Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to apply sanctions in relation to withholding of aid from Gaza.

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

The UK keeps all options under review in response to the withholding of aid to Gaza. While we do not speculate on future sanctions, as doing so could reduce their effectiveness, we remain committed to upholding international humanitarian law. On 10 June, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions against Israeli ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich for inciting violence towards Palestinians. On 20 May, we also sanctioned individuals, illegal settler outposts, and organisations supporting violence in the West Bank. These measures demonstrate our readiness to act. We continue to urge Israel to allow unhindered humanitarian access and comply with international humanitarian principles.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that more programmes delivered by the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative receive multi-year funding.

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

Through our Plan for Change, this Government remains resolutely committed to preventing sexual violence in conflict. Over the last year, UK funding through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) has helped over 55,000 survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) to access justice and rebuild their lives. The Spending Review confirmed the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget from 2026/27 onwards. We will work through how the ODA budget will be used, ahead of publishing indicative multi-year allocations in the autumn.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to revive steel production in Port Talbot.

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

Steel is a top priority for this Government and there are clear plans to continue steel production at Port Talbot. After just 10 weeks in office, we negotiated an improved deal with Tata, with £500m of Government funding for the transformation of Port Talbot to Electric Arc Furnace steelmaking. The project to build a new Electric Arc Furnace will ensure that steelmaking remains at the heart of Port Talbot’s future and plays a vital role in building a modern, low-carbon UK steel industry.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that international law is upheld in the current situation in Iran.

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

The UK has engaged with a wide range of partners during the current crisis, emphasising that stability, de-escalation and restraint are key, and urging all parties to seize the opportunity for a diplomatic solution. We have consistently stressed that all sides must abide by international law.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force monitoring the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria.

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

The UK has been clear that the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) remains vital for stability at this pivotal moment for Syria and the wider region [we said this at the last public meeting on UNDOF in January - https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-uk-will-continue-to-support-unifils-essential-role-in-maintaining-calm-along-the-blue-line-uk-statement-at-the-un-security-council] and we have called for all parties to respect the terms of the Agreement. We participate regularly in UN Security Council Meetings on UNDOF, most recently consultations on 12 June 2025. In December 2024, the Prime Minister reiterated, along with G7 partners, his support for UNDOF. [G7 Leaders' Statement on Syria: 12 December 2024 - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g7-leaders-statement-on-syria-12-december-2024].

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to commence the electrification of the Crewe to Holyhead railway line.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The previous government committed to electrification of this line, however no funding was ever made available to begin exploring the costs and benefits of such an enhancement.

This government has recognised the lack of investment in Welsh railways and made a real commitment, via the recent Spending Review, of at least £445 million over the next ten years for the country’s long-term rail infrastructure needs. We will work with the Welsh Government to agree how this is applied to routes across Wales and the Borders.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to sanction Israeli politicians whose rhetoric has been characterised by human rights organisations and in filings before the International Court of Justice as incitement to commit genocide.

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

Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages cruelly detained by Hamas, better protection of civilians, significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza, and a path to long-term peace and stability.

It is the UK government's long-standing position that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies.

Sanctions can be used to achieve a range of foreign and security policy objectives. We use sanctions when they complement other tools as part of a wider strategy. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to sanction Israeli officials or military personnel plausibly linked to violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza and the West Bank.

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

Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages cruelly detained by Hamas, better protection of civilians, significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza, and a path to long-term peace and stability. It would not be appropriate to speculate about potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact. Outside of Gaza, on 10 June 2025, we sanctioned Israeli Government Ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, in their personal capacities, in response to their repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. This followed two sanctions packages, in October 2024 and May 2025, targeting entities and individuals who also incited or supported violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that all people facing homelessness who seek support are seen and that every application is dealt with.

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

In 2025/26 the Government is investing £1 billion in homelessness services in England, an increase of £233 million on the previous year. Local authorities can use this funding to provide a range of services to meet local need.

The Homelessness Code of Guidance sets out how local authorities in England should exercise their homelessness functions in accordance with the Homelessness Reduction Act, including how housing authorities must ensure their services are accessible. You can find the Code of Guidance on gov.uk here.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that all homeless people have access to sufficient food and hygiene products.

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

In 2025/26 the Government is investing £1 billion in homelessness services in England, an increase of £233 million on the previous year. Local authorities can use this funding to provide a range of services to meet local need.

The Homelessness Code of Guidance sets out how local authorities in England should exercise their homelessness functions in accordance with the Homelessness Reduction Act, including how housing authorities must ensure their services are accessible. You can find the Code of Guidance on gov.uk here.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to improve access to benefits and support services for people who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness.

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

The Government has committed to a cross-government strategy to get the country back on track to ending homelessness. We have already taken the first steps, making a £1 billion investment in homelessness and rough sleeping services in 2025/26, a £233 million increase on the previous year, to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and to help prevent rough sleeping.

My department is committed to ensuring people experiencing homelessness receive the benefits and support they need. Support is in place to help people experiencing homelessness claim and receive benefits, including:

• The DWP funded ‘Help to Claim’ service delivered by Citizen’s Advice
• The use of a 'care of' address, such as a local jobcentre
• Payment through the Payment Exception Service, enabling cash withdrawal from a PayPoint outlet, where the customer does not have a bank account.

Jobcentres provide outreach in community and homelessness settings in areas with high levels of homelessness and organise referrals to local authority housing teams under ‘Duty to Refer’ legislation. There are single points of contact in every jobcentre to support work coaches with complex homelessness cases, along with training to better understand and support vulnerable customers. Our advanced customer support senior leaders and vulnerable customer champions review our processes to ensure we are effectively safeguarding such customers.

The Government’s plans to get Britain working include the new Jobs and Careers Service, which will provide individualised support to those with the greatest barriers to work, while Connect to Work will provide support to people with disabilities, health conditions and complex barriers, including those experiencing homelessness.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they take account of the increasing number of properties used for holiday lets when estimating the size of the population.

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

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Lord Roberts of Llandudno

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

14 July 2025

Dear Lord Roberts of Llandudno,

As Acting National Statistician, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how the increasing number of properties used for holiday lets is taken into account when estimating the size of the population (HL9240).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) currently estimates the UK population using a combination of census data, administrative records, and statistical modelling. This is an estimate of people (not properties), and property information does not form part of the approach to producing the estimate.

Analysis of Census 2021 data shows the areas where second addresses are used as holiday homes across England and Wales[1].

You may also be interested in analysis produced by our housing analysis team titled Comparing empty home statistics in England and Wales[2] which included holidays lets and caravan parks.

Yours sincerely,

Emma Rourke

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/bulletins/numberofvacantandsecondhomesenglandandwales/census2021

[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/comparingemptyhomestatisticsinenglandandwales/2024-08-09

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to improve access to medical care and vaccinations for people who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.

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

The Government recognises the importance of reducing barriers to healthcare services for those experiencing homelessness, including those in temporary accommodation.

We are committed to promoting high vaccine uptake for eligible cohorts across the vaccination programmes available on the National Health Service. General practices (GPs) offer relevant opportunistic catch-up vaccinations when anyone visits their GP for any reason. Primary and community care providers also have knowledge of, and have developed relationships with their local communities, making them optimally located to undertake outreach into underserved cohorts, such as the use of pop-up clinics and mobile units.

Local health systems are encouraged to use their access and inequality funding to target those who are at greater risk of morbidity, mortality, and hospitalisation, including those who are experiencing homelessness. Previously used to improve the offer of the COVID-19 vaccine, access and inequality funding can now be used to promote other vaccines, including flu, shingles, pneumococcal polysaccharide, and respiratory syncytial virus.