Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the UK's current budget for humanitarian aid to Myanmar; what steps they are taking to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the people who are most in need and not blocked or diverted by the military; and whether they plan to increase aid.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Since the coup in Myanmar in February 2021, the UK has provided more than £190 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, emergency healthcare and education support, and work to support civil society and local communities. In the past year, the UK has supported 1.4 million people with humanitarian assistance and provided essential health services to 1.3 million people. The UK works with local civil society organisations and national NGOs in Myanmar, which can overcome humanitarian access restrictions to reach vulnerable people in conflict-affected areas.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current elections in Myanmar, (2) the impact of those elections on human rights in Myanmar, and (3) the implications for the regions of the county that are excluded from voting in those elections.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to support the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for a peaceful, democratic future. However, there is little sign that the recent elections will achieve an end to violence, advance dialogue, or address the urgent requirements to allow access for humanitarian assistance and bring an end to human rights violations.

In December 2025, the UK convened the UN Security Council to discuss the Myanmar elections, emphasising ongoing human rights concerns and the humanitarian situation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elections-under-the-current-circumstances-in-myanmar-risk-provoking-further-violence-uk-statement-on-myanmar

We have also continued to signal concern over the election conditions, including at the UN Third Committee on Human Rights in November 2025:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-uk-is-concerned-by-the-ongoing-violence-in-myanmar-including-escalating-human-rights-violations-and-increasing-reports-of-sexual-andgender-based

We continue to support ASEAN's leadership on the crisis, including the work of the Special Envoy and the need for full implementation of the Five Point Consensus. In addition, we will continue to use our penholder role to spotlight the Myanmar crisis and raise our concerns with international allies within the UN Security Council and other international fora.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to take steps to place Myanmar as an urgent item on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council following the military-run elections in that country.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to support the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for a peaceful, democratic future. However, there is little sign that the recent elections will achieve an end to violence, advance dialogue, or address the urgent requirements to allow access for humanitarian assistance and bring an end to human rights violations.

In December 2025, the UK convened the UN Security Council to discuss the Myanmar elections, emphasising ongoing human rights concerns and the humanitarian situation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elections-under-the-current-circumstances-in-myanmar-risk-provoking-further-violence-uk-statement-on-myanmar

We have also continued to signal concern over the election conditions, including at the UN Third Committee on Human Rights in November 2025:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-uk-is-concerned-by-the-ongoing-violence-in-myanmar-including-escalating-human-rights-violations-and-increasing-reports-of-sexual-andgender-based

We continue to support ASEAN's leadership on the crisis, including the work of the Special Envoy and the need for full implementation of the Five Point Consensus. In addition, we will continue to use our penholder role to spotlight the Myanmar crisis and raise our concerns with international allies within the UN Security Council and other international fora.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking with international allies in response to the military regime's elections in Myanmar.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to support the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for a peaceful, democratic future. However, there is little sign that the recent elections will achieve an end to violence, advance dialogue, or address the urgent requirements to allow access for humanitarian assistance and bring an end to human rights violations.

In December 2025, the UK convened the UN Security Council to discuss the Myanmar elections, emphasising ongoing human rights concerns and the humanitarian situation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elections-under-the-current-circumstances-in-myanmar-risk-provoking-further-violence-uk-statement-on-myanmar

We have also continued to signal concern over the election conditions, including at the UN Third Committee on Human Rights in November 2025:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-uk-is-concerned-by-the-ongoing-violence-in-myanmar-including-escalating-human-rights-violations-and-increasing-reports-of-sexual-andgender-based

We continue to support ASEAN's leadership on the crisis, including the work of the Special Envoy and the need for full implementation of the Five Point Consensus. In addition, we will continue to use our penholder role to spotlight the Myanmar crisis and raise our concerns with international allies within the UN Security Council and other international fora.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Google about reports that they sent emails to under 13 year-olds informing them how to turn off parental controls on their birthday.

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

The Government meets regularly with stakeholders, including from the tech sector.

Many platforms have parental control tools to help parents manage their children’s screentime and online experience.

Google has clarified in a policy update that parental controls will remain in place beyond 13 unless a parent consents to turn these off.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of released Daesh members with British citizenship or residency returning to the UK.

