Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the total tax revenue lost due to the smuggling of (a) alcohol and (b) tobacco since 2010.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston

HMRC does not estimate the tax gap due to the smuggling of alcohol and tobacco.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act on levels of trade between Northern Ireland and the (a) rest of the UK and (b) EU.

Answered by Greg Hands

The Government is carefully considering this Regulation and will be publishing an explanatory memorandum shortly, with detail on its potential impact on Northern Ireland.

Any applicability in Northern Ireland will of course be subject to the important democratic scrutiny mechanisms in the Windsor Framework.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support small rural community projects in North West Leicestershire constituency.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

• In September 2022, the UK Government launched the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). The fund provides a rural top up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, providing allocations for eligible local authorities in England to help address the additional needs and challenges facing rural areas.

• The fund provides capital funding to support new and improved community infrastructure. It will provide essential community services and assets for local people and businesses to benefit the local economy.

• As part of the fund North West Leicestershire has received a total allocation of up to £469,090 between April 2023 and March 2025.

• Local authorities are responsible for the delivery of the REPF – including assessing and approving project applications, processing payments and day-to-day monitoring. As with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the REPF was designed to enable local decision making to better target the rural priorities of places within England. Places are empowered to identify and build on their own strengths and needs at a local level.

• In addition, funding has been provided through Defra’s Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund. The St John the Evangelist Church in Donisthorpe received a £75,000 towards their project which aims to transform the inside of the church into a space which can be shared with the whole community. The improved, warmer, friendlier environment will help the building to become somewhere that the community are happy to enter and feel a belonging to, suitable for a variety of activities, bringing people together to care for one another.

• This is one of 106 community buildings which have received grants from the Fund to date and with the additional £5 million of funding for community buildings announced in The Budget many more communities will be able to bid for grants to help improve their buildings.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help disadvantaged children access (a) traineeships and (b) apprenticeships.

Answered by Luke Hall

Apprenticeships offer great opportunities for young people who are starting out in their careers, and the department is committed to supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access these opportunities more easily.

The Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme, funded at £3.2 million per year, provides schools and further education colleges across England with a free, bespoke package of comprehensive information and supports young people from all backgrounds and areas to access apprenticeships. The department is expanding the ASK Development Schools project in the 2023/24 academic year from 40 to 60 schools, including those in disadvantaged areas. This provides bespoke support for students in years 10 and 11 at levels one and below, who have the potential to progress into an apprenticeship but who are facing significant personal barriers such as learning difficulties, disabilities, or emotional, behavioural development issues.

The department has also tripled the care leavers’ bursary for apprentices under the age of 25 from £1000 to £3000, helping even more young people to access and complete their apprenticeships, and continues to pay an additional £1,000 to employers and providers to support apprentices aged 16-18, care leavers and those with an Education, Health and Care plan aged 24 and under. The department is also supporting young people to undertake apprenticeships by fully funding training costs for new apprentices aged 16-21 in non-levy paying employers, who tend to be small and medium-sized enterprises, from April 2024.

As part of the government’s commitment to provide a comprehensive and clear skills offer for employers and individuals, in August 2023 the traineeships programme was integrated into the 16-19 study programme and adult education provision. All the elements of the traineeship programme, English and mathematics, work experience, employability, and occupational skills and qualifications will continue to be funded for 16-19 year olds as part of the national 16-19 study programme. Providers with access to funding can continue to offer traineeship type programmes for young people who need support to get into work, apprenticeships, or further learning.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many requests have been made by the Irish government for the UK to accept an asylum seeker since 2016.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

Prior to leaving the EU, the UK participated in the Dublin Regulation which allowed us to return third country nationals to other Member States, using the first safe country principle. Our statistics on Dublin III returns requests are published online and can be found here: (Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).

Following our departure from the EU, we agreed to an operational arrangement with Ireland which allows for the return and readmission of asylum seekers. We do not routinely publish any statistics regarding the returns requests made under our operational arrangements.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been returned to the UK from Ireland since 2016.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

Prior to leaving the EU, the UK participated in the Dublin Regulation which allowed us to return third country nationals to other Member States, using the first safe country principle. Our statistics on Dublin III transfers are published online and can be found here: (Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).

Following our departure from the EU, we agreed to an operational arrangement with Ireland which allows for the return and readmission of asylum seekers. Ireland has not returned anyone to the UK under these arrangements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made a cost benefit analysis of the implementation of assisted dying.

Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

No cost benefit analysis has been made of the implementation of assisted dying.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will extend the Children’s Hospice Grant beyond 2024–25.

Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

NHS England has renewed the Children and Young People hospice funding for 2024/25, again allocating £25 million for children’s hospices, using the same prevalence-based allocation approach as previously used. We are currently considering the future of this funding stream beyond 2024/25.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had discussions with his Turkish counterpart on recent Turkish military operations in Sinjar.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

The UK recognises Turkey's right to self-defence, while fully supporting Iraq's territorial integrity. We encourage restraint from activity that could lead to loss of civilian life, or damage to civilian infrastructure. We welcome recent high-level engagement between both countries, including President Erdoğan's visit to Iraq on 22 April. As a close NATO ally, we regularly engage Turkey on regional stability. The UK Ambassador to Turkey discussed this issue with Turkey's Director General for South Asia on 27 March as did the UK National Security Advisor with his Turkish counterpart in London on 11 April.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of treating (a) smoking related illnesses and (b) alcohol related illnesses in the last 12 months.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom

Tobacco is uniquely harmful, with no safe level of smoking, and no other consumer product that kills two thirds of its long-term users. It causes one in four cancer deaths, including 70% of lung cancer cases, and takes approximately 80,000 lives every year. The latest estimates from Action on Smoking and Health put the cost of smoking in England at over £21 billion. This includes an annual £18 billion loss to productivity through smoking related lost earnings, unemployment, and early death, as well as costs to the National Health Service and social care of £3 billion.

The Department estimated the annual cost of alcohol consumption to the NHS to be £4 billion in 2021. The previous estimate published alongside the Government’s 2012 Alcohol Strategy was updated to reflect inflation. The Department has begun a review of existing methods and evidence to update this estimate. The estimated costs of alcohol and smoking related illnesses to the NHS were not designed to be compared, and are based on different methods, data sources, and time periods.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what her planned timetable is for providing compensation to sub-postmasters who (a) were wrongfully prosecuted using evidence from the Horizon IT system and (b) have already had their wrongful convictions overturned.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Financial redress for those postmasters whose convictions have been overturned by the courts is managed by the Post Office. As of 24 April 2024, out of the 56 full claims received, offers have been made on 47, with 40 offers accepted.

We encourage those postmasters with overturned convictions who have not yet submitted a claim to do so as soon as possible.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will update her Department's policy paper entitled Geo-engineering: the Government's view, published on 4 May 2020.

Answered by Amanda Solloway

The policy paper entitled Geo-engineering: the Government's view, updated on 4 May 2020, describes the Government’s position on greenhouse gas removals (GGRs) and solar radiation management (SRM). The Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so. The GGR business model update, published in December 2023, sets out the Government’s plans and policies on GGRs. Officials will continue to develop policy on these matters and will make any necessary updates to the policy statement in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Independent Review into the Boohoo Group PLC’s Leicester supply chain, published on 24 September 2020, what recent steps he has taken to tackle modern slavery.

Answered by Laura Farris

Operation Tacit was set-up in July 2020 to investigate allegations of widespread exploitation and modern slavery in Leicester, and to take appropriate action where non-compliance was found. The issues uncovered included health and safety breaches, illegal working and risk of underpayment of national minimum wage.

The Director of Labour Market Enforcement (DLME) has undertaken an independent review of Operation Tacit and will publish her findings in due course.

The Home Office sponsored Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) and other labour market enforcement bodies continue to work in the sector, and across the economy, to prevent, detect and investigate non-compliance.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) plants, (b) trees and (c) seeds are not allowed to be sent to Northern Ireland from Great Britain as a result of the Windsor Framework.

Answered by Mark Spencer

The Windsor Framework provides for simplified arrangements for the movement of plants and plant products between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, meaning a phytosanitary certificate is not required and that a wider variety of plants can move.

We have secured the lifting of a ban on the movement of twelve plant species - apple, Japanese / delavay privet, European crab apple, common hawthorn, Norway maple, Japanese maple, sycamore maple, field maple, English oak, sessile oak, European beech and, most recently, hazel. We are in active dialogue with the EU Commission on a number of other species which industry has proposed as priorities. We will continue to engage with industry to ensure the smooth movement of additional plant species. Further details can be found on Defra’s online Plant Health Portal. All information on high-risk plants, including the latest information on the plants’ dossiers and those where the bans have been lifted, can be found at the ‘Plant Portal’ here.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has plans to negotiate an agreement with the Republic of Ireland on the return of asylum seekers (a) from Ireland to the UK and (b) from the UK to Ireland.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

In 2020, we agreed with Ireland bilateral non-legally binding operational arrangements which allows for the return and readmission of asylum seekers when agreed by both participants.

