Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information his Department holds on the amount of income generated by the Ordnance Survey from public subscriptions in the last five years.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Since 2022-23, Ordnance Survey has published the revenue from paying subscribers to the OS Maps platform and app in its Annual Report and Accounts, and these are set out below.

2022/23: £8.4m

2023/24: £9.5m

The Annual Report and Accounts for 2024-25 will be published in due course and laid before Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason there are currently no service standards in place for Family route visa applications.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Family visa applications have a service standard of 12 weeks. Further information on our Family visa service standards can be found here: Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing the tax exemption from woodlands.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Income Tax and Corporation Tax do not apply to woodlands managed on a commercial basis and with a view to making profits. This treatment was introduced in 1988 to prevent high-income individuals sheltering other income from tax by setting it against expenditure on forestry.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support (a) dyscalculic learners and(b) learners with maths learning difficulties.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including dyscalculia, receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department funds the Maths Hubs programme, a school-led network aimed at improving the teaching of mathematics for all pupils in publicly funded schools. The programme covers primary, secondary and special schools and uses a mastery-based teaching approach, which aims to secure understanding of key concepts. This includes training for teachers on techniques such as avoiding cognitive overload by breaking the learning down into small manageable steps, using representations to expose mathematical structure, and ensuring that learning is sequenced in a coherent manner so it makes sense to pupils.

Professionals can access online training to develop their understanding how the curriculum support learners. This includes approaches to support learners who face barriers to understanding of maths, such as those with SEND or dyscalculia.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of people diagnosed with hypertension through the NHS Health Check programme were subsequently tested for chronic kidney disease in each of the last five years.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Blood pressure is one of seven risk factors for cardiovascular disease assessed in the NHS Health Check, and it is also a risk factor for chronic kidney disease. Individuals who have a high blood pressure reading during their NHS Health Check are referred to their general practice for further clinical investigation, and subsequent diagnosis of hypertension and management where appropriate.

Data is currently not collected on the number of individuals who, following their NHS Health Check, are diagnosed with hypertension and are subsequently tested for chronic kidney disease.

We are considering how to improve data collection and monitoring of the NHS Health Check following the National Audit Office report.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase (a) referral to and (b) uptake of testing for chronic kidney disease among people diagnosed with hypertension through the NHS Health Check programme.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Individuals who have a high blood pressure reading during their NHS Health Check are referred to their general practice for further clinical investigation, and subsequent diagnosis of hypertension and management where appropriate.

In 2024, NHS England incorporated a new indicator into the CVDPREVENT audit to monitor the measurement of kidney function, a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio test, in people with hypertension, as recommended in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating a legal duty on councils to (a) meet climate targets and (b) tackle the loss of wildlife.

Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the importance of local places in driving net zero action. Local government has autonomy and flexibility in how they deliver net zero, according to each local area’s varying needs and opportunities. DESNZ regularly engages with local government on key net zero issues, including through the Local Net Zero Delivery Group.

The Government’s strengthened biodiversity duty was introduced through the Environment Act 2021. This duty requires all public authorities to consider actions to conserve and enhance biodiversity. The strengthened duty will ensure public authorities make the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity a core part of the delivery of their functions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has for Bitcoin seized from criminal activity.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office is responsible for the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA).

POCA equips law enforcement agencies with a range of powers to deprive criminals of their money, or other property connected to criminal activity, and recover the proceeds of crime, including cryptocurrencies.

In April 2024, new powers came into force to enable law enforcement to more effectively investigate, seize, and recover the proceeds of crime within the cryptoasset ecosystem.

As with all assets, action to seize, recover and manage cryptoassets is for operational agencies, such as independent law enforcement bodies, and the courts to consider.

Criminal proceeds recovered via POCA can subsequently be returned in compensation to victims (following criminal conviction) or reinvested for use in tackling crime through the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) and ARIS ‘Top Slice’ grant.

Further Information on both ARIS can be found in the data tables within the Asset Recovery Statistical Bulletin, which is published annually by the Home Office: Asset recovery statistics, financial years ending 2019 to 2024: Data Tables.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which services accessed funding through the Industry Initiative component of the Warm Home Discount scheme in the most recent year where data is available; how much funding was received by each supplier; and what the value was of support accessed by consumers through each service.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Ofgem administer the Warm Home Discount Scheme Industry Initiatives of behalf of the Department. Their most recent assessment was for winter 2023/24 where Industry Initiatives delivered £76.4 million in support (£65.5 million in England & Wales and £10.9 million in Scotland) – an increase of £44.3 million compared with winter 2022/23. These initiatives supported over 2.8 million consumers across Great Britain by providing a range of services, including energy efficiency measures, energy and smart meter advice, debt assistance, benefit checks, and financial assistance payments.

The Department sets the overall policy and spending targets for the scheme, but the financial responsibility for Industry Initiatives lies with the suppliers. In 2023/24, 47 Industry Initiatives were funded in England & Wales and 25 in Scotland. The services and their associated consumer support values included:

• Energy efficiency measures: £21.79m (England & Wales)
• Energy advice: £11.63m (England & Wales), £2.47m (Scotland)
• Debt assistance: £11.51m (England & Wales), £1.17m (Scotland)
• Financial assistance payments: £9.72m (England & Wales), £4.35m (Scotland)
• Benefit checks: £5.01m (England & Wales), £0.66m (Scotland)
• Mobile homes: £0.84m (England & Wales), £0.21m (Scotland)
• Referrals: £0.06m (England & Wales)
• Over 1.7 million consumers were supported in England & Wales and nearly 1.1 million in Scotland.

