Written questions by Arthur.

What steps she is taking to help tackle misogyny against girls and young women.

There is no place for misogyny in our society, which too often leads to violence. Tackling this is a top priority for this Government, with a mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We will deliver a cross-Government transformative approach, underpinned by a new strategy to be published in the summer. Education has an important role to play in reducing misogyny. The Department for Education is reviewing the RSHE guidance to ensure that it supports schools to tackle harmful behaviour, as this Government is determined to ensure that misogyny and sexual violence is stamped out and not allowed to proliferate in schools, or elsewhere. The Government is also taking steps to tackle misogyny online through the Online Safety Act, as large social media providers are required to have systems in place to remove illegal and harmful content such as misogyny. Ofcom is currently consulting on draft guidance which sets out nine areas where technology firms should do more to improve women and girls’ safety by taking responsibility.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is he taking to help promote access to green spaces for girls.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure this is safe and appropriate. This is why we have set out our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England, expanding access to the great outdoors. We know that particular groups, including women and girls, can disproportionately experience barriers to accessing nature, and we are committed to tackling this inequity so that everyone can benefit from spending time in green and blue spaces. Our Green Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide offers detailed guidance on creating accessible, multifunctional green spaces that deliver a wide range of benefits. Specifically, for teenage girls, it emphasises the need for designing spaces that are not only safe and inclusive but also comfortable and welcoming. In addition, the Government licenses and oversees the Green Flag Award scheme, which recognises well-managed, inclusive and welcoming green spaces. Parks are assessed against criteria such as safety, accessibility, environmental management and community involvement, helping to ensure high standards are maintained across thousands of parks and open spaces and that these remain inclusive and accessible for all, including women and girls.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the benefit in kind rates for new electric vehicles on sales of new electric vehicles.

At Autumn Budget, the Government announced new Company Car Tax rates for the years 2028-29 and 2029-30, which increase for both electric vehicles (EVs) and petrol/diesel vehicles, while still maintaining generous incentives to support EV take-up.The Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) published alongside Budget set out the expected economic, equalities and other impacts, and highlighted that overall the measure was expected to encourage the take-up of zero emission vehicles.The Government recognises that the Company Car Tax regime and the salary sacrifice exemption for ultra-low and zero emission vehicles continues to play an important role in the EV transition. The Government needs to balance these incentives against responsible management of public finances to ensure we have sufficient revenue to fund essential public services. A company car is a valuable benefit and therefore needs to be taxed appropriately.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of increases in benefit in kind rates for used electric vehicle leasing via salary sacrifice schemes on levels of electric vehicle sales.

At Autumn Budget, the Government announced new Company Car Tax rates for the years 2028-29 and 2029-30, which increase for both electric vehicles (EVs) and petrol/diesel vehicles, while still maintaining generous incentives to support EV take-up.The Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) published alongside Budget set out the expected economic, equalities and other impacts, and highlighted that overall the measure was expected to encourage the take-up of zero emission vehicles.The Government recognises that the Company Car Tax regime and the salary sacrifice exemption for ultra-low and zero emission vehicles continues to play an important role in the EV transition. The Government needs to balance these incentives against responsible management of public finances to ensure we have sufficient revenue to fund essential public services. A company car is a valuable benefit and therefore needs to be taxed appropriately.

Whether she has made an assessment of trends in the level of students not reclaiming overpaid income tax.

The amount of income tax a student pays depends upon their total taxable income, including employment income. The standard income tax personal allowance for the 2025 to 2026 tax year is £12,570, which means that most students do not pay tax on the first £12,570 of their total taxable income.HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold data in its income tax accounting systems that identifies students.Students pay income tax through the PAYE system or through a Self Assessment tax return. After the end of the tax year, HMRC carry out an end of year reconciliation on all customers in PAYE in order to identify any overpayments or underpayments. Where tax has been overpaid, this will be automatically repaid to individuals, including students.For individuals, including students, who submit a Self Assessment tax return, HMRC will process the return and any overpaid tax will automatically be repaid to the individual. Where an individual files their Self Assessment return online, they can request a repayment through their HMRC online account.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of higher education (a) funding and (b) governance.