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

It is the long-standing policy of successive UK Governments not to comment either on individual cases or operational intelligence.We are monitoring the situation in North-East Syria closely and working with partners, including the Global Coalition against Daesh, to mitigate shared national security risks.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the opening of criminal cases against 122 foreign mercenaries fighting with the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, what inquiries they have made to (1) ascertain whether any of them are British citizens or residents, and (2) explore whether they could be prosecuted in the UK.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK is deeply concerned by the use of foreign mercenaries in the Sudan conflict, and we would urge anyone with information of UK nationals seeking to act as mercenaries or otherwise participate in the conflict to share that information with the police, who would then be able to make evidence-based and operationally-independent decisions about whether to investigate or charge any such individuals. There are a wide range of criminal and terrorism offences that can be used to prosecute returning foreign fighters, which carry the possibility of a sentence up to and including life imprisonment. Decisions on prosecutions are taken independently by the police and Crown Prosecution Service on a case-by-case basis.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 21 January (HL13311), whether they have formally lodged a statement at the United Nations and with China about a breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration in the case of Jimmy Lai; and if not, whether they intend to do so.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Following Beijing's imposition of the National Security Law (NSL) on Hong Kong, the UK declared China to be in a state of ongoing non-compliance with the Joint Declaration. The UK raised concerns about the NSL and Joint Declaration during the 2020 UN Human Rights Council sessions. This government has repeatedly called for China to return to its commitments under the Joint Declaration, for the NSL to be repealed, and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it, including British national Jimmy Lai.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken a investigation into the atrocities against the Yazidis; if so, what is the progress of that investigation; and, if so, what are the next steps further to those listed in the 2nd Report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Accountability For Daesh Crimes: Government Response (HL Paper 121, Session 2024–25), including amending the International Criminal Court Act 2001 to include prosecutions for international crimes.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Securing accountability for the atrocities committed against the Yazidi people is a priority for the UK, and our Embassy in Iraq regularly engages the Yazidi community, the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to that end. In July 2025, the former Minister for Human Rights and the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief met with Mir Hazem Tahsin Beg, the Prince of the Yazidis, to understand the ongoing challenges faced by the community and what support the UK can provide.

As set out in the Government Response, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Act 2001 is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern, holding perpetrators to account, and achieving justice for victims, and the UK is a strong supporter of the ICC and its mission.

Where the UK does not have jurisdiction, we seek to build domestic capability, supporting partners to deliver justice and hold perpetrators to account. To that end, the UK is working closely with Iraq's National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation to ensure that evidence of crimes can be used effectively to deliver justice for all victims of Daesh. We also continue to push for the full implementation of the Yazidi Survivor law which is crucial to securing justice for survivors and helping them rebuild their lives.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the last Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability assessment was conducted for Syria; how the escalation of violence affects that assessment; and what practical steps they are taking to address the escalation of violence, in particular violence targeting ethnic and religious minorities.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to engage with the Syrian Government and Syrian Democratic Forces, and regional and international partners, to press for an immediate end to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and a return to negotiations in support of a sustainable political agreement.

The Foreign Secretary conveyed these messages to Syrian Foreign Minister al Shaibani on 20 January, and underlined the importance of developing a clear plan to secure control of the detention facilities and camps, and ensure the protection of Kurdish rights. We also reiterated these points at the UN Security Council on 22 January.

While we are keeping the situation in Syria under close review, we do not publicly comment on the timings or content of specific Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) assessments.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in Syria, in particular the threat posed to ethnic and religious minorities in the country, following reports of the mass release of Daesh members.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to engage with the Syrian Government and Syrian Democratic Forces, and regional and international partners, to press for an immediate end to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and a return to negotiations in support of a sustainable political agreement.

The Foreign Secretary conveyed these messages to Syrian Foreign Minister al Shaibani on 20 January, and underlined the importance of developing a clear plan to secure control of the detention facilities and camps, and ensure the protection of Kurdish rights. We also reiterated these points at the UN Security Council on 22 January.

While we are keeping the situation in Syria under close review, we do not publicly comment on the timings or content of specific Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) assessments.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to reports of a mass release of Daesh members in Syria, what assessment they have made of whether any of those released have British citizenship or residency.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

We continue to engage with the Syrian Government and Syrian Democratic Forces, and regional and international partners, to press for an immediate end to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and a return to negotiations in support of a sustainable political agreement.

