First, may I welcome Opposition Front-Bench Members to their new roles, as there have been changes since we last met? Since then, we have launched a new £30 million fund to speed up the adoption of tech across the NHS. Even when local pilots prove their effectiveness, it often takes too long for those innovations to be rolled out nationally. This fund can change that, giving integrated care systems across England the chance to invest in tech that is proven to improve care, for instance in detecting cancer sooner. These investments will be made this financial year, getting patients care faster. We are also making more than 200 more medical school places available for universities from next September, accelerating a commitment that we made in the NHS long-term workforce plan and delivering more doctors to areas that need them most.

This Government are listening to patient voices too, particularly on the importance of biological sex in healthcare. That is why, following a consultation later

this year, we will amend the NHS constitution to make sure that we respect the privacy, dignity and safety of all patients. The Prime Minister has also unveiled plans to introduce a new law to prevent children who turn 14 this year from ever legally being sold cigarettes, creating the first smokefree generation. Last week, my Department launched an expedited consultation to crack down on youth vaping.

Through the Levelling Up Parks Fund we have made available £9 million for local authorities in areas of high deprivation

to create or significantly refurbish green spaces. The fund also includes the planting and maintaining of trees and encourages projects to work towards green flag award status.

The Northern Ireland Budget (No. 2) Bill 2023-24 is progressing through Parliament and is due to be debated in the other House next week. The Secretary of State has used his powers to request information and advice from the Northern Ireland civil service on measures that could generate revenue and improve the sustainability of public finances.

The Government remains committed to protecting everyone who is at risk of conversion practices from harm, and will shortly publish a draft Bill and consultation response setting out our approach to banning these abhorrent practices. The draft legislation will go for pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee in this parliamentary session.

Many National Health Service bank staff who are directly employed on the Agenda for Change contract, for example, permanent or fixed term contracts, and who undertake additional shifts through an NHS bank, will already be eligible for the non-consolidated payments agreed with the NHS Staff Council. Some will be employed exclusively on locally managed contracts, for example Bank contracts, and thus it will be for individual employers to determine the pay and conditions for those members of staff.

On 16 April 2023, the Government announced that all plans for new smart motorways have been cancelled, recognising the lack of confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures. This means no new smart motorways will be built.

We are focused on investing £900m to add further safety improvements to existing smart motorways, including constructing 150 extra emergency areas – so that people can continue to get around easily and with increased confidence.

Any reduction in capacity on our motorways, the safest roads in the country, could put more drivers and passengers at risk of death or serious injury by forcing them onto roads that are less safe. Restoring the hard shoulder while maintaining capacity would be hugely disruptive and come at enormous cost.

In most circumstances, one TV Licence will cover the entire school or college. There are no additional concessions for schools or colleges, and the Government is not considering making changes to the current concessions regime at this time.

The BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, not the Government, and it is the BBC that administers concession schemes.

The British Sign Language Act includes a duty on the DWP Secretary of State to publish a report on the use of British Sign Language in public communications by ministerial departments.

The first reporting period was completed on the 30th of April this year and the report is due to be published in Summer.

In addition, DWP has established a dual language board of BSL users to inform HMG on BSL matters.

We are continuing to make progress to deliver the 800 ambulances, 5,000 beds, and 3,000 additional virtual ward beds set out in our Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan.

This plan is backed by £1 billion of additional funding.

NHS England is working with Integrated Care Boards and Ambulance Trusts to review local demand and capacity and ensure plans are put in place to deliver these commitments.

Mr Speaker, this Government has pledged to tackle Organised Immigration Crime (OIC) as a priority to save lives, deter illegal migration and disrupt the people-smuggling gangs responsible for the dangerous Channel crossings.

Since 2015, the UK’s dedicated OIC taskforce has achieved more than 1,400 arrests (both in the UK and overseas), with suspects sentenced to more than 1,300 years in prison (61)

The Government are committed to helping pensioners with the increased costs of living. From April, pensioners will receive the largest ever cash increase in the state pension, and pension credit will also be uprated by 10.1%.

We have taken foreign national to mean an overseas visitor. The following table shows that over the last five years the National Health Service has received £150 million from overseas visitors.

Source: Consolidated NHS provider accounts

We have taken foreign national to mean an overseas visitor. The following table shows that over the last five years the National Health Service has received £150 million from overseas visitors.

Source: Consolidated NHS provider accounts

Mr Speaker, you may remember that the SFO successfully prosecuted Glencore Energy UK Ltd and that the total amount the company will pay—£280 million—is the highest ever ordered in a corporate criminal conviction in the United Kingdom. We continue to work closely with the SFO to identify any policy changes that could support its ambitions.