Written questions by Eastwood.

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on introducing duty of candour legislation.

The Government remains committed to implementing a ‘Hillsborough Law’ which will place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities, and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply in certain circumstances. The Cabinet Office and Ministry of Justice are the lead Departments in Government for this matter. Ministry of Defence officials continue to liaise with colleagues across Government on this important issue.

What recent discussions she has had with the Minister for Finance for Northern Ireland on the ability of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to borrow to start to build homes.

As Chief Secretary to the Treasury, I am in regular contact with the Northern Ireland Minister of Finance on matters relating to Northern Ireland Executive funding, including the request for enhanced borrowing powers for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. This issue was most recently discussed at the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee on 26 June 2025.As part of the 2025 Spending Review, HM Treasury committed to begin immediate negotiations on a comprehensive Fiscal Framework for Northern Ireland. These discussions will include consideration of borrowing arrangements for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

What criteria was used to determine the 100-year classification of documents on the Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash in 1994; and whether a review of that classification has been held in the last five years.

For personal information and information linked to identifiable living individuals, The National Archives and the Advisory Council for National Records and Archives advocate a closure period of the ‘lifetime’ of the data subject. This assumes a lifetime of 100 years but will be graduated down from the age or assumed age of the youngest individual in the record. The Ministry of Defence has not conducted a review of the classification of the records within the last five years.

Whether he plans to meet with bereaved families associated with the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 53163 on 3 July 2025 to the hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens (Dave Doogan).

How many meetings of the Motor Insurance Taskforce have taken place; and when the next meeting will take place.

The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024. It met most recently on 28 April 2025 and further meetings are being planned.

Whether he plans to provide support to former Northern Ireland (a) prison officers and (b) police to maintain security at their homes.

The Northern Ireland Office Home Protection Scheme is in place to provide protective security measures to those in certain occupations who are assessed to be under significant threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism. Serving and former prison and police officers fall within that range of occupations.

How many allergy 'near miss' incidents took place in schools in England in each year since 2016.

The information requested is not held centrally.

With reference to the Written Statement of 4 June 2025, HCWS682, on School Food, what estimate she has made of the potential Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland following the expansion of free school meals to all children in households in receipt of Universal Credit.

The Barnett formula is applied when departmental budgets change – not when departments announce how they are spending their budgets.When changes to the Department for Education’s budget were confirmed at Spending Review 2025 on 11 June, the Barnett formula was applied in the usual way. The published Block Grant Transparency document provides a detailed breakdown of how the block grants are calculated and the next version will be published in due course.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Medical Officer on the potential merits of raising the digital age of consent.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with a range of experts and stakeholders on issues relating to children’s online safety and wellbeing. While there have been no recent formal discussions with the Chief Medical Officer specifically on the digital age of consent, we will continue to draw on expert advice as we review the evidence in this area.

Innovation and Technology, what his planned timetable is for his Department's examination of the digital age of consent.

We have added measures to the Data (Use and Access) Bill to strengthen data protection standards for children. Any changes to the age of digital consent would require public consultation.We continue to consider further options for protecting children online and commissioned a feasibility study to further explore the impact of smartphones and social media use on children’s wellbeing to help inform our next steps. We do not have a timetable for completing this work.

Innovation and Technology, if he will introduce legislation to improve online safety laws.

The government is committed to working with Ofcom to ensure the Online Safety Act is implemented quickly and effectively.This year we expect users, in particular children, to see notable change in their online experience as the duties come into force. Ofcom is now enforcing the illegal safety duties, and protections for children will follow next month.The government has high expectations for platforms, and nothing is off the table when it comes to keeping children and the public safe. The government has already built on the Act and will continue to do so where required.

What discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Department of Health on working together on (a) research and (b) treatment for people with long covid.

The Department has not had any specific discussions in relation to working together on research and treatment for long COVID with Northern Ireland’s Department of Health.The Department of Health and Social Care funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR, through the Department, has had an arrangement with the devolved administrations, including in Northern Ireland, since 2008, based on investments from each nation that has allowed research hosts, including universities and research active National Health Service organisations, to apply for NIHR funding through the majority of our research programmes. This enables devolved nation-based researchers to lead studies across the range of health and social care priorities, and, importantly, allows more people to participate in an expanded range of research initiatives.

