Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of abortions in which women (1) deliberately, and (2) accidentally, misreport the date of their last menstrual period; and how they have incorporated that estimate into the implementation of allowing the prescription of abortion pills by telemedicine.

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

The Department collects information on abortions via the HSA4 abortion notification form, which does not hold this information.

The prescription of mifepristone and misoprostol for abortions is controlled by the Abortion Act 1967 and Human Medicines Regulations 2012. During the consultation, women are informed that their abortion medication has been prescribed for their use only and that it cannot be given to anyone else. In line with the Department’s required standard operating procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in England, all providers must ensure women are given information about how to dispose of, or return, the abortion pills if they are not used.

Before an early medical abortion can be undertaken at home, women are given the choice to have either an in-person consultation or a virtual consultation. However, if there is any uncertainty about the gestation of the pregnancy, the medical practitioner would ask the woman to attend an in-person appointment to enable them to form an opinion that the pregnancy will not have exceeded ten weeks at the time the first abortion pill is taken.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities report on complications from abortions in England 2017 to 2021, published on 23 November 2023, whether they have conducted further research on the impact of using data from Hospital Episode Statistics on reported abortion complication rates; and how this compares with using figures from the Abortion Notification System.

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

The Department has not undertaken any further research or analysis on the impact of using data from Hospital Episode Statistics compared with the Abortion Notification System since the report into the comparison of complication rates using these data sources was published in 2023.

The Department has not committed to updating or repeating this analysis and the publication will remain as a one‑off report until further notice.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the difference between the number of abortion pills prescribed via telemedicine and the number actually taken; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which abortion pills prescribed via telemedicine are being stockpiled by women.

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

The Department collects information on abortions via the HSA4 abortion notification form, which does not hold this information.

The prescription of mifepristone and misoprostol for abortions is controlled by the Abortion Act 1967 and Human Medicines Regulations 2012. During the consultation, women are informed that their abortion medication has been prescribed for their use only and that it cannot be given to anyone else. In line with the Department’s required standard operating procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in England, all providers must ensure women are given information about how to dispose of, or return, the abortion pills if they are not used.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the estimated number of miscarriages, (2) the estimated number of stillbirths, (3) the number of police investigations relating to miscarriages, and (4) the number of police investigations relating to stillbirths, for each of the last 10 years for which data are available.

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

Research estimates that 15.3% of recognised pregnancies end in miscarriage, a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks completed gestation, which is the equivalent to approximately 100,000 miscarriages in England each year. However, due to lack of data on the earliest losses, the true figure could be higher.

Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) perinatal mortality surveillance reports the number of stillbirths, babies delivered at or after 24 completed weeks’ gestational age showing no signs of life, irrespective of when the death occurred, and excluding terminations of pregnancy. The following table shows stillbirth numbers in England from 2014 to 2023 inclusive:

The Home Office does not collect information centrally on police investigations into miscarriages or stillbirths. However, the Home Office does collect and publish figures on the number of criminal offences of ‘procuring illegal abortion’ and ‘intentional destruction of a viable unborn child’ recorded by police in England and Wales. However, it is neither possible to identify what prompted an investigation that led to a crime being recorded, nor the number of investigations that resulted in a decision not to record a crime.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 27 January (HL13589), what was the rationale for removing the former Duke of York from the Roll of the Peerage and not Lord Mandelson.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was removed from the Roll of the Peerage on 5 November 2025 and his title is no longer used officially. The Government supports this decision taken by His Majesty The King.

The Prime Minister has been clear that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title. Bespoke legislation is currently required to remove a peerage but the Prime Minister has announced that the Government will create a mechanism to remove peerages from disgraced peers; this work is continuing.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made with the government of Mali about reports of Christians facing systematic persecution and being targeted with intimidation, discrimination and violence.

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

The UK continues to champion Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, including countries where Christians face persecution or discrimination because of their faith. Last July, the UK's Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, set out the Government's new strategy on FoRB, providing a framework for engagement with other countries, and describing the links between the protection of FoRB and other goals including the prevention of conflict. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to champion FoRB on the international stage, including through our position in the United Nations and the Article 18 Alliance.

