Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of the UK's support to the government of Ukraine in the current financial year.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine poses a direct threat to UK and European prosperity and security. We are proud to be a leading partner in providing vital support to Ukraine since the onset of the war in 2022, and we will continue to do so.

This calendar year, the UK has provided up to £5.6bn to date in support to Ukraine. We track support across a calendar year rather than the financial year to align with Ukrainian budget timescales. Ukrainians are defending their country against Russian aggression at immense personal cost, and their fight is in our national security interests. Supporting Ukraine helps to deter further Russian aggression across Europe, and protect the security and prosperity of the United Kingdom.

In total, the UK has committed up to £25bn for Ukraine since Russia’s illegal invasion: this includes £16bn in military support, £3.5bn cover limit in UK export finance and up to £5.6bn in non-military support including bilateral assistance, humanitarian and fiscal support.

This Government has pledged to sustain £3 billion a year in military aid to Ukraine until 2030 to 2031 and for as long as it takes until a just peace is achieved.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total cost of payments arising from clinical negligence in England during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

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

The total value of payments for clinical negligence claims in 2025/26, as reported in NHS Resolution annual Report and accounts: 2025 to 2026, published on 9 July 2026, was £3.2 billion, for all clinical schemes. This includes payments for damages, National Health Service legal costs, and claimant legal costs on both open and settled claims.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the amount of additional water required to the meet the needs of AI and associated industries and services; and whether they have targets for additional supply of water for each of the regions of England.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, works with DEFRA, the Environment Agency and others to ensure that AI-enabled data infrastructure does not compromise public water supply resilience. Water resource planning in England is undertaken through statutory Water Resources Management Plans prepared by water companies, regional water resources plans, and the Environment Agency's National Framework for Water Resources.

The Government supports the adoption of efficient cooling technologies (closed-loop systems) and alternative sources like rainwater harvesting. National planning policy embeds consideration of sustainable water use and resource efficiency in decision making. In 2025, a techUK–Environment Agency survey found that 51% of surveyed sites use closed loop cooling systems, and 64% use less than 10,000m³ of water per year. This is small compared to other sectors.

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have they have, if any, to recognise chess as a sport in England.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government’s arm’s length body for grassroots sport, Sport England, has a process for recognising activities. The objective of the recognition process is to identify sports that Sport England may wish to work with and the national bodies that govern them. The process is run jointly with the other three Home Country Sports Councils and UK Sport.

Recognition of a sport is subject to application and the most recent application for chess was made by the English Chess Federation (ECF) in 2008. When considering if activities can be recognised as sports, the Sports Councils refer to the definition of sport contained in the Council of Europe’s European Sports Charter (revised 2021). This states that;

“Sport means all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels.”

The ECF’s application was turned down at this time as Chess did not meet the Council of Europe’s definition. Any future application for the recognition of Chess would have to meet this definition.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Wales regarding restructuring accountability for the police service in Wales.

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

The Government has held discussions with the Welsh Government on police reform in Wales, including options for police governance and accountability following the planned abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners.

These discussions have taken place through ministerial and official-level engagement, Police Governance Reform working groups, and established forums such as the Policing Partnership Board for Wales. The Government will continue to engage with the Welsh Government as proposals are developed and taken forward through the Police Reform Bill.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of more generous provision in law for paternity leave.

Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government recognises that the current parental leave and pay system could do more to support dads and partners who want to be more actively involved in supporting their partner and children.

We have already taken steps to make this easier. Through the Employment Rights Act, dads and partners are now eligible for Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave from their first day of employment.

We are also undertaking a Review of the Parental Leave and Pay system. All existing parental leave and pay entitlements are within scope, including paternity leave and pay. The Review will conclude in early 2027.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of businesses were assessed as being in critical financial distress in the second quarter of this year in (1) Wales, (2) England, (3) Scotland, and (4) Northern Ireland; and how these figures compare with those recorded in each of the preceding four quarters.

Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

Official data on business vulnerability is not published by the Department.

