Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of skilled staff for small businesses; and what measures they are taking to support workforce development and training.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Employer Skills Survey provides robust evidence about skills shortages in the labour market and skills gaps in the workforce. In 2024, skill-shortage vacancies were higher among businesses with two to four employees compared to those with 100 or more (42% vs 19%). Regarding internal skill gaps, the proportion of employees judged not fully proficient at their job was lower for businesses with two to four employees compared to those with 100 or more (1.8% vs 4.6%).

We have established Skills England as the single authoritative voice on the country’s current and future skills needs. It will ensure the views of all businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are considered to build a system delivering better skills for better jobs. It is already responding to employer need, including SME employers, by developing the first foundation apprenticeships and first short apprenticeships which will give employers greater flexibility in key sectors.

It is tackling barriers to small business engagement by reducing bureaucracy and duplication. Through collaboration with local partners, it is shaping high quality Local Skills Improvement Plans, which are empowering local areas to better align skills provision with local labour market needs, including helping to meet the ongoing workforce development and training needs of SMEs.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policy on the potential prosecution of British citizens returning to the UK after volunteering or enlisting in the armed forces of Ukraine.

Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General

Travel advice for Ukraine, issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, makes clear that if a British national travels to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, their activities may amount to offences under UK legislation.

Anyone, regardless of their citizenship, who travels from the UK to take part in conflicts overseas may be investigated by the police on return to determine if they have committed criminal offences, and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security.

The Crown Prosecution Service will consider any information that is referred by the police and any decision to prosecute will be considered on a case-by case basis and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to finance for small and family-run businesses in the light of recent increases in borrowing costs.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

As part of the recent Spending Review and the Government’s Plan for Small and Medium Sized Businesses, this Government has committed to a range of measures to improve access to finance for small and family-run businesses. These include:

• Expanding the ENABLE Guarantee programme from £3 billion to £5 billion, to help lenders unlock more finance options for small businesses.
• Scaling up the Start-up Loans to offer 69,000 new businesses the chance of finance and mentoring.
• Placing the Growth Guarantee Scheme on a long-term footing with funding confirmed until March 2030.

Delivered by the British Business Bank (BBB) through around 50 accredited lenders, the Growth Guarantee Scheme helps SMEs who may not meet traditional creditworthiness criteria, to access debt finance.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will review the provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 to provide exemptions and protection from prosecution for British citizens who have served in the armed forces of Ukraine.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice to Ukraine states: 'If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, your activities may amount to offences under UK legislation. You could be prosecuted on your return to the UK'.

The Crown Prosecution Service, which acts independently of police and Government, will consider any information that is referred by the police and any decision to prosecute will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with international partners and UK institutions on recognising the Holodomor of 1932–33 as genocide; and what plans they have to commemorate the Holodomor Anniversary this November.

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

The Holodomor was a disaster of unimaginable scale. The UK's genocide determination policy is that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. The UK will commemorate the Holodomor Anniversary this November.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the recent targeted attack on the British Council building in Kyiv, whether they will increase funding to the British Council’s operations in Ukraine.

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

The Government highly values the British Council and its work promoting the English language, UK arts and culture and education. The UK strongly condemns Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities and the devastating impact this has on its civilian population. We also condemn the damage done to the British Council building in Kyiv, as well as EU delegation offices. We summoned the Russian Ambassador to make clear that such actions will only harden the UK's resolve to support Ukraine in defending itself from Russia's illegal invasion.

The British Council's Grant-in-Aid funding for the next three years (2026/27 and beyond) will be determined in the round, alongside the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's other Official Development Assistance (ODA) and non-ODA allocations, later in the autumn.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement with Ukraine, what departmental support and funding is available to local authorities, cultural and educational institutions in the UK that are twinned with Ukrainian counterparts.

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

The Government actively supports initiatives by local authorities, schools and universities to foster links with Ukrainian counterparts. This includes work by the British Council to deliver the UK-Ukraine school partnerships programme which connects close to 3,000 pupils and 100 teachers in both countries. The British Council also has a range of programmes to provide funding and resources for UK Arts and Cultural Organisations to collaborate with their Ukrainian counterparts. Over £5.4 million of Government funding has been allocated to support the UK-Ukraine University Twinning Initiative, fostering over 100 university partnerships and mobilising £70 million in sector-led support.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether any government department maintains a list of local councils and organisations that have taken up twinning or friendship agreements with Ukrainian counterparts since the start of the full-scale invasion; and, if so, whether they will publish it.

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

No government department maintains a list of local council twinning or friendship agreements.

Found: for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 10-month time frame Yes This proposal is supported by Lord Risby