Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports concerning the attack on member of the Thai parliament and human rights lawyer Kamonsak Leewamoh; and what representations they have made to the Thai authorities in support of a full, fair and impartial investigation with accountability for those responsible.

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

The UK is monitoring developments following the reported attack on Kamonsak Leewamoh. We note reports that arrests have been made and that investigations are ongoing by the Thai authorities.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the government of Northern Ireland has implemented legislation relating to Northern Ireland Troubles legacy since the publication of the Joint Framework in September 2025; and if so, what legislation.

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

I have answered this question on the assumption that the Noble Lord is referring to the Government of Ireland.

The Joint Framework contains very clear and important commitments by the Irish Government. This includes the commitment to facilitate the fullest possible cooperation with the Legacy Commission, to establish a dedicated unit within An Garda Síochána for Troubles-related cases, and to investigate all unresolved Troubles-related incidents within its jurisdiction, and ensure that any potential investigative opportunities are proactively pursued.

The Irish Government Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, confirmed on 22 January 2026 that the dedicated unit within An Garda Síochána for Troubles-related cases (the Troubles Legacy Liaison Unit), has been established. An Garda Síochána has also issued a statement to provide contact details for the unit, which “will endeavour to answer questions that victims or family members may have in relation to An Garda Síochána Troubles-related investigations and will liaise with Divisional level investigators nationwide in respect of same. It is headed by a Detective Chief Superintendent, who reports into the Assistant Commissioner, Garda Crime & Security Intelligence Service”.

The Irish Government has also confirmed that work is underway on legislation to facilitate cooperation with the reformed Legacy Commission. On 9 March 2026, the Irish Justice Minister published a statement that confirmed that the Irish Government will bring forward legislative proposals in May to progress implementation of its commitments in the Joint Framework, “including the matters of cross-border co-operation and the establishment of the Independent Commission for Information Retrieval, formally approved by Government on 1 October 2025”.

Furthermore, the Irish Government has introduced the International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026, which will enable the taking of oral testimony before the Irish courts for the purposes of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the government of Northern Ireland has ended legal against the UK over the Northern Ireland Troubles Legacy Act 2023.

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

I have answered this question on the assumption that the Noble Lord is referring to the Government of Ireland.

Ireland v. the United Kingdom (III) at the European Court of Human Rights has not progressed beyond preliminary stages since it was lodged by Ireland in January 2024. On 2 July 2025, the United Kingdom received correspondence from the Court to confirm that it had adjourned its proceedings pending the final outcome of the ongoing domestic proceedings for judicial review in the case Dillon and Others, which is currently awaiting judgment by the United Kingdom Supreme Court.

The withdrawal of the case is a matter for the Irish Government. The UK Government is clear that the implementation of the Troubles Bill, which seeks to fulfil long standing commitments made by this Government, will mean that the basis for any interstate case will fall away.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the Republic of Ireland about the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill since the publication of the Joint Framework in September 2025.

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

The Government meets regularly with the government of the Republic of Ireland to discuss the progress made in implementing the two Governments’ respective commitments set out in the Joint Framework.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the proposed legislative timetable for Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

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

The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will help victims and families to obtain the information and accountability they have long sought, whilst ensuring our veterans are treated with fairness and respect. The legislation will have its committee stage as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have taken to increase national energy security since the start of the conflict in Iran.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK benefits from a strong and diverse range of energy supplies. We are continuing to focus on efforts to de-escalate the conflict as the principal way to address the impacts of the crisis.

In addition, we are going further and faster to reduce our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets, rolling out new renewable capacity across our grid, breaking the link between gas and electricity price and encouraging and supporting households and businesses to switch from gas to electricity wherever possible.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to reduce variation in perioperative skin preparation practices across NHS trusts in England.

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

Quality perioperative care not only improves patient outcomes, but boosts hospitals’ productivity by reducing cancellations, shortening patients’ length of hospital stay, and minimising postoperative complications.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provides the main evidence-based recommendations on perioperative skin preparation, and NHS England supports this by issuing safety alerts and setting expectations for how risks should be managed in practice.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme also helps identify variation between trusts, such as differences in product choice or how consistently policies are followed, and encourages more standard approaches. The GIRFT programme has produced perioperative national guidance after observing national variation in decolonisation practice prior to elective surgery. Professional organisations like the Association for Perioperative Practice and the Royal College of Surgeons also provide practical guidance for clinical teams.

Based on this national guidance, each National Health Service trust is responsible for its own local policy, setting out clearly which products to use, how they should be applied, and how practice is monitored.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government with which countries, if any, they (1) plan to have, or (2) are in discussions regarding, arrangements for reciprocal recognition and use of driving licences in both jurisdictions.

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

Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.

Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:

Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.

The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government why there is not reciprocal recognition of driving licences issued in Israel in the UK; and what steps they are taking, if any, to introduce reciprocal recognition of those licences.

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

Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.

Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:

Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.

The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government which countries have a reciprocal arrangement with the UK that recognises and permits a driving licence granted in one of the two countries to be used in both.

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

Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.

Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:

Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.

The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support farmers in light of the increased cost of fertiliser as a result of the conflict in the Persian Gulf.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has asked the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) to increase the frequency of its fertiliser price reporting. AHDB is now publishing this data on a weekly basis. This will give farmers more timely and transparent information to support their decision-making.

Defra has also issued a fertiliser survey aimed at farmers and land managers to help build better understanding of direct impacts

The Government has launched a consultation and call for evidence to modernise fertiliser regulations, which will help support innovation in the fertiliser sector, diversify supply, and strengthen the UK’s resilience to global market shocks.

The Government remains ready to support businesses as effectively as possible in these challenging times.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the crisis in the Persian Gulf on the cost of agricultural fertiliser.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The fertiliser market is a global market, and while there is no immediate risk to UK supply, the market price in the UK is strongly influenced by international prices for fertiliser and by the value of the pound.

The Government is aware of the current price increase for fertiliser due to the conflict in the Gulf. Defra is in close contact with domestic fertiliser suppliers and is monitoring overall supply to the UK. The Government remains ready to support businesses as effectively as possible in these challenging times.