening of type 1 diabetes.

The Early Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes (ELSA) study is researching a screening programme for children, aged three to 13 years old, to detect for type 1 diabetes with a simple finger stick blood test. This looks for four antibodies, protein markers, which are associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.elsadiabetes.nhs.uk/This study is currently screening children across the United Kingdom to identify those at risk of developing type 1 diabetes. The programme has been running through schools and general practice surgeries, as well as through online recruitment, and has been hugely successful, with over 24,000 children stepping forward for this test. The ELSA study launched in November 2022 with the intention for all enrolled children to be screened by the end of February 2025. The Department is awaiting the publication of the results of this study.

What steps she is taking to help tackle the practice of landlords repeatedly occupying properties for short periods of time in order to claim further Empty Property Relief.

This government will not tolerate tax avoidance. We are committed to ensuring that every person and every business pays their fair share. Most businesses pay the rates that are due, but a minority abuse the system, through either avoidance or evasion, to reduce their bills or avoid paying rates altogether. This imposes an unfair burden on the majority and prevents funding from reaching local services. In its response to the 2023 Business Rates Avoidance and Evasion consultation, the government noted that abuse of Empty Property Relief (EPR) through repeated artificial occupation was a significant avoidance challenge. To tackle this the government extended the reset period (the period of occupation required to be eligible for further EPR) from six weeks to thirteen weeks from 1 April 2024 in England. The government will keep this change and the treatment of empty properties under review.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of practices of landlords repeatedly occupying properties for short periods of time in order to claim further Empty Property Relief on local government finances.

This government will not tolerate tax avoidance. We are committed to ensuring that every person and every business pays their fair share. Most businesses pay the rates that are due, but a minority abuse the system, through either avoidance or evasion, to reduce their bills or avoid paying rates altogether. This imposes an unfair burden on the majority and prevents funding from reaching local services. In its response to the 2023 Business Rates Avoidance and Evasion consultation, the government noted that abuse of Empty Property Relief (EPR) through repeated artificial occupation was a significant avoidance challenge. To tackle this the government extended the reset period (the period of occupation required to be eligible for further EPR) from six weeks to thirteen weeks from 1 April 2024 in England. The government will keep this change and the treatment of empty properties under review.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to integrate cooperative models into UK international development programmes.

The Government recognises the important contribution cooperatives have made in serving local communities around the world. Cooperatives are a tried-and-tested model in international development, that can enable citizens and producers to access services or markets and strengthen their voice in local processes. Cooperatives can enable sustainable and inclusive development centred on self-help, democratic ownership, and concern for the community. The UK has supported cooperatives and producer organisations in developing countries, including, for example in agriculture through funding to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), which supports producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which partners with cooperatives and small agribusinesses in low-income countries to improve smallholder farmers' access to markets.

What steps she is taking to improve access to music education in schools.

Music is an essential part of supporting children and young people to develop creativity and find their voice. The government believes creative subjects like music, art and drama are important elements of the rounded and enriching education every child deserves.On 18 March 2025, the department announced its intention to launch a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of music hubs. The department intends to launch this centre in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. Further details will be released in due course.To support the delivery of music education, the government has committed £79 million per year for the music hubs programme, including the 2024/25 academic year. The 43 music hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning and whole-class ensemble teaching. All partnerships have a local plan in place with an inclusion strategy that sets out specific support for disadvantaged children, including young people eligible for the pupil premium and those identified with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). To widen access to musical instruments, the government is investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology from the 2024/25 academic year.The government is also investing £2 million to support the Music Opportunities Pilot over a four-year period from the 2024/25 academic year to the 2027/28 academic year, backed by a further £3.85 million funding from Arts Council England and Youth Music. This pilot is delivered by Young Sounds UK in 12 areas of the country and aims to help disadvantaged children and young people, as well as those with SEND, to learn how to play an instrument of their choice or learn to sing to a high standard. The findings from the pilot will inform future policy on widening music opportunities.

What steps she is taking to provide opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn a musical instrument.

Music is an essential part of supporting children and young people to develop creativity and find their voice. The government believes creative subjects like music, art and drama are important elements of the rounded and enriching education every child deserves.On 18 March 2025, the department announced its intention to launch a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of music hubs. The department intends to launch this centre in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. Further details will be released in due course.To support the delivery of music education, the government has committed £79 million per year for the music hubs programme, including the 2024/25 academic year. The 43 music hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning and whole-class ensemble teaching. All partnerships have a local plan in place with an inclusion strategy that sets out specific support for disadvantaged children, including young people eligible for the pupil premium and those identified with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). To widen access to musical instruments, the government is investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology from the 2024/25 academic year.The government is also investing £2 million to support the Music Opportunities Pilot over a four-year period from the 2024/25 academic year to the 2027/28 academic year, backed by a further £3.85 million funding from Arts Council England and Youth Music. This pilot is delivered by Young Sounds UK in 12 areas of the country and aims to help disadvantaged children and young people, as well as those with SEND, to learn how to play an instrument of their choice or learn to sing to a high standard. The findings from the pilot will inform future policy on widening music opportunities.

What the average waiting times were for patients requiring an organ transplant in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) religion and (b) ethnic group.