Specifically on Mali, I refer the Noble Lord to the answer that the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa gave on 22 August 2025 to Question HC68011, provided below for ease of reference:

The UK strongly condemns attacks on religious minorities in Mali. We have consistently called on all actors in Mali to respect human rights and adhere to international human rights law. For example, at the April 2025 Security Council briefing on the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, the UK expressed concern at the human rights abuses committed in the Sahel and called on the UN to lead the way in emphasising the importance of international humanitarian law. Through the Magna Carta Fund, the UK has also promoted ancient Malian texts enshrining progressive values such as religious tolerance. This has helped to underline that such values have local roots and undermine the notion that human rights are a Western import.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to paragraph 36 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) Memorandum on the Representation of the People Bill, published on 12 February, what assessment they have made of whether the ECHR would allow for voting by convicted and jailed prisoners in some circumstances.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Prisoners convicted of a crime and serving a sentence in custody are not allowed to vote in UK Parliamentary elections, or any other elections for which responsibility is reserved.

Those imprisoned for default in paying fines or contempt of court, individuals held on remand who are not convicted, and those released on temporary licence or home detention curfew are not legally barred from voting, but they must meet the other eligibility criteria and be registered to vote.

The government has no plans to change this policy to allow prisoners to vote.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 18 December 2025 (HL12683) and 22 January 2026 (HL13471), what is the public interest reason for not disclosing (1) the dates of group phone calls with lobbyists, and (2) the names of the lobbying firms being briefed by the Government, in line with the guidance in the paragraphs 211 and 223 of the Guide to Parliamentary Work, updated 19 November 2024.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Lord back to HL12683:

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government on what dates calls have been held between the government and corporate lobbyists since 4 July 2024; which lobbying firms joined those calls; and which ministers have joined those calls.

Answer: Details of Ministers and Senior Officials' meetings, including those held using video or audio-conferencing technology, and including phone calls where these replace or take the format of an official meeting, are published by departments on GOV.UK every quarter.

GOV.UK transparency publications list details of Ministers' and Senior Officials' official meetings with all external organisations, including organised group telephone or video calls, where these replace or take the format of an official meeting.

These publications include the dates of meetings or calls, and the name(s) of the organisation(s) with whom the minister or senior official met.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to paragraph 3.11 of the Ministerial Code, whether the Prime Minister has ensured that the second homes council tax premium has been properly discharged continually since 1 April 2025.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers. Ministers are personally responsible for deciding how to act and conduct themselves in the light of the Code.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Hanson of Flint on 4 March (HL Deb col 1399), what the timeline is for developing technical solutions with technology companies and partners; and what form those solutions will take.

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

Operation Reckoning is delivering a surged enforcement response aimed at tackling all layers of criminal activity associated with the model of phone theft in London, including street level offenders, middle market handlers and those responsible for the export of stolen devices. It is delivering significant results: in the 12 months to February, mobile phone theft in the capital fell by 12.3% on the previous year.

We welcome this significant progress, but too many people are still being subjected to the considerable distress and disruption caused by these criminals and we are determined to bring these numbers down further.

To break the business model that drives mobile phone theft, we need to reduce the value of a stolen device. The Metropolitan Police are leading work with technology partners to look at the quickest and most effective ways of achieving this outcome and we are working in close support of this collaboration.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will next convene a summit with (1) mobile phone operators, (2) mobile phone manufacturers, and (3) law enforcement professionals, to discuss strategies to disrupt and curtail the organised crime business model for stolen mobile phone devices; and what the format of that summit will be.

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

Operation Reckoning is delivering a surged enforcement response aimed at tackling all layers of criminal activity associated with the model of phone theft in London, including street level offenders, middle market handlers and those responsible for the export of stolen devices. It is delivering significant results: in the 12 months to February, mobile phone theft in the capital fell by 12.3% on the previous year.

We welcome this significant progress, but too many people are still being subjected to the considerable distress and disruption caused by these criminals and we are determined to bring these numbers down further.

To break the business model that drives mobile phone theft, we need to reduce the value of a stolen device. The Metropolitan Police are leading work with technology partners to look at the quickest and most effective ways of achieving this outcome and we are working in close support of this collaboration.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Hanson of Flint on 4 March (HL Deb col 1399), what aspects of Operation Reckoning are focused on disrupting or removing the organised crime business model for stole mobile phone devices.

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

Operation Reckoning is delivering a surged enforcement response aimed at tackling all layers of criminal activity associated with the model of phone theft in London, including street level offenders, middle market handlers and those responsible for the export of stolen devices. It is delivering significant results: in the 12 months to February, mobile phone theft in the capital fell by 12.3% on the previous year.

We welcome this significant progress, but too many people are still being subjected to the considerable distress and disruption caused by these criminals and we are determined to bring these numbers down further.

To break the business model that drives mobile phone theft, we need to reduce the value of a stolen device. The Metropolitan Police are leading work with technology partners to look at the quickest and most effective ways of achieving this outcome and we are working in close support of this collaboration.

Found: relevant interests to declare Lord Grantchester No relevant interests to declare Lord Jackson of Peterborough

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