Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much the Welsh Government received in Barnett consequentials in 2025–26 from the childcare offer in England.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Barnett formula applies to all changes to UK Government department Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) funding.
At Spending Reviews, the Barnett consequentials associated with individual programmes cannot be identified because the Barnett formula is applied to the overall change in a departments’ DEL, and not to the individual programmes driving the change in a UK department’s DEL budget. This is the case for the additional funding for childcare in England provided at Spending Review 2025.
The Welsh Government are free to allocate Barnett consequentials as they see fit across their devolved priorities, and they are accountable to the Senedd for these decisions.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of universal access to Welsh language TV for prisoners in Wales.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) in Wales regularly assesses the availability of S4C, the Welsh language public service broadcasting channel, across the prison estate in Wales through engagement with each prison’s nominated Welsh language champion, and site visits undertaken by regional assurance teams.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it is possible for the Welsh Ministers to make His Majesty’s Probation and Prison Service liable to be required to comply with Welsh language standards, pursuant to the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, without the Secretary of State’s consent.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
It is for Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies which the Welsh Language Commissioner may require to comply with Welsh language standards. Where Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to apply specifically to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
HM Prison & Probation Service has a Welsh Language Scheme (2024-27) which outlines its Welsh language obligations. The scheme, which applies in England as well as Wales, has been approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner, who regulates compliance with Welsh language requirements under the Welsh Language Act 1993 and the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential contribution of a youth mobility scheme with the EU to economic growth.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. This will create new opportunities for cultural exchange between the UK and the EU. It will be good for the economy, good for growth and good for business. Any scheme will be time-limited and capped, and we have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes with countries like Australia and New Zealand. The Government is committed to providing appropriate analysis of our EU deal but we will not be able to provide a full assessment of the impacts whilst detailed negotiations are ongoing.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
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).
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish statutory guidance to accompany the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission to halve levels of violence against women and girls within a decade.
We will confirm next steps on implementation of the Protection from Sex Based Harassment in Public Act 2023, including accompanying statutory guidance, at the earliest opportunity.