Information on waiting times is not held by year for religious or ethnic groups. Waiting times also vary between organ types.NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for organ donation and managing the organ transplant waiting list across the United Kingdom. Information available on annual activity and the current waiting list is captured in the NHSBT Annual Activity Report, which is available at the following link:https://www.odt.nhs.uk/statistics-and-reports/annual-activity-report/Improving National Health Service Organ Donor Register registration rates overall and particularly for ethnic minority groups is a priority for the Government and NHSBT, to save and improve more lives.NHSBT conducts marketing and communication activity throughout the year to increase organ donation particularly for underrepresented groups which includes but is not limited to: publication of the Annual Report of Ethnic Differences in Transplantation with supporting media coverage including on the BBC Asian Network; raising awareness during South Asian Heritage Month with charities and organisations; continued activity during Organ Donation Week 2024 with partners including Dalgety Tea and an exclusive screening of the living donation film ‘The Final Gift’ at Brixton’s Ritzy cinema.NHSBT is committed to reducing health inequalities in treatment and health outcomes that see some people wait longer for life saving treatments, or in some cases miss out on them all together. Some of the priority areas to tackle health inequalities include reducing the waiting time for minority groups waiting for organs and increasing access to automated exchange transfusion by people with sickle cell disorder.NHSBT’s Community Grants Programme is part of NHSBT’s work to build support for organ donation amongst Black, Asian, mixed heritage and minority ethnic communities, working through faith groups to increase understanding and drive behavioural change on organ donation. In the latest funding round, we awarded 51 organisations funding to begin their work in September 2024. This included £150,000 to support deceased organ donation and £150,000 to support living kidney donation.Projects range from local community charities, experienced blood/organ charities to universities and places of worship. For example, the South Asian Heritage Trust aims to raise awareness about organ donation and tackling health inequalities by empowering South Asian communities to make informed choices and increase the number of registered organ donors. NHSBT also works closely with patient groups and charities including the Sickle Cell Society, the National Black, Asian, Mixed Race, and Minority Ethnic Transplant Alliance (NBTA), the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust, the NHS Race Health Observatory and many more.NHSBT works closely with the NBTA to deliver culturally and religiously sensitive messaging about low donation rates amongst their communities.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of restoring Birmingham’s Cross City service to four trains per hour on the economy.

West Midlands Trains (WMT) are working on the feasibility of increasing CrossCity line services where the infrastructure allows, and the business case for such an increase will be expected to include the impact on passengers, taxpayers and the economy.

Will she make an assessment of the potential merits of delivering the next stage of the Midlands Rail Hub.

Midlands Rail Hub would kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity by upgrading connectivity and reliability, and last year £123m was committed to design its first phase. In December, the Chancellor launched the second stage of the Spending Review. All infrastructure investment projects are subject to the outcome of the Spending Review, including the next stage of the Midlands Rail Hub.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing levels of defence spending on levels of (a) Government funding and (b) private sector investment in Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the significant contribution Birmingham, Edgbaston and the wider West Midlands plays to the UK economy and to supporting our national security. While the MOD does not allocate spending to specific regions, the Government has been clear that the increase in spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027 will support highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. The Defence Industrial Strategy will seek to further unlock the potential offered across the nations and regions of the UK to ensure a high growth economy. The Statement of Intent published in December 2024 also identified the “crowding-in” of private sector investment as critical to the Government’s imperatives of both national security and a high growth economy. We are continuing to explore how we can create the conditions needed for the private sector to invest more, and proactively, in Defence, consulting with a wide range of defence and financial services stakeholders.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment has she made of the adequacy of local authority powers to ensure that vacant rental properties are made available for new tenancies.

Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years.Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found here. The government expects social housing landlords to manage their stock efficiently, ensuring that vacant properties are made available where possible.

What steps she is taking to help ensure effective prosecution rates (a) serious and (b) violent crime in Birmingham Edgbaston constituency.

Reducing serious and violent crime is integral to this Government’s Safer Streets Mission and commitment to halve knife crime in a decade.Our new Crime and Policing Bill will back our police by giving them enhanced and tougher powers to keep our streets safe, to tackle anti-social behaviour, and to crack down on knife crime.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutes serious and violent crime robustly, providing early investigative advice on complex and serious offending to build strong cases and deliver justice for victims.The CPS is working with cross-government partners to support the delivery of the Safer Streets Mission, and all CPS guidance and training is kept under constant review to ensure front-line prosecutors are equipped to prosecute these serious offences. Serious and violent crime encompasses many different types of crime but is more commonly associated with drug crime, knife crime, gun crime, and homicide.In 2023-2024, the CPS prosecuted the following serious and violent offences in the West Midlands Police force area, in which the Birmingham Edgbaston constituency is located:1,249 defendants for drug offences under the principal category offence for drugs (which includes possession of controlled drugs, supplying or offering to supply controlled drugs, unlawful importation of controlled drugs, and manufacturing a scheduled substance) (up from 942 in 2022-23).1,645 offences for possession of a knife under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and Prevention of Crime Act 1953 (up from 1,408 in 2022-23).189 offences under the Firearms Act 1968 (up from 117 in 2022-23).124 defendants were prosecuted for homicide offences under the principal offence category for homicide (which includes offences of murder, attempted murder, causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult, child destruction, conspiring or soliciting to commit murder and causing death by dangerous or careless driving) (up from 73 in 2022-23).