The Foreign Secretary conveyed these messages to Syrian Foreign Minister al Shaibani on 20 January, and underlined the importance of developing a clear plan to secure control of the detention facilities and camps, and ensure the protection of Kurdish rights. We also reiterated these points at the UN Security Council on 22 January.

While we are keeping the situation in Syria under close review, we do not publicly comment on the timings or content of specific Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) assessments.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to the King's College London report The China question: managing risks and maximising benefits from partnership in higher education and research, published in March 2021, what action they have taken to reduce risks to intellectual property, academic freedom and financial stability; and what plans they have to improve management of those risks.

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

We must distinguish between allegations of foreign interference and the positive impact that partnership and students from China bring to our higher education (HE) sector, economy and society as a whole.

HE providers are autonomous bodies, independent of government, and we expect the sector to be alert to security risks when collaborating with international partners, ensuring their compliance with relevant legislation and regulations.

Providers must also continue to make the appropriate financial decisions to ensure their long term sustainability, with the Office for Students (OfS) monitoring the risk of over reliance on overseas income at a sector level.

The department commenced strengthened duties on providers and on the OfS in relation to free speech and academic freedom. These duties have been in effect since 1 August 2025, and the Office for Students has also issued extensive guidance to HE providers on what they should do to ensure they effectively protect and promote free speech and academic freedom as per these duties.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology provides robust support to the UK's research sector on managing the risks of collaboration, including tailored advice from the Research Collaboration Advice Team, and the National Protective Security Authority and National Cyber Security Centre’s ‘Trusted Research’ guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the King's College London report The China question: managing risks and maximising benefits from partnership in higher education and research, published in March 2021; and what action they have taken to reduce the risk of dependency on China for research, funding and student numbers.

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

We must distinguish between allegations of foreign interference and the positive impact that partnership and students from China bring to our higher education (HE) sector, economy and society as a whole.

HE providers are autonomous bodies, independent of government, and we expect the sector to be alert to security risks when collaborating with international partners, ensuring their compliance with relevant legislation and regulations.

Providers must also continue to make the appropriate financial decisions to ensure their long term sustainability, with the Office for Students (OfS) monitoring the risk of over reliance on overseas income at a sector level.

The department commenced strengthened duties on providers and on the OfS in relation to free speech and academic freedom. These duties have been in effect since 1 August 2025, and the Office for Students has also issued extensive guidance to HE providers on what they should do to ensure they effectively protect and promote free speech and academic freedom as per these duties.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology provides robust support to the UK's research sector on managing the risks of collaboration, including tailored advice from the Research Collaboration Advice Team, and the National Protective Security Authority and National Cyber Security Centre’s ‘Trusted Research’ guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they have taken to protect academic freedom and free speech on university campuses.

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

This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom. ​The department commenced the following provisions, which came into force from 1 August 2025:

• ​Strengthened higher education (HE) provider duties in relation to securing and promoting the importance of freedom of speech and academic freedom.

• ​A requirement for HE providers to put in place effective codes of practice on freedom of speech and academic freedom.

• ​A ban of non-disclosure agreements in HE for staff and students where there is a complaint about bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct.

• ​A requirement for the Office for Students (OfS) to promote free speech, and enable the OfS to give advice and guidance on it.

The OfS has also issued extensive guidance to HE providers on commencement of their duties.​

We are seeking a suitable legislative vehicle to amend and repeal elements of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 at the earliest opportunity.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many yellow card reports of Post 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor Syndrome the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has received each year since 2019; and what medications those reports were tied to.

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

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring that medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigorously assesses available data, including from the Yellow Card scheme, and seeks advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, the MHRA’s independent advisory committee, where appropriate, to inform regulatory decisions including amending the product information.

The MHRA has received a total of four United Kingdom reports through the Yellow Card scheme associated with the reaction term Post 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor Syndrome from 1 January 2019 up to and including 4 February 2026. The following table shows a yearly breakdown of reports associated with Post 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor Syndrome:

In addition, the following table shows a yearly breakdown of reports received by substance associated with Post 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor Syndrome:

Please note that each report may list more than one suspect drug. Therefore, the total number of reports received cannot be accurately derived from the figures presented in the above table.

