Written questions by Bailey.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of a national screening programme for prostate cancer.

The UK National Screening Committee reviewed the evidence for prostate cancer screening in 2020 and recommended against it due to the insufficient reliability of the best available test, the prostate specific antigen test (PSA test).The committee is currently undertaking a new evidence review of prostate cancer screening at both a population level and for targeted high-risk groups such as black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer.However, the reliability of the PSA test remains an issue, which is why the Government has invested £16 million into Prostate Cancer UK’s TRANSFORM trial to investigate whether different tests and more modern treatments can both detect important prostate cancers and reduce the harm of a large scale, population screening programme.

What discussions he has had with businesses on the steps they are taking to (a) identify and (b) prevent forms of support that help to maintain unlawful occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. The overseas business risk guidance, available on gov.uk, states there are clear risks to UK operators related to economic and financial activities in the settlements. UK citizens and businesses should be aware of the potential reputational implications of involvement in economic and financial activities in settlements, as well as possible abuses of the rights of individuals that such activity may entail. We discourage such activity and advise that those contemplating any economic or financial involvement in settlements should seek appropriate legal advice. Separately, we are conducting a review of Responsible Business Conduct, focusing on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK, as outlined in our Trade Strategy.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of updating building (a) requirements and (b) regulations to make it mandatory to display a street building number on the outside of a building.

The government has made no assessment of the merits of updating Building Regulations to accommodate street building numbers on the outside of buildings.Local authorities already use their legal powers to manage requirements for street and building numbering.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the recommendations for UN member states in the UN Human Rights Council Conference Room Paper of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel entitled Legal analysis of the conduct of Israel in Gaza pursuant to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, published on 16 September 2025.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 June 2025 to Question 55524.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to (a) identify and (b) prevent forms of support that help to maintain unlawful occupation in the occupied Palestinian territories.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 September to Question 73423.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international allies on the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.

Alaa Abd El-Fattah was released from prison on 23 September 2025, following a Presidential pardon.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she next expects to discuss the case of detained British national Alaa Abd el-Fattah with her Egyptian counterpart.

Alaa Abd El-Fattah was released from prison on 23 September 2025, following a Presidential pardon.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what further steps she plans to take to encourage the Egyptian authorities to release Alaa Abd El-Fattah.

Alaa Abd El-Fattah was released from prison on 23 September 2025, following a Presidential pardon.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ending the Strategic Priorities Grant funding for journalism courses in higher education on students from different social and economic backgrounds seeking employment in professional journalism.

The Government has had to make tough prioritisation decisions driven by the challenging fiscal context that we inherited. For the Department of Education, this has meant prioritising support for high-cost subjects that are essential to delivery of our industrial strategy and core funding to support access to higher education for disadvantaged groups. It is important that the targeted funding allocated through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) supports courses that have higher costs of delivery and our Plan for Growth.The Government’s commitment that opportunity is available for all remains unwavering, and we will achieve this by addressing gaps in access and outcomes faced by disadvantaged groups. That is why we have asked that the Office for Students retain the per-student funding rates for the full-time, part-time, disabled premium and mental health Student Premiums at their current level.  We have also maintained funding for Uni Connect, which delivers targeted interventions and support aimed at increasing the number of young people from under-represented groups going into further and higher education.The Government also remains committed to supporting the invaluable role which journalism plays in the fabric of our society. We acknowledge journalism as an important and valued subject in higher education, alongside numerous other subjects that do not attract SPG high-cost subject funding, such as history, languages, economics, maths and law.DCMS officials are engaging with the Department for Education, as well as the press sector and the key journalism professional bodies, to better understand the impact this will have on the journalism industry. These discussions form part of our planning for the DCMS Local Media Strategy. It is important to maintain a healthy and diverse pipeline of talent into the industry through the provision of journalism education opportunities. With this in mind, we are exploring through the Strategy whether more can be done to promote journalism as a career amongst young people, including through the DCMS-funded Creative Careers Programme which is intended to promote careers in the creative industries among young people and recently added the National Council for the Training of Journalists to its steering group.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the decision to end Strategic Priorities Grant funding for journalism courses in higher education.

