Lord Smith of Finsbury

Satellite connectivity can complement the coverage provided by terrestrial mobile networks by providing connectivity, for example, in remote areas beyond their reach. The mobile operators have already used satellite services to provide backhaul to some Shared Rural Network sites where it is challenging to provide traditional fibre or microwave backhaul.

Ofcom is currently consulting on proposals to authorise Direct to Device satellite services in certain mobile spectrum bands in the UK. These proposals could enable people to make satellite calls from their mobile phones and bring mobile coverage to rural areas. This consultation is an important and pioneering step towards enabling these services. We also welcome Vodafone’s recent trial in which the first ever video call over satellite was made, from an area with no terrestrial mobile coverage.

Feedback from community councils and special interest groups play an important role in agreeing the best locations for new infrastructure as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN). Both the government and the four mobile network operators have worked with stakeholders across Scotland to ensure the benefits of new sites are balanced with any environmental impacts and other concerns.

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) has already delivered significant coverage improvements across the UK. However, there are still rural parts of the UK where there is either limited or no mobile coverage. The government-funded parts of the SRN will deliver this new coverage by utilising existing Home Office masts across Great Britain and building new masts in Scotland. We continue to work with the four mobile network operators to minimise the number of new masts required in Scotland and now expect to meet this part of the programme’s objectives with far fewer masts than originally planned. We expect to reach a position on exactly how many new masts will be built in Scotland soon.

The Government recognises the significant role that the UK’s cultural sector plays in attracting international visitors and supporting the visitor economy. The UK’s museums, galleries, heritage sites, and wider cultural offer are a key part of the country’s global appeal and contribute strongly to the UK’s reputation as a world class tourism destination.

Evidence from VisitBritain indicates that cultural and heritage assets are key motivations for inbound visitors. Data from the International Passenger Survey shows that visiting museums or art galleries is the ninth most popular activity among overseas visitors, with around 11.8 million visits in 2024 (30% of inbound visitors) and associated visitor spending of around £12.7 billion. Cultural heritage more broadly also attracts significant participation, with around 11.2 million visitors (29%) visiting castles or historic houses and 7.9 million (20%) visiting religious buildings.

Through VisitBritain’s international marketing activity and the Government’s support for the cultural sector, the UK continues to promote its rich cultural offer to international audiences. This supports inbound tourism, drives visitor spending across the UK’s regions and nations, and strengthens the UK’s global soft power and reputation as a leading cultural destination.

With regard to tax incentive recommendations in the Arts Council England Review, the government already provides the culture and creative industries with tax reliefs, which are some of the most generous in the world. They provided £2.4 billion support in 2023-24 - including £261 million for Theatres Tax Relief, £50 million for Orchestras Tax Relief, and £28 million in Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief. The Chancellor considers changes to the tax system at fiscal events in the usual way and in the context of the wider public finances.

The government is now considering the Review with relevant departments and the Arts Council, and will publish a response shortly.

The Government is carefully considering all recommendations of the Nuclear Taskforce’s report and will present a full implementation plan by the end of February. Defra is working with DESNZ and other government departments to set out this plan. We are considering these recommendations in line with our objectives to achieve win-wins for nature and growth, as well as meeting our international obligations.

Where National Health Service accredited hospitals provide services commissioned by public health authorities which were previously part of the NHS but are now part of local government, any liability arising from clinical negligence is covered by the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST). CNST is a state indemnity scheme administered by NHS Resolution.

When local authorities commission clinical services through the National Health Service, any liability arising from clinical negligence is covered by the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST), where the service is provided by an NHS trust, and the Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice (CNSGP), where the service is delivered by general practices under NHS contracts, namely the Personal Medical Services contract, the Additional Medical Services contract, and/or the General Medical Services contract. CNST and CNSGP are state indemnity schemes administered by NHS Resolution.

There are currently no plans to extend the scope of CNST or CNSGP to cover other clinical services commissioned by local authorities.

This information is not held centrally as NHS England do not collect supplier payment information on behalf of National Health Service trusts.

This information is not held centrally as NHS England do not collect supplier payment information on behalf of National Health Service trusts.

NHS England monitors the payment of invoices made within 30 days, to confirm compliance with the Better Payment Practice Code, which sets a target of 95%. In the 2024/25 financial year, 97% of invoices were paid within 30 days, with a slight reduction to 94% in the 2025/26 financial year for the six-month period to 30 September 2025, the latest period for which figures are available.

The Home Office has carefully considered both the risks and benefits of an entirely remote delivery model as part of the procurement to replace current Secure English Language Testing arrangements.

The key risks centre on maintaining the integrity and security of the immigration system, including identity assurance, protection against impersonation, and confidence in the reliability of test results. The Home Office has engaged the market to understand what capability is available to maintain high standards of security and integrity and has developed a robust security schedule and solution requirements to ensure this remains at the heart of the digital by default solution. Following rounds of pre-market engagement, the ongoing procurement is explicitly designed to test bidders' ability to meet these standards, and the Department will adopt only those solutions that demonstrably maintain the high level of assurance required.

The expected benefits include improved accessibility and customer service by removing physical barriers for applicants, stronger protections against fraud through enhanced security measures, and better value for money for applicants and the taxpayer.