Education is a devolved matter and as such issues relating to higher education (HE) in the devolved nations is a matter for the relevant government.The HE sector needs a secure financial footing to face the challenges of the next decade, and to ensure that all students can be confident they will receive the world-class HE experience they deserve. This is why, after seven years of frozen fee caps under the previous government, the department has taken the difficult decision to increase maximum tuition fee limits for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation.In return for the increased investment we are asking students to make, we expect the sector to deliver the very best outcomes, both for those students and for the country. We will publish our plan for HE reform in summer 2025, and work with the sector and the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator of HE in England, to deliver the change that the country needs.The government also provides funding through the Strategic Priorities Grant on an annual basis to support teaching and students in HE, including expensive-to-deliver subjects such as science and engineering, students at risk of discontinuing their studies, and world-leading specialist providers.Further, in December, the OfS announced temporary changes to its operations to allow greater focus on financial sustainability. Ultimately, HE providers are independent from government and as such must continue to make the necessary and appropriate financial decisions to ensure their long-term sustainability.We are clear that HE providers need to ensure their governance arrangements are robust and facilitate prudent financial planning, and are fit for purpose more widely, including upholding academic freedom and freedom of speech and ensuring good quality of provision. The OfS has recently consulted on proposals to strengthen the conditions related to management and governance for providers that wish to join its register.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to provide urban nesting habitats for small birds within housebuilding targets.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 22080 on 15 January 2025.

What steps he is taking to ensure that an adequate number of speciality training posts are available to ensure that NHS needs are met.

We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision.  We will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he is having with (a) the Government of Pakistan and (b) other international partners on incidents of Ahmadiyya Muslims being barred from congregational Eid worship; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of such incidents on levels of human rights in Pakistan.

Promoting freedom of religion or belief is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement overseas. We are concerned by the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, including reports they were prevented from offering prayers over Ramadan and Eid. I discussed the right of Ahmadi Muslims to practice their faith in a meeting with Pakistan's Minister of State for the Interior, Talal Chaudhry, on 31 March. On 16 April, Lord Khan of Burnley raised Ahmadi rights in a meeting with Pakistan's Minster for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf. The UK Government regularly engages with members of the Ahmadi community, both in Pakistan and the UK, to inform our understanding of the issues they are facing. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in accordance with international standards.

Whether she has considered exempting Lifetime ISAs from Universal Credit capital rules.

There are no plans to change the way savings held in a Lifetime ISA are treated in the assessment of Universal Credit. It is appropriate that means tested benefits, including Universal Credit, take all forms of savings into account. This includes investments where the Government provides a contribution to encourage saving such as the Lifetime ISA. People will not be required to cash in these ISAs in order to claim Universal Credit, but they will be taken into account as part of their capital. If a person has capital over £16,000, they will be expected to rely on their savings until their capital reduces to £16,000 before they can claim Universal Credit.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has considered reintroducing a skills investment fund dedicated to the games industry to help tackle skills shortages.

The Government is committed to the long term success of our world class games sector, having identified the creative industries as one of eight priority sectors in the industrial strategy.£5.5 million in funding for the UK Games Fund (UKGF) has been announced for 2025/26, which will provide grants to early-stage studios across the UK to develop prototypes and new intellectual property, and run development programmes for new graduates.Video games companies can also access the International Business Development strand of the UK Global Screen Fund, which provides financial support for business strategies that drive international growth and IP development for companies working in film, TV (animation, drama and documentary) and interactive narrative gaming.Additionally, video games companies benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit, and access support from the Create Growth Programme.We are working closely with the Department for Education (DfE) and Skills England on skills policy to address skills shortages in the creative industries, including the games sector. This includes DfE’s work on growth and skills levy reform. We will set out more detail as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, to be published in coming months.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the UK video games industry remains a source of economic growth in the context of US tariffs.

The Government is committed to the long term success of our world class games sector, having identified the creative industries as one of eight priority sectors in the industrial strategy.£5.5 million in funding for the UK Games Fund (UKGF) has been announced for 2025/26, which will provide grants to early-stage studios across the UK to develop prototypes and new intellectual property, and run development programmes for new graduates.Video games companies can also access the International Business Development strand of the UK Global Screen Fund, which provides financial support for business strategies that drive international growth and IP development for companies working in film, TV (animation, drama and documentary) and interactive narrative gaming.Additionally, video games companies benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit, and access support from the Create Growth Programme.We are working closely with the Department for Education (DfE) and Skills England on skills policy to address skills shortages in the creative industries, including the games sector. This includes DfE’s work on growth and skills levy reform. We will set out more detail as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, to be published in coming months.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the (a) long-term growth and (b) international competitiveness of the video game industry.

