Written questions by Morton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funding commitments she has made in support of (a) the African Development Bank and (b) other multilateral partners mentioned in Baroness Chapman’s G20 speech on 25 July 2025.

We are proud to host the 17th Replenishment of the African Development Bank in London this December. The UK is actively engaged in replenishment negotiations, and our pledge will reflect the outcome of these. In November, with South Africa, we will co-host the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. As co-hosts, we are appealing to donors to make as strong as possible pledges to support the resilience of the Global Fund's partnership model. The UK's pledge to the 8th replenishment will be determined following the conclusion of the process to set multi-year Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding allocations.The UK continues to support other vital partners. We have committed £1.25 billion to Gavi to help vaccinate up to 8 million children from 2026-30, and £1.98 billion to the International Development Association - the World Bank's fund for the poorest countries - over three years. We are working through detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used from 2026/27 to 2028/29, and further announcements will be made in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing spending on Education, Gender and Equality on girls’ education.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 September to Question 72441.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the (a) European Union and (b) international counterparts on potential co-ordinated oversight of Palestinian Authority education reforms.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the statement made on the Middle East by the Prime Minister on 14 October which addresses these discussions.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 65284 on Railways: West Midlands, what assessment she made of the potential impact of the Midlands rail hub on (a) capacity and (b) connectivity with the Sutton Park line.

Midlands Rail Hub creates the capacity for additional trains benefiting rail users across the region; it does not propose any changes to the Sutton Park Line.

What discussions has she had with Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway since their open access application was rejected in July 2025.

My Department provided its support for Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway’s (WSMR) original application in February 2025 and officials have met with WSMR since July to discuss its views regarding the regulator’s decision to reject their application due to lack of capacity on the West Coast Main Line. The Department respects the ORR’s ruling and acknowledges that large areas of the network are already operating at full capacity, but remains open to further engagement with WSMR – and other Open Access operators – as may be required in the future.

What progress she has made on the Midlands Rail Hub West Chord link; and when this work will be completed.

In the 2025 Spending Review the Chancellor committed to progress the next stage of Midlands Rail Hub, building on £123m previously released. Network Rail are procuring a contractor to design and build the scheme. The western scope of MRH is due to be completed in the early 2030s.

What steps is she taking to a) support and b) encourage new open access rail applications.

We want a rail sector that is innovative and provides greater connectivity and understand that Open Access can support this aim. That is why we have been clear that we will support Open Access in the right circumstances, and why my department stands ready to engage with Open Access operators to assess the financial, operational and performance impacts of individual applications on a case-by-case basis. We will, however, only provide support to individual applications where benefits clearly outweigh costs to taxpayers and do not impact upon the efficient operation of the network.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2025 to Question 68454 on Manufacturing Industries: West Midlands, which SME sectors in the West Midlands were consulted during the development of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy 2025.

As part of Invest 2035 the Department issued a public consultation asking for feedback on 36 questions to inform the Industrial Strategy. The consultation received over 27,000 online answers to individual questions from a wide range of businesses and organisations, including more than 250 business associations representing hundreds of thousands of businesses across the UK. In the West Midlands input was sought from businesses across a wide range of sectors, including all eight growth driving sectors. We engaged with organisations representing business interests across sectors, including the Combined Authority, Midlands Engine Partnership, local business representation organisations, and regional networks such as the export champions. Additionally, we met directly with representatives from businesses in the growth driving sectors in the region to give them an opportunity to feed into the development of the strategy.

How many and what proportion of people who arrived by small boat crossings have been identified as being involved in people smuggling activity since 1 July 2024.

The information requested on those identified as being involved in people smuggling activity and on prosecutions is not currently available from published statistics.On returns, in the year ending June 2025, there were 2,330 returns of people who had arrived by small boat, this information can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2025/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk#s-5The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK in each quarter in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseThe latest data on returns of people who arrived by small boat crossings are presented in table Ret_06 of the ‘returns summary tables’ (of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) and can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#returnsThe latest data relate to the year ending June 2025.The Home Office also publishes data on small boat arrivals, with data available in table Irr_01 of the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’ : ‘https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release’In further publications, The National Crime Agency (NCA) publish a performance overview in their ‘Annual Report and Accounts’. This provides a summary of the NCA’s purpose, objectives and performance during the year, including information on organised immigration crime disruptions. The latest report can be found here: National Crime Agency Annual Report and Accounts - 2024-2025.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of using the Sutton Park freight line for passenger services on (a) the capacity of the West Coast main line and (b) passenger services into central Birmingham.

The Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline investment portfolio was set out in the June 2025 Spending Review settlement.The Department for Transport is not actively exploring this proposal for the Sutton Park freight line, but local authorities such as West Midlands Combined Authority, are free to develop local proposals for investment using their own devolved transport funding.

How many people have been prosecuted for offences related to people smuggling by small boat crossings since 1 July 2024.

The information requested on those identified as being involved in people smuggling activity and on prosecutions is not currently available from published statistics.On returns, in the year ending June 2025, there were 2,330 returns of people who had arrived by small boat, this information can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2025/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk#s-5The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK in each quarter in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseThe latest data on returns of people who arrived by small boat crossings are presented in table Ret_06 of the ‘returns summary tables’ (of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) and can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#returnsThe latest data relate to the year ending June 2025.The Home Office also publishes data on small boat arrivals, with data available in table Irr_01 of the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’ : ‘https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release’In further publications, The National Crime Agency (NCA) publish a performance overview in their ‘Annual Report and Accounts’. This provides a summary of the NCA’s purpose, objectives and performance during the year, including information on organised immigration crime disruptions. The latest report can be found here: National Crime Agency Annual Report and Accounts - 2024-2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the incinerator capacity for waste destined for landfill in Scotland.

