Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many claims for payment under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 in 2025, or the most recent 12-month period available, were from workers in the kitchen and bathroom furniture sector.

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

The information requested is not readily available as occupation data is not held centrally for Pneumoconiosis Etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 (‘1979 Act’) awards.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide education and training in Welsh at Berwyn Prison for inmates whose first language is Welsh.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

All learners at HMP Berwyn are entitled to access their education through the medium of Welsh should they choose to do so and are asked their language preference on arrival at the prison, and during their education induction. Although take up is historically low, this is facilitated through translated course materials, opportunities to complete assessments in Welsh, and classroom support provided by Welsh speaking staff working within the Education team. Welsh language courses are available to all prisoners on request, alongside a bilingual course on Welsh traditions and customs.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their target date for the first supply of electricity to the grid from UK-based small modular reactors.

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

Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) has selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its preferred bidder to partner with to develop the UK's first small modular reactors (SMRs), subject to final government approvals and contract signature, which will be sited at Wylfa on Anglesey in North Wales.

With the aim of deploying to the grid in the mid-2030s, the project is expected to provide around 1.5GW of low carbon electricity, powering the equivalent of around 3 million of today’s homes.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many Chinese-owned businesses there were in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales and (4) Northern Ireland on the latest date for which information is available.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

Statistics on foreign owned businesses are published separately by each of the devolved nations. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 and cover registered businesses only.

Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency:

Northern Ireland Business: Activity, Size, Location, and Ownership 2025 | Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

• around 5 Chinese owned businesses in Northern Ireland in 2025

Scottish Government:

Businesses in Scotland: 2025 - gov.scot

• around 15 Chinese owned businesses in Scotland in 2025

Welsh Government:

Ad-hoc statistical requests: 3 to 14 November 2025 | GOV.WALES

• around 10 Chinese owned businesses in Wales in 2024

There are no statistics published for Chinese owned business in England.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes statistics for the UK which show that in 2022 there were 349 Chinese-owned businesses in the UK.

Inward foreign affiliates statistics, UK, 2018 to 2022 - Office for National Statistics

The ONS statistics are compiled from a different source and are not comparable to the statistics published by the devolved nations.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to establish grants or tax incentives to convert existing empty buildings into emergency housing for homeless people.

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

The government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use across the country.

We are allocating £950 million of capital for the fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) for councils in England to increase their supply of better-quality temporary accommodation for homeless people and resettlement accommodation for people on the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP). MHCLG gives local authorities flexibility to shape their delivery of LAHF according to local circumstances. This can include purchasing empty homes and conversion of other vacant properties to provide more homelessness accommodation.

Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. As we outlined in the English Devolution White Paper, we intend to strengthen the ability of local authorities to take over the management of empty homes. Further details will follow in due course.

Found: Letter dated 03/03/2026 from Lord Stockwood of Great Grimsby & Cleethorpes to Lord Wigley regarding a