Written questions by Dhesi.

Whether he has plans to introduce consistent product standards for domestic plug-in solar systems.

Suppliers of all products placed on the UK market, including domestic plug-in solar systems, must ensure they comply with relevant product safety legislative requirements. This includes specific product regulations such as the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 and the broader General Product Safety Regulations, on which we have recently launched a consultation on proposed reforms. These reforms seek to develop a product safety framework that reflects the modern world, giving consumers confidence in the products they buy and use and giving businesses the certainty they need to grow and innovate.

How many and what proportion of jurors completed jury service lasting (a) one week or less from their first day of service, (b) more than one week but not more than two weeks, (c) more than two weeks but not more than three weeks, (d) more than three weeks but not more than four weeks, (e) more than four weeks but not more than five weeks, (f) more than five weeks but not more than six weeks, and (g) more than six weeks in the last two years.

When jurors are summoned, they are advised that Jury service usually lasts up to 10 working days, although some trials may extend beyond this period and jurors will be advised of this in advance. Jurors may also sit on more than one case during their service.Proportion of Jurors by Jury Service Duration (Weeks)PeriodJan 2024 – Dec 2025Jan 2024 – Dec 2025 (%)One week or less210,93053.1%Between 1 and 2 weeks155,17839.1%Between 2 and 3 weeks18,8064.7%Between 3 and 4 weeks5,0611.3%Between 4 and 5 weeks2,8410.7%Between 5 and 6 weeks1,6670.4%More than 6 weeks2,7730.7%Total397,256100.0%Source: HMCTS management information - Data extracted via Juror 16/4/2026 Notes:Length of service based on individual jurors using their start date in the Crown court irrespective of when or if they were sworn in.Data is taken from a live management information system and listed ahead dates can change over time.Data is management information and is not subject to the same level of checks as official statistics.The data provided is the most recent available and for that reason might differ slightly from any previously published information.

Over the period since its first commissioning, what proportion of days HMS Prince of Wales has been at sea.

We do not comment on the detailed readiness or availability of individual units for operational security reasons.

What steps they are taking to increase the amount of UK made steel used in procurement contracts overseen by their Department.

The Government Commercial Function (GCF), based in the Cabinet Office, published its strategy document for 2026 to 2029 on 7 April 2026, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introducing-the-government-commercial-function-gcf-strategy-2026-29/introducing-the-government-commercial-function-gcf-strategy-2026-29-html#pillar-one---people-a-capable-inspired-workforce-whose-talent-is-nurturedDriving economic growth is a key pillar of this strategy, in line with Government policy, capitalising on the industrial strategy targets to create jobs in the United Kingdom, and a key part of the strategy is market shaping and making use of the collective buying power of the Government to drive UK economic growth and resilience.One of the first steps will be for the GCF to work with the commercial directors across the Government in four pilot sectors, namely shipbuilding, steel, artificial intelligence, and energy infrastructure, to identify key data requirements, and to pilot underpinning market shaping assessments for each. The Cabinet Office will be publishing a Procurement Policy Notice specifically on UK steel transparency later this year.

What steps they are taking to increase the amount of UK made steel used in procurement contracts overseen by their Department.

The department strongly supports the UK’s Industrial Strategy, fostering a resilient economy that supports British businesses and creates good jobs in communities across the country. UK-produced steel has a significant role to play in construction and education projects. Our procurements are undertaken in accordance with Procurement Policy Note 022 “Procuring Steel in Government contracts”.From this financial year, contractors on the department’s construction frameworks will be required to report whether they have consulted the UK Steel’s Steel Catalogue. Contractors will need to confirm whether they are using UK steel and if not, explain why not.

With reference to the Animal research and testing non-technical summaries granted in 2025, October to December, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the number experiments on (a) beagles (b) non-human primates and (c) rabbits on progress towards the Government’s pledge to phase out animal testing.