We will only make agreements that are in the interests of the UK, and will not accept any future deals which might increase the significant burdens already placed on the UK by the level of illegal migration.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide support to (a) Coalville CAN and (b) other charities that provide cooking lessons for children and elderly people.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

There is a range of funding available for organisations that are working to support and improve their communities. The ‘Find a grant’ service is a search function which helps organisations search for government grants. The filtering system allows you to select grants which are open to applications from non-profits (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-government-grants).

The National Lottery Community Fund also hosts a number of funding programmes (https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding).

At a more local level, most areas of the country have Community Foundations that manage at least one local grant fund or can offer guidance (https://www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of Sir George Beaumont.

Answered by Julia Lopez

May 2024 marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of the National Gallery. Sir George Beaumont played a crucial role in the Gallery's creation, both campaigning for its formation and donating his own art to what has become one of our greatest institutions. He died just three years later in 1827. Two hundred years on from when the Gallery was founded for the nation, it continues to bring great paintings and people together.

The Gallery is marking its bicentenary with an exciting year of activities, special displays, online events, exhibitions, and significant loans to other galleries across the UK – with everyone, everywhere welcome. The Arts Minister, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, was delighted to have attended the gallery last week to take part in the official start to the celebrations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has conducted a cost benefit analysis of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

Answered by Guy Opperman

Any cost benefit analysis of individual Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) would be a matter for individual local authorities. The review into LTNs concluded they could provide some benefits, but many councils had failed to engage fully with local residents before introducing them. As a result, we have strengthened statutory guidance which will set expectations for comprehensive and in-depth local engagement, and full consideration of the needs of all road users in LTN schemes.

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 improve flood defences in North West Leicestershire constituency.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is investing £5.6 billion between 2021 and 2027 to better protect communities across England from flooding and coastal erosion. This investment includes a record £5.2 billion capital investment programme, a £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme, £170 million for economic recovery from flooding and over £30 million of funding for flood incident management.

In the £5.2 billion capital investment programme, funding is consistently distributed across the country wherever the risk is greatest and the benefits are highest. The Environment Agency administer this funding to maintain flood and coastal risk management (FCRM) assets across NW Leicestershire and is responsible the management of flood risk from watercourses designated Main River. They complete routine maintenance on assets with support from partners/contractors and this programme includes regular vegetation management, blockage removal and conveyance work to keep watercourses clear.

Packington was impacted by flooding in September 2023 and the Environment Agency are working with Leicestershire County Council (LCC) to assess what improvements can be made locally, such as improved flood warnings, property flood resilience (PFR) and natural flood management (NFM) mitigation measures.

A further 63 properties in the constituency were affected by flooding during Storm Babet in October 2023, and 43 impacted by Storm Henk in January 2024. In the current national 6-year programme, more than £0.5 million of government investment is planned by the Environment Agency to support schemes led by LCC at Breedon on the Hill, Diseworth & Long Whatton. Again, a variety of PFR, NFM and other flood alleviation measures will be utilised, aiming to better protect more than 60 properties.

The Environment Agency has also improved local flood modelling information and used this to work with developers to reduce flood risk in Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make a cost benefit analysis of the introduction of direct democracy.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy whereby, through general elections, voters are entitled to elect an MP to represent them in the House of Commons. Parliament is responsible for making legislation and has, on occasion, made provision for specific issues to be considered by the electorate through referendums.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has contracted Fujitsu to (a) supply the (i) system or (ii) software for and (b) deliver any other aspect of veterans ID cards.

Answered by Andrew Murrison

Fujitsu has had no involvement in either the development or production of HM Armed Forces Veteran Cards.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps the Government is taking to help support persecuted Christians in (a) Israel and (b) the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. The UK condemns all attacks on the right to freedom of religion or belief.

We encourage the Israeli Government to do all it can to uphold the values of equality for all enshrined in its laws. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv and Consulate General in Jerusalem regularly raise religious freedom with both the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority.

Found: Andrew Bridgen 4R 2022–233 Nov 2022 Breach of paid advocacy rule, rules on registration and declaration

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew

Found: Hughes Mrs Flick Drummond Maggie Throup Derek Thomas Mr Philip Hollobone Sir John Hayes Andrew