Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the growth in demand for water and sewerage services as a result of the population increase of the United Kingdom in the past five financial years.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of having a robust drainage and wastewater system both now and for future demand. It is the responsibility of water and sewerage undertakers to plan to meet the needs of customers, including accounting for population growth. As part of the Environment Act 2021, a new duty has been created for water companies in England to produce Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs). DWMPs set out how a water company intends to improve their drainage and wastewater systems over the next 25 years, accounting for factors including growing population and changing environmental circumstances. These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network and develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues. The plans will bring together various stakeholders including local authorities and industry regulators. Taking a strategic approach to drainage and wastewater management, will help to identify and mitigate issues related to insufficient network capacity or damaged infrastructure.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the UK–EU reset agreement, when they expect an agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary matters to be agreed.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on May 19, 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area.
Our aim is to start the detailed negotiations as soon as possible, as we want to see businesses benefit from removing barriers to trade.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the growth in demand for health services caused by the increase in the population of the United Kingdom in the past five financial years.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The effects of population increases and wider demographic change on the demand for services are analysed through the use of age cost curves and Office for National Statistics population statistics. Age cost curves estimate the demand for services for a person of a particular age and characteristics. The Department uses these along with bottom-up estimates to understand how population change will affect the National Health Service.
These show, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, that demographic change and population ageing are set to increase demand on an already stretched health service.
In the short term, to respond to these pressures, we have seen the recent Spending Review announce that annual NHS day-to-day spending will increase by £29 billion in real terms, a £53 billion cash increase, by 2028/29 compared to 2023/24. This will take the NHS resource budget to £226 billion by 2028/29, which is the equivalent to a 3% average annual real terms growth rate over the Spending Review period. The Spending Review also announced a £2.3 billion real terms increase, a £4 billion cash increase, in the Department’s annual capital budgets from 2023/24 to 2029/30. This will deliver the largest ever health capital budget, representing a more than 20% real terms increase by the end of the Spending Review period.
In the longer term, the 10-Year Health Plan also outlines that we must bend the demand curve, through a vision for a new model of care predicated on the three shifts, from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. This will help secure the financial sustainability of the NHS and make it fit for the future.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the involvement of North Korea in support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Russia's increasing reliance on support from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to help wage its illegal invasion of Ukraine demonstrates its underlying weakness. As we have said publicly, the DPRK is believed to have supplied hundreds of ballistic missiles and 20,000 containers of munitions to Russia. This includes millions of artillery and mortar rounds, accounting for around half of those Russia has fired against Ukraine. In addition the DPRK deployed approximately 11,000 combat troops to the Russian oblast of Kursk, sustaining 6000 casualties in offensive combat operations against Ukraine according to our latest estimates.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proposals they have for additional sanctions to further deter North Korea from its involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Russia's increasing reliance on support from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to help wage its illegal invasion of Ukraine demonstrates its underlying weakness. As we have said publicly, the DPRK is believed to have supplied 20,000 containers of munitions to Russia, and its artillery and mortar shells account for 60 per cent of those used in Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. The DPRK must immediately withdraw its troops and stop its provision of thousands of munitions, arms and other materiel. The DPRK is subject to an extensive range of UN sanctions and the UK will continue to work with our partners to influence and to hold the DPRK to account for supporting Russia's illegal war in Ukraine. On 24 February 2025 the UK announced its largest sanctions package against Russia since 2022, including DPRK officials involved in supporting Russian military action against Ukraine. We do not comment on future or potential expansions of our DPRK sanctions as this could affect their impact.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the international response to the involvement of North Korea in the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK and international partners remain deeply concerned about the implications of the deepening Russia-DPRK military cooperation. The G7 has consistently condemned the military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, most recently at the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting on 14 March at Charlevoix. In February, together with our G7 partners, the UK imposed its largest sanctions packages against Russia since 2022 which included DPRK officials. We have continually raised the issue in other multilateral fora, including at the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and NATO, as well as through our regular engagement with likeminded partners. We will continue to impose costs on Russia and DPRK.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what diplomatic efforts they have made to highlight the involvement of North Korea in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The direct participation of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) troops in combat operations and supplies to Russia is another dangerous expansion of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security. We have repeatedly raised the issue on diplomatic channels, in multilateral fora, and through our regular engagement with likeminded partners. As part of the G7, we also designated several DPRK individuals involved in supporting the Russian military-industrial complex. Most recently, on 17 June, the Prime Minister met with President Lee Jae Myung where they discussed Ukraine and the challenges posed by the DPRK. On 16 December, the Foreign Secretary, along with G7 Foreign Ministers, condemned the increasing military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current daily cost of providing accommodation for asylum seekers other than in hotels; and how this compares with the daily cost in 2024.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The 2024/25 annual report, published on 17 July 2025, states on p75 that £2.1bn was spent on hotels in 2024-25, at an average of £5.77m per day, compared to 3.0bn spent on hotels in 2023-24, at an average of £8.3m per day.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of implications for international law of the decision of the United States of America to bomb Iran.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
It is not for the UK to comment on the US' legal position and the UK did not participate in these strikes. We expect all parties to abide by international law. Our priority is stability in the Middle East and we have been clear with all sides that restarting the conflict is in nobody's interest.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the integration of immigrants in the UK, and what programmes they provide to encourage integration.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office’s Immigration White paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced proposed reforms in a wide range of areas – including integration, community cohesion, and language requirements – further details of which will be set out in due course.