Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to reviewing the funding formula for policing.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to ensuring that policing has the resources it needs and the allocation of funding to police forces remains an important consideration.

The Chancellor has announced a real terms increase in police spending power over the next three years. As with previous years, decisions on police force funding allocations for 2026-27 will be set out at the forthcoming police funding settlement.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the police reform white paper.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Secretary is committed to publishing a Police Reform White Paper later this year. More information on the White Paper and the future of Policing in England and Wales will be shared with Parliament in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what policy changes they are considering to maximise the use of the apprenticeship levy in police forces in Wales.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to collaborating with the Devolved Governments on skills policy, to share best practice and support growth and opportunity throughout the UK.

We have allocated £2.4m as part of the police settlement for 2025/26 to reimburse the amount paid by Welsh forces in their levy contribution for police constable degree apprenticeships.

In addition, funding for Welsh forces is up to £1.0 billion in 2025-26, an increase of up to £57.4 million compared to 2024-25 (6.0% in cash terms).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide additional funding for policing in Cardiff in recognition of its capital city status.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

A National and International Capital City (NICC) grant is paid to the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police to reflect the unique demands of policing in London. The NICC grant is partially funded from a reallocation of the core funding for all police forces in England and Wales and as such, decisions on the level of the funding must consider its impact on wider policing.

South Wales Police will receive up to £441.7 million in 2025-26, an increase of up to £32.6 million when compared to 2024-25. Decisions on the allocation of NICC funding are taken at the time of the Police Settlement and as with previous years, more details on force funding allocations for 2026-27 will be made via the provisional police funding settlement later in the year.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to regulate, and mandate independent testing of, period products following recent reports of harmful chemicals and heavy metals being found in such products.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Period products are already regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 which require that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, are placed on the market. There are obligations on producers and distributors to, where reasonable, sample test products to check safety. The Government employs a risk-based approach to product testing, targeting categories with a high potential for danger and do not test period products. We have no plans to independently test them.

However, during the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, the Government committed to consult on period product safety, and as part of this Officials are also reviewing the need for any further research and testing for harmful chemicals and heavy metals in period products to complement the consultation.