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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the impact of the droughts declared by the Environment Agency, with particular reference to South Yorkshire.

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

The Government is closely monitoring water levels and working with water companies and the Environment Agency (EA) to mitigate the impacts of drought across England, including in South Yorkshire.

Following the driest six-month period since 1929, the EA declared drought in Yorkshire on 12 June 2025. The EA is actively working with stakeholders in the region, monitoring the situation, mitigating environmental impacts, and balancing the needs of people and nature.

To support water supply resilience in South Yorkshire, the EA has granted Yorkshire Water seven Drought Permits for its reservoirs, conserving reservoir stocks and to secure public water supplies.

Water company drought plans set out how companies will maintain a secure water supply while minimising environmental impacts during dry weather and drought conditions. The Government expects all companies to take the necessary steps outlined in these plans to protect water supplies for their customers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of generative artificial intelligence on the further education sector.

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

​Generative artificial intelligence (AI) will support with the delivery of the government’s Plan for Change.

The government has published the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-opportunities-action-plan/ai-opportunities-action-plan. This considered barriers to AI take-up across the economy and made 50 recommendations. The further education sector will enable the delivery of short new courses in areas such as AI, digital, and engineering. These will be funded through the Growth and Skills Levy to support Industrial Strategy sectors from April 2026.

In August 2025, the department published a policy paper setting out the opportunities and challenges for the use of generative AI in the education sector. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-artificial-intelligence-in-education/generative-artificial-intelligence-ai-in-education?pStoreID=Http.

We are working with the education sector, educational technology industry experts, and academics to build the evidence base and support the education sector to use AI safely, responsibly, and effectively. This includes publishing free support, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/using-ai-in-education-settings-support-materials.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they are holding with the higher education and further education sectors regarding the implications of the policy reforms introduced in the White Paper Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May.

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

The immigration White Paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base.

This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on higher education (HE) provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic HE and skills system. We will set out more details around the levy in the Autumn Budget.

We are committed to engaging with the sector on the design of the international student levy and want to understand specific concerns providers have as early as possible.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote and support vocational development and training between United Kingdom further education institutions and their equivalents overseas.

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

This government is committed to supporting educational partnerships between the UK and our overseas partners, including in further education.

The UK’s International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, spearheads overseas activities, opening up partnership opportunities and developing strong relationships. Sir Steve's international missions promote all sectors and areas of education. We are currently reviewing the UK’s International Education Strategy to ensure that it continues to reflect the priorities of the entire education sector and provides an attractive offer, including on vocational training and skills, to our global partners. We are working closely with the sector and aiming to publish the refreshed strategy this year.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to consult charities, faith groups, and frontline support services to deliver a more sustainable approach for procuring short-term accommodation for asylum seekers in line with the recommendations on the procurement of short term accommodation set out in the Office for Value for Money's policy paper UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy.

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

The Government has already begun consultation with charities and frontline support services on future asylum accommodation plans. Officials met with voluntary and community sector stakeholders on the 5th August and plan to meet again in September. Minister Norris will be hosting engagement with faith groups later this year on future asylum accommodation plans.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of current and future investment in diagnostic facilities and equipment at Goole and District Hospital.

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

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity, including in Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire, to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including upgrading diagnostic facilities and equipment.

The Goole and District Hospital is currently providing key diagnostic services to patients across East Riding. The hospital currently offers imaging services, such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, as well as phlebotomy services.

NHS England work closely with each integrated care board (ICB), including the Humber and North Yorkshire ICB, to assess diagnostic capacity and prioritise investments. The ICB has invested £29.46 million of capital from the community diagnostic centre (CDC) programme to deliver seven CDCs, including the Selby Memorial CDC at the nearby Selby Memorial Hospital. This CDC offers a wide range of diagnostic tests, including x-ray, MRI, CT, electrocardiogram, non-obstetric ultrasound, Holter, and lung function tests, closer to home, and with a greater choice on where and how they are undertaken.

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years across new diagnostic, elective, and urgent care capacity. Further details and allocations, including where any new diagnostics and equipment will be located, will be set out in due course.

Found: reunion. 27 Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill BARONESS HAMWEE LORD GERMAN THE LORD BISHOP OF SHEFFIELD

Found: BARONESS HAMWEE LORD GERMAN THE LORD BISHOP OF SHEFFIELD 178_ After Clause 48, insert the following

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