Written questions by Lowe.

How many (a) irregular migrants and (b) asylum seekers attended how many NHS therapy sessions in the most recent year for which information is available; and what the cost to the public purse was of (i) those sessions and (ii) interpreters at those sessions.

While NHS England does hold some data on this, the information is not considered robust enough to be published, given that only a small number of providers have recorded data in a format that allows asylum seekers and refugees to be separately identified. It is not possible to identify irregular migrants within this information. Neither would it be possible to provide information on the actual cost of these therapy sessions, as this information is not held at this level of granularity.

How many international (a) air miles and (b) flights have been completed by (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in their Department since 5 July 2024.

The number of international air miles travelled by officials in the Department between 5 July and 29 November 2024 was 504,421. The number of flights taken by officials in the Department was 166. We have interpreted officials as all other Departmental staff.The number of international air miles travelled by ministers in the Department was 36,489. We have not provided the number of flights taken by ministers as this is published on a quarterly basis, a quarter in arrears, on the GOV.UK website. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings

If he will make an estimate of the average additional time taken during the appointments for (a) translation and (b) interpretation.

The Department does not hold the requested information centrally. Integrated care boards are responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services to meet the needs of their respective populations, which includes translation services.The Department has no plans to estimate the average additional time taken during appointments for translation and interpretation.The Department also has no plans to collect information on the proportion and cost of letters posted by the NHS in each language over the last five years, for which interpreting agencies are contracted to provide services to the NHS, the cost of such contracts, or how many test results have been translated into languages other than English for each of the last five years.

What proportion of letters posted by the NHS were in each language in each of the last five years; and what the cost of translation was for those letters.

The Department does not hold the requested information centrally. Integrated care boards are responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services to meet the needs of their respective populations, which includes translation services.The Department has no plans to estimate the average additional time taken during appointments for translation and interpretation.The Department also has no plans to collect information on the proportion and cost of letters posted by the NHS in each language over the last five years, for which interpreting agencies are contracted to provide services to the NHS, the cost of such contracts, or how many test results have been translated into languages other than English for each of the last five years.

How many test results have been translated into languages other than English for each of the last five years.

The Department does not hold the requested information centrally. Integrated care boards are responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services to meet the needs of their respective populations, which includes translation services.The Department has no plans to estimate the average additional time taken during appointments for translation and interpretation.The Department also has no plans to collect information on the proportion and cost of letters posted by the NHS in each language over the last five years, for which interpreting agencies are contracted to provide services to the NHS, the cost of such contracts, or how many test results have been translated into languages other than English for each of the last five years.

Which interpreting agencies are contracted to provide services to the NHS; and what the cost to the public purse of those contracts is.

The Department does not hold the requested information centrally. Integrated care boards are responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services to meet the needs of their respective populations, which includes translation services.The Department has no plans to estimate the average additional time taken during appointments for translation and interpretation.The Department also has no plans to collect information on the proportion and cost of letters posted by the NHS in each language over the last five years, for which interpreting agencies are contracted to provide services to the NHS, the cost of such contracts, or how many test results have been translated into languages other than English for each of the last five years.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15631 on NHS: Translation services, which languages e-RS letters sent in 2024-25 were translated into.

Please see the list below which outlines the languages which e-Referral Service letters sent in 2024/25 were translated into:- Arabic; - Bengali; - Gujarati; - Kurdish; - Persian; - Polish; - Punjabi; - Somali; - Turkish; - Urdu; - Albanian; - Chinese; - French; - Greek; - Hindi; - Hungarian; - Italian; - Lithuanian; - Portuguese; - Romanian; - Russian; - Slovak; - Spanish; - Tamil; and - Wolof.

What the average height is of male asylum seekers recorded via the National Child Measurement Programme.

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) is a mandatory public health function of local authorities, and it collects data on the weight status of children aged four to five years old, or those in Reception, and 10 to 11 years old, or those in Year 6. The data is used both nationally and locally to inform child health and obesity policy planning and commissioning.Data on asylum seeker status is not collected in the NCMP. Data on average height of male asylum seekers in England is not available. The height data for boys is measured in the NCMP. The following table shows the average height of boys aged five and 11 years old in the academic year 2023 to 2024:Age in yearsAcademic yearSexMean height52023 to 2024Boys110.3cm112023 to 2024Boys146.4cm

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the planned cost to the public purse is of leasing the military base in Diego Garcia from Mauritius.

It is not normal practice for the UK to confirm the value of its payments for military bases anywhere across the globe. Whilst the annual 'operating costs' of some bases and training areas may be shared, this is different to the value of payments for military bases. Confirming these costs could put secure operations at risk. Following Treaty signature, further details of the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny in the usual way.

