Written questions by Morton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reduced Official Development Assistance spending on support for Afghan women and girls.

Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review process. We intend to publish final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations in the FCDO Annual Report and Accounts this summer. The FCDO is focused on ensuring that every pound is spent in the most impactful way. Equality Impact Assessments - which consider impacts on women and girls - are an essential part of how we make decisions, including on ODA allocations. The UK remains committed to playing a significant role in international development.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria funding allocated in 2023 at achieving (a) peace and (b) resilience in the region.

The UK's Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme (SPRiNG) is working to reduce rural violence in northwest and north-central Nigeria, including by supporting collaboration and productive livelihoods for both farmers and pastoralists, and strengthening conflict early warning, management and response. Whilst SPRiNG is still in the early phases of implementation, its partnership with the Institute For Integrated Transitions (IFIT) has achieved encouraging results already. Mediation efforts in Nasawara State have fostered a negotiated agreement between the Bassa and Egbura People, enabling the return and resettlement of 5000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the additional £120 million in food aid to Sudan pledged by the UK for the 2025-26 financial year reaches (a) civilians and (b) women and girls.

The conflict in Sudan is having a devastating impact on the people of Sudan, particularly women and girls. At the recent London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced a package of support budgeted at £120 million which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people. The UK continues to advocate for safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access so that the most vulnerable can be reached with aid.

How many and what proportion of Pension Credit applications received in the period between 1 October 2024 and 31 December 2024 were deemed ineligible in (a) Aldridge-Brownhills constituency and (b) the UK.

On 27 February 2025 we published Pension Credit applications and award statistics. This publication provides application volumes up to 23 February 2025. This also includes information on Pension Credit claims that have been cleared but not awarded benefit. Pension Credit Applications and Awards - February 2025. The Department does not hold this information at constituency level.The next update of the Pension Credit applications and awards data is due to be published on 29th May 2025.Please note, the figures presented are from DWP’s Pension Credit system which has previously been collected for internal departmental operations use and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards.

How many and what proportion of Pension Credit applications that were received in the period between 1 October 2024 and 31 December 2024 were ineligible.

On 27 February 2025 we published Pension Credit applications and award statistics. This publication provides application volumes up to 23 February 2025. This also includes information on Pension Credit claims that have been cleared but not awarded benefit. Pension Credit Applications and Awards - February 2025. The Department does not hold this information at constituency level.The next update of the Pension Credit applications and awards data is due to be published on 29th May 2025.Please note, the figures presented are from DWP’s Pension Credit system which has previously been collected for internal departmental operations use and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards.

What discussions his Department has had with the West Midlands Combined Authority on increasing levels of Foreign Direct Investment in the West Midlands.

My department have and continue to hold discussions on attracting private investment to the West Midlands and across the UK. We work with clients to understand their requirements and to reduce barriers which inform the client’s decision to locate in the region.The West Midlands region continues to attract FDI across sectors to enhance economic growth and prosperity. My department, as announced, will include the new expanded Office for Investment which will lead the work on attracting investment into our cities and regions.

What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on economic growth.

The Secretary of State, responsible Ministers and policy officials meet regularly with their counterparts in HM Treasury. This includes on discussions related to delivering the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation through the Employment Rights Bill. Our analysis shows the package could have “a positive but small direct impact on economic growth” and will “help to raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all.”This represents the best estimate for the likely impacts given the current stage of policy development. We plan to refine our analysis as policy development continues, working closely with external experts, businesses and trade unions.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on business confidence and growth.

The Department for Business and Trade has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis includes con-sideration of impacts on businesses and economic growth and concludes the package could have “a positive but small direct impact on economic growth” and will “help to raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all.” This represents the best estimate for the likely impacts given the current stage of policy development. We plan to refine our analysis as policy development continues, working closely with external experts, businesses and trade unions.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42597 on Packaging: Recycling, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the differential in weight between glass and plastic on glass producers.

In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme. This impact assessment included an estimate for pEPR fees per tonne of packaging material. This estimate did not split by packaging material type. Defra officials have engaged with industry and technical experts, to ensure that the modelling of local authority costs accurately reflect the on the ground reality of waste management. This confirmed that packaging volumes, rather than weight, are accounted for when determining the costs of kerbside dry recycling collections. This is especially important for heavier materials such as glass which would see higher base fees under a weight-based apportionment of these costs. Illustrative base fees for the 8 material categories have now been published.

Whether his Department had discussions with the West Midlands Combined Authority prior to the visit to China by the Mayor of the West Midlands.

My department, with officials from FCDO, directly supported a number of Combined Authority leaders on this visit to China, which included the Mayor of the West Midlands. The programme focused on strengthening growth across regions to enhance investment and diplomatic relationships. Economic growth and investment remain a fundamental priority for this Government, and we will continue to support regional mayors and our nations to forge global relationships with investors and businesses to promote the UKs investment credentials.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding was (a) allocated for and (b) spent on the London Sudan conference on 15 April 2025.

We are currently collating information on funding allocated to and spent on the London Sudan Conference. We will write to the Honourable Member with a full response in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is he taking to engage with (a) bilateral and (b) multilateral parties to the London Sudan conference on 15 April 2025 who did not sign the co-chairs' joint statement.

The Foreign Secretary engaged with multiple partners, bilateral and multilateral, in the run-up to the London Sudan Conference and on the day of the conference itself. The conference demonstrated the strong international will to bring the conflict to an end and to ensure aid reaches those most in need. The UK continues to use all diplomatic levers at its disposal in pursuit of these aims.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to establish an African Union-led contact group to convene regional partners to focus on a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Sudan.

