Written questions by Sultana.

If he will publish a list of all previously controlled goods removed from the UK Strategic Export Control Lists in the last 10 years.

The Export Control Act 2002 and the Export Control Order 2008 provide the legal framework for the UK’s strategic export controls.Through this, HM Government controls the export of a range of military and “dual-use” items in the UK Strategic Export Control Lists. Changes to the UK’s control lists are made periodically primarily to implement our obligations under multi-lateral export control regimes, but also to introduce or amend national controls.Changes to the list are published on legislation.gov.uk.

What steps her Department is taking to increase (a) transparency and (b) control for consumers in the defined contribution pension transfer process, in relation to the inability of Independent Financial Advisers or pension holders to execute transfers based on a specified date or value.

The Department is working with regulatory bodies, the pensions industry and other stakeholders to identify and explore potential changes to pension transfer processes that will enable greater efficiency, whilst providing savers with effective consumer protection.In December 2024, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a discussion paper (DP24/3). The document sought views on how to ensure that consumers who ask to transfer or consolidate, do so on a well-informed basis. It also explores how pension providers can action these requests both diligently and efficiently.The FCA is working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions as it analyses the feedback received and determines next steps.Additionally, DWP officials have conducted work with other government departments, pensions institutions, consumer organisations and the pensions industry to consider if the practical application of the Conditions for Pension Transfer regulations could be improved, whilst retaining appropriate levels of protection for pension scheme members.We will look to share the outcome of these areas of work as soon as it is practical to do so.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to make an assessment of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law in the context of its airstrikes in the Israeli-designated safe zone in Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza on 13 July 2024.

On 2 September 2024 we suspended export licences to Israel for use in military operations in Gaza, following a review into Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which concluded there was a clear risk that some UK exports might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of IHL. Our ongoing IHL assessments are informed by legal advice, and supported by a detailed evidence base, including reporting and analysis from international bodies, Non-Governmental Organisations and partner countries and analysis of military incidents - including airstrikes - verified through an independent third-party provider. The assessments continue to raise concerns about possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian access and in the treatment of detainees. The lack of sufficient verifiable evidence about individual incidents means that in the majority of cases we are unable to reach a determination of Israel's compliance. However, our findings in relation to conduct in other areas give us cause for concern about Israel's overall commitment to IHL, including in the conduct of hostilities.We are appalled by civilian casualties in Gaza and urgently call for an immediate return to a ceasefire. All parties must re-engage with negotiations to get hostages out, surge aid, and secure a permanent end to this conflict.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of the potential violations of international humanitarian law that have been assessed by the Government in relation to Israel’s actions in Gaza involved (a) F-35 jets and (b) 2000lb bombs.

On 2 September 2024 we suspended export licences to Israel for use in military operations in Gaza, following a review into Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which concluded there was a clear risk that some UK exports might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of IHL. It was necessary to exclude exports to the F-35 programme from the suspension, as previously set out to Parliament. This is due to the F-35 programme's broader strategic role in North Atlantic Treaty Organization and wider implications for international peace and security.Our ongoing IHL assessments continue to raise concerns about possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian access and in the treatment of detainees. The lack of sufficient verifiable evidence means that we have not been able to reach a determination regarding Israel's IHL compliance in the conduct of hostilities. Our assessment findings give cause for concern about Israel's commitment to IHL generally, including in the conduct of hostilities.

Whether the Government has made any gifts of controlled military equipment to Israel since 7 October 2023.

In the aftermath of 7 October 2023 the UK Government has provided non-lethal military equipment including medical equipment; nothing has been gifted in this Parliamentary session.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of predictive policing methods on freedom of association.

AI, and other technologies, can provide a wide range of benefits to improve efficiency and productivity in policing, as well as boosting public confidence by improving the prevention, detection and investigation of crime. However, the procurement and deployment of AI technology to assist with forecasting potential areas of crime or disorder, commonly known as 'predictive policing', must always be subject to strong safeguards.The AI Covenant for Policing was agreed at National Police Chiefs Council in September 2023. This provides practical high-level principles that, if followed, will ensure that the police develop and use AI tools that are lawful, transparent, explainable, responsible, accountable and robust.The Home Office has provided funding to support the National Police Chiefs Council AI Portfolio to drive consistency and create guidance for forces to develop and deploy AI tools, and we are undertaking further detailed work in this area. There are a number of essential wider protections in place, including the Public Sector Equality Duty, to ensure that all Government policies take account of the human rights impacts on individuals.

What steps her Department is taking to prevent (a) the bulk buying of driving tests by bot accounts and (b) the reselling of driving slots.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On the 18 December, DVSA set out further plans to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. These steps include recruiting 450 driving examiners (DEs). Full details of these steps can be found on GOV.UK. To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system. On the 18 December 2024, a call for evidence was launched, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On 6 January 2025, DVSA also introduced tougher terms and conditions for the service driving instructors use to book and manage car driving tests for their pupils. DVSA continues recruitment for DEs at driving test centres (DTCs) that serve customers in Coventry South and is currently working through the recruitment process from recent campaigns. As part of this, DVSA has two potential new DEs for Coventry DTC in training. Another potential new DE is currently undergoing checks as part of the recruitment process.