There is no impact from the number of experiments on (a) beagles (b) non-human primates and (c) rabbits on progress towards the Government’s alternatives strategy. This is because licences for the use of animals in scientific procedures may only be granted only where there is robust scientific justification, no validated nonanimal alternative exists, and use is fully compliant with the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.This Government remains firmly committed to working towards the phasing out of animals in science. The strategy, ‘Replacing animals in science’, sets specific targets to reduce the use of dogs and non-human primates by 2030, while ensuring the UK continues to support safe and effective scientific and medical research.The strategy is clear that while the longterm vision is to replace the use of animals in science wherever possible, some animal use remains necessary at present to develop and test new medicines, advance understanding of biology and disease, and to protect human and animal health and the environment. These activities are integral to the UK’s national health preparedness and resilience, including the ability to respond to emerging health threats. Progress towards the phasing out of animal use must therefore be scienceled and supported by reliable alternative methods.Accordingly, the Home Office licensing regime is compatible with the strategy; it enables only tightly controlled animal use where it is scientifically justified and no suitable alternative exists.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to help ensure the protection of UK citizens who visit holy sites in Jerusalem.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 April in response to Question 124464.

What steps they are taking to increase the amount of UK made steel used in procurement contracts overseen by their Department.

The Government wants to ensure that public procurement plays its full role in delivering the Industrial Strategy and fostering a resilient economy that supports British businesses and creates good jobs in communities across the country. UK-produced steel has a significant role to play in construction and infrastructure projects.In June 2025 it published Procurement Policy Note 022 “Procuring Steel in Government Contracts”, which among other things requires departments and prime contractors to consult UK Steel’s Steel Catalogue.In March 2026 Government published the Steel Strategy, and announced changes to protect the industries that matter most to our national security, including steel.Departments will have to confirm for the first time whether prime contractors are using UK steel, or explain why not.

Whether she has had any discussions with Cabinet colleagues on transferring responsibility for animal testing and research to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Ministers of State in the Home Office and DSIT have actively engaged on transferring responsibility for animal testing and research to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Agreement has been reached that the portfolio under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act will remain in the Home Office for the foreseeable future.

Innovation and Technology, if she will take steps to increase the domestic production of silicon computer chips; and if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for national security of current levels of domestic computer chip production.

The Government recognises that computer chips are vital to our economy, critical sectors, and national security. However, the complexity and variety of semiconductors make it impossible for any one country to achieve supply chain autonomy.Through the Industrial Strategy, we are taking targeted action to support the UK semiconductor sector where we have internationally recognised strengths to promote growth, enhance national security, and strengthen supply chain resilience.Given the global nature of supply chains, the UK works closely with international partners, both bilaterally and through multilateral fora, to ensure the UK has access to the critical chips it requires.

What steps he has taken to encourage the use of UK‑produced steel (a) across central government, (b) within the wider public sector, (c) by private sector companies in receipt of government procurement contracts and (d) across the rest of the private sector.

The government’s Steel Strategy sets out our ambition to see much more UK-made steel used across public and private projects, whilst respecting our legal obligations.For central government procurement, it is now a requirement that UK made steel is considered, as procurers must consult a digital catalogue of UK made steel products before making decisions. We also publish a steel pipeline annually, which provides a signal to the market by highlighting future opportunities in central government projects.For offshore wind projects, we have reformed the Clean Industry Bonus to create new incentives for manufacturers to invest in UK steel in domestic wind turbines and wind farms.We continue to work with other government departments to identify more opportunities for the use of UK made steel.

What steps they are taking to increase the amount of UK made steel used in procurement contracts overseen by their Department.

This Government is committed to creating the right conditions in the UK for a competitive and sustainable steel industry. The sector provides vital support to the UK’s defence capabilities, including specialist cast and forged steel components for a range of defence programmes. The department publishes its future pipeline for steel requirements, enabling UK steel manufacturers to better plan and bid for upcoming contracts.The National Security Strategy, Strategic Defence Review, and Defence Industrial Strategy set out how a strong industrial base is critical for maintaining our national security infrastructure. While steel used in our major Defence programmes is generally sourced by our prime contractors from a range of UK and international suppliers, Ministry of Defence (MOD) procurement activity will continue to apply PPN 022, a policy aimed at increasing the use of British-produced steel in public contracts. The MOD also supports the recently published UK Steel Strategy which sets out a long-term plan to revitalise the UK steel sector and restore domestic production to sustainable levels.

How many instances of delayed hearings and trials were caused by breakdowns in infrastructure including a) power cuts, b) lack of water supply for drinking and flushing toilets, c) broken lifts and d) water ingress from the roof in each of the last 3 years.

The questions have been interpreted as asking for data for all Magistrates’ and Crown Courts in the last 3 full calendar years (2023, 2024 and 2025).The specific information requested is not held. However, data on trials that have been ineffective or vacated due to Accommodation / equipment failure generally, is published quarterly in the Criminal Courts Accredited Official Statistics. The latest available data can be found in the ‘Trial Effectiveness at the Criminal Courts tool’ here: Criminal court statistics quarterly: October to December 2025 - GOV.UK.