I have engaged with the Scottish Government on the potential impacts of their forthcoming ban on the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste. We don’t have an estimate for the amount of waste transported from Scotland to England, but the Scottish Government has assured the department that it is not acceptable for a large amount of waste to be transported from Scotland to landfills in England and they are working closely with Scottish Local Authorities to prevent this outcome.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employers’ National Insurance contributions on levels of redundancies in schools.

School funding is increasing by £3.7 billion in 2025/26, meaning that core school budgets will total £65.3 billion, compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25. This includes the additional funding being provided to support schools and high needs settings, with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025.

How many and what proportion of people who arrived by small boat crossings have been (a) prosecuted and (b) deported since 1 July 2024. .

The information requested on those identified as being involved in people smuggling activity and on prosecutions is not currently available from published statistics.On returns, in the year ending June 2025, there were 2,330 returns of people who had arrived by small boat, this information can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2025/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk#s-5The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK in each quarter in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseThe latest data on returns of people who arrived by small boat crossings are presented in table Ret_06 of the ‘returns summary tables’ (of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) and can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#returnsThe latest data relate to the year ending June 2025.The Home Office also publishes data on small boat arrivals, with data available in table Irr_01 of the ‘Irregular migration summary tables’ : ‘https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release’In further publications, The National Crime Agency (NCA) publish a performance overview in their ‘Annual Report and Accounts’. This provides a summary of the NCA’s purpose, objectives and performance during the year, including information on organised immigration crime disruptions. The latest report can be found here: National Crime Agency Annual Report and Accounts - 2024-2025.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve broadband (a) speed and (b) quality in underserved areas; and how his Department plans to (i) monitor and (ii) report on progress.

According to the independent website, Thinkbroadband.com, 89% of premises in the UK have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection. Our goal is for nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032, ensuring at least 99% of UK premises can access a gigabit-capable connection.As part of Project Gigabit, the government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans, more than £2.4 billion of contracts have already been signed to connect over one million more premises with gigabit-capable broadband.Building Digital UK (BDUK) reports on delivery progress through its annual report and quarterly official statistics. BDUK has also committed to publishing monthly reports on how many premises are contracted and built under each of its gigabit contracts.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reducing levels of funding for Level 7 apprenticeships on the number of nurses in training.

This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Apprenticeship starts by young people under 25 fell by almost 40% over the last decade. The government therefore wants to ensure that public funding is prioritised towards those at the start of their working lives, rather than those already in work with higher levels of prior learning and qualifications. That is why from January 2026 the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level – except for young apprentices under the age of 22, and those under 25 who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This decision was informed by a wide range of evidence, including analysis by Skills England of official apprenticeship statistics and engagement with relevant stakeholders, including other government departments such as the Department of Health and Social Care. Skills England evidence also suggested that there was unlikely to be a significant or unavoidable fall in the supply of these skills in the long term, post-defunding. The department also continues to work across government to tackle the skills needs of different sectors, including addressing the skills gaps in the health and social care industry which were identified in Skills England’s first report on driving growth and widening opportunities. There is a complete apprentice pathway for nursing, from entry level to postgraduate advanced clinical practice. A person can join the NHS as an entry level Healthcare Assistant apprentice with a view to eventually qualifying as a Registered Nurse. In addition, the Department of Health and Social Care will be funding ongoing provision of Level 7 apprenticeships in five professions, including Specialist community public health nurse (SCPHN) and District nurse (Community Specialist Practice Qualification).

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 66180 on Housing: Finance, whether he plans to publish a regional breakdown of Affordable Homes Programme allocations (a) outside London via Homes England and (b) by tenure type.

Homes England publish allocations data for the Affordable Homes Programme on gov.uk here. Further updates on allocations, including those with Strategic Partners, will be released in due course.

What discussions the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Local Transport) had with the Mayor of the West Midlands on Aldridge Train Station on 15 July 2025.

Mayor Richard Parker and I meet regularly, with discussions covering a range of transport issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab, (b) Europol, (c) other international accountability bodies, (d) the International Criminal Court and (e) Ukrainian prosecutors on the (i) preservation and (ii) accessibility of data collected by that Lab.

The UK is committed to securing accountability for those responsible for atrocity crimes. For example, the International Criminal Court's investigation into the situation in Ukraine is ongoing, with six arrest warrants already issued for current or former senior Russian officials. The data that the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab provided to Ukraine was part of a wider accountability project, a small part of which was dedicated to the tracking of forcibly deported children. The Office of the Prosecutor General has confirmed that Yale's data on deported children has been transferred to the Ukrainian government.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Palestinian Government, published on 28 April 2025, what (a) safeguards and (b) conditionality measures his Department has put in place to ensure aid for education is used to support peace.

The UK has a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and robust controls against the diversion of aid. We select our partners for the strong safeguards they have in place, which reduce delivery risks and will ensure the maximum impact of UK aid for Palestinians.