The Government is committed to the long term success of our world class games sector, having identified the creative industries as one of eight priority sectors in the industrial strategy.£5.5 million in funding for the UK Games Fund (UKGF) has been announced for 2025/26, which will provide grants to early-stage studios across the UK to develop prototypes and new intellectual property, and run development programmes for new graduates.Video games companies can also access the International Business Development strand of the UK Global Screen Fund, which provides financial support for business strategies that drive international growth and IP development for companies working in film, TV (animation, drama and documentary) and interactive narrative gaming.Additionally, video games companies benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit, and access support from the Create Growth Programme.We are working closely with the Department for Education (DfE) and Skills England on skills policy to address skills shortages in the creative industries, including the games sector. This includes DfE’s work on growth and skills levy reform. We will set out more detail as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, to be published in coming months.

Media and Sport, whether she plans to introduce further regulation for prize draws.

Large scale commercial prize draws are a significant and growing market. Whilst not regulated as a gambling product under the Gambling Act, we want people who participate to be confident that proportionate protections are in place. The department is grateful for the voluntary action taken so far by the sector to act transparently and apply player protection measures. We want to ensure high standards across the sector. The Minister for Gambling recently met with the leading operator Omaze to discuss this work further and will meet others in the sector soon. We will update Parliament further in due course.

What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the graduate route visa scheme.

We keep all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary launches expert reviews to strengthen UK’s global impact and expertise, published on 9 September 2024, when he plans to publish the findings of the three reviews.

The reviews' reports take the form of unpublished independent advice to the Foreign Secretary. A decision on how best to communicate the independent reviews' findings will be taken in due course by the Foreign Secretary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) the British Virgin Islands and (b) the Cayman Islands on the introduction of public registers of beneficial ownership.

At the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the Falkland Islands and Saint Helena committed to implement fully public registers by April 2025. The British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands agreed to implement registers of beneficial ownership, accessible to those with a legitimate interest, by June 2025. It remains our expectation that the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will ultimately implement fully public registers as those that are already in place in Gibraltar and Montserrat.I discussed progress on beneficial ownership transparency with Premier Wheatley (BVI) last month. A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) senior official visited BVI earlier this month and met with government and the finance industry. Every Territory is making progress towards the JMC commitments and FCDO officials are in regular contact with counterparts in the Overseas Territories on their proposals for registers to ensure they meet the agreement made at the JMC. I have and will continue to raise this directly with elected leaders across the Overseas Territories.The Government is keeping this under close review and will carefully consider what further steps to take if the registers are not delivered as per JMC agreements.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress made on the introduction of a publicly accessible register on beneficial ownership of businesses registered in their jurisdiction by each British Overseas Territory.

At the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the Falkland Islands and Saint Helena committed to implement fully public registers by April 2025. The British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands agreed to implement registers of beneficial ownership, accessible to those with a legitimate interest, by June 2025. It remains our expectation that the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will ultimately implement fully public registers as those that are already in place in Gibraltar and Montserrat.I discussed progress on beneficial ownership transparency with Premier Wheatley (BVI) last month. A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) senior official visited BVI earlier this month and met with government and the finance industry. Every Territory is making progress towards the JMC commitments and FCDO officials are in regular contact with counterparts in the Overseas Territories on their proposals for registers to ensure they meet the agreement made at the JMC. I have and will continue to raise this directly with elected leaders across the Overseas Territories.The Government is keeping this under close review and will carefully consider what further steps to take if the registers are not delivered as per JMC agreements.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 25126, whether his Department has now published a breakdown of spending on brain cancer research in 2023-24 for each UKRI body.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects and strategic investments, including research investigating the causes for and underpinning the development of treatments for Brain Cancer. The Medical Research Council (MRC) spent £2.86 million on brain cancer research in funding year 2023-24. MRC, Innovate UK, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council all support research in this area. UKRI also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.

What steps she is taking to encourage academic partnerships between UK and Ukrainian universities.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.As part of the government’s unbreakable 100 Year Partnership with Ukraine, the department is working closely with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on a range of policy areas including early years, skills and apprenticeships, and the application of digital technologies in schools. There is already higher education (HE) twinning and partnerships underway through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s UK-Ukraine twinning programme and British Council’s Leaders of University Transformation for Ukraine’s Reinvention programme which have set a good foundation for further UK-Ukraine HE partnerships to emerge.