Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the United Arab Emirates has restricted funding for its students permitted to study in the UK; and what assessment they have made of levels of support for the Muslim Brotherhood and wider Islamist extremism on UK university campuses.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The UK provides a world-leading education system, especially in teaching and research in high-growth sectors. We welcome high-quality students from across the world, including from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
We are committed to challenging extremist narratives, disrupting radicalising groups, and tackling the causes of radicalisation. We have some of the strongest laws in the world to protect citizens from hatred and terrorism. The ‘Prevent duty’ guidance, recently updated to address evolving threats, and the government’s consistent review and proscription of extremist organisations, demonstrates our commitment to student welfare and safety.
The education sector plays a vital role in safeguarding learners from radicalisation and remains the highest contributor of referrals to the Prevent programme. We provide resources through the ‘Educate Against Hate’ website, helping pupils and staff understand terrorism risks and challenge extremist views.
The UK and UAE have a long-standing relationship. We will continue to discuss this matter with their government.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what financial advice or guidance a lending institution is required to give a person aged 21 years old or under before permitting them to take out a loan of more than £25,000.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Lenders offering credit are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This oversight ensures that lending practices are fair and that consumers are protected – firms regulated by the FCA must comply with its strict lending affordability rules, lending only to those who can afford repayments based on a thorough assessment of their financial situation. Lenders are also required to follow the FCA’s rules on promotions and adverts, where non-compliance could lead to fines. The FCA requires that all adverts and other promotions must be clear, fair, and not misleading.
The Government is committed to ensuring that people can access the guidance they need to confidently understand and use financial products such as loans. The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), an arm’s length body of the Government, provides free and impartial guidance on a range of financial topics, including credit. More widely, the Government is taking steps to improve financial literacy and better prepare young people for life’s key financial decisions. As part of the Financial Inclusion Strategy, the Government announced plans to make financial education compulsory in primary schools in England, alongside a renewed focus on financial education in secondary schools through the subjects of mathematics and citizenship. This will help build a generation better equipped to make informed financial decisions, including those related to the use of credit.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 19 December 2025 (HL11657), and further to the Prime Minister's statement on 21 September that he had "directed work to sanction other Hamas figures in the coming weeks", what plans the Home Office has to review (1) the continued presence in the United Kingdom of members of Hamas, and (2) the continued citizenship of Hamas members who hold British passports but are resident overseas.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government’s top priority remains the safety and security of the United Kingdom and its citizens. The Government does not comment on individual cases or on operational activity.
Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules sets out the grounds on which the Home Office may refuse or cancel entry clearance, permission to enter, or permission to stay. These provisions allow action to be taken where a person’s presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good because of their conduct, character, associations or other reasons.
The Home Secretary has the power to deprive an individual of British citizenship where it was obtained by fraud, or where deprivation is conducive to the public good. Deprivation on conducive grounds is used only for individuals who pose a threat to the UK or whose conduct is considered to involve very high harm, for example activities relating to national security (including terrorism and espionage), war crimes, serious and organised crime, or extremism and the glorification of terrorism. Decisions on deprivation are taken on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Leader of the House what plans she has to contact the Permanent Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to ask why they have not yet answered HL11657, tabled on 5 November but still awaiting an answer in December.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
As Leader, I met Permanent Secretaries from across Government Departments in November this year. During the meeting I stressed the importance of responding to Questions for Written Answer within the 10 day target. Alongside this my office keeps close oversight of departments who have outstanding responses. I also regularly discuss parliamentary performance with Ministers in a group setting and individually.
This specific question HL11657 was answered on the 19th December.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Prime Minister's statement on 21 September that he had "directed work to sanction other Hamas figures in the coming weeks", what plans they have to review (1) the continued presence in the United Kingdom of members of Hamas and (2) the continued citizenship of Hamas members who hold British passports but are resident overseas.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Home Department, rather than the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, is responsible for all matters concerning the UK residence and nationality status of alleged members of proscribed organisations.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the calls for international reparations at the International Conference on the Crimes of Colonialism in Africa, under the African Union's 2025 theme "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations"; and what assessment they have made of any potential implications for the United Kingdom.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is committed to a strong, forward-looking, relationship with the African Union (AU). We are working with the AU and other African partners to tackle the most pressing challenges of today including security, growth and climate change and building partnerships for the future.
The UK's position remains as set out in the answer of 25 March 2025 to Question HL5718.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report Freres musulmans et islamisme politique en France, published on 25 May by the Ministry of the Interior in France, analysing the threat posed by the Muslim Brotherhood, and the reference the report contains to the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We welcome reports from a variety of organisations and sources.
The Government's approach to threats to the UK is kept under constant review. We continually assess the threat picture and commit to working closely with a wide range of experts and partners to ensure our approach remains fit for purpose.
We do not comment on individual cases.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the US government fact sheet, President Donald J. Trump Begins Process to Designate Certain Muslim Brotherhood Chapters as Foreign Terrorist Organisations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, published on 24 November; and whether they plan to adopt a similar designation in the UK in relation to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is our long-standing policy not to comment on intelligence and security matters, including whether or not an organisation is under consideration for proscription.
To proscribe an organisation the Home Secretary must have a reasonable belief that it is currently concerned in terrorism, and it must be necessary and proportionate to do so. This means the organisation participates or commits; prepares for; promotes, encourages, or unlawfully glorifies; or is in some way otherwise concerned in terrorism. The Home Secretary may then exercise her discretion to proscribe an organisation and will consider all the relevant factors in deciding whether to do so.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people have received wobble boards through Access to Work in each of the past five years, and what was the average cost of a wobble board.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Details of the specific special aides/equipment an individual claims payment for is stored as descriptive free-text information and would require manual examination of individual applications to analyse and to provide it would incur a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average number of items received by successful applicants through Access to Work.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the number of items received by successful applicants is stored as descriptive free-text information. Providing an answer would require manual examination of individual applications, and would incur a disproportionate cost.