It is important to note that anyone can report to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme and the recording of these reports in the Yellow Card database does not necessarily mean that the adverse reactions have been caused by the suspect drug. Many factors must be considered in assessing causal relationships, including temporal association, the possible contribution of concomitant medication, and the underlying disease. We encourage reporters to report suspected adverse reaction reports, as the reporter does not have to be sure of a causal association between the drug and the reactions, a suspicion will suffice.

The number of reports received cannot be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction, as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the drug, is known.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the comment of the universities Minister, Baroness Smith of Malvern, that UK education has become "a prime target for foreign states", whether they will publish the details of the threats posed by foreign states to UK universities, and how individual universities have responded to those threats.

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

It is the long-standing policy of successive UK governments not to comment either on individual cases or operational intelligence.

The world-class reputation of our universities makes them a prime target for foreign states and hostile actors, who seek to erode that reputation by promoting, shaping or censoring what universities can offer.

We are working together across government and with universities themselves to defend the UK’s thriving academic environment. By working together and sharing information, we will foster the confidence needed to stand strong in the face of foreign pressure.

To tackle this enduring threat, MI5 and cyber security services delivered a rare briefing to over 70 Vice Chancellors. The government is also investing £3 million to bolster existing support and access to expert advice on national security risk management, including a new Academic Interference Reporting Route and new guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they received a warning from MI5 of a threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party to British universities; and what action they have taken in response to that warning.

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

It is the long-standing policy of successive UK governments not to comment either on individual cases or operational intelligence.

The world-class reputation of our universities makes them a prime target for foreign states and hostile actors, who seek to erode that reputation by promoting, shaping or censoring what universities can offer.

We are working together across government and with universities themselves to defend the UK’s thriving academic environment. By working together and sharing information, we will foster the confidence needed to stand strong in the face of foreign pressure.

To tackle this enduring threat, MI5 and cyber security services delivered a rare briefing to over 70 Vice Chancellors. The government is also investing £3 million to bolster existing support and access to expert advice on national security risk management, including a new Academic Interference Reporting Route and new guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking in response to the warning by MI5's director general that hostile states are shaping research and teaching content, including the use of professional networking sites and financial incentives to form relationships with academic staff and students; and whether they plan to introduce a public register of corporate and personal financial interests of universities and staff.

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

The government is investing £3 million to bolster existing support for higher education providers and access to expert advice on national security risk management, alongside a new Academic Interference Reporting Route and new guidance.

The Office for Students has already been clear universities should resist any external state threats to academic freedom, and they have extensive powers to require information from providers and investigate any breach.

We keep all our protections under review, working closely with universities to assess existing approaches to managing foreign interference, to ensure that any new requirements are proportionate and add value to existing protections.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many NHS prescriptions for (1) isotretinoin, and (2) spironolactone, have been issued in each year since 2014.

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

The Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) provides the total number of prescription items of each medicine dispensed in the community in England. The table shows the total number of items in each calendar year from 2014 to 2024, as well as the data for January to November 2025 that has been dispensed in England regardless of where prescribed:

This is based on the information within the PCA for the British National Formulary chemical substance of isotretinoin and spironolactone.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 5 December 2025 (HC94719), what progress they have made in their response to the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I have no further information to provide at this point, but I will continue to keep the House updated as and when there are new developments to report.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many Daesh-affiliated members, or families of former Daesh fighters, have been brought to the UK from Syria over the past year; what risk assessment they are undertaking about this; and what steps they are taking to ensure that Daesh-affiliated members do not pose a threat to minorities against whom the FCDO accuse Daesh of committing genocide and crimes against humanity.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided to question HL13920 on 12 February 2026.

Found: Yours Sincerely Lord Alton of Liverpool Chair, Joint Committee on Human Rights

Found: Yours Sincerely Lord Alton of Liverpool Chair, Joint Committee on Human Rights

Found: agreement, HC 1662 Wednesday 4 February 2026 3.35 pm Watch the meeting Members present: Lord Alton of Liverpool

Found: regulation of AI, HC 1262 Wednesday 4 February 2026 2.20 pm Watch the meeting Members present: Lord Alton of Liverpool

Found: Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath (Chair, Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee), Lord Alton of Liverpool

Found: Letter dated 09/02/2026 from Lord Hanson of Flint to Lord Alton of Liverpool and others regarding financial