Written questions by Owen.

What steps her Department is taking to lower (a) visa and (b) administrative costs for research organisations.

The Government keeps the immigration system and fees for immigration and nationality applications under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.The Government will also continue to set fees for immigration and nationality applications at a level to ensure the migration and borders system is sustainably funded. It is right that a greater share of the cost of operating the system is borne by those applicants who directly use it, rather than the taxpayer.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to encourage international scientists to carry out research in British (a) universities and (b) laboratories.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 March to Question 36277.

Whether his Department is taking steps to increase routine heart screening for young people participating in (a) school and (b) university sports.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) last reviewed screening for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under the age of 39 in 2019 and concluded that population screening should not be offered. More information on the recommendation is available at the following link:https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/sudden-cardiac-death/The UK NSC received a submission via its 2024 annual call process to consider SCD screening in young people aged between 14 and 35 years old engaging in sport. The Committee decided to explore this proposal further and the next step will be an evidence-mapping process. Young people engaging in organised sport was one of the population groups included in the 2019 review, so the evidence map in this area will form part of the work to update the last review.

Whether his Department plans to work with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to expedite market access to the personalised immunotherapy developed to treat the malignant brain tumour glioblastoma DCVax-L via the NHS.

DCVax-L has not yet been licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the United Kingdom. The manufacturer has confirmed that it has submitted an application, and it is fully engaged with the Marketing Authorisation process. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether all new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue recommendations on new medicines close to the time of licensing by the MHRA. The NHS is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. NICE is in discussions with the manufacturer of DCVax-L about a potential appraisal, subject to licensing.

When he expects the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will make public their decision on licensing the personalised immunotherapy developed to treat the malignant brain tumour glioblastoma, DCVax-L.

Northwest Biotherapeutics has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for DCVax-L, an immunotherapy for glioblastoma. The MHRA is working with the applicant to reach a decision on this application, to ensure a thorough review that ensures quality, safety, and efficacy.

What steps she is taking to reduce the number of young people recalled to prison due to landlord refusal to install home monitoring equipment.

Recall is a vital tool to protect the public.Recalling a child to custody is a last resort. Local Youth Offending Teams will explore other options before deciding to recall a child. This could include a curfew that is not electronically monitored but managed by Youth Offending Teams instead.Adult offenders released on home detention curfew are still serving the custodial element of their sentence and it is a statutory requirement that the curfew is electronically monitored for at least 9 hours a day. In cases where it is no longer possible to electronically monitor offenders in the community, through no fault of their own, they will be recalled until it is possible for them to monitored in the community.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to topical medication for prisoners.

People in prison are entitled to the same range and quality of health services as they would receive in the community.NHS England commissions healthcare services across the prison estate, ensuring that healthcare providers can prescribe all medications available to patients in community settings. As a result, topical medications that are prescribable on an NHS prescription are also available for individuals within the prison estate.

Whether applications received before March 2025 for therapeutic services under the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will be considered for therapies beginning in the (a) current and (b) 2025-26 financial year.

To reduce gaps in therapy, adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) applications which were received before 31 March 2025 were permitted to extend up to 12 months, allowing children and families to receive continuing therapy across financial years. Where applications were approved, therapy which started up to and including March 2025 could continue into the next financial year, under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements.Following an announcement on 1 April, the department is delighted to confirm that £50 million has been allocated to the ASGSF for the current financial year. More details on applications for funding for the 2025/26 financial year will be published shortly.

Communities and Local Government, whether it remains her policy for Homes England to acquire Ministry of Defence land through the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to meet the government's housebuilding commitments.

Homes England works closely with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the Ministry of Defence and other landowning Departments, providing targeted and expert support to help prepare land for sale, tackling issues that have previously delayed or prevented land release.Homes England can acquire public sector sites where this offers the best option – and value for money – to accelerate the remediation and release of a site and its build out for housing.

Whether it remains his policy to release land to Homes England through the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to meet the government's housebuilding commitments.

On average the Ministry of Defence releases enough surplus land for over 3,500 new homes a year. There is no policy mandating this land is released to Homes England, however, along with other Government Departments the Ministry of Defence works with Homes England where appropriate.

What representations his Department has made to industry on investment in towns historically impacted by de-industrialisation.

The Department works across the UK, including towns impacted by deindustrialisation, to showcase strong commercial investment opportunities to potential investors and support business to grow, and provides extensive support to small businesses through the network of Growth Hubs. The government’s Industrial Strategy will focus on tackling barriers to growth in highest potential growth-driving sectors and places, creating the right conditions for increased investment, high-quality jobs and ensuring tangible impact in communities right across the UK. The National Wealth Fund will support its delivery and mobilise billions of pounds of investment. Through the Government owned British Business Bank, we are also investing over £1billion through their regional Investment Fund programmes.