For more detailed information on this latest assessment, please visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-13

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the value of support accessed through the Industry Initiative component of the Warm Home Discount scheme in the most recent year where data is available.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Ofgem administer the Warm Home Discount Scheme Industry Initiatives of behalf of the Department. Their most recent assessment was for winter 2023/24 where Industry Initiatives delivered £76.4 million in support (£65.5 million in England & Wales and £10.9 million in Scotland) – an increase of £44.3 million compared with winter 2022/23. These initiatives supported over 2.8 million consumers across Great Britain by providing a range of services, including energy efficiency measures, energy and smart meter advice, debt assistance, benefit checks, and financial assistance payments.

The Department sets the overall policy and spending targets for the scheme, but the financial responsibility for Industry Initiatives lies with the suppliers. In 2023/24, 47 Industry Initiatives were funded in England & Wales and 25 in Scotland. The services and their associated consumer support values included:

• Energy efficiency measures: £21.79m (England & Wales)
• Energy advice: £11.63m (England & Wales), £2.47m (Scotland)
• Debt assistance: £11.51m (England & Wales), £1.17m (Scotland)
• Financial assistance payments: £9.72m (England & Wales), £4.35m (Scotland)
• Benefit checks: £5.01m (England & Wales), £0.66m (Scotland)
• Mobile homes: £0.84m (England & Wales), £0.21m (Scotland)
• Referrals: £0.06m (England & Wales)
• Over 1.7 million consumers were supported in England & Wales and nearly 1.1 million in Scotland.

For more detailed information on this latest assessment, please visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-13

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Industry Initiative component of the Warm Home Discount scheme.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Ofgem administer the Warm Home Discount Scheme Industry Initiatives of behalf of the Department. Their most recent assessment was for winter 2023/24 where Industry Initiatives delivered £76.4 million in support (£65.5 million in England & Wales and £10.9 million in Scotland) – an increase of £44.3 million compared with winter 2022/23. These initiatives supported over 2.8 million consumers across Great Britain by providing a range of services, including energy efficiency measures, energy and smart meter advice, debt assistance, benefit checks, and financial assistance payments.

The Department sets the overall policy and spending targets for the scheme, but the financial responsibility for Industry Initiatives lies with the suppliers. In 2023/24, 47 Industry Initiatives were funded in England & Wales and 25 in Scotland. The services and their associated consumer support values included:

• Energy efficiency measures: £21.79m (England & Wales)
• Energy advice: £11.63m (England & Wales), £2.47m (Scotland)
• Debt assistance: £11.51m (England & Wales), £1.17m (Scotland)
• Financial assistance payments: £9.72m (England & Wales), £4.35m (Scotland)
• Benefit checks: £5.01m (England & Wales), £0.66m (Scotland)
• Mobile homes: £0.84m (England & Wales), £0.21m (Scotland)
• Referrals: £0.06m (England & Wales)
• Over 1.7 million consumers were supported in England & Wales and nearly 1.1 million in Scotland.

For more detailed information on this latest assessment, please visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-13

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many midwives were working in the NHS in England at the most-recent point for which figures are available; how many of those qualified (a) in the UK and (b) outside of the UK, by country; and what estimate he has made of the number that will be working in the NHS in future years from each of these categories.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. This covers staff working for hospital trusts and in integrated care in England. This data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the human resources system for the National Health Service. This data shows that as of April 2025, there are 24,959 full time equivalent midwives working in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England. Further information is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics

The Department does not hold information on how many NHS midwifes qualified in the United Kingdom and outside of the UK, by country. However, NHS England publishes data on the nationality of its staff, which may be of interest as context. The latest information on the nationality of NHS staff by staff group is available at the following link, in tab 14 of the file named Preliminary – NHS HCHS Workforce Statistics, Trusts and core organisations – data tables, April 2025:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics/march-2025

The Department has made no specific estimate of the number of UK and non-UK qualified midwives who will be working in the NHS in future years. We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. They will be more empowered, more flexible, and more fulfilled.

Ensuring stability for Ukrainian refugees in the UK

UK-based medical charities in Palestine

Outsourced cleaners on Tyne and Wear Metro

Apprenticeships strategy

Durham Miners' Gala 2025

Future of rail frieght

Found: John McDonnell Nadia Whittome Olivia Blake Mary Kelly Foy Zarah Sultana Bell Ribeiro-Addy Dr Simon Opher

Found: McDonnell Nadia Whittome Olivia Blake Mary Kelly Foy Zarah Sultana Bell Ribeiro-Addy Dr Simon Opher

Found: John McDonnell Nadia Whittome Olivia Blake Mary Kelly Foy Zarah Sultana Bell Ribeiro-Addy Dr Simon Opher

Maternity APPG
Thursday 10th July 2025

Found: Kyrke-Smith MP (Aylesbury), Amanda Martin MP (Portsmouth North), Helen Morgan MP (North Shropshire), Dr Simon Opher