What support she is providing to the DVSA to improve the recruitment of driving instructors and reduce driving test waiting times.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On the 18 December, DVSA set out further plans to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. These steps include recruiting 450 driving examiners (DEs). Full details of these steps can be found on GOV.UK. To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system. On the 18 December 2024, a call for evidence was launched, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On 6 January 2025, DVSA also introduced tougher terms and conditions for the service driving instructors use to book and manage car driving tests for their pupils. DVSA continues recruitment for DEs at driving test centres (DTCs) that serve customers in Coventry South and is currently working through the recruitment process from recent campaigns. As part of this, DVSA has two potential new DEs for Coventry DTC in training. Another potential new DE is currently undergoing checks as part of the recruitment process.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of practical driving tests in Coventry South constituency.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On the 18 December, DVSA set out further plans to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. These steps include recruiting 450 driving examiners (DEs). Full details of these steps can be found on GOV.UK. To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system. On the 18 December 2024, a call for evidence was launched, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On 6 January 2025, DVSA also introduced tougher terms and conditions for the service driving instructors use to book and manage car driving tests for their pupils. DVSA continues recruitment for DEs at driving test centres (DTCs) that serve customers in Coventry South and is currently working through the recruitment process from recent campaigns. As part of this, DVSA has two potential new DEs for Coventry DTC in training. Another potential new DE is currently undergoing checks as part of the recruitment process.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) identify and (b) protect survivors of modern slavery in the context of immigration enforcement raids.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer given on 19 February to Question 30592.

What steps her Department is taking to improve accountability mechanisms for schools that do not provide adequate support for children with special educational needs.

The department is committed to improving our approach to accountability for all schools. We are working with Ofsted to ensure that schools are inspected against clear, rigorous expectations for the inclusivity of special educational needs and disabilities provision.The consultation on improving the way Ofsted inspects education runs until 28 April 2025 and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-the-way-ofsted-inspects-education.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of mental health and wellbeing support for children with special educational needs in primary education.

Schools are required to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the pupils they support and, in the case of mainstream settings, to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person who has SEN gets the support they need. All schools should apply the ‘graduated approach’ that is outlined in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice, which means identifying a child’s needs, planning appropriate support, implementing that support and reviewing it regularly to ensure it continues to meet the identified needs. Through this, schools should develop personalised approaches to supporting the unique needs of individual pupils.The department is aware of the challenges in the SEND system, and we understand how urgently we need to address these. But these are complex issues which need a considered approach to deliver sustainable change.This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.We want to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high-quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. The department is also working closely with experts on reforms, who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.This government will expand mental health support teams so that every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. We will also be putting in place new Young Futures Hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.The department has already provided a resource hub for mental health leads, which signposts practical resources and tools to embed effective whole-school approaches. To further help schools identify and embed the most effective targeted support options for their setting, we have also launched a targeted mental wellbeing toolkit. This practical guide and tool covers a range of evidence-based interventions.On top of this, schools are also able to arrange their own mental health interventions that are best suited to their pupils using the core revenue funding they receive from the department.Schools are also able to spend pupil premium funding on providing mental health support. Schools must use pupil premium in line with the department’s ‘menu of approaches’. The list of approaches was published in the 2024 policy document ‘Using pupil premium, guidance for school leaders’, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65cf69384239310011b7b91f/Using_Pupil_Premium_-_Guidance_for_School_Leaders.pdf.The Autumn Budget 2024 confirmed an additional £2.3 billion for the core schools budget for the 2025/26 financial year compared to 2024/25. This means that overall core schools funding will reach over £63.9 billion in the 2025/26 financial year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will use one of the three formal recommendations of the UK to the upcoming UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review on Egypt to advocate for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made (a) to his Egyptian counterpart and (b) to the President of Egypt on the safe release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will visit Alaa Abd el-Fattah during his visit to Egypt.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Egyptian counterpart on the safe release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah during his visit to Egypt.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the additional £880 million allocated to the Social Care Grant.

The £880 million uplift in the Social Care Grant is in recognition of the important role local authorities have in commissioning and delivering social care services. This funding will support social care delivery and will take the total funding in the Social Care Grant to £5.9 billion in 2025/26.This additional funding forms one part of a wider increase in local government funding, with up to £3.7 billion of additional funding being made available for social care authorities in 2025-26. Overall, the Government is providing an increase to core local government spending power in 2025/26 of 6% in cash terms.The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for ensuring the adequacy of local government budgets. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, local authorities, and the adult social care sector to understand what the impact of cost and demand pressures will be on service delivery and budgets.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Pakistani counterpart for an independent investigation into the deaths of civilians in Islamabad on 26 and 27 November 2024.

The UK strongly supports individuals' rights to expression without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to respect these fundamental freedoms, underlining that any human rights violations...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Pakistani government to secure the safe release of Imran Khan.

The Foreign Secretary met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on 24 October to discuss a range of key issues, including Pakistan's domestic political situation and Imran Khan's detention. I also raised this on my recent vi...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the human rights situation in Islamabad, in the context of reports of deaths and mass det

The UK strongly supports individuals' rights to expression without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to respect these fundamental freedoms, underlining that any human rights violations...