Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ban the DeepSeek artificial intelligence model in educational settings because of its built-in censorship.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government has a robust set of security policies in place to oversee how information is handled. We keep these policies under constant review to ensure they are applicable to new technologies.

The government's Generative artificial intelligence (AI) framework outlines that only corporately assured Generative AI tools should be used to process governmental information.

Everyone who works with government has a duty of confidentiality and a responsibility to safeguard any government information or data that they process, access or share, and all government departments are required to meet a range of mandatory security standards.

It is for educational bodies to make their own decisions on how to manage the use of Generative AI in their specific organisational and technology contexts.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department issues guidance on the management of large wild deer populations.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Native deer are an important part of our natural heritage and their activities can benefit some habitats. However, excessive foraging, bark stripping and trampling can have negative impacts on woodlands. Defra therefore provides a range of support for managing deer impacts.

The Forestry Commission and Natural England contribute to the production and updating of online guidance on all aspects of managing deer impacts. This is done in partnership with stakeholders, through the Deer Initiative Partnership. Guidance is available via its website.

Guidance is additionally available via a team of Deer Officers within the Forestry Commission, who also oversee applications for Countryside Stewardship grants to help with deer impacts management (including by lethal control), at all scales, from local to landscape scale.

Natural England publishes guidance on gov.uk on when to apply for a licence to kill or take deer in the close season or at night.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the ​​English Devolution White Paper​, published on 16 December 2024, whether local authorities may submit more than one proposed model of suggested re-organisation in their area when responding to the Government's correspondence on this matter.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As set out in the invitation letters sent to all two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitary councils, it is the Government’s expectation that local leaders work collaboratively and proactively, including by sharing information, to develop robust and sustainable unitary proposals that are in the best interests of the whole area to which this invitation is issued, rather than developing competing proposals. This will mean making every effort to work together to develop and jointly submit one proposal for unitary local government across the whole of their area.

I also set out that there will be some cases when it is not possible for all councils in an area to jointly develop and submit a proposal, despite their best efforts. This will not be a barrier to progress, and the government will consider any suitable proposals submitted by the relevant local authorities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will publish the results of the consultation for the Environment Improvement Plan 2023 with specific reference to a national deer management strategy for England.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

On the 30th July 2024, we announced a rapid review of the 2023 Environmental Improvement Plan which has now concluded. We published a statement of key findings from the rapid review on 30 January 2025. We will develop a new, statutory plan to protect and restore our natural environment with delivery information to help meet each of our ambitious Environment Act targets. This will be published later this year.

We are considering how to go further to reduce the impacts of deer on our woodlands and shall have an update in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will meet representatives from the indoor play sector to discuss business rates reform.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Autumn Budget, the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform of the business rates system. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century.

HM Treasury officials have concluded an initial phase of engagement with stakeholders who registered interest by the 15 November deadline, and the government is open to receiving further written evidence to transformingbusinessrates@hmtreasury.gov.uk until the end of March 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reclassifying Almhouses as social housing and allowing them to apply for S106 funding.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As part of the recent consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, the government sought views on whether changes were needed to the definition of ‘affordable housing for rent’ to make it easier for organisations that are not Registered Providers, including almshouses, to develop new affordable homes.

While the government are committed to making it easier for almshouses to develop new affordable homes, we ultimately decided against extending the definition to capture almshouses for the reasons set out in our response to the consultation which can be found on gov.uk here.

Informed by the points raised in the consultation, the government will actively explore options in future changes to national policy related to decision making.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to re-open the Access for All fund.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. Since its launch in 2006, the Access for All (AfA) programme has delivered step free access at more than 250 stations across Britain. £350m is currently allocated to the Access for All programme until 2028/29. MPs and other stakeholders will shortly be updated on our approach to AfA.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle the shortage of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy drugs.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is continuing to engage with all suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) to boost production to mitigate the supply issue. Suppliers have managed to secure additional pharmaceutical ingredients resulting in expected increased volumes of PERT for 2025. The Department has also reached out to specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the gap in the market. In December 2024, the Department issued further management advice to healthcare professionals. This directs clinicians to consider these unlicensed imports when licensed stock is unavailable and includes actions for integrated care boards to ensure local mitigation plans are put in place and implemented. The Department, in collaboration with NHS England, has created a webpage to include the latest updates on PERT availability and easily accessible advice on the prescribing and ordering of alternative PERT products.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made of the potential implications for his policies of the decision by the Australian government to ban DeepSeek from all government devices and systems.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The UK government keeps new technologies under review to ensure that our existing policies and guidance are appropriate to mitigate any emerging risks. In the case of new Artificial Intelligence tools, we have a robust set of security policies in place to manage how information is handled.

