Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 10 February, what steps they are taking to reduce expenditure and staff time spent on diversity schemes in the NHS.

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

Taxpayers rightly expect value for money from the funding that is spent in the National Health Service.

The NHS and the Department’s arms-length bodies are continually expected to review their expenditure with a view to finding efficiency savings and ensuring value for money for the public purse.

Equality and diversity initiatives that exist within the NHS focus on targeting health inequalities as well as addressing the abuse and discrimination that some NHS staff face in the workplace. They also help NHS organisations comply with legal requirements set out for public bodies in the Equality Act 2010, and the public sector equality duty.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they have allocated to (1) the police service, and (2) the fire and rescue service in 2025–26 to cover the cost of the rise in employers' National Insurance contributions; what methodology they used to calculate the amount allocated to each service; and what methodology they used to calculate the funding allocated to (a) standalone fire and rescue authorities, and (b) fire and rescue services that are part of a county council.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

At the Budget in October the Chancellor set aside £4.7 billion of funding for departments in order to support them with the increased costs as a result of the rise in employer national insurance contributions.

This funding has been allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way, which is in line with the approach taken under the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy. It is for the relevant department to decide the appropriate distribution of funding amongst workforces, including police and fire services.

Updated departmental budgets for 2025/26 including allocations were published at the Spring Statement. The Government also plans to publish individual departments’ allocations as part of Main estimates.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policy on the (1) funding, and (2) engagement, with the band Kneecap, with reference to the guidance published on 14 March 2024 Government's principles of engagement.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department of Business and Trade decided not to award a grant to Heavenly Records. My Department has not had any engagement with Kneecap and is currently reviewing how the scheme operates, with the intention of introducing appropriate eligibility criteria for any future grant rounds, to address the risk that an artist or the applicant awarded support may say or behave in a way that could bring the scheme into disrepute.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Hanson of Flint on 30 April (HL6646) and 25 March (HL5728), what plans they have, if any, to collect data on the revocation of student visas.

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

Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16, when the Home Office expects to produce advice on the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and search policies adopted by police forces in England and Wales.

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

Along with all other public sector organisations, we are considering what the implications for the Home Office and policing will be of the Supreme Court ruling. It is important that our next steps are properly considered and aligned with legal advice and the Statutory Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, which the Equality and Human Rights Commission is updating.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the integrity, freedom, and fairness of the recent Albanian general election held on 11 May.

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

The UK promotes free and fair elections and works closely with international community partners, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in support of democratic process and structures in Albania. The UK contributed observers to the ODIHR-led observation mission. We share the mission's preliminary conclusions that the election was "competitive and professionally conducted but took place in a highly polarized environment and contestants did not enjoy a level playing field".

It is important that deficiencies in electoral practices and reported election irregularities are addressed to support public confidence in the process. We continue to encourage the Albanian authorities and Central Election Commission to make best use of ODIHR expertise and implement outstanding recommendations.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have discussed with the government of Albania recent reports of alleged illegal and corrupt practices at the Albanian general election on 11 May.

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

The UK promotes free and fair elections and works closely with international community partners, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in support of democratic process and structures in Albania. The UK contributed observers to the ODIHR-led observation mission. We share the mission's preliminary conclusions that the election was "competitive and professionally conducted but took place in a highly polarized environment and contestants did not enjoy a level playing field".

It is important that deficiencies in electoral practices and reported election irregularities are addressed to support public confidence in the process. We continue to encourage the Albanian authorities and Central Election Commission to make best use of ODIHR expertise and implement outstanding recommendations.

Found: Constitutional Reform Bill. 16 Hansard, HL Deb 6 March 2024, vol 836, col 1592-1593, Lord Jackson of Peterborough

Found: Q14 Lord Jackson of Peterborough: Minister, may I ask you a slightly wider question away from the focus

Found: Clause 57 LORD JACKSON OF PETERBOROUGH _ Lord Jackson of Peterborough gives notice of his intention

Found: LORD JACKSON OF PETERBOROUGH 485_ After Clause 62, insert the following new Clause— “Parental complaints

Found: Clause 57 LORD JACKSON OF PETERBOROUGH _ Lord Jackson of Peterborough gives notice of his intention

Found: LORD JACKSON OF PETERBOROUGH 485_ After Clause 62, insert the following new Clause— “Parental complaints

Found: LORD JACKSON OF PETERBOROUGH _ Lord Jackson of Peterborough gives notice of his intention to oppose

Found: Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 174 LORD JACKSON OF PETERBOROUGH 485_ After Clause 62, insert

Found: LORD JACKSON OF PETERBOROUGH _ Lord Jackson of Peterborough gives notice of his intention to oppose

Found: LORD JACKSON OF PETERBOROUGH ★_ After Clause 62, insert the following new Clause— “Parental complaints

Found: Our Reference: CEO-25-1008 Lord Jackson of Peterborough HS2 Residents’ Commissioner 13