Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2025 to Question 58269 on Winter Fuel Payment: Rutland and Stamford, how many people will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment following the proposed changes in Rutland and Stamford constituency.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
It is not possible to provide an estimate of such figures at a constituency level.
I refer the member back to the answer of 16 June to Question 58269 for further detail on the national impact of the changes to the eligibility criteria.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will provide a summary of the conclusions of the review into the delivery of the China Daily paper to MPs offices.
Answered by Nick Smith
The Administration Committee undertook a review of unsolicited material that is delivered to the House of Commons for distribution to all Members. The conclusion of that review limited the distribution of bulk mailings to letters and reports only with a size and weight restriction. Members must now opt-in to continue to receive specific mailings, such as the China Daily. At the present time, no Members subscribe to the China Daily.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of publishing the (a) data security systems and (b) policies used by (i) ISO Certification and (ii) other public services.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and its associated certifications are not owned by the UK Government. We therefore cannot comment on the policies and data security systems they recommend.
All cross government security and data policies are published on gov.uk and security.gov.uk . Each government organisation will have its own local policies on how to protect data and systems for realising this goal. This is not information held centrally by DSIT.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report by the National Audit Office entitled Resilience to Animal Diseases, published on 4 June 2025, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the existing (a) contingency plans and (b) preparedness for a bluetongue virus outbreak.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has published the Contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals in England which provides an overarching framework for response to all exotic disease and defines the roles, responsibilities, and command structures employed. The Plan is updated annually; the 2025 version is undergoing extensive due diligence before it is laid with parliament this autumn.
Defra’s published Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) Control Framework for England sets out our approach to disease control, aiming to limit the spread of BTV infection through proportionate and evidence-based control measures. The Framework aims to balance the burdens of controls against the benefits of eradication of bluetongue, whilst minimising the cost of any outbreak both to government and farmers. Defra will keep the approach to bluetongue control under review in 2025 and is grateful for the continued engagement of Devolved Governments and industry stakeholders.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Common Market Organisation Regulation for sugar in ensuring British Sugar negotiates sugar beet contracts with the grower’s mandated representative NFU Sugar.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers who are vital to UK sugar production. Also, that sugar beet itself, used in crop rotations, is beneficial to soil and crop health and allows arable farms a season of “rest” from cereal production.
We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market. There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties. An Inter Professional Agreement is agreed each year between both parties and sets out the process for negotiating and agreeing price, terms and conditions for the upcoming crop year, as well as any dispute resolution process.
This process has been effective over many years, and we are committed to this process.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that British Sugar agrees the (a) price and (b) terms of future sugar beet contracts with NFU Sugar as per the terms of the Common Market Organisation Regulation.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers who are vital to UK sugar production. Also, that sugar beet itself, used in crop rotations, is beneficial to soil and crop health and allows arable farms a season of “rest” from cereal production.
We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market. There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties. An Inter Professional Agreement is agreed each year between both parties and sets out the process for negotiating and agreeing price, terms and conditions for the upcoming crop year, as well as any dispute resolution process.
This process has been effective over many years, and we are committed to this process.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the (a) arrest of the father of Anna Kwok and (b) additional charges laid against Joshua Wong.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is closely monitoring the prosecution of Kwok Yin-sang, father of US-based Anna Kwok, and is deeply concerned by the news of further charges against Joshua Wong who is currently detained in Hong Kong. China's imposition of the National Security Law has significantly eroded the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers, a situation that has worsened with the enactment of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. We call on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law and end the prosecution of all individuals charged under it.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether British nationals will be evacuated from Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Support to British nationals remains our top priority and we have worked at pace to ensure those who want to leave Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories can do so, with six flights leaving Israel since 24 June. At this time, no further flights are planned. Commercial flights are now available. This remains a fast-moving and fragile situation, and plans will be kept under constant review.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many flights have been chartered to evacuate UK citizens from Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Flights have been chartered to evacuate UK citizens from Israel. The UK Government has not chartered flights to evacuate UK citizens from Iran. Media reports suggest the Iranian airspace is in the process of re-opening.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to evacuate British (a) diplomatic and (b) consular staff from Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The safety of our staff remains a top priority. That is why we have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. The travel advice remains that British nationals should not travel to Iran. The UK Government will not be able to evacuate or provide face-to-face assistance to British Nationals in Iran. Our Embassy continues to operate remotely, and we maintain the ability to message the Iranian system directly and will continue to do so.