Written questions by Maskell.

What assessment she has made of the level of the impact of digital ID on the number of undocumented workers in the grey economy.

Due to the hidden nature of illegal working, there is no reliable estimate on the scale of the issue.The Digital ID programme is part of a broader strategy to tackle illegal immigration. By making it harder for people without the right to work to gain employment, the government plans to reduce incentives for unlawful entry. The digital ID will build on the existing digital right to work checks for foreign nationals where eVisa share codes are currently used, further streamlining the process. Digital IDs will:o Make it easier for employers to comply by standardising and simplifying right to work checkso Make it easier for British citizens to demonstrate a right to work.o Remove the reliance on physical documents in the UK, making it harder for forged documents to be used as proof of right to work. The Cabinet Office will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks and has already started engaging key groups.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the new GP contract provides financial security for GPs.

General practices (GPs) are valued independent contractors who provide over £13 billion worth of National Health Services. Every year we consult with the profession about what services GPs provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract, taking into account demand and the cost of delivering services. We have started the 2026/27 GP Contract consultation, and we look forward to listening to a range of stakeholders to help strengthen policy making, ensuring that GPs works for staff and patients. Further details will be announced in due course.

What progress he has made on introducing NHS staff treatment hubs.

The 10-Year Health Plan committed to the roll out of Staff Treatment Hubs, to provide a high-quality, wellbeing and occupational health service for all National Health Service staff. Work is underway to develop implementation and operational plans for the Staff Treatments Hubs. This will determine factors such as location, budgets, timeframes and capacity.

If he will take steps to ensure that pregnant women are (a) asked about alcohol use at the earliest point in their pregnancy and (b) given healthcare to abstain from alcohol use throughout the duration of their pregnancy.

Pregnant women with alcohol problems are often highly vulnerable with multiple and complex support needs. The Government is committed to ensuring pregnant women with alcohol problems are supported to reduce the risk of harm to themselves and the foetus, and later the baby, and to help them to engage in antenatal care, safeguarding, and other local services. The Department, with the support of partners from the devolved administrations, has recently developed and published the first ever United Kingdom clinical guidelines on alcohol treatment. The guidelines have a full section dedicated to pregnancy and perinatal care which sets out the principles that guide the personalised care that women and other people who are pregnant should receive, in order to be supported to reduce, and when safe to, stop their alcohol use as quickly as possible, and that this should be done in a non-judgemental, non-stigmatising way. Healthcare staff, including in maternity and alcohol treatment services, should make every effort to provide accessible care and to engage women who are pregnant and who are alcohol dependent or drinking heavily. The guidelines also reference the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance QS204, which recommends that pregnant women are asked about their alcohol use throughout their pregnancy and that the response is recorded. If there is evidence of failure to follow NICE guidelines, which can lead to negative outcomes, the Care Quality Commission can take appropriate action in response. NICE guidance is expected to be followed unless there is clear justification and alternative evidence-based practice for any deviation from them. We are providing local authorities with £3.4 billion ringfenced funding over the next three years for alcohol and drug treatment and recovery. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol treatment and recovery services and can invest in interventions that strengthen the support available to children and families, including pregnant women affected by alcohol, according to a local assessment of need.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of provision of dental services on (a) children’s and (b) adults' oral health.

The recently published Adult Oral Health Survey 2023 provides the first picture of adult oral health in England for more than a decade. This shows that among dentate adults, those with at least one natural tooth, over two-fifths, or 41%, showed evidence of obvious decay and 9% had one or more potentially urgent dental conditions. Similarly, the Oral Health Survey for five-year-olds in 2024 indicates that 22.4%, or more than a fifth, of five-year-old schoolchildren had experience of obvious tooth decay.The Government is focussed on the prevention of poor dental health through our supervised toothbrushing programme to reach up to 600,000 children in the 20% most deprived areas of England, and by expanding community water fluoridation to the North East of England. This intervention will reach an additional 1.6 million people and will reduce tooth decay and inequalities in dental health, particularly in children and vulnerable adults.We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on interim improvements to the National Health Service dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms/outcome/government-response-to-consultation-on-nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms

What steps he plans to take to help support people with poor digital connections to use a digital ID card.

The digital ID scheme will be underpinned with the principle that no one should be left behind. We recognise that not everyone has the same level of digital access or confidence, and that’s why the scheme will be accompanied by a major government digital inclusion drive.

If he will make it his policy not to introduce ID cards.

On 26 September 2025, the Prime Minister announced plans for free digital ID to be available to all UK citizens and legal residents. This is not an ID card.

What steps he plans to take to help support people who are digitally excluded to work, in the context of the implementation of the proposed digital ID card.

The digital ID scheme will be underpinned by the principle that no one should be left behind. Making this system work for everyone will be a top priority, including those who do not have smartphones, are elderly, or are less digitally confident, so everyone will benefit from simpler, safer access to services.To support those who are digitally excluded, including those from work, the Government will deliver an ambitious digital inclusion programme across the country to ensure they are able to access the new digital ID scheme, and use public services with ease.

How many meetings data companies have had with the Government to discuss ID cards; what the dates of those meetings were; and which companies attended those meetings.

Information about Ministerial meetings, with data companies and others, is routinely published on GOV.UK in a quarterly transparency return. The latest Cabinet Office return can be found here.

What steps he plans to take to help prevent data breaches associated with the proposed digital ID cards.