Growth is this government’s number one mission and our plan is to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business, with a culture that supports entrepreneurship in every community and high street. The Small Business Plan was launched in July 2025 and contains 200 targeted actions which will make a real difference to the operations of small businesses and help them grow. With a £4bn finance boost to increase access to finance for entrepreneurs, the British Business Bank promotes the provision of better access-to-finance information for UK SMEs. The Growth Guarantee Scheme helps businesses access loans up to £2 million per business group to be used for any business purpose, including growth and investment or working capital.

On 14th July 2026, the Chancellor announced access-to-finance measures through supporting:

• SMEs through the Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS)
• Communities through Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs)
• Building societies to lend more
• SMEs looking to export
• Lending to high-tech scale ups

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of businesses that delisted from the London Stock Exchange in each of the last three years.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

We have already delivered an ambitious set of ongoing reforms to boost the UK’s capital markets to ensure the UK is the best place for firms to start, scale, list and stay.

Our stock markets are showing signs of renewed momentum, with over £26.8 billion raised since the start of 2025 through IPOs and follow-on issuances.

The government has also established the Listings Taskforce to ensure the UK attracts the best and brightest businesses from the UK and around the world, to list on UK markets.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what figures they have on the amount of illegal tobacco seized by trading standards offices in the past 12 months; whether they plan to publish them; and what plans they have to publish comparable figures for each of the three preceding years.

Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

HMRC publish information on enforcement activity through the Annual Outputs for tackling tobacco smuggling publication. The 25/26 publication shows Trading Standards seized over 35 million illicit cigarettes and more than 8,000kg of illicit hand-rolling tobacco in 2025/26, preventing revenue losses of over £25m. HMRC intend to continue publishing this information annually and previous publications also contain information on Trading Standards activity.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what investigations have been undertaken into allegations of dumping of dangerous substances by the former Monsanto chemical company.

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

Local authorities are primarily responsible for regulating contaminated land in England, while the Environment Agency (EA) regulates designated special sites. The EA has provided technical support for past and current local authority investigations into alleged Monsanto dumping sites, but none have been designated as special sites to date.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the compensation scheme for workers who have suffered from silicosis by inhaling crystalline silica dust after cutting kitchen worktop stones will be published; and when they will open applications.

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

Workers who develop asbestos-related and dust-related diseases like mesothelioma and pneumoconiosis caused by their work can claim a one-off payment from the Government if they haven’t already secured compensation from their employer.

The Government has no plans to introduce a separate compensation scheme for workers who have suffered from silicosis by inhaling crystalline silica dust from cutting kitchen worktop stones.

Individuals with silicosis may be eligible for financial support through existing arrangements, including a lump-sum payment under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 where the relevant entitlement conditions are met.

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made to improve access to the EU for musicians.

Answered by Baroness Mackenzie of Sherwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government has been working to deliver its manifesto commitment to support touring artists through sustained engagement with European partners and practical domestic action. This includes building on the commitment to cultural exchange made at the inaugural UK-EU Summit through the first UK-EU High-Level Meeting on Culture in March 2026 with Commissioner Glenn Micallef in Brussels. The UK also became one of the first countries to adopt digital ATA Carnets on 1 June, has increased resources to speed up the processing of A1 forms, and will shortly update relevant online guidance to the sector.

Our recently published report ‘The economic benefits of touring and impact of EU Exit’ also provides the strongest evidence to date on touring barriers across the UK and EU. This will help to inform the Government’s ongoing work with European partners to pursue practical improvements for touring in the EU, as well as support industry engagement with EU counterparts, led by the Cultural Exchange Coalition.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of this summer's drought on the supply of potatoes grown in the UK; and what plans they have to ensure the adequate supply of potatoes over winter.

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

It is too early to assess the full impact of this summer's drought on potato production. While some growers have experienced challenging conditions, there is currently no indication that supplies of potatoes over winter are at risk.