The Government has had to make tough prioritisation decisions driven by the challenging fiscal context that we inherited. For the Department of Education, this has meant prioritising support for high-cost subjects that are essential to delivery of our industrial strategy and core funding to support access to higher education for disadvantaged groups. It is important that the targeted funding allocated through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) supports courses that have higher costs of delivery and our Plan for Growth.The Government remains committed to supporting the invaluable role which journalism plays in the fabric of our society. We acknowledge journalism as an important and valued subject in higher education, alongside numerous other subjects that do not attract SPG high-cost subject funding, such as history, languages, economics, maths and law.DCMS officials are engaging with the Department for Education, as well as the press sector and the key journalism professional bodies, to better understand the impact this will have on the journalism industry, as part of the wider creative industries.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of ending the Strategic Priorities Grant funding for journalism courses in higher education on their future financial viability.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Salford to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63373.

Which enforcement body is responsible for ensuring that employers are in compliance with Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999; and what steps her Department has taken to assess the effectiveness of that body.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (alongside Local Authorities) is responsible for ensuring that employers are in compliance with Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) assesses the effectiveness of HSE by various means, including quarterly accountability reviews, at which HSE’s performance measures are considered. Furthermore, DWP has carried out a full review of each of its arm’s-length bodies, employing an independent reviewer. This review examines in detail how the body is performing across various areas, and is published on gov.uk. The last review was completed in 2023.

What steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to help tackle incidents of workplace sexual harassment; and what procedures it follows to identify workplace sexual harassment during workplace inspections.

Whilst the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 could apply to harassment offences in the workplace, the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) long standing position is that it does not seek to regulate or apply health and safety at work legislation where another regulator has specific responsibility or there is more directly applicable legislation. A specific purpose of The Equality Act 2000 is to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace and from 26 October 2024, employers are under a new legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent the sexual harassment of staff at work. The Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service have published extensive guidance on sexual harassment in the workplace, provide advice to individuals and organisations, and will help individual people with their legal cases in seeking civil remedies to instances of sexual harassment. HSE works closely with other regulators to promote co-operation, share intelligence and where appropriate, co-ordinate on joint regulatory activities. Workplace sexual harassment is unlawful under legislation such as the Equality Act 2010, the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) directly addresses incidents of discrimination and sexual harassment under the Equality Act 2010, ensuring that employers meet their obligations to prevent these issues. As there are other better placed regulators, HSE inspectors do not raise the issue during workplace inspections.

How many prosecutions were brought for workplace sexual harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in each of the last five years.

Statistics collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the criminal offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 do not separately identify perpetrators prosecuted, convicted or sentenced to crimes involving sexual harassment, or the location of where the offence took place.Collating such information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department has allocated to (a) the global Media Freedom Coalition and (b) other country-specific programmes to support (i) media freedom and (ii) the protection of journalists in the 2025-26 financial year.

The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to media freedom internationally, including the protection of journalists. We recognise the vital role journalists play in upholding human rights, supporting effective, accountable and inclusive governance and democratic resilience.The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) supports media freedom initiatives across the world to foster diverse media landscapes. For the 2025-26 financial year, this includes £114,000 to the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), to finance its secretariat operations. In October 2024 we launched a new media development programme Public Interest Media and Healthy Information Environments (PIMHIE), which helps local media outlets develop new business models and strengthens wider information environments through support for advocacy and policy initiatives to improve the media eco-system. This programme will be supported with £2.25 million in funding this financial year. The FCDO is currently working through future spending plans, including final allocations for this year. It is not yet possible to clarify the exact amount that will be committed to these initiatives in the next four financial years.The UK also plays a critical role promoting media freedom and the protection of journalists through our multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. We have negotiated resolutions to protect international standards on media freedom and freedom of expression, including in the Human Rights Council and upholding OSCE commitments. The UK co-founded the MFC which has issued a wide range of public statements highlighting situations of concern, as well as issues such as journalists in conflict and journalists in exile. Journalists are protected under international humanitarian law, and the UK actively promotes adherence to these protections.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Departmental spending plans on the work of the (a) Media Freedom Coalition and (b) other country-specific programmes to promote (i) media freedom and (ii) the protection of journalists.

