Written questions by Morrison.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in India on ensuring that Jagtar Singh Johal will receive a fair trial; and if he will monitor legal proceedings.

The UK Government remains absolutely committed to pushing the Government of India for faster progress to resolve Jagtar Singh Johal's case. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr Johal's case with his Indian counterpart on numerous occasions, most recently on 25 November. The Prime Minister also raised Mr Johal's case with Prime Minister Modi on 18 November. I raised Mr Johal's case on 19 November with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs. Consular officials regularly attend court hearings as observers, most recently on 15 January and they also visit Mr Johal in detention regularly, most recently on 20 January.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of transnational repression of the families of British protestors of Pakistani origin; and if he will have discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on that issue.

The UK Government continually assesses potential threats and takes the protection of individuals' rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously, including in relation to Pakistan. Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated. During my visit to Pakistan, I raised the importance of upholding civil and political rights with senior Ministers, including the Minister for Human Rights and the Interior Minister. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to respect these fundamental freedoms, underlining that any human rights violations should be fully investigated in line with international human rights law.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a medical evacuation scheme for children in Gaza.

We continue to support the provision of healthcare in Gaza and the region, and officials from all relevant Government departments are exploring avenues to ensure our support best meets the needs of the critically ill in Gaza. The Government is keeping our humanitarian programme and existing policies on medical evacuations and visa pathways under review in response to events in Gaza.The ceasefire provides a vital opportunity to increase the number of medical evacuations from Gaza. It is very positive that the Rafah crossing has reopened to support this. It is vital that Israel ensures that there is a sustained passage for patients who need treatment not available in Gaza, and the UK frequently engages with Israel to ensure critically ill patients receive the medical treatment they need.We have announced £1 million for the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, delivered through World Health Organisation (WHO) Egypt, to support medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza. The UK is also supporting the provision of essential healthcare to civilians in Gaza, including support to UK-MED who have now provided vital care to over 330,000 Gazans since the start of the conflict.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of mandating the use of Bovaer in cattle feed on farmers.

Bovaer is a methane suppressing feed product which can reduce the methane emissions of cows by an average of 27%. Every sector of the UK economy, including agriculture, must reduce emissions for us to achieve net zero by 2050. Ruminant livestock, particularly cattle and sheep, are a key contributor of emissions in the agricultural sector and Defra considers methane suppressing feed products to be an essential tool to decarbonise the agricultural sector and achieve our Net Zero commitments. Defra's ambition is to develop a mature market of safe and effective products for widespread use in suitable cattle systems in England as soon as is feasibly possible. However, at present there are no policies in place regarding the use of methane suppressing feed products. Defra will continue to utilise best available evidence, industry and stakeholder knowledge to inform future policy direction.

Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason his Department is trialling the use of Bovaer feed additive; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using (a) kelp-based additives and (b) other natural solutions.

Bovaer is a relatively new product, therefore building on the existing evidence base, particularly on-farm in 'real life' conditions is critical to give farmers and consumers confidence in these products. Defra is not undertaking any trials of Bovaer so trials led by the dairy industry and retailers can help build this evidence base. The Food Standards Agency has advised milk from cows given Bovaer is safe to drink. Bovaer has undergone a rigorous safety assessment and is approved for use in Great Britain. Regulation of feed additives and materials, such as Kelp, is the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency. Both synthetic and natural feed products must be demonstrated as safe for use to be added to the GB Register of Feed Materials.

For what purpose his Department has provided funding from the critical infrastructure risk fund to Stepping Hill Hospital.

Repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a vital part of our ambition to create a National Health Service that is fit for the future.In this context, Stockport Foundation NHS Trust has been provided with £11.5 million in 2024/25 to facilitate the restoration of outpatient capacity at Stepping Hill Hospital. In December 2024, construction work began on the new outpatient building, which will deliver much needed improvements to capacity as well as patient and staff safety.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his US counterpart on the Government’s rejection of the US President’s proposal for the resettlement of Palestinians in Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary frequently has calls with his US counterpart on a range of issues, including the situation in Gaza, most recently on 27 January. The role played by the US, alongside Qatar and Egypt, in negotiating the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, has been crucial, and the Prime Minister reiterated this in his recent call with President Trump. Gaza lies in ruins, and it is crucial we move through the phases of the agreement to the reconstruction of Gaza. We have been clear that we oppose moving Palestinians in Gaza to neighbouring Arab states against their will. There must be no forced displacement of Palestinians, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza strip. Palestinian civilians should be able to return to and rebuild their homes and their lives. We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. Only that over time will ensure the long-term peace and security of both Palestinians and Israelis.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason the Flood Recovery Framework was not activated following the flooding on 1 January 2025 in Stockport.

My thoughts remain with all householders and business owners impacted by flooding at the end of December last year and early in January 2025; flooding is a devastating experience for all those affected.Government recovery support in the aftermath of flooding is only provided in exceptional circumstances. The scale of impacts in early January were not significant enough for the Flood Recovery Framework to be activated in any area. For comparison, when the Framework was activated following Storms Babet in October 2023 and Henk in January 2024, together over 8,500 homes and businesses were impacted across England.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to ensure a lasting ceasefire in Gaza.

