Written questions by Morrison.

Whether her Department has a planned timeline for consultation on the proposed International Tuition Fee Levy; and which higher education institutions she has (a) met with and (b) plans to meet with in the future in relation to that proposal.

The immigration White Paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base.This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on higher education provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic higher education (HE) and skills system. The department will engage with the HE sector on the design of the international student levy and wants to understand providers’ views on this work.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential financial impact of the proposed International Tuition Fee Levy on English Universities.

The immigration White Paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base.This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on higher education provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic higher education (HE) and skills system. The department will engage with the HE sector on the design of the international student levy and wants to understand providers’ views on this work.

What steps his Department is taking with (a) the World Health Organization and (b) other regional health partners to establish medical corridors for the treatment of critically ill children from Gaza.

I refer the Hon. Members to My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s Written Statement to the House on 1 September 2025, available at the following link:https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-09-01/hcws899

What mechanisms exist at a national level to prevent the misuse of performance management tools within NHS Trusts.

All National Health Service trusts are independent employers and are required to comply with employment legislation and relevant Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service codes. Local human resources (HR) policies and procedures should follow best practice guidance, which may include model HR policies developed nationally.At a national level, safeguards also exist to help prevent the misuse of performance management tools. The NHS Constitution commits employers to fair and supportive treatment of staff. The Care Quality Commission’s inspection framework includes workforce culture and governance, which can highlight poor practice. Every trust is required to have a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, giving staff a confidential route to raise concerns. The annual NHS Staff Survey provides transparency on staff experience and fairness, enabling action to be taken where concerns are identified.In 2025, NHS England also published the expectations of line managers in relation to people management, alongside the launch of the NHS Management and Leadership Programme to ensure that NHS leaders and managers at all levels meet the standards and competencies expected of them, have access to professional development and support, and that the NHS continues to attract, develop and retain the best talent while strengthening public confidence in NHS leadership.

Whether his department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) delays of over 12 months for diagnoses to secure medication and (b) temporary inability to work until that medication is secured on (i) the economy and (ii) the NHS.

We have not made such an assessment on the impact of delays to diagnoses to secure medication or on the impact of patients waiting for medication being out of work.It is a priority of the Government to bring down National Health Service waiting lists. As set out in the Plan for Change, we are committed to returning to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029. Where clinically appropriate, treatment will include medication.Most patients will require one or more diagnostic test as part of their care. While most patients will receive a diagnostic test within weeks, there remain too many patients waiting in excess of six weeks. In June 2025, the period of the latest published data, 21.3% of patients waiting for a diagnostic test had been waiting for six weeks or more.One of the reasons it is so important we focus on bringing down waiting lists for patients to receive treatment they need, including medication, is to allow them to continue with their day-to-day activities and employment. The Joint Work and Health Directorate is collaborating with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to improve the evidence on the relationship between health and labour market outcomes.The ONS plans to link NHS waiting times data, to which they recently acquired access, to Census, Department for Work and Pensions Benefits and HM Revenue and Customs Pay As You Earn records to analyse the relationship between waiting time duration, for various health conditions and procedures, and labour market outcomes such as employment status, gross pay and benefit receipt in England. ONS will confirm in due course when related analysis will be made available.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting lists for psychiatric diagnoses in Greater Manchester.

Nationally, the Government is investing an extra £688 million this year to transform mental health services.We are also delivering on our commitment to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers for children and adults by the end of this Parliament. We are more than halfway towards this target, which will help to ease pressure on busy mental health services.Responsibility for commissioning of mental health services sits with integrated care boards (ICBs). It is the role of local ICBs to consider what mental health services are needed for their populations and include the perspectives of healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups and local authorities.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the provision of long-term (a) mental health and (b) trauma-informed support for (i) adult survivors of child sexual abuse and (ii) adult survivors of child sexual abuse who disclose as an adult.

Protecting and supporting child and adult victims and survivors of sexual abuse is a core priority for NHS England, delivered through a network of 48 specialist sexual assault referral centres across the country.NHS England has established local pathfinder projects for enhanced trauma-informed mental health support for sexual abuse victims and survivors with the most complex needs. There is now dedicated enhanced mental health support in five of the seven commissioning regions.NHS England is currently working in partnership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the National Network of Designated Healthcare Professionals to refresh the paediatric elements of the current specification that sets out what care should be provided to survivors, alongside a parallel review of the adult specification. This will ensure both pathways deliver consistent, high-quality support and equitable access to services for all survivors, regardless of age.Furthermore, NHS Talking Therapies offer psychological and talking therapies approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, such as counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy, for adults in England with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.Individuals experiencing these conditions, including victims of sexual violence and rape, can access these therapies via their general practitioner, or by self-referring to their local NHS Talking Therapies service. Details on how to do so are available at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies

Communities and Local Government, if her Department will consider the potential merits of establishing an (a) Ombudsman service and (b) similar government-supported body to support park home owners.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 63787 on 4 July 2025.

Whether his Department has considered introducing temporary (a) medical visas and (b) emergency sponsorship routes for critically ill children from Gaza requiring urgent medical treatment in the UK.

I refer the Hon. Members to My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s Written Statement to the House on 1 September 2025, available at the following link:https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-09-01/hcws899

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification of 29 July 2025 which states that Gaza has entered Phase 5 (Catastrophic/Famine conditions); and what steps he is taking in response.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification's (IPC) confirmation of famine in Gaza City and the surrounding neighbourhood on 22 August is utterly horrifying. The former Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 22 August stating that the Israeli government's refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza has caused this man-made catastrophe and calling for aid to reach those in need urgently and without delay. He also spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on 23 August to urge for restrictions on humanitarian access to be removed. We coordinated joint statements with over 30 international partners on 12 August and on 21 July calling on Israel to immediately restore the flow of aid into Gaza and enable humanitarian agencies to operate. On 1 September, the UK announced an additional £15 million funding for humanitarian and medical support in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

What recent discussions she has had with representatives of British Nationals (Overseas) visa holders on the white paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future. Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply and guidance is available to applicants to help them make their application.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the former Foreign Secretary on 1 September, and the joint statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza made alongside 31 overseas partners on 12 August: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-the-humanitarian-situation-in-gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on ensuring that food aid reaches people in Gaza.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the former Foreign Secretary on 1 September, and the joint statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza made alongside 31 overseas partners on 12 August: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-the-humanitarian-situation-in-gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Israeli counterpart on reports that several humanitarian organisations and clinics in Gaza have been forced to evacuate following the launch of an Israeli ground assault on Deir al-Balah.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the former Foreign Secretary on 1 September, and the joint statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza made alongside 31 overseas partners on 12 August: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-the-humanitarian-situation-in-gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the forced evacuation orders in Deir al-Balah and the resultant disruption to humanitarian operations in Gaza.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the former Foreign Secretary on 1 September, and the joint statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza made alongside 31 overseas partners on 12 August: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-the-humanitarian-situation-in-gaza.

What discussions he has had with NHS England on the effectiveness of its procedures for ensuring that (a) formal governance processes and (b) approved plans and programmes cannot be undermined by NHS senior leaders.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular meetings with NHS England to discuss the effectiveness of procedures to hold healthcare leaders accountable for delivering on the Government’s priorities.There are clear expectations for National Health Service senior leaders, aligned with the NHS Leadership Compact, the Fit and Proper Person Test Framework, and the Nolan Principles. NHS England addresses concerns about poor behaviours through established human resources and governance channels.On 21 July 2025, we set out plans to regulate NHS managers via a statutory barring system. We will take forward legislative changes so that the Health and Care Professions Council can operate a barring mechanism for NHS board-level managers and their direct reports within this Parliament.

What steps she plans to take to support British National (Overseas) visa holders who (a) have nearly reached the end of the five-year settlement period and (b) will be subject to the planned ten-year settlement period.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future. Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply and guidance is available to applicants to help them make their application.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing legislation that would ensure that all accessible toilets in public places have RADAR key locks on disabled people.

No assessment has been made; the RADAR key scheme is not government-led and there are no plans for legislation to make it statutory.The functional element in Part M of the Building Regulations requires new building works to make reasonable provision for people to access and use a building and its facilities. More broadly, the Equality Act 2010 places a duty on service providers and businesses to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises/buildings and services.

Whether her Department collects data on (a) internal and (b) fixed-term exclusions in primary schools, broken down by race.

The department does not collect data on circumstances where schools remove a pupil from the classroom, for serious disciplinary reasons, and where they are required to spend a limited time out of the classroom. Some schools call this internal suspension.The department publishes data on suspensions and permanent exclusions in state-funded schools in England. The most recent full academic year release, covering 2023/24, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england/2023-24. This has been available since 10 July 2025.Published data includes numbers and rates of suspensions, by ethnicity, in state-funded primary schools and is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f3a89f3f-b18e-46c3-a167-08dde2cf2374.

What steps the Department is taking to intervene when a multi-academy trust does not investigate serious safeguarding complaints adequately.

Academy trusts must comply with their statutory safeguarding responsibilities set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. The regulations require trusts to have regard to the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ and ‘Working together to safeguard children’ statutory guidance. This includes having robust procedures for managing safeguarding concerns. Each academy within a trust must have a designated safeguarding lead responsible for managing referrals and working with external agencies. Failure to act appropriately can trigger external review or intervention.The department follows up safeguarding issues, where appropriate, to obtain assurance that trusts are meeting their statutory responsibilities to safeguard all children in its schools. The department can enforce compliance through the trust’s funding agreement and the Academy Trust Handbook, which includes safeguarding obligations. Breaches may lead to formal intervention and regulatory action such as issuing a notice to improve or terminating the agreement.