The National Cyber Security Centre is advising the Government on how the new credential is built to the highest standard of security. This would operate a three lines of defence process - this helps ensure data is protected, fraud is deterred and detected, and threats are monitored and responded to. Ensuring that security arrangements for the proposed digital ID scheme keeps pace with the changing threat landscape will be central to its development.

Whether children and young people will be required to hold an ID card if they work.

On 26 September 2025, the Prime Minister announced plans for free digital ID to be available to all UK citizens and legal residents. This is not an ID card.The scope of the digital ID scheme is still in development and we are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop an inclusive, secure, and useful system.Employers already conduct right to work checks using proof of ID. The new credential will enable these to be fully digitised by the end of this Parliament.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2025 to Question 95676, whether his Department has conducted any evaluation of patient safety risks affecting people with severe and very severe ME/CFS, including malnutrition.

Patient safety risks affecting people with severe and very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), including malnutrition, have been considered during the development of the final delivery plan (FDP) published in July this year, through engagement with stakeholders, including clinicians and patient groups.To this end, the FDP includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

What steps he has taken to secure a new NHS dental contract.

We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on shorter term improvements to the National Health Service dental contract on 16 December 2025. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with the greatest needs first while incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms/outcome/government-response-to-consultation-on-nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reformsWe are continuing to work with the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector, including through Ministerial meetings, to deliver our shared ambition to improve access to treatments for NHS dental patients.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of a standalone offence of assaulting a public transport worker.

There is no place for abuse or assault of any worker. Public transport workers and the wider public should be assured that where offenders commit acts of violence they will be arrested and brought before the courts. The British Transport Police have a specific remit to protect all rail staff and passengers. Public transport workers do of course already have extensive protection in existing legislation such as the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 which also covers more serious violence such as actual bodily harm (ABH) and grievous bodily harm (GBH), and courts must already consider offences against public facing workers as an aggravating factor under the Police Crime and Sentencing Act 2022. We therefore do not believe that creating a specific offence would have the intended purpose of reducing assaults.

Whether protections against assaults for retail workers in the Crime and Policing Bill will apply to public transport workers involved in the retail of (a) refreshments and (b) rail products and tickets.

Assaults against retail workers will be covered by a new offence which we are introducing via the Crime and Policing Bill. Our definition of retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.Our definition is intentionally narrow, and does not include hospitality or transport staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Any ambiguity in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, will likely lead the courts to take the case forward as common assault meaning specific recording attributed to a retail worker would not occur.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of legal protections against assaults at work for public transport workers.

There is no place for abuse or assault of any worker. Public transport workers and the wider public should be assured that where offenders commit acts of violence they will be arrested and brought before the courts. The British Transport Police have a specific remit to protect all rail staff and passengers. Public transport workers do of course already have extensive protection in existing legislation such as the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 which also covers more serious violence such as actual bodily harm (ABH) and grievous bodily harm (GBH), and courts must already consider offences against public facing workers as an aggravating factor under the Police Crime and Sentencing Act 2022. We therefore do not believe that any further legal protections are necessary or would reduce assaults.

What discussions she has had with the Rail Delivery Group, Network Rail and British Transport Police on the potential merits of a standalone offence of assaulting a public transport worker.

There is no place for abuse or assault of any worker. Public transport workers and the wider public should be assured that where offenders commit acts of violence they will be arrested and brought before the courts. The railway has its own dedicated police force in the British Transport Police (BTP), to protect rail staff and passengers. Officials from my Department engage regularly with Rail Delivery Group, Network Rail and BTP, and have highlighted that public transport workers already have extensive protection in existing legislation such as the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 which also covers more serious violence such as actual bodily harm (ABH) and grievous bodily harm (GBH), and courts must already consider offences against public facing workers as an aggravating factor under the Police Crime and Sentencing Act 2022. We do not consider that a standalone offence is necessary, or will have the desired outcome of reducing assaults.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international partners on protecting women and girls in El Fasher, Sudan.

I refer the Hon Member to the statements on Sudan made by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November, and by the Minister of State for International Development and Africa in the House of Lords debate on 27 November. We will provide further updates to the House in due course, including on our efforts to protect women and girls throughout Sudan.

What assessment he has made of patient safety risks, including those relating to malnutrition, among people with severe and very severe ME/CFS in England.

In July this year, we published the final delivery plan (FDP) for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, as set out in the FDP, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. All three sessions of the e-learning programme, with sessions one and two having universal access, whilst the third session is only available to healthcare professionals, are now available at the following link:https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance, which can be found at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206It recommends that people with ME/CFS should be referred for a dietetic assessment by a dietician with a special interest in ME/CFS if they are losing weight and are at risk of malnutrition. The guidance also states that clinicians should recognise that symptoms of severe and very severe ME/CFS may mean that people are unable to eat and digest food easily, and may need support with hydration and nutrition. It suggests that managing this risk could include oral nutrition and enteral feeding.The FDP includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 October to Question 78154, how much of the £500 million allocated to local authorities for Family Help services is being allocated to help adoptive and kinship families with post placement support.

Family Help reforms are being delivered nationally through the Families First Partnership programme, offering services to all families, including adoptive and kinship families.On 20 November, we announced additional investment of £547 million, bringing total programme funding to £2.4 billion over this Spending Review period. This funding demonstrates the government’s commitment to invest in prevention, supporting local authorities and partners to deliver reformed help and protection services that make a real difference to families.It is for local authorities to determine how best to make use of these resources to support adoptive and kinship families with the help they need.The department will soon pilot a new Kinship Allowance in some local authorities in England, which will support around 4,500 children. This will test whether paying an allowance to cover certain costs can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends.