Written questions by Gill.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of proposals to (a) integrate geospatial data into the National Data Library and (b) review licensing barriers to its use.

This Government has been clear that it wants to maximise the benefits from public sector data assets to deliver better public services and cutting-edge innovation. The National Data Library will provide simple, secure and ethical access to our key public data assets for researchers, policy makers and business.Work is underway to design the National Data Library, including consideration of the data to be included and how it should be licensed, and decisions on its design and implementation will be set out in due course.

How many and what proportion of employees of NHS England: Midlands are in the (a) ESM 1, (b) ESM 2, (c) ESM 3 and (d) ESM 4 salary bands.

Of the 961 staff employed in the NHS England Midlands region, 2.3% of employees in the region are at Executive Senior Manager (ESM) grades, none of whom are at ESM4. The following table shows the number and proportion of staff in the NHS England Midlands region who are at ESM grades, as of end of February 2025:GradeNumber of staffPercentage of regional staffESM1161.7%ESM250.5%ESM310.1%ESM400.0%

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle hate crimes based on religion in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Birmingham and (c) Birmingham Edgbaston constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 37961 on 20 March 2025.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve the collection of data on people affected by hate crime by (a) religion and (b) ethnicity.

This Government is committed to tackling all forms of hate crime and we back the police in taking strong action against the perpetrators of these appalling offences.The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of religious hate crimes by the perceived targeted religion of the victim and on the ethnicity of victims in racially or religiously aggravated crimes that occur in England and Wales. The latest information can be found here: Hate crime, England and Wales, year ending March 2024 - GOV.UKThe Home Office is continuously working with Police Forces to improve the quality and coverage of these data. Home Office crime and policing data collections are reviewed annually via the Annual Data Requirement board consisting of Home Office and police force representatives. Ways to improve quality and coverage of data collections are considered as part of the review process.

Communities and Local Government, what progress has she made in implementing the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.

Future spending on specific programmes in 2025-26, including for the Supported Housing Improvement Programme (SHIP), is yet to be determined. SHIP local authorities will be notified as soon as possible. The government is currently consulting on proposals for implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. The consultation closes on 15 May. Following this, the responses will be analysed before regulations are drafted and consulted on. We are continuing to engage closely with the sector as we work to implement the Act.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Yemen on the restriction of freedom of religion or belief for Baha’is in that country; and whether the John Bunyan Fund for Freedom of Religion and Belief will be used to assist people facing persecution.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding, including the FCDO John Bunyan Fund (JBF), a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects.The FCDO works to ensure that Official Development Assistance is allocated to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.We track the treatment of the Bahá'ís in Yemen closely, including through meeting their representatives in the UK and lobbying the relevant authorities. We continue to condemn the continued persecution of the Bahá'ís and other religious minorities in Yemen.

What recent estimate she has made of the number of young people not in education, employment or training in (a) Birmingham and b) Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency.

The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the Labour Force Survey for young people aged 16-24. An overview of the publication can be found here:https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief.The number of 16-24-year-olds estimated as NEET in England at the end of 2024 is estimated to be 837,000, which is equivalent to 13.6% of the population. These estimates are not available at lower-level geographies due to limitations with sample sizes. Therefore, NEET rates for young people aged 16-24 in Birmingham and Birmingham Edgbaston constituency are not available.However, local authorities are required to encourage, enable or assist young people’s participation in education or training and return management information for young people aged 16 and 17. Data for the 2023/24 academic year was published in ‘Participation in education, training and NEET age 16 to 17 by local authority’, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-training-and-neet-age-16-to-17-by-local-authority/2023-24.The data shows that of the 33,264 young people aged 16 and 17 years old who were known to Birmingham local authority at the end of 2023, 2,037 were NEET or their activity was not known. These statistics are published as transparency data, so some caution should be taken if using these figures.In addition, 16-18 destination measures are published. These official statistics show the percentage of pupils not continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination in the year after completing 16-18 study. This can be used as a proxy to determine how many can be classified as NEET at the age of 18. The latest publication includes destinations in 2022/23 by parliamentary constituency boundaries at that time. Data can be found here for Birmingham Edgbaston parliamentary constituency: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8969680b-7fea-4615-ce51-08dd66bfee22.

What the average waiting time for driving tests is in Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency.

The table below shows the average waiting time for driving test centres that serve customers living in the Edgbaston constituency, as of the 17 March 2025. Driving test centreAverage waiting time as of the 17 March 2025 (in weeks).Birmingham (Kings Heath)24Birmingham (South Yardley)24Birmingham (Shirley)24Birmingham (Garretts Green)24Birmingham (Kingstanding)24 The current national average for driving tests as of February 2025 is 21.3 weeks.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to continue supporting local authorities with large shares of exempt supported accommodation in their areas through the supported housing improvement programme.

Future spending on specific programmes in 2025-26, including for the Supported Housing Improvement Programme (SHIP), is yet to be determined. SHIP local authorities will be notified as soon as possible. The government is currently consulting on proposals for implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. The consultation closes on 15 May. Following this, the responses will be analysed before regulations are drafted and consulted on. We are continuing to engage closely with the sector as we work to implement the Act.

What steps she is taking to help ensure effective prosecutions in cases of violence against women and girls in Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a national emergency and through the Safer Streets Mission, this Government will deliver on our ambition to halve VAWG in a decade. A key part will be delivering effective prosecutions, and we continue to see improvements in the prosecution of VAWG offences.As Solicitor General, I superintend the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is continuing to transform its approach to adult rape prosecution through the implementation of its new national operating model, based on robust evidence from Operation Soteria. Through this work, the CPS has seen substantial increases in referral, charge, and prosecution volumes for adult rape.These improvements have also informed the Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan with policing which launched in November 2024. Better partnership with policing has already led to modest initial increases in domestic abuse referrals, setting a strong foundation for future improvements.To address the increasingly complexity of VAWG offending and the holistic needs of victims, the CPS will also begin implementation of its 2025-30 VAWG strategy this spring. This will ensure prosecutors have the right skills and tools to prosecute VAWG effectively.I was delighted to give a keynote address at a joint CPS, Home Office, and National Police Chiefs’ Council conference on tackling honour-based abuse held in Birmingham last week. On the same day, I met with the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the West Midlands and the Area’s Victim Liaison Unit and heard directly from CPS staff about the critical work they are doing to prosecute VAWG offences.In the West Midlands police force area in 2023-24, the CPS prosecuted 1,596 domestic abuse flagged cases (an increase from 1,543 in 2022-23), 135 rape flagged cases (an increase from 108 in 2022-23), and 419 sexual offences (excluding rape flagged) cases (an increase from 295 in 2022-23).

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing regulations for managing agents.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of supporting cooperatives in developing countries.

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 modernise Job Centres in Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency.

This Government’s number one mission is to grow the economy and drive up living standards right across the country as part of its Plan for Change. Building a thriving and inclusive labour market – which spreads the benefits of good work to as many people as possible – is central to achieving that goal. Linking to the government’s missions of Kickstarting Economic Growth and Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunities, the Department is working to ensure that the DWP estate is more flexible and responsive and can react to the changing demands for services and economic changes. As set out in the ‘Get Britain Working White Paper’, the Department is transforming the Jobcentre Plus network across Great Britain to create a new national jobs and careers service that will enable everyone to access tailored support through an enhanced focus on people’s skills and careers, rather than merely monitoring and managing benefit claims.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of vaccination rates among babies and children for tuberculosis in (a) Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency, (b) Birmingham and (c) the West Midlands.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) monitors trends in the level of childhood vaccination rates, including Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, at upper tier local authority, region and country level.Official vaccine coverage estimates, for the BCG vaccine, are measured for eligible children in England at three months and 12 months of age and are published quarterly by UKHSA. These are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cover-of-vaccination-evaluated-rapidly-cover-programme-2024-to-2025-quarterly-dataAnnual estimates are published by NHS England at local authority level, and are available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-immunisation-statistics/england-2023-24Edgbaston falls within the Birmingham Upper Tier Local Authority. The latest data, published in December 2024, captures BCG coverage at the age of three months for children born April to June 2024 and at age 12 months for children born July to September 2023. Measured at three months, coverage was 87.0% in Birmingham and 87.1% in the West Midlands. Measured at 12 months, it was 85.3% in Birmingham and 87.0% in the West Midlands. These figures are higher than the coverage of 78.4% at 3 months and 84.1% at 12 months in England.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what contribution he will make to the World Bank IDA's 21st replenishment.

The impact on the UK contribution to the World Bank International Development Association's (IDA) 21st replenishment is being worked through following the decision to reduce UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3% in 2027. We will be taking a rigorous approach to ensure all ODA delivers value for money. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes.

Innovation and Technology, what progress has been made on revising the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice.

Under the existing regulations telecommunications operators are responsible for the guidelines governing the deployment of above ground infrastructure. In response to my concerns about the installation of unnecessarily intrusive telecommunications infrastructure, the industry convened a working group to examine the existing Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice, and to issue new guidelines for the deployment of telegraph poles.Whilst this work is entirely for industry to undertake, I understand that industry trade bodies expect to publish the guidelines this spring and urge them to do so as soon as possible.