If she will publish her Department’s response to FOI2024/88818.

As the Freedom of Information (FOI) request, FOI2024/88818, was submitted via WhatDoTheyKnow.com (WDTK), the FOI is already publicly available for anyone to access. The FOI can be accessed on WDTK via the following link: Universal Credit access, Refugees (2023) - a Freedom of Information request to Department for Work and Pensions - WhatDoTheyKnow

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15043 on Social Security Benefits: Overpayments, what the reason was for the increases in Monetary Value of Fraud and Error between FYE 20 and FYE 21.

The Department published a detailed account of its understanding of the reasons for the increase in overpayments in its Annual Report and Accounts for 2020/21. HC 422 – Department for Work and Pensions – Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 November to Question 13915 on Protective Clothing: Storage, if he will publish a breakdown of where personal protective equipment that is unsuitable for NHS use is stored.

Since April 2022, operational management of pandemic era personal protective equipment (PPE) has been carried out by the NHS Supply Chain. They report that PPE considered unsuitable for use in the National Health Service is currently held at the following locations prior to exit from the system, as per data from the end of November 2024:containerised stock is currently in Hartlepool and Tadcaster; andpalletised stock is currently held in Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire.

What proportion of reported (a) error and (b) fraud has not been investigated for each of the last five years.

The Department does not hold the data requested.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an official and voluntary scheme for hon. Members to house (a) asylum seekers and (b) irregular migrants.

There are currently no such Government-backed voluntary schemes for housing asylum seekers for any households in the UK, regardless of whether that household contains an MP. It is up to MPs to decide who they might wish to live with - this is not a matter for the Government. This government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain, with tens of thousands stuck in a backlog without their claims processed. We are determined to restore order to the asylum system and cut the costs of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels over time.

How many private provider contracts have been commissioned by the NHS to treat irregular migrants in each of the last ten years; and what the cost to the public purse was of those contracts.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 November 2024 to Question 14728.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing (a) family and (b) friends to provide (i) translation and (ii) interpretation during NHS appointments.

The General Medical Council’s guidance states that all possible efforts must be made to ensure effective communication with patients. This includes arrangements to meet patients’ communication needs in languages other than English.Where language is a problem in discussing health matters, NHS England and NHS Scotland’s guidance states that a professional interpreter should always be offered, rather than using family or friends to interpret. Further information on NHS England and NHS Scotland’s guidance is available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-for-commissioners-interpreting-and-translation-services-in-primary-care/https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/interpreting-communication-support-and-translation-national-policy/Working with professional interpreters will:- ensure the accuracy and impartiality of interpreting;- minimise legal risk of misinterpretation of important clinical information, for example informed consent to undergo clinical treatments and procedures;- minimise safeguarding risk, for example for victims of human trafficking, where the trafficker may introduce themselves as a family member or friend and speak on behalf of the patient;- allow family members and friends to attend appointments and support the patient, emotionally and with decision-making, without the added pressure of needing to interpret; and- foster trust with the patient. It is also inappropriate to use children as interpreters. An interpreter should also be present in all situations where there are concerns about child safety or gender-based violence, and language translation is required.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15631 on NHS: Translation Services , what the reason was for the change in the number of e-RS letters sent out in (a) 2019/20 and (b) 2020/21.

The main reason for the change in the number of e-Referral Service (e-RS) letters sent out in 2019/20 and 2020/21 was the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced the number of referrals being created in the National Health Service e-RS. In addition, in early 2020, NHS England halved the number of e-RS letters sent to patients where their referral was considered Routine, as it had not been classified as either Urgent or for Suspected Cancer.

If he will make an estimate of the proportion of food provided in canteens in his Department that is produced in the UK.

The Department is a customer of the Government Property Agency (GPA). GPA is the landlord or building manager at the Department’s office occupations, where the space is often shared with several other tenant organisations. The Department buys catering services, or a share of, from GPA alongside all other building services. This information is therefore not held by the Department.

What information his Department holds on the proportion of energy used by his Department, broken down by energy source.

The Department collects data on its energy use, broken down by energy source, and reports this to Defra on a quarterly basis as part of the Greening Government Commitments.

On what proportion of days is (a) meat and (b) dairy available in canteens in his Department.

The Department is a customer of the Government Property Agency (GPA). GPA is the landlord or building manager at the Department’s office occupations, where the space is often shared with several other tenant organisations. The Department buys catering services, or a share of, from GPA alongside all other building services. This information is therefore not held by the Department.