We welcome the agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. It is the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians, and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability, but we have always been clear that an immediate ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. The UK is ready to play a leading role with international and regional partners, in securing a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people, based on tangible progress towards a Palestinian state, with Gaza and the West Bank united under one government. Palestinians must be given a credible route to a Palestinian state, which is the right of the Palestinian people. We will continue working with partners to support a path to long term peace and stability with a two-state solution: a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will recognise Palestine as a state.

We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. We must see Palestinians able to live and prosper in their homelands. We oppose moving Palestinians in Gaza to neighbouring Arab states against their will. There must be no forced displacement of Palestinians, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza strip. Palestinian civilians should be able to return to and rebuild their homes and their lives. We must give the people of the West Bank and Gaza the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future, and it needs to be irreversible. Our long-standing position has been that we will recognise a Palestinian State at a time that is most conducive to the peace process.

If she will make an estimate of the number of sole employer self-employed people that may face increased national insurance payments in the next 12 months.

The self-employed do not pay Employer NICs unless they hire employees to work for them. Sole traders who are registered as self-employed will therefore not be paying ER NICs, and therefore not be affected by the changes coming into effect from April 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an Injury on Duty Award Scheme for members of the emergency services.

The Home Office will continue to consider proposals for new awards for members of the emergency services. It is only right that we recognise the sacrifices made by the emergency services, and it is important to make sure this is done in a proportionate and effective manner.Any official award is a gift from the Government, on behalf of His Majesty The King to recognise individuals within the service. The creation of a new award requires cross Government consensus and approval from the Committee on The Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (“HD Committee”), before advice is put to HM The King to make his final decision.

What steps he is taking to improve women’s access to healthcare services.

The Government will prioritise women’s health as we reform the National Health Service, ensuring that all women can access the care that they need. We are committed to the Women’s Health Strategy and are continuing work to deliver it. For example, support for pregnancy loss through a full rollout of Baby Loss Certificates, menopause support in the workplace, and boosting women’s participation in research and clinical trials.We have also taken urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan. In gynaecology, the plan supports innovative models offering patients care closer to home, and piloting gynaecology pathways in Community Diagnostic Centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding. Women’s health hubs also have a key role in shifting care out of hospitals and reducing gynaecology waiting lists. As of December 2024, 39 out of 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) reported to NHS England that they had at least one operational women’s health hub. We continue to engage with and encourage ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hubs pilots to improve local delivery of services to women. Our longer-term priorities for implementing the Women’s Health Strategy will be aligned with the 10-Year Health Plan and our missions.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Environment Agency spent on flood defences in Cheadle constituency in the last Parliament.

The Environment Agency (EA) undertook the following activities in Cheadle constituency over the course of the last parliament: Maintenance of 7 debris screens in Cheadle and Gatley. The screens prevent debris from blocking culverts or damaging infrastructure.Weekly maintenance of the debris screens in winter.Refurbishments of Chorlton Drive and Daylesford Road debris screens.o Major refurbishments of Abney Hall and debris screens on Heald Green Brook are planned.Debris walk throughs on Micker Brook, Gatley Brook, Bruntwood Hall Brook twice yearly and on Chorlton Brook and Heald Green yearly.Yearly grass and weed cuts on Gately Brook, Chorlton Brook and Bruntwood Hall Brook.Modelling to update flood risk mapping and flood warnings, covering Micker Brook and Chorlton Brook.Installation of gauge and flood warning area work for Micker BrookInitial appraisal work including of Micker Brook Flood Alleviation SchemeThere are flood defences on sections of engineered high ground on Micker Brook near Councillor Lane, and the River Mersey near Manchester Road. Many of these activities were undertaken across multiple constituencies, meaning that the cost of each cannot be solely attributed to Cheadle constituency. Consequently, the EA cannot provide an exact number spent on flood defences in Cheadle Constituency.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of charging foreign-registered vehicles to use UK roads.

Foreign-registered heavy goods vehicles (HGV) are already charged to use UK roads through the HGV Levy. This is in recognition of the fact that HGVs can cause greater damage to road surfaces than other vehicle types. There are no plans to implement a gene...

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of abolishing residential leaseholds.

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of excluding violent offenders who have breached lifetime restraining orders while in custody from the early release scheme.

Certain offences have been excluded from SDS40. This includes serious violent offences with a sentence of four years or more; specified offences linked to domestic abuse irrespective of sentence length (including stalking, coercive or controlling behaviou...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking in response to the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.

The UK remains committed to alleviating humanitarian suffering in the Middle East. A resolution to the conflict in Gaza has been a priority since day one of this government, and we continue to push for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, ...

Whether she plans to fund a Metrolink extension to Stockport before the end of this Parliament.

The Government is investing in transport improvements across our city regions, including Greater Manchester which is receiving over £1 billion through its City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. In line with the Government’s commitment to devolution...

What discussions she has had with specialist schools that deal with children with the most complex disabilities on the increase in employer National Insurance contributions announced in the budget.

The government has agreed that the department will be compensated for the increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) paid by state-funded schools, and work is in progress to determine how much the department will receive for those employers withi...