The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to media freedom internationally, including the protection of journalists. We recognise the vital role journalists play in upholding human rights, supporting effective, accountable and inclusive governance and democratic resilience.The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) supports media freedom initiatives across the world to foster diverse media landscapes. For the 2025-26 financial year, this includes £114,000 to the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), to finance its secretariat operations. In October 2024 we launched a new media development programme Public Interest Media and Healthy Information Environments (PIMHIE), which helps local media outlets develop new business models and strengthens wider information environments through support for advocacy and policy initiatives to improve the media eco-system. This programme will be supported with £2.25 million in funding this financial year. The FCDO is currently working through future spending plans, including final allocations for this year. It is not yet possible to clarify the exact amount that will be committed to these initiatives in the next four financial years.The UK also plays a critical role promoting media freedom and the protection of journalists through our multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. We have negotiated resolutions to protect international standards on media freedom and freedom of expression, including in the Human Rights Council and upholding OSCE commitments. The UK co-founded the MFC which has issued a wide range of public statements highlighting situations of concern, as well as issues such as journalists in conflict and journalists in exile. Journalists are protected under international humanitarian law, and the UK actively promotes adherence to these protections.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department plans to provide to (a) the Media Freedom Coalition and (b) other country-specific programmes to promote (i) media freedom and (ii) the protection of journalists in each of the next four financial years.

The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to media freedom internationally, including the protection of journalists. We recognise the vital role journalists play in upholding human rights, supporting effective, accountable and inclusive governance and democratic resilience.The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) supports media freedom initiatives across the world to foster diverse media landscapes. For the 2025-26 financial year, this includes £114,000 to the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), to finance its secretariat operations. In October 2024 we launched a new media development programme Public Interest Media and Healthy Information Environments (PIMHIE), which helps local media outlets develop new business models and strengthens wider information environments through support for advocacy and policy initiatives to improve the media eco-system. This programme will be supported with £2.25 million in funding this financial year. The FCDO is currently working through future spending plans, including final allocations for this year. It is not yet possible to clarify the exact amount that will be committed to these initiatives in the next four financial years.The UK also plays a critical role promoting media freedom and the protection of journalists through our multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. We have negotiated resolutions to protect international standards on media freedom and freedom of expression, including in the Human Rights Council and upholding OSCE commitments. The UK co-founded the MFC which has issued a wide range of public statements highlighting situations of concern, as well as issues such as journalists in conflict and journalists in exile. Journalists are protected under international humanitarian law, and the UK actively promotes adherence to these protections.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, whether it is her policy to maintain the original terms of the British National (Overseas) visa route.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in due course.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

What funding her Department has allocated for highways investment.

The Autumn 2024 Budget announced nearly £1.6 billion in capital funding for local highways maintenance in England for the financial year 2025 to 2026. This includes £500 million of additional funding when compared to funding levels for 2024 to 2025. National Highways is responsible for the operation, maintenance, renewal and enhancement of the strategic road network of major A-roads and motorways in England. £4.842 billion of funding for this has been announced for the 2025 to 2026 financial year as part of an Interim Road Investment Strategy published on 24 March. Funding allocations for highways investment beyond 2025/26 will be determined as part of the Spending Review.

What assessment she has made of the need for improvements to the Strategic Road Network to be included within the scope of the forthcoming 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy.

The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy will set out the Government’s approach to core economic and social infrastructure, including transport. The Department recognises the Strategic Road Network (SRN) as a critical component of the UK’s transport infrastructure, supporting economic growth, connectivity, and the movement of people and goods across the country. In collaboration with National Highways, the Department undertakes regular assessments of the SRN to identify priorities for investment and improvement through the preparation of road investment strategies. The third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), starting in April 2026, is currently in development. Decisions on longer-term funding for the SRN will be made through the Spending Review 2025. However, the Government has already committed £4.842 billion for the SRN in 2025/26. The Interim Settlement, published in March 2025, details how this funding will be allocated, including priorities for maintenance, operations, and enhancements.