Our diverse and resilient food system, supported by both domestic production and international trade, has historically responded well to withstand localised production shocks. Defra continues to monitor domestic and international supply closely, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group, to identify any potential risks to food supply chains.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government in which financial year they last received a financial contribution from the European Union towards the cost of (1) regional, and (2) social project funding in Wales; and what was the total sum received for each fund.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

This is a devolved matter, and it is the responsibility of the Welsh government for administrating the funds. However, I can confirm that last payments for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programmes were received by the Welsh Government in 2025/26 and in total for the ERDF 2014-20 Programme, €1.4bn was received. For European Social Fund (ESF), the last payments received by the Welsh Government was in 2024/25 and the total received for the ESF 2014-20 Programmes was €1bn.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in securing the manufacture of the radio-isotopes required by the NHS for cancer diagnostics and treatment from sources within the UK.

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

Medical radioisotopes used for cancer diagnostics and treatments rely on diverse supply chains from domestic and international suppliers. The United Kingdom has a comprehensive network of cyclotrons used for diagnostics. These cyclotrons tend to be based close to where the medical radioisotopes will be used due to the very short half-life of these products. Other medical radioisotopes are manufactured in reactors, and the UK does not have a suitable reactor for this manufacture, therefore we import these from a number of international suppliers.

The reliable supply of medical radioisotopes for diagnosing and treating cancer and other conditions remains a priority for the Government and when there are shortages, the Department works with suppliers and clinical leads to support the return of supplies and to limit the impact on patients during the shortage.

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to emphasise the UNESCO world heritage sites, in particular those associated with the slate industry in Wales, when promoting the UK as a destination for overseas tourists.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government recognises the vital role that heritage assets play in driving tourism growth and supporting local economies. Across the country our cultural and historical landmarks are powerful catalysts for regional investment, visitor spending, and community pride. Our UNESCO World Heritage sites, including those associated with the former slate industry are an invaluable way of highlighting areas with an internationally recognised significance both to domestic and international visitors.

VisitBritain promotes Britain to international visitors, working with the devolved nations and English regions to act at the unified international marketing agency, driving inbound tourism. Tourism policy in Wales is devolved, therefore promotion and management of specific domestic sites, including those associated with the slate industry in Wales, and regional campaigns remain the responsibility of VisitWales and the Welsh Government.

To support these efforts, VisitBritain emphasises Britain's UNESCO sites as part of their 'things to do' section on their website, providing an interactive map, details of attractions and frequently asked questions about UNESCO. The site contains links to VisitWales, and the UK National Commission for UNESCO’s website which details the UK’s's UNESCO-designated sites, including the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage Site, amongst others.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the current definition of horticulture within the relevant standard industrial classification code in order to recognise horticulture as an energy intensive industry for the purposes of the network charging compensation scheme.

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

The UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) is maintained by the independent Office for National Statistics and is used to classify economic activity across the economy. Decisions on eligibility for the Network Charging Compensation Scheme are a matter for BIST. Defra continues to work closely with BIST to share evidence and case studies on the energy challenges felt by parts of the horticulture sector.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to review current legislation to ensure that businesses do not use pre-pack insolvency provisions to avoid paying outstanding business rates at the point of going into administration.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

There are no plans to review the legislation in this area.

Pre-packaged sales in administration are an important restructuring tool that can help preserve viable businesses and jobs. In many cases they provide a better outcome for creditors, including local authorities for business rates, when compared to other insolvency options. Pre-packaged sales are subject to strict regulatory controls and safeguards, and directors found to have abused insolvency provisions to avoid debts are liable to criminal or civil action.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government in which financial year tolls were last collected on the M4 Severn Crossing under the Severn Bridges Act 1992, and what total toll revenue was collected in the last full financial year in which such tolls were payable.

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

The power to levy tolls at the Severn Crossings under the Severn Bridges Act 1992 expired on 7 January 2018. Severn River Crossings plc published annual accounts for years ending 31 December, except for the final year of tolling when the accounting period was extended. For the year ending 31 December 2016, toll income was £103.2million. For the 373-day period ending 0001 on 8 January 2018, toll income was £108.6million.