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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 16 July (HL1590), whether criticism is Islamist practices is deemed to fall within the definition of racism.

Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Matters relating to discrimination, harassment and hate crime are governed by legislation, and the Government recognises the fundamental right to freedom of expression within the law. The Government has adopted a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility. The definition does not restrict lawful criticism, debate or even ridicule of religious ideas, including Islam, and is concerned with unacceptable behaviour towards people rather than the protection of belief systems.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the publication of then Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’s schedule of taxable sources of income and gains 2023–24 on 14 April 2025, whether the new Prime Minister will be publishing a tax return or similar information in due course.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Any publication of tax returns would be announced in the usual way.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hermer on 14 July (HL1910), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what is the evidential basis for the assertion that X prioritises misinformation.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland

I would refer the Honourable Lord to Lord Hermer’s previous answer on this topic.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the Prime Minister has taken in government to maintain the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law, in light of (1) his role as the principal adviser to the Sovereign, and (2) the Coronation Oath.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Church of England is by law the established Church in England and the Monarch is its Supreme Governor. There are no plans to change this.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister's Adviser on Women and Girls and the Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation remain in their roles.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation will remain in their role. The Prime Minister has decided that responsibilities for women and girls policy is being led at Cabinet by the Minister for Women and Equalities. The role of the Prime Minister's Adviser on Women and Girls will therefore end. Halving violence against women and girls remains a priority for the Government.

Question

To ask The Leader of the House when she expects Written Answers to be given to the questions asked by Lord Jackson of Peterborough on 14 July (HL2081) and 20 July (HL2339).

Answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

The question HL2339 was answered by the Cabinet Office on 30 September 2026 and question HL2081 was answered by the Attorney General’s Office on 1st October 2026. I apologise for the delay and have reminded both departments of the need to meet the response target of 10 working days.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Statement by the Prime Minister on 1 September (cols 25-80), what is the meaning of a “triple-helix approach to economic development”.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Noble Lord to the Prime Minister's words in his statement repeated in the House of Lords on 2 September 2026, Official Report, Volume 859 Column 170:

We will back local industrial strategies—a policy of the Theresa May Government I am happy to revive—by identifying priority sectors and developing the triple-helix approach to economic development by entwining business, academia and government behind the plan.

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Gambling Commission is investigating the bets placed on the appointment of the current Chancellor of the Exchequer before his appointment, as reported in The Mail on Sunday on 26 July.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Gambling Commission is the independent regulator for gambling in Great Britain.

The Government does not comment on operational matters or on any investigations which the Commission may or may not be undertaking.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 18 March 2026 (HC114881) whether they will publish his Envoy declaration.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Noble Lord to the response provided on 16 April to Question 124863 which reads: "The Special Envoy submitted a Declaration of Interests Form as per the long-standing procedures for an appointment of that kind. In line with the same procedures, such forms are not routinely published."

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards and the exchange of letters between the Prime Minister and Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP on 5 September 2025, whether the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has paid a fine or penalty to HMRC.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As the Secretary of State has set out publicly, the Secretary of State has settled this matter with HMRC, who consider this matter closed. No fine or penalty were due. HMRC concluded there was no tax avoidance.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Home Office Research, Information and Communications Unit makes payments, directly or indirectly, to social media influencers based (1) inside, and (2) outside, the United Kingdom.

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

RICU, provides analysis on terrorist and extremist use of propaganda and exploitation of the internet to inform the UK's counter-terrorism system. RICU supports ministers, policy makers and our partners by providing insight and analysis into online terrorist activity, emerging risks and radicalisation trends.

RICU does not make any payments, directly or indirectly, to social media influencers based (1) inside, and/or (2) outside, the United Kingdom.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) civil servants, (2) seconded staff, and (3) contractors, work within the Home Office Research, Information and Communications Unit.

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

The Home Office does not routinely publish detailed staffing information for individual counter-terrorism teams where doing so could risk revealing sensitive information about the structure and resourcing of counter-terrorism capabilities.

Found: Brennan of Canton Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell Lord Grantchester Baroness Gustafsson Lord Jackson of Peterborough

Found: Lord Jackson of Peterborough asked the question.

Submit Evidence (by 30 Nov 2026)

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