The recently updated Artificial Intelligence Playbook for the UK Government outlines that only corporately assured Generative AI tools should be used to process government information. The Mobile Device Management policy mandates that any application downloaded onto government devices must first be approved by security and technology teams. Everyone who works in government is also made aware of their responsibility to safeguard any government information or data that they process, access or share.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of delaying the requirement to replace gas boilers with heat pumps whilst the minimum EPC rating is being increased.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government launched a consultation on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector on 7th February 2025, this includes proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030.

The Government will not force anyone to rip out a working boiler. Instead, Government is focused on incentivising moves to cleaner, affordable heating and making this attractive and easy for the public. Our Warm Homes Plan will support investment in heat pumps and other energy efficiency upgrades to help cut bills. Further details on the Warm Homes Plan will be set out in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any offenders who were convicted of actual bodily harm have been released early from prison since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Sentences for serious violent offences, such as ABH, of 4 years or more are excluded from SDS40. Shorter ABH sentences are eligible for release under SDS40. This was also the case for ECSL under the previous Government.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on public surveys using vouchers as incentives.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The information cannot be provided, as it is not held centrally and collating it would result in a disproportionate cost to the department.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to reform the Sovereign Grant at the next review.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

As required by the Sovereign Grant Act 2011, the next review of the Sovereign Grant will take place in 2026. The government has committed to bring forward legislation to reset the Grant to a lower level from 2027-28 once Buckingham Palace reservicing works are completed.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will call in the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China following reporting of cash offered by the Chinese Embassy for information on Hong Kong activists living in the UK.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We will not tolerate attempts by foreign powers to intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas. Following the issuing of arrest warrants on Christmas Eve, the Foreign Secretary strongly condemned the targeting of Hong Kongers in the UK.

Following recent reports, FCDO officials again raised the matter with the Chinese Embassy. The Hong Kong Police's issuing of arrest warrants encourages reckless behaviour on UK soil and damages Hong Kong's reputation.

The safety of Hong Kongers in the UK is of upmost importance for the Government. This has been referred to the police who are dealing with this matter.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders convicted of actual bodily harm and sentenced to under four years in prison have been released early from prison since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

On 7 November, the Ministry of Justice published transparency data on how many offenders were released on the first days of Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 of SDS40 (1,889 prisoners on the first day of Tranche 1, and 1,223 prisoners on the first day of Tranche 2).

Data on prison releases forms a subset of prison population data which is intended for future publication. In accordance with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, we may not give any early indication of the contents of this statistical report.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 24486 on Republika Srpska and Serbia: Politics and Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the joint committees between the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska legislatures on the (a) sovereignty and (b) territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Efforts to develop regional cooperation, economic integration and inter-connectivity initiatives which raise living standards across the Western Balkans are important.

However it is vital that any such initiatives and related structures do not privilege individual groups or violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), or undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement, for which the UK remains steadfast in its support.

We urge all political leaders in BiH, Serbia and the wider region to work constructively to strengthen federal institutions in BiH, use their influence positively with Republika Srpska leaders to promote continued adherence to the established constitutional framework in BiH, and to refrain from actions that could undermine this.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Almshouse Association is eligible for support through (a) Section 106 agreements and (b) the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Section 106 planning obligations assist in mitigating the impact of unacceptable development to make it acceptable in planning terms, including through the provision of affordable housing.

Whether accommodation provided by almshouse charities can be secured through a section 106 agreement is a matter for the decision maker, taking into account the National Planning Policy Framework and other material considerations.

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) cannot be used to fund affordable housing. However, there is greater flexibility in how the neighbourhood portion of CIL may be spent. This could include provision of accommodation provided by almshouses, provided this meets the requirement to ‘support the development of the area’. In addition, accommodation provided by almshouses is eligible for a CIL exemption.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 20627 on 6 January 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 19 of her Department's Guidance on planning propriety: planning casework decisions, published in December 2021, if she will place in the Library a copy of the records of all discussions held (a) by her Department and (b) between her Department and other government departments on the latest Chinese Embassy planning application that have not otherwise been made available to the public via the Planning Inspectorate, including information held on Ministers’ (i) non-corporate and (ii) corporate electronic devices.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As has been the case under successive administrations, government does not normally disclose internal communications.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 19 of her Department's Guidance on planning propriety: planning casework decisions, published in December 2021, if she will place in the Library a copy of all representations made to (a) her and (b) her Department on the latest Chinese Embassy planning application that have not otherwise been made available to the public via the Planning Inspectorate, including those from Parliamentarians.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Post-inquiry representations are routinely listed at the end of the decision letter, and are also publicly available on request.

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