Written questions by Morton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure stable long-term funding for international nutrition programmes.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.The UK worked in close partnership with France to make the recent Nutrition for Growth (N4G) summit in Paris a success. The Minister for Development was pleased to lead the UK delegation, and alongside the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and other partners, to launch the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration.Partners have welcomed the Compact as a new initiative to drive change and a positive signal of the UK's continued leadership on the global stage. Over 80 countries and organisations have already expressed support for the Compact, signalling their commitment to embed nutrition objectives into investments across other sectors, such as economic growth, climate and health, to boost impact and leverage existing financing for nutrition.

Whether she has plans to include Aldridge station in the proposed Wrexham to London Euston open access line.

Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway, the applicant behind the Wrexham to Euston proposal, is an aspirant open access operator and as such has no direct contractual arrangement or direct financial support from Government. Therefore, although the Department recently supported this application, it has no remit over Wrexham, Shopshire & Midlands Railway and their operations, including proposed station stops, as this would be a commercial decision to be taken directly by the operator.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the uptake of pension credit among eligible pensioners in Aldridge Brownhills.

The Department’s campaign to promote Pension Credit has been running since September 2024.The campaign has featured on TV, radio, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, on YouTube and on advertising screens, including on GP and Post Office screens.Over the coming weeks, as part of the annual State Pension uprating exercise, around 11 million pensioners will receive a leaflet promoting Pension Credit along with their State Pension uprating letter.We are also improving our use of existing data to target pensioners making new claims for Housing Benefit who we identify as potentially eligible for Pension Credit. We are writing to these pensioners to encourage them to also apply for Pension Credit.The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.

What steps her Department is taking to strengthen deterrents against people smugglers involved in illegal Channel crossings; and what steps the Government is taking with its international counterparts to dismantle these criminal networks.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Written Ministerial Statement (UIN UCSW406) made by the Home Secretary on 30 January 2025 on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

How many applications for Pension Credit have been determined as eligible; and how many remain outstanding in the Aldridge-Brownhills constituency.

The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK. The most recent available data for week commencing 17 February 2025 shows there were 33,700 outstanding Pension Credit claims. The statistics on Pension Credit claims are published at national level.

How many applications for Pension Credit had been determined as eligible as of 24 February 2024.

The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK. The most recent available data for week commencing 17 February 2025 shows there were 33,700 outstanding Pension Credit claims. The statistics on Pension Credit claims are published at national level.

How many applications made for Pension Credit since 24 February 2025 (a) have been approved and (b) remain outstanding.

The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK. The most recent available data for week commencing 17 February 2025 shows there were 33,700 outstanding Pension Credit claims. The statistics on Pension Credit claims are published at national level.

What steps her Department is taking to support pensioners who are unable to complete pension credit applications (a) online and (b) by phone.

The Government wants those eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to. We know there are low-income pensioners who are not claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. We encourage all pensioners who may be eligible for Pension Credit to use the Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab) to check eligibility and to use our online Pension Credit claims process. Claims for Pension Credit can be made online at: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim.(opens in a new tab) The service is available to use 24/7, and provides those who may struggle to make their claim alone the flexibility to have a friend or family member to support them when making their claim at a time that is most convenient to them. Pension Credit claims can also be made through the Freephone telephone number 0800 99 1234, and there is an option to complete a paper application form. DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process. For customers who are unable to complete forms themselves a home visit from a visiting officer can be arranged. For customers who are deaf and use British Sign Language a Video Relay Service (known as VRS) is available and for customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone, can use Relay UK service. Further information can be found on Easy read: Pension Credit - GOV.UK. On average, since the start of 2025, 90% of claims have been made online or via the telephone. The average online application currently takes 16 minutes to complete.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the eligibility threshold for the winter fuel payment.

The Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. Linking Winter Fuel Payment eligibility to Pension Credit and other means tested benefits ensures that the least well-off pensioners still receive the help they need. It also ensures that the payment can be paid automatically to eligible households without the need for them to claim or to provide details of their income, capital and personal circumstances. Increasing the eligibility threshold for the Winter Fuel Payment would effectively mean raising the prescribed rates of Pension Credit. Raising the level of the single person’s standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit so that it matches or exceeds the full rate of the new State Pension to allow entitlement to the Winter Fuel Payment would draw more pensioners into means testing; thus undermining the rationale for the new State Pension - the full rate of which is set at a level higher than the Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee for a single person. The primary purpose of Pension Credit is to provide poorer pensioners with a guaranteed income level, and we know there are eligible pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit. This is why, since September, we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign. We want to ensure as many people as possible have access to Pension Credit and the other support it leads to.

Whether her Department is taking steps to (a) simplify and (b) ensure paper copies are made available to people without online access to the pension credit application form.

The Government wants those eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to. We know there are low-income pensioners who are not claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. We encourage all pensioners who may be eligible for Pension Credit to use the Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab) to check eligibility and to use our online Pension Credit claims process. Claims for Pension Credit can be made online at: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim.(opens in a new tab) The service is available to use 24/7, and provides those who may struggle to make their claim alone the flexibility to have a friend or family member to support them when making their claim at a time that is most convenient to them. Pension Credit claims can also be made through the Freephone telephone number 0800 99 1234, and there is an option to complete a paper application form. DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process. For customers who are unable to complete forms themselves a home visit from a visiting officer can be arranged. For customers who are deaf and use British Sign Language a Video Relay Service (known as VRS) is available and for customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone, can use Relay UK service. Further information can be found on Easy read: Pension Credit - GOV.UK. On average, since the start of 2025, 90% of claims have been made online or via the telephone. The average online application currently takes 16 minutes to complete.

