Question

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 16 February, and in light of 10 per cent of people reporting using prediction markets, what "further action" they will consider to manage the impact of those prediction markets.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The department is not aware of any official statistics indicating that 10 per cent of people in Great Britain report using prediction markets.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is working in close partnership with the Gambling Commission to monitor prediction markets, and further updates will be issued if additional action is required.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks arising from mirror life since the Government Chief Scientific Advisor's roundtable in January 2025; how frequently these assessments are reviewed; and which body is responsible for such assessments.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Government is committed to responsible innovation in engineering biology. Government keeps novel engineering biology capabilities under review including seeking expert advice through the Responsible Innovation Advisory Panel.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the main funder of public research and innovation. It has not funded research directly intending to develop mirror life.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impacts of caffeine as an emerging environmental pollutant on freshwater and saltwater ecosystems.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Caffeine was assessed in Tranche 2 of the Environment Agency's Prioritisation and Early Warning System for chemicals. It remains in the Environment Agency's surface water monitoring programmes to assess whether exposure levels and subsequent risk changes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have changed, or are considering or planning to change, guidance to schools stating that key facts about the menstrual cycle should not be taught before year 4.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Pupils learn the facts about menstrual and reproductive health as part of compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). In July 2025, we updated the RSHE statutory guidance and the new curriculum came into force in September 2026.

The RSHE guidance is clear that facts about menstruation should be taught at an appropriate age. The guidance does not set any age limits for teaching this content.

Health and wellbeing content to be covered by the end of primary school includes facts about the menstrual cycle, including physical and emotional changes. The guidance is clear that whilst the average age of the onset of menstruation is twelve, periods can start at eight, so covering this topic before girls’ periods start will help them understand what to expect and avoid distress. The menstrual cycle is also taught in science at key stage 3 (ages 11 to 14).

The government has commissioned Oak Academy to make lesson materials freely available.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that there is adequate capacity for the recycling of fridges and freezers and that local authorities are not having to meet costs as a result of inadequate recycling capacity; and what steps they are taking to ensure an improved lifespan for the appliances.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working with manufacturers, compliance schemes and local authorities to monitor and manage reduced fridge recycling capacity. The department is clear that producers, via their compliance schemes, remain responsible for clearing local authority sites.

Additional recycling capacity is expected in 2027. In the meantime, temporary storage is permitted under an Environment Agency Regulatory Position Statement.

This Government is also exploring opportunities to increase electrical product lifespan, including the benefits of increased reuse and repair.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the danger of orbital weapons, both kinetic and others, following the disclosure by the United States of its aggressive space capacity; and what steps they plan to take to prevent a new arms race in space.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Government recognises that orbital weapons, both kinetic and non-kinetic, pose a growing threat to critical space-based services vital to the UK and its allies. We are concerned by reports of efforts to deploy nuclear weapons in space, which would be highly destabilising and contrary to international law. The Government supports a behaviour-based, risk-reduction approach to maintain a safe, secure and sustainable space environment. We work closely with international partners to promote responsible conduct, uphold existing legal frameworks and prevent escalation.

Through the UK Space Strategy and Defence Investment Plan, the Government is investing in the resilience and protection of UK; and allied space assets to ensure freedom of action in space; and safeguard long-term sustainability. We remain committed to international cooperation and the development of norms that reduce risk and preserve stability in this increasingly contested domain.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of attempts to ensure that all involvement of antimicrobial-resistant infections in deaths in England and Wales is recorded and analysed.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance Report (ESPAUR) publishes antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) linked mortality data for England.

The UK Health Security Agency has also developed models to evaluate and report excess deaths, rather than crude mortality rates, due to the most common antibiotic resistant bloodstream infections. These methods are not reliant on death certificates and estimates are included in the 2025 ESPAUR report.

In Wales, AMR surveillance is undertaken by Public Health Wales through its Healthcare Associated Infection, Antimicrobial Resistance and Prescribing Programme, which publishes annual reports on AMR in blood and urine cultures across Wales.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what actions, if any, they are taking to secure the release of the 15 imprisoned Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant workers being held by Russian forces.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention of Ukrainian personnel working at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The UK continues to raise our concerns regarding Russia's treatment of Ukrainian detainees. These arbitrary detentions are yet another consequence of Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territory. We continue to call for the release of all civilians unlawfully detained by Russia.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the delay in publishing the circular economy growth plan on achieving the objectives of the environmental improvement plan.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government remains committed to the objectives of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), including the circular economy goal to minimise waste.

The EIP Annual Progress Report (see attached), shows that we have progressed an ambitious programme of reform, investment and delivery activity across the Circular Economy commitments, supporting the broader objectives of the EIP.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what role they have played in the governance of the Energy Skills Passport; which organisations currently sit on its governing body; how often that body has met since October 2024; whether they have considered the merits of independent public oversight of the energy skills passport by an organisation without a financial interest in training provision; and how the North Sea jobs service will be integrated with the energy skills passport to support between 5,000 and 10,000 oil and gas workers each year from 2026–27 to 2029–30 in accessing opportunities within the clean energy sector.

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

The Energy Skills Passport (ESP) is industry-led. Offshore Energies UK and RenewableUK jointly run the ESP on behalf of industry and manage its Steering Group. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero sits on the Steering Group as a strategic partner, alongside the Scottish Government and a range of other stakeholders including training bodies, industry employers and trade unions. The Government has supported the ESP through grant funding, advice and stakeholder engagement. The ESP will be a tool that the North Sea Jobs Service can draw upon to support oil and gas workers moving into growing industries across the Government’s industrial strategy sectors. Further information will be provided once the service is launched.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to raise the offshore workforce skills and qualification recognition at the next North Seas Energy Cooperation meeting.

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

The Government supports the industry-led Energy Skills Passport, overseen by RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK. The Passport supports oil and gas workers to identify routes into offshore wind roles. The Government continues to support its expansion, including additional offshore and onshore wind roles and career pathways.

The North Seas Energy Cooperation is the framework for regional energy cooperation at European level in the North Seas and is therefore not the appropriate forum to raise national issues of this kind.

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