At the London Sudan Conference, co-hosts agreed on a series of next steps, including revitalising existing frameworks such as the African Union Expanded Mechanism to enhance coordination among regional partners. Together with our co-hosts, we also emphasised the importance of strategic coordination and inclusive political dialogue, focusing on aligning efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Sudan. We continue to engage with our international partners on these efforts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) international partners to help ensure (a) a cessation in hostilities and (b) an end to conflict in Sudan.

A key focus of the London Sudan Conference on 15 April was to establish international consensus on how to end the conflict. There was clear consensus on the importance of an immediate and permanent ceasefire and sustainable end to the conflict, as reiterated in the co-chairs' statement. The Foreign Secretary and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials will continue to engage with colleagues across Government as well as international counterparts to maintain momentum and work towards a peaceful future for the Sudanese people.

How many full-time-equivalent staff in her Department are employed in communications and public relations roles.

In the central HM Treasury communications team, there are a total of 40.9 Full Time Equivalent Government Communication Service professionals. Of this total, 19 work in the media discipline which covers press and media responsibilities. This is the latest available centrally collected data from June 2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the fluctuations in the levels of humanitarian aid that has reached Darfur over the last 6 months.

Aid flows into and across Darfur over the last six months have been wholly inadequate. Armed violence and access constraints imposed by the warring parties have had unacceptable impacts on relief operations. The UK remains fully committed to ensuring safe and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Sudan in order to alleviate the unprecedented levels of suffering. We are using all levers at our disposal to raise the profile of the humanitarian situation and to improve the operating context for aid agencies.On 15 April, following the Sudan London Conference, the co-chairs' statement called on relevant parties to allow and facilitate rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all areas of need through all necessary routes in adherence with their obligations under international humanitarian law. In addition, the UK supported Canada's efforts as Chair of the G7 to issue a joint statement expressing concern about reports of the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in Sudan and calling on warring parties to facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access.During April's London Sudan Conference the Foreign Secretary announced a further £120 million towards the crisis which will provide life-saving aid to more than 650,000 people.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help tackle the humanitarian situation in (a) Sudan and (b) countries neighbouring Sudan.

The UK is committed to addressing Sudan's humanitarian crisis and its regional impacts. On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary announced £120 million of new life-saving aid for this year. This includes 670,000 people to be reached with food assistance for 3 months, 205,000 people to benefit from financial assistance and 600,000 people who will receive nutrition, water and sanitation support. The UK continues its work to ensure aid reaches those most in need, including through access corridors such as the Adré crossing from Chad. Crucially, we also provide aid to those neighbouring countries hosting large numbers of refugees from Sudan, including Chad, South Sudan and Uganda to help manage the effects of the crisis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) withdrawal and (b) closure of international partners’ diplomatic missions in (i) Sudan and (ii) South Sudan on stability in that region.

The safety of our staff and British Nationals is our priority. The UK like others, had no choice but to withdraw our diplomatic presence in Khartoum when armed violence commenced in April 2023. The UK remains committed to finding a solution to end the conflict in Sudan. On the two-year point of the conflict, on 15 April, the Foreign Secretary hosted international partners and stakeholders at the London Sudan Conference, which focussed on spotlighting the dire human cost of the conflict, achieving progress on humanitarian access and building consensus among the international community behind a regionally led process.We continue to maintain a diplomatic presence in Juba, South Sudan. We are keeping the situation under regular review. We are deeply concerned by the increasingly fragile security situation and have urged President Kiir and all those with influence over armed groups, to de-escalate, to release First Vice President Machar and to implement the 2018 peace agreement.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to announce a date for the UK-hosted Berlin Process 2025 summit.

The UK is delighted to host the Berlin Process this year. We will organise meetings of Ministers, government officials and non-government stakeholders to build stronger economic and security ties between the countries of the Western Balkans and deepen cooperation with our European partners, working closely with the new German Government. We will invite leaders from the six Western Balkans countries, European partners, regional organisations, and EU institutions to the Berlin Process Summit in the UK later this year, where we will seek to agree initiatives to enhance regional security, tackle irregular migration, and boost economic growth. We are working to identify a date for the Summit, which we hope to announce as soon as possible.

What assessment has she made of the potential impact of the Spring Statement 2025 on per capita GDP growth in Aldridge-Brownhills.

Ensuring growth is felt in all regions of the UK is central to the Government’s Growth Mission. Our strategy for regional growth will drive growth in all regions and make the most of the opportunities in each part of the country. We are supporting regional growth, with a total package for local growth funds worth over £3 billion in 2025-26 alone. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund has been extended for a transition year at £900 million, ensuring stability for the most important local projects. We are launching integrated funding settlements to empower local leaders to drive local growth and invest in local priorities. West Midlands MCA will be eligible for an integrated settlement in 2026/27, worth over £380m. The Government has set a new strategic steer for the National Wealth Fund to deliver our ambition for growth across the country. The NWF will trial Strategic Partnerships, including in the West Midlands, to provide deeper, more focused support to regions. The OBR forecasts that living standards will rise in every year of its forecast and therefore that they will be higher by the end of the Parliament. GDP per capita will rise by 5.6% over this parliament (Q3 2024 – Q2 2029). This compares to a decline in GDP per capita under the previous Parliament.