Whether trade negotiations with the US on (a) digital trade provisions and (b) non-tariff barriers will include online safety regulation.

On 8 May the UK government announced a landmark economic deal with the United States, making the UK the first country to reach an agreement with President Trump. We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at increasing digital trade, increasing access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains. Protecting people online has never been up for negotiation in these talks. The Online Safety Act is already law and being implemented.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the extent to which the ICJ's Preliminary Measures to prevent genocide in Gaza have been implemented.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently considering a case brought under the genocide convention in relation to Gaza. Pending its final decision on the merits of the case, the ICJ has issued provisional measures. The UK has been clear that Israel has an obligation to implement these measures as a matter of international law. It is the UK Government's long-standing position that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent court, not for Governments or non-judicial bodies. The UK fully respects the independence of the ICJ and supports its work in this regard, including in assessing whether its Orders have been complied with.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many requests his Department has made of the Mass Atrocity Prevention Hub to make an assessment of the risk of genocide being committed in Gaza.

It is the UK Government's long-standing position that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent court, and not for governments or non-judicial bodies. The International Court of Justice case on genocide is ongoing, and we support the independence of the court. Our approach to genocide determination does not prevent us from taking action to call out and seek to address risks of atrocities. We have been clear that we strongly oppose the expansion of Israel's operations in Gaza, that Israel must do much more to protect civilians, that Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change and that Israel must immediately lift its block on aid. Ministers have raised these issues with Israeli government counterparts, and we have made our position clear through joint statements with partners. On 13 May the UK, along with European partners, called an urgent session of the UN Security Council.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the barriers to employment faced by people with temporary immigration status under the Ukraine schemes.

I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 8 May 2025 to PQ UIN 49746.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of whether the delivery of aid to Gaza compiles with the UNHCR's Humanitarian principles, as endorsed UN General Assembly resolutions 46/182 and 58/114; and whether he has made representations to his international counterparts that such aid is delivered only through (a) UN and (b) international humanitarian agencies.

As I told the House on 14 May, Israel's denial of aid is appalling. Israel must lift the block on aid entering Gaza now and enable the UN and all humanitarians to save lives. In our statement to the UN Security Council on 13 May, we made clear that the UK will not support any aid mechanism that seeks to deliver political or military objectives or puts vulnerable civilians at risk. Humanitarian partners such as the UN and humanitarian Non-Governmental Organisations must be allowed to operate in line with their principles. Baroness Chapman met with the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on 12 May where she reiterated our support for the organisation and its critical role in delivering desperately needed aid and services to Palestinians.

If she will make an estimate of the potential impact of her Department's proposals to freeze the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity element of Universal Credit until 2029-30 on disabled people.

Some information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published in the evidence pack, impacts analysis and equalities analysis at:[https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper]The proposals have been carefully designed to protect the finances of severely disabled people. However, there will be no immediate changes. The rebalancing of Universal Credit (UC) is not coming into effect immediately. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from April 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.A further programme of analysis to support development of these proposals will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

If she will make an assessment of the number of people who are currently in receipt of PIP who are likely to lose their entitlement under the proposals in the Health and Disability Green Paper, broken down by primary health condition.

No such assessment will be made. PIP is not based on primary medical condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.Impacts of the proposed changes depend on many factors including how the mix of conditions among claimants evolves over time, and behavioural responses. These impacts are uncertain at an overall England and Wales level, and it would not be possible to make an informed assessment at such a granular level as individual primary medical conditions.There will be no immediate changes. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. They will only apply at the next award review after November 2026. The average award review period is about three years. At the award review, claimants will be seen by a trained assessor or healthcare professional and assessed on individual needs and circumstances.We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VAT on beauty and hair salons.

VAT is the UK’s third largest tax. It is forecast to raise £180 billion in 2024/25, which funds public services. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.