Written questions by Sultana.

With reference to the Government's response to Recommendation 4 of the Work and Pensions Committee's Get Britain Working, Reforming Jobcentres report, what steps he is taking to monitor the quality and consistency of sanctions pre-referral quality checks.

The Pre-referral Quality Check is completed by a Jobcentre Team Leader, deputy, or colleague with the relevant experience. The Department has a variety of internal performance metrics in place to monitor the quality of our services. We regularly review referrals to ensure they are being delivered consistently and fairly.

Whether his Department has shared satellite data (a) imagery and (b) video gathered by the Tyche microsatellite with other countries since 2024.

In the interests of operational security of the UK and international partners, we cannot comment on the sharing of data from UK Space Command’s TYCHE satellite with other countries since its launch in August 2024.

What guidance or oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure that police forces do not lose prosecutions due to the expiry of statutory time limits; and whether the Government plans to review safeguards relating to such time limits in cases involving threats of serious violence.

The Home Office publishes official statistics on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales and their investigative outcomes on a quarterly basis. This includes outcome type 17 “Prosecution time limit expired”, and the requested information can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables#outcomes-open-dataWhilst some cases may exceed statutory time limits, we expect police forces to follow the Director’s Guidance on Charging (6th edition) and to apply consistent, robust case management practices. This includes ensuring investigations are developed into high quality case files and that decisions are diligently reviewed against evidential and disclosure standards, doing everything possible to avoid the loss of viable prosecutions.When prosecutions fail due to shortcomings in police case management, victims retain formal avenues to seek reassurance and challenge decisions, such as the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR). This allows victims to request an independent reassessment of decisions not to charge or to discontinue proceedings. As part of this process, police undertake a review of the original decision, examining all available evidence and considering whether any further investigative steps or alternative outcomes are possible.The VRR framework provides an important safeguard within the Criminal Justice System by ensuring that decisions are tested against appropriate evidential and public interest standards and that the rationale for those decisions is transparent and robust.It is important to note however, that the VRR process cannot override decisions made where statutory time limits governing the prosecution of the offences apply. Summary only offences, must have a charge laid within six months of the offence date under section 127 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980. Once this statutory time limit has expired, proceedings cannot lawfully be initiated; as a result the VRR route cannot reinstate any proceedings.In cases involving either way or indictable offences, where no statutory time limit applies, a successful VRR can lead to the reinstatement of proceedings if the review finds that the original decision was not sound.

What recourse is available to victims when prosecutions collapse due to police case management.

The Home Office publishes official statistics on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales and their investigative outcomes on a quarterly basis. This includes outcome type 17 “Prosecution time limit expired”, and the requested information can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables#outcomes-open-dataWhilst some cases may exceed statutory time limits, we expect police forces to follow the Director’s Guidance on Charging (6th edition) and to apply consistent, robust case management practices. This includes ensuring investigations are developed into high quality case files and that decisions are diligently reviewed against evidential and disclosure standards, doing everything possible to avoid the loss of viable prosecutions.When prosecutions fail due to shortcomings in police case management, victims retain formal avenues to seek reassurance and challenge decisions, such as the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR). This allows victims to request an independent reassessment of decisions not to charge or to discontinue proceedings. As part of this process, police undertake a review of the original decision, examining all available evidence and considering whether any further investigative steps or alternative outcomes are possible.The VRR framework provides an important safeguard within the Criminal Justice System by ensuring that decisions are tested against appropriate evidential and public interest standards and that the rationale for those decisions is transparent and robust.It is important to note however, that the VRR process cannot override decisions made where statutory time limits governing the prosecution of the offences apply. Summary only offences, must have a charge laid within six months of the offence date under section 127 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980. Once this statutory time limit has expired, proceedings cannot lawfully be initiated; as a result the VRR route cannot reinstate any proceedings.In cases involving either way or indictable offences, where no statutory time limit applies, a successful VRR can lead to the reinstatement of proceedings if the review finds that the original decision was not sound.

What consideration he has given to lowering the sanctions daily rate reduction rate to less than 100% of the Universal Credit standard allowance.

Whilst a sanction typically results in a 100% reduction of the Universal Credit standard allowance rate for each day the sanction is in place (except for couples where this is halved), lower reduction rates apply in certain scenarios where it is reasonable due to the claimant’s circumstances, such as if they are aged 16 or 17. If a claimant is entitled to additional elements on top of their standard allowance such as for children or housing costs, they will continue to be paid. To keep the conditionality and sanctions system clear, fair and effective in promoting positive behaviours, we keep our policies and procedures under continuous review.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how her Department interprets the word facilitate in Article 7 of the Arms Trade Treaty 2015.

We assess our relevant treaty obligations in accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how her Department interprets the word facilitate in Article 7 of the Arms Trade Treaty 2015.

We assess our relevant treaty obligations in accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

Whether the Royal Air Force was granted access to Palestinian airspace to conduct military exercises with fighter jets on 18 and 19 February 2026.

