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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer on 10 September 2025 to HL10181, when he plans to launch the competitive funding award process for a Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum to those of a Muslim faith who gave their lives in two World Wars, as announced in the March 2024 Budget.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government committed to provide up to £1 million funding for a fitting Muslim War Memorial to commemorate the immense contribution of Muslim soldiers in service of this country during the World Wars.

A public market engagement exercise was launched on 31 January 2025 and ran for one month to gather information on potential delivery options. The information has been evaluated, and we are developing plans for a competitive funding process. Stakeholder engagement will be an integral part of the delivery of the memorial and the most effective means of achieving this will be factored into our planning.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with stakeholders on plans for a Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum to those of a Muslim faith who gave their lives in two World Wars, as announced in the March 2024 Budget.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government committed to provide up to £1 million funding for a fitting Muslim War Memorial to commemorate the immense contribution of Muslim soldiers in service of this country during the World Wars.

A public market engagement exercise was launched on 31 January 2025 and ran for one month to gather information on potential delivery options. The information has been evaluated, and we are developing plans for a competitive funding process. Stakeholder engagement will be an integral part of the delivery of the memorial and the most effective means of achieving this will be factored into our planning.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on plans to finance a Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum to those of a Muslim faith who gave their lives in two World Wars, as announced in the March 2024 Budget.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government committed to provide up to £1 million funding for a fitting Muslim War Memorial to commemorate the immense contribution of Muslim soldiers in service of this country during the World Wars.

A public market engagement exercise was launched on 31 January 2025 and ran for one month to gather information on potential delivery options. The information has been evaluated, and we are developing plans for a competitive funding process. Stakeholder engagement will be an integral part of the delivery of the memorial and the most effective means of achieving this will be factored into our planning.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the need for humanitarian aid in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire, with over 16.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 90% of the population in poverty.

The UK is delivering up to £104 million of life-saving aid this year, and supporting longer-term recovery through education, health and livelihoods programmes.

We are also responding to emergencies, including providing humanitarian and medical supplies to those displaced by the recent violence in northern Aleppo.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of UK–France border agreements in the context of trends in the number of (a) fatalities and (b) reports of violence at the border; and whether any changes are planned.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Violence against French law enforcement is unacceptable. Whilst the French law enforcement response to that violent conduct has to be a matter for the French authorities, we continue to support their operations to prevent small boat crossings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of (a) trends in the level of violence asylum seekers face at the UK-France border and (b) the potential impact of UK policy on those trends.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Violence against French law enforcement is unacceptable. Whilst the French law enforcement response to that violent conduct has to be a matter for the French authorities, we continue to support their operations to prevent small boat crossings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether data is collected on non-fatal injuries linked to border enforcement activity at the UK–France border.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Violence against French law enforcement is unacceptable. Whilst the French law enforcement response to that violent conduct has to be a matter for the French authorities, we continue to support their operations to prevent small boat crossings.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure transparency and accountability where FCA-authorised firms fail and retail investors have losses.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed responsibility for the peer to peer lending sector in 2014. In 2016, the FCA launched a post-implementation review into the peer to peer and crowdfunding sector, leading to a consultation on updated rules for the sector in 2018, with a set of strengthened rules being published in 2019.

The FCA has supervisory and enforcement powers in relation to the sector, and has undertaken investigations into certain, individual firms, such as Lendy Ltd. Lendy was subject to an asset restriction and a court petition to appoint a liquidator prior to it being placed in administration. The FCA has received several complaints about its regulation of Lendy under its Complaints Scheme. We await the findings of the complaints investigation into the FCA’s actions under the Complaints Scheme.

The Government takes the accountability of the FCA very seriously. The FCA’s independence from Government does not mean it can act arbitrarily; rather, it must operate within the framework of statutory duties and powers agreed by Parliament. As well as being required to operate within this framework, the FCA is fully accountable to Parliament for how it discharges its statutory functions.

There are a number of ways in which the legal framework ensures direct accountability of the FCA to Parliament, such as a requirement for the FCA to produce annual reports and accounts, which are laid before Parliament by the Treasury. The FCA is also subject to scrutiny via departmental select committee hearings, including the Treasury Select Committee and the Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority’s supervision and regulation of Lendy Ltd prior to its collapse.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed responsibility for the peer to peer lending sector in 2014. In 2016, the FCA launched a post-implementation review into the peer to peer and crowdfunding sector, leading to a consultation on updated rules for the sector in 2018, with a set of strengthened rules being published in 2019.

The FCA has supervisory and enforcement powers in relation to the sector, and has undertaken investigations into certain, individual firms, such as Lendy Ltd. Lendy was subject to an asset restriction and a court petition to appoint a liquidator prior to it being placed in administration. The FCA has received several complaints about its regulation of Lendy under its Complaints Scheme. We await the findings of the complaints investigation into the FCA’s actions under the Complaints Scheme.

The Government takes the accountability of the FCA very seriously. The FCA’s independence from Government does not mean it can act arbitrarily; rather, it must operate within the framework of statutory duties and powers agreed by Parliament. As well as being required to operate within this framework, the FCA is fully accountable to Parliament for how it discharges its statutory functions.

There are a number of ways in which the legal framework ensures direct accountability of the FCA to Parliament, such as a requirement for the FCA to produce annual reports and accounts, which are laid before Parliament by the Treasury. The FCA is also subject to scrutiny via departmental select committee hearings, including the Treasury Select Committee and the Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help maintain the ceasefire following the Cambodian-Thai border conflict.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The renewed ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand is a welcome development. Throughout the recent tensions, I engaged directly with both governments to encourage dialogue and de‑escalation. I will continue to seek opportunities to encourage long-term peace and stability. The UK will continue to work closely with key international partners, including ASEAN, to support efforts to maintain the ceasefire.

Found: present: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Chair); Lord Dholakia; Tom Gordon; Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws; Afzal Khan

Found: present: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Chair); Lord Dholakia; Tom Gordon; Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws; Afzal Khan