What steps his Department is taking to attract investment to towns historically impacted by de-industrialisation.

The Department works across the UK, including towns impacted by deindustrialisation, to showcase strong commercial investment opportunities to potential investors and support business to grow, and provides extensive support to small businesses through the network of Growth Hubs. The government’s Industrial Strategy will focus on tackling barriers to growth in highest potential growth-driving sectors and places, creating the right conditions for increased investment, high-quality jobs and ensuring tangible impact in communities right across the UK. The National Wealth Fund will support its delivery and mobilise billions of pounds of investment. Through the Government owned British Business Bank, we are also investing over £1billion through their regional Investment Fund programmes.

What discussions his Department has had with (a) OpenAI, (b) Google, (c) Anthropic and (d) Meta on workers’ rights.

The Plan to Make Work Pay sets out an ambitious agenda to ensure employment rights are fit for a modern economy, empower working people and contribute to economic growth. Its reforms will strengthen the rights of workers, address the fragmented labour market enforcement framework, and support workers in balancing responsibilities outside work. The Government is committed to working in partnership with businesses, trade unions and other stakeholders to deliver the Plan to Make Work Pay. We have not had any engagement with OpenAI, Google, Anthropic or Meta on workers' rights.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to (a) protect and (b) increase employment in AI growth zones.

AI Growth Zones (AIGZs) will be closely aligned with wider government initiatives, including Local Growth Plans. This is to ensure AIGZs deliver substantial regional and national benefits, such as upskilling and employment opportunities.The investment in AI-enabled data centres will have a spillover effect in local communities, providing construction jobs, enhancing local skills, rejuvenating areas, and therefore driving the UK’s ambition to become a global hub for AI talent and investment.UK government and local authorities will actively seek to secure the best deal possible for local communities where data centres are built, ensuring they benefit from ongoing direct employment.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of investing in industrial sites in Luton North constituency.

DBT works with all regions in the UK to understand in detail the areas sector by sector potential for investors. In Luton, DBT has a strong working relationship with Luton Borough Council and the South Midlands Growth Hub, where we have a shared understanding of Luton’s strengths in areas such as manufacturing, automotive, creative & digital and the green economy.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage investment from (a) OpenAI, (b) Google, (c) Anthropic and (d) Meta in local communities.

The Department for Business and Trade will continue to work with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Office for Investment to support significant overseas companies to invest and expand their footprint in the UK, and ensure that local communities benefit from the digital industrial revolution. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan presented earlier this month, AI Growth Zones will be established across the UK. Government will support these dedicated hotbeds of development to build the infrastructure needed to power and train cutting-edge AI. By partnering with the private sector, we will create vibrant hubs that attract investment, support new jobs, and rejuvenate communities.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of designating sites in Bedfordshire as AI Growth Zones.

We are committed to working in partnership with regional and local authorities on AI Growth Zones (AIGZs). The selection process will open in spring 2025, and we welcome interest from areas with strong access to power infrastructure and economic potential. AIGZs will be closely aligned with wider government initiatives, including Local Growth Plans, to ensure they deliver substantial regional and national benefits.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of designating industrial sites in Luton North constituency as AI growth zones.

We are committed to working in partnership with regional and local authorities on AI Growth Zones (AIGZs). The selection process will open in spring 2025, and we welcome interest from areas with strong access to power infrastructure and economic potential. AIGZs will be closely aligned with wider government initiatives, including Local Growth Plans, to ensure they deliver substantial regional and national benefits.

Innovation and Technology, what criteria his Department is using to select sites as AI Growth Zones.

Central government will lay out a selection process, and local / regional authorities will be able to nominate themselves to host an AI Growth Zone. Important criteria will include power infrastructure or line of sight to power, along with supportive local planning authorities.The selection process will open in spring 2025, and we welcome interest from areas with strong power infrastructure and economic potential.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure grassroots (a) women's and (b) girls' football clubs have the facilities they need to (i) play and (ii) train.

The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, have access to high quality sport including football.We are pleased to see the significant progress in the number of women and girls taking up football in recent years, and wider developments in the women’s game. In 2023, Karen Carney OBE published a major Independent Review of Women’s Football which made a series of recommendations including supporting grassroots women and girls’ football. This Government fully endorses those recommendations and looks forward to ensuring tangible progress is made.We are acting to support more players in getting onto the pitch wherever they live via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which will invest £123 million UK-wide throughout 2024/25. All projects selected for funding through this programme are required to demonstrate how they increase access and participation levels among under-represented groups, which includes women and girls.Following the Autumn Budget on 30 October 2024, the Government confirmed its continued support for elite and grassroots sport through future investment. Further details will be confirmed in due course.