Yes. The aircraft were granted overflight of the relevant Flight Information Regions, as designated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, under routine Diplomatic Flight Clearance procedures. The Ministry of Defence also had permission from the Palestinian Authority for overflight of Palestinian airspace. RAF aircraft transited Israel and Palestine on 18 and 19 February 2026 to undertake missions related to Operation Shader. Operation Shader is the ongoing RAF contribution to the military intervention against Daesh in Iraq and Syria, beginning in August 2014.

Whether the UK has any agreement with the Palestinian authorities to use Palestinian airspace for military purposes.

Yes. The Ministry of Defence has permission from the Palestinian Authority to transit and overfly Palestinian airspace.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that local authorities fulfil their statutory duties in respect of Education, Health and Care Plans for children with special educational needs.

The department and NHS England work together to support and challenge local areas to improve their special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) service delivery where required. This includes monitoring, supporting and challenging any areas of identified weakness, both following an area SEND inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, or if those areas are identified outside of inspection timescales.Where a local authority does not meet its duties, including in relation to securing provision in accordance with education, health and care plans, the department can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement. This includes a range of universal, targeted and intensive support through departmental programmes, such as our expert advisers and commissioners.

How long has each hunger strike lasted in prisons in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.

None of the requested data are centrally collated. They could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

How many hunger strikes in prisons lasted for over 40 days in (a) 2021, (b) 2022, (c) 2023, (d) 2024 and 2025.

None of the requested data are centrally collated. They could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

How many hunger strike incidents in prisons involved (a) three and (b) more persons collectively engaging in the strike in (i) 2024 and (ii) 2025.

None of the requested data are centrally collated. They could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

How many people participating in hunger strikes in prisons became hospitalised for reasons associated with the strike in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.

None of the requested data are centrally collated. They could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of non-medical clinical practitioners in primary care on patients’ ability to see a fully qualified doctor; and what steps he is taking to ensure newly qualified doctors are able to obtain appropriate posts within the NHS.

We hugely value the unique work carried out by general practitioners (GPs). The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.GPs remain at the heart of general practice and primary care. However, there is a wide range of clinicians who are well suited to providing care in general practice as part of a multi-disciplinary team. For example, a patient with osteoarthritis might benefit from seeing a physiotherapist. In relation to physician assistants (still legally known as physician associates), Professor Leng’s recent review was clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a place for these roles as supporting, complementary members of medical teams, including in general practice. The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) provides funding for a number of additional roles, to help create bespoke, multi-disciplinary teams. All these roles are in place to assist general practice doctors in reducing their workload and assisting patients directly with their needs, allowing doctors to focus on more complex patients and other priorities, including continuity of care. The Government has highlighted its commitment to GPs, and since October 2024, we have funded primary care networks with an additional £160 million to recruit recently qualified GPs through the ARRS. Over 2,600 individual GPs have now been recruited, preventing them graduating into unemployment. This was a measure to respond to feedback from the profession and to help solve an immediate issue of GP unemployment.Over ten million more general practice appointments have been delivered in the 12 months to September 2025 compared to the same period last year, building capacity for continuity of care and improving access so that patients can be seen when they need to be in primary care.

Pursuant to Question 92229, which courses British armed forces personnel have attended in Israel since October 2023.

Fewer than five British Armed Forces personnel have studied on non-combat military academic courses in Israel since October 2023. Which courses they attended is being withheld in order to protect personal information.

Pursuant to Question 92229, whether his Department paid for British armed forces personnel to attend courses in Israel since October 2023.

The British Armed Forces pay for overseas courses that they attend, unless the host nation offers to do so. The MOD only accepts places on overseas courses following a rigorous vetting process that considers equality obligations, human-rights and legal context, security, medical and risk assurance, and overall alignment with Defence training and operational priorities.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that companies operating and earning revenue in the UK do not offshore jobs to reduce tax liabilities; and whether his Department plans to introduce legislative measures to safeguard UK workers from redundancies linked to such offshoring decisions.

Our Industrial Strategy places jobs at its heart, introducing measures to support growth sectors to create high-quality, well-paid jobs across the country, backed by employment rights fit for a modern economy.The Global Minimum Tax, a 15% effective corporate tax rate on large multinationals in each area they operate in, protects against harmful tax planning and profit shifting.We are updating the law so that employees must be consulted when redundancies are proposed across an organisation. The specifics of this new requirement will be set in regulations following consultation.

If he will require the Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board to publish the evidence base, consultation documents and impact assessments for the decision to end the Minor Eye Care Service and Community Urgent Eyecare Service across Coventry and South Warwickshire.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning decisions and for ensuring that those decisions are supported by a clear evidence base, appropriate engagement, and the necessary impact assessments.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board’s decision to end the Minor Eye Care Service and Community Urgent Eyecare Service on (a) hospital ophthalmology waiting times, (b) the ability of GPs and pharmacists to manage urgent eye conditions and (c) patient outcomes, including the risk of avoidable sight loss.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning decisions and for ensuring that those decisions are supported by a clear evidence base, appropriate engagement, and the necessary impact assessments.