Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what support his Department is providing to members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme that have experienced financial hardship following the time taken to implement the McCloud remedy.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme, including the implementation of the 2015 Remedy (often referred to as the 'McCloud remedy'), is the responsibility of the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

The Government is committed to implementing the remedy as quickly as possible, and the scheme administrator (MyCSP) has established processes to manage the implementation and support members in line with the scheme's formal governance and service standards. This support will continue once Capita takes over the scheme administration in December 2025.

Since October 2023 all members starting to receive their pension for the first time have been given their 2015 election options prior to their pension being put into payment.

From the Remedy group, there are just 70k members remaining (from the original 430k) requiring the issuing of a Remediable Service Statement. This will enable the member to either continue with their current benefits or opt for the alternative. It is important to note that all impacted members in receipt of a pension are already receiving benefits and that the remedy is an adjustment and the alternative scheme benefits will not automatically provide a member with a higher pension and lump sum. Where it does and the member makes an alternative scheme election, the difference between what has been paid and what is due, will be backdated to the original payment date and paid to the member inclusive of interest.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that the McCloud remedy is provided to for members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme (a) in full and (b) as quicky as possible.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS), including the implementation of the 2015 Remedy (McCloud), is the responsibility of the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

The Cabinet Office, as the Scheme Manager, is responsible for ensuring the remedy is implemented in full for all eligible members. All members retiring since October 2023 have been provided with their 2015 Options prior to commencement of their pension. By August 2025, 95% of active members had received their Remediable Service Statement.

Regarding implementing as quickly as possible, the Government is committed to completing this complex programme. The original regulatory timeline for 'Immediate Choice' members (those already retired by October 2023) was 31 March 2025.

While the administrator issued remediable service statements to 44% of this group by that date, the Cabinet Office has exercised its discretion to extend the delivery date by two years for the remaining, more complex cases. Work is underway with the new scheme administrator, Capita, to deliver the remaining Remedy programme as soon as possible.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to provide an updated timetable for completion of the McCloud remedy for the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme, including the implementation of the 2015 Remedy (McCloud), is the responsibility of the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

The regulatory timeline for issuing all 'Immediate Choice' Remediable Service Statements was 31 March 2025, by which 44% of statements were issued.

For the remaining 56% of complex cases, the Cabinet Office has extended the delivery date by two years. More detailed delivery dates within this new timeframe will be made available as the work progresses with the incoming supplier, Capita.

It is important to note that anybody retiring after October 2023 has been fully implemented; 44% (58,000) of those who retired before that date have been sent a Remediable Service Statement, and 42,000 have responded and had their election implemented. Of the Immediate Choice group, 56% (90,000) remain to be implemented and these will be completed by March 2027.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve accountability for air traffic control delays and (b) provide access to compensation for affected passengers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

NATS, the provider of en-route Air Traffic Control (ATC) services in the UK is regulated against service targets set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). NATS has annual incentives linked to its performance and if this falls below target levels it may incur penalties. However, NATS is not penalised for individual incidents such as the technical failure of August 2023.

UK airport tower ATC services operate in a commercial market, with contractual agreements in place between the provider and the airport concerned. Providers have responsibility for ensuring that they have sufficient staff to safely and efficiently operate these services.

Neither the Government nor the CAA has regulatory oversight of these commercial arrangements.

My officials and the CAA, however, have and continue to engage with ATC providers, airports, airlines and relevant stakeholders to ensure that robust plans are in place to minimise possible disruption and to prevent delays to flights.

Airlines are responsible for the rights of their passengers, including providing refunds or re-routing for cancelled flights and care and assistance, such as refreshments or hotel accommodation where an overnight stay is necessary, whilst passengers are waiting for their flight.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of air traffic control staffing levels at airports during the summer of 2025.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Air Traffic Control (ATC) services at airports in the UK operate in a commercial market, with contractual agreements in place between the provider of ATC and the airport concerned. It is the responsibility of ATC services and airports to ensuring that they have sufficient staff to safely and efficiently operate these services.

Neither the Government nor the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has regulatory oversight of these commercial arrangements which are agreed between private businesses.

My officials and the CAA, however, have and continue to engage with ATC providers, airports, airlines and relevant stakeholders to ensure that robust plans are in place to minimise possible disruption and to prevent delays to flights.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that National Air Traffic Services maintains sufficient trained staff to prevent flight delays.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

NATS, the leading provider of Air Traffic Control services in the UK and other providers operate privately and have responsibility for ensuring that they have sufficient staff and resources to safely and efficiently operate these services.

My department will soon introduce secondary legislation which will enable the Civil Aviation Authority to accept the previous experience of third country and UK military air traffic control officers (ATCOs) towards achieving a UK civil licence. This measure will have a positive impact and help to increase ATCO resourcing levels in the UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered banning the import of goods to the UK produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Our position is clear that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity. We advise that those contemplating any economic or financial involvement in settlements should seek appropriate legal advice.

Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences under either the existing agreement between the UK and Israel or in our agreement with the Palestinian Authority.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has considered allowing people with Health and Care Worker visas to change employers within the care sector without requiring a new sponsorship certificate.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office is exploring ways of making changing employers easier. However, a Certificate of Sponsorship is the means by which an employer confirms they have a job for a worker which satisfies the requirements of the Immigration Rules and by which that sponsor confirms they are taking responsibility for them.

The Home Office has made no assessment of the of the potential impact of visa sponsorship restrictions on (a) staff availability and (b) continuity of care in the social care sector. That is a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of visa sponsorship restrictions on (a) staff availability and (b) continuity of care in the social care sector.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office is exploring ways of making changing employers easier. However, a Certificate of Sponsorship is the means by which an employer confirms they have a job for a worker which satisfies the requirements of the Immigration Rules and by which that sponsor confirms they are taking responsibility for them.

The Home Office has made no assessment of the of the potential impact of visa sponsorship restrictions on (a) staff availability and (b) continuity of care in the social care sector. That is a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the suspension of refugee family reunion routes on trends in levels of people attempting to cross the Channel in small boats.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office recognises that the suspension may affect families seeking reunification, particularly women and children.

However, the suspension is temporary and our approach still considers the overriding objective of family unity as alternative family routes will continue to be available. A partner or child of a person with protection status can apply under Appendix FM.

It is not possible to estimate the potential impact of the suspension on family migration applications or small boat arrivals, as there are a significant number of variables, including the measures we are putting in place as part of our wider strategy for preventing illegal and irregular migration, to stop individuals making these dangerous journeys across the Channel and risking lives in the process.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the suspension of refugee family reunification routes on the safety of (a) women and (b) children seeking to come to the UK.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office recognises that the suspension may affect families seeking reunification, particularly women and children.

However, the suspension is temporary and our approach still considers the overriding objective of family unity as alternative family routes will continue to be available. A partner or child of a person with protection status can apply under Appendix FM.

It is not possible to estimate the potential impact of the suspension on family migration applications or small boat arrivals, as there are a significant number of variables, including the measures we are putting in place as part of our wider strategy for preventing illegal and irregular migration, to stop individuals making these dangerous journeys across the Channel and risking lives in the process.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Lord Alton of Liverpool (The Chair); Lord Dholakia; Tom Gordon; Afzal Khan

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Lord Alton of Liverpool (The Chair); Lord Dholakia; Tom Gordon; Afzal Khan

Found: Commons Juliet Campbell (Labour; Broxtowe) Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat; Harrogate and Knaresborough) Afzal Khan

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing method of production labelling to (a) the economy and (b) farm incomes.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Manchester Rusholme, Afzal Khan, on 20 October 2025, PQ UIN 78472.