How many instances of delayed hearings and trials were caused by technical problems with the a) Crown Court Digital Case System and b) Common Platform in each of the last 3 years.

The questions have been interpreted as asking for data for all Magistrates’ and Crown Courts in the last 3 full calendar years (2023, 2024 and 2025).The specific information requested is not held. However, data on trials that have been ineffective or vacated due to Accommodation / equipment failure generally, is published quarterly in the Criminal Courts Accredited Official Statistics. The latest available data can be found in the ‘Trial Effectiveness at the Criminal Courts tool’ here: Criminal court statistics quarterly: October to December 2025 - GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to update domestic electrical safety guidance and regulations on plug-in solar.

Part P of the Building Regulations 2010 and Approved Document P make clear that electrical installations in dwellings should be designed and installed in such a way to protect people from electric shock and fire hazards. The Building Safety Act 2022 requires the Building Safety Regulator to keep the safety and standard of buildings under review. As new evidence emerges, updating of Building Regulations or statutory guidance in Approved Documents can then be considered; this includes the electrical safety requirements in Part P of the Building Regulations. Approved Document P refers to the electrical installation standards in BS7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations as the way of showing compliance with Part P requirements. Building owners remain responsible for managing building safety and performance risks of all kinds in a proportionate, risk-based and evidence backed manner.

Whether his Department has considered lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic on (a) preparedness, (b) risk mitigation and (c) public communication in the context of its response to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and other events, such as the preparations for Brexit, have played a significant role in the way in which the UK prepares for and responds to crises. The influence of these events can be seen in the revisions to guidance, such as the Amber Book, which provides a framework for how the UK central government collectively responds to crises. The Resilience Action Plan, published in July 2025 following a review into the UK government's resilience, sets out the steps we are taking to make the UK more resilient to a wide range of risks, including international events.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with HM Treasury on the potential impact of the introduction of an overnight visitor levy on (a) the levels of domestic tourism and (b) small and medium enterprises in the tourism industry.

I am working closely with HM Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in relation to the potential impact of the introduction of a visitor levy and was pleased to join the Exchequer Secretary, Daniel Tomlinson, for a roundtable with industry leaders on this in March. My officials are also working closely with colleagues across government on this matter and have engaged with the tourism sector throughout the consultation process, including at a series of sector roundtables.The power to introduce a visitor levy will be given to local leaders who best understand their region, allowing them to tailor investment towards growing the local economy, bearing in mind its needs, including those of the tourism industry. Mayors will need to decide whether to implement a levy and, if so, they will need to consult on specific proposals. I’m sure Mayors will engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear any concerns throughout the consultation period and beyond.

If he will set out if a Civil Service Pension Scheme recipient is liable for the repayment of overpayments, including where the the recipient has queried the payment with the scheme administrator, and is repeatedly advised by the scheme administrator that the level of the payment is correct.

The government has a duty to recover overpaid public money to ensure the scheme remains fair and sustainable for all taxpayers. The scheme follows the HM Treasury guidance on “Managing Public Money” which requires the scheme, where possible, to recover any money that a member is not entitled to. The Civil Service Pension Scheme pays out 732,000 pensions per month. Any potential recovery is carefully considered, including the cost effectiveness of doing so (e.g. the relative costs of recovering very small amounts). Members have the opportunity to submit evidence should they believe that either recovery should not take place or where they might require a longer repayment plan. We recognise that being asked to repay funds can be stressful. To manage the impact on retired civil servants, the scheme administrator works individually with those affected to create manageable recovery plans. These plans focus on the member's specific ability to pay, often spreading repayments over a long period to ensure that no undue financial hardship is caused.

Whether he is taking steps to increase reserves of helium within the NHS.

The Department is closely monitoring the impacts of the Middle East conflict on the medical supply chain, including on the supply of helium. We have engaged with industry and received assurance on the stability of continued helium supply through contingency planning and sourcing through multiple global routes. We will continue to monitor the supply of helium and other medical products to mitigate any potential impacts on patient care.

What proportion of roles are primarily land based for a) the whole Royal Navy and b) the Catering Services branch of the Royal Navy.

It has not been possible to provide the answer within the timeframe given, I will write to the hon. Member as soon as practical and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.