How many applications for Pension Credit have been determined as eligible nationwide; and how many applications remain outstanding.

The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK. The most recent available data for week commencing 17 February 2025 shows there were 33,700 outstanding Pension Credit claims. The statistics on Pension Credit claims are published at national level.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers in Aldridge-Brownhills constituency, in the context of proposed changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief.

We are clear that the vast majority of those claiming Agricultural and Business Property Relief will not be affected by our reforms. Three quarters of estates will continue to pay no inheritance tax at all, while the remaining quarter will pay half the inheritance tax that most people pay, and payments can be spread over 10 years, interest-free. This is a fair and balanced approach, which means farmers in the Aldridge-Brownhills constituency and across the country will be able to pass the family farm down to their children just as previous generations have always done, while we fix the public services we all rely on. Further support for farmers was revealed by the Secretary of State at February 2025’s NFU conference. This includes a £110 million investment in innovation, equipment, and technology, an increase in Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) payment rates, an extension of the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme for another year until March 2026, an update on the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway’s coverage, and announcements on the reopening of the Capital Grants scheme and on the roll out the new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) scheme. The Secretary of State also announced an extension of the Seasonal Worker visa route for five more years and new requirements for Government catering contracts to favour high-quality, high-welfare products that local farms and producers are well placed to serve, and reiterated the Government’s commitment to uphold and protect our high environmental and animal welfare standards in future trade deals This will all support farmers in the Aldrige-Brownhills constituency and across the country in delivering public goods for the environment and a profitable farming sector and unlocking rural growth.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to Business Property Relief on the private sector.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. The reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, paying more inheritance tax in 2026-27. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data. The Government has also set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. Around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27. The reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief are forecast to raise a combined £520 million in 2029-30. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

How many people (a) are eligible to apply and (b) have applied for Pension Credit.

Latest caseload statistics show that as of August 2024, there were 1,359,773 people in receipt of Pension Credit in Great Britain, of which 2,086 were in Aldridge-Brownhills constituency. This data is available via DWP Stat-Xplore. The latest available DWP quarterly Pension Credit application and awards statistics show that for year-to-date 2024 to 2025 , 300,000 applications for Pension Credit were made in Great Britain. These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas. This data is available at: Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK. Earlier, published DWP Pension Credit Take-up statistics estimate that up to 760,000 households in Great Britain who were entitled to Pension Credit did not receive it. These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas. The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics for Great Britain cover the financial year 2022 to 2023 and are available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed increases to employer National Insurance contributions on businesses (a) supporting and (b) employing apprentices; and whether she plans to allocate additional financial support to these businesses.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations as well as an overview of the equality impacts. The Office for Budget Responsibility also published the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO), which sets out a detailed forecast of the economy and public finances. Businesses will still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under-21s and under-25 apprentices.

For what period of time her Department has allocated funding for additional neighbourhood police officers; and whether individual police forces will need to cover the ongoing costs of these officers through local precepting.

The 2025-26 final police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an increase of up to £1.1 billion when compared to 2024-25 and includes £200.0 million to kickstart the recruitment of new neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs in communities across the country.This will support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood personnel as part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee in 2025-26. This major investment supports our commitment on safer streets and reflects the scale of the challenges that many forces face .Setting the police precept is a matter for individual Police and Crime Commissioners taking into account the views of the local community and Police and Crime Panels.

Whether funding allocated to police authorities to cover increased employer National Insurance contributions will be added to base budgets for future financial years.

The 2025-26 final police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an increase of up to £1.1 billion compared to 2024-25 and includes £230.3 million for territorial police forces to support them with the costs of the changes to National Insurance Contributions.

How many people (a) are eligible to apply and (b) have applied for Pension Credit in Aldridge-Brownhills constituency.

Latest caseload statistics show that as of August 2024, there were 1,359,773 people in receipt of Pension Credit in Great Britain, of which 2,086 were in Aldridge-Brownhills constituency. This data is available via DWP Stat-Xplore. The latest available DWP quarterly Pension Credit application and awards statistics show that for year-to-date 2024 to 2025 , 300,000 applications for Pension Credit were made in Great Britain. These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas. This data is available at: Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK. Earlier, published DWP Pension Credit Take-up statistics estimate that up to 760,000 households in Great Britain who were entitled to Pension Credit did not receive it. These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas. The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics for Great Britain cover the financial year 2022 to 2023 and are available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to Business Property Relief on businesses in the broader farming sector including agricultural (a) suppliers and (b) machinery.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. The reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, paying more inheritance tax in 2026-27. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data. The Government has also set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. Around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27. The reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief are forecast to raise a combined £520 million in 2029-30. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will provide an official readout of the recent meeting of the UK Soft Power Council.

A summary of each meeting will be published on gov.uk. Officials and ministers from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Culture Media and Sport have in addition provided proactive briefings to parliamentarians and will consider further such briefings if there is sufficient demand.