What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of tuberculosis in (a) Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency (b) Birmingham and (c) the West Midlands.

The latest annual and quarterly Tuberculosis (TB) reports for England, published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), include detailed data analysis up to the end of 2023 and provisional data up to the end of 2024; this includes the West Midlands and Birmingham city local authority area. The full report and data tables are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuberculosis-in-england-2024-reportTB notification rates in the West Midlands showed a steady decline between 2012 and 2019, after which notification rates plateaued before beginning to increase in 2022. In 2023, the TB rates for the West Midlands rose by 7.8%, giving the West Midlands the second highest TB notification rate after London. Provisional data for 2024 indicates a continued and accelerated rise, namely 22.2%, in TB notifications in the West Midlands, increasing from 538 to 709 cases. This is the largest rise in any region during 2024 and is likely due to more arrivals into the area from high TB incidence countries and a backlog in testing and treatment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Further analysis for the West Midlands region is being undertaken. Within the West Midlands, Wolverhampton and Birmingham City have the highest rates. In 2023 Birmingham City saw a 17% increase in the number of TB notifications compared to 2022, from 184 to 216.UKHSA provides three-year annual incidence rates for West Midlands and Birmingham City on the ‘Fingertips’ website. The three-year annual incidence rate for the West Midlands is significantly higher than the national rate for England. Birmingham City’s three-year annual incidence rate ranks 19th highest among local authority areas in England. Further information is available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/TB#page/1/gid/1/ati/502/iid/91359/age/1/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1There are currently no published analyses of ward level data; therefore, data specific to Edgbaston is not available.

What recent assessment he has made of the contribution of the defence sector in (a) Birmingham, Edgbaston, (b) Birmingham and (c) the West Midlands to the UK economy.

The Ministry of Defence generally holds data at a regional level and, therefore, cannot make this kind of assessment for either Edgbaston or Birmingham specifically. However, the defence sector in the West Midlands makes a significant contribution to the UK economy. In 2023-24, Ministry of Defence expenditure with UK industry and commerce totalled £1.6 billion , including a spend of £137 million with small and medium sized enterprises, in the West Midlands. In 2022-23, Ministry of Defence expenditure supported approximately 7,100 direct jobs with industry in the West Midlands.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on developing a food strategy that addresses both (a) public health and health inequalities and (b) affordability.

Our ambitious food strategy will set and deliver clear long-term outcomes that create a healthier, fairer, and more resilient food system, and in doing so will consider elements of the food system that can contribute towards those outcomes. In developing the strategy, we are establishing a new way of working with the sector and building on strong partnerships across the food system to pool our expertise, influence and effort and develop collective commitments, backed by a clear vision and framework for change from the Government, to improve the outcomes the food system delivers. We will provide details of process, engagement and milestones in the coming months.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the contribution of the creative sectors in (a) Birmingham, Edgbaston, (b) Birmingham and (c) the West Midlands to the UK economy.

The creative industries sector is one of eight growth-driving sectors identified in the government’s Industrial Strategy. We will publish a Creative Industries Sector Plan to drive growth in the late spring. The creative industries can be found in clusters throughout the UK, with the Creative Policy and Evidence Centre noting 55 clusters making a strong contribution to the sector’s contribution of £124bn to the UK’s GVA.In 2023, the West Midlands was one of the top three regions in terms of median annual earnings for the creative industries (£40,650). The West Midlands’ Creative Industries contributed £4 billion to the UK economy and there were 138,000 filled jobs in the sector in the region. This includes a strong presence in video games, film and television as well as in the wider culture and creative industries.Government support for the sector has included £520,000 to the West Midlands region to provide creative industries specific business support and develop regional investor readiness through the Create Growth Programme. This is delivered in combination with the West Midlands Combined Authority, Creative UK, Create Central and Innovate UK with funding from DCMS. A further £425,000 will be provided by DCMS via the Integrated Settlement during the 2025/26 Financial Year.In November at the Beyond Conference, we announced £6.74m to deliver the CreaTech Futures Creative Industries Cluster with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. This will drive research and development, business innovation and skills within the creative industries ecosystem across the West Midlands. This will be led by Birmingham City University with Coventry University, the University of Birmingham, the University of Warwick and the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Cluster will create a network of four complementary, interconnected R&D labs in immersive audio and video technologies, virtual production, applied AI for createch and gaming, esports, and animation.At the Creative Industries Growth Moment in January, we announced additional funding, to be agreed as part of the Spending Review to six Mayoral Combined Authorities including the West Midlands Combined Authority to drive business growth.