Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it her policy to ratify the 2019 amendment to Article 8 of the Rome Statute on the use of starvation in non-international conflicts.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's position on these issues was set out most recently by Lord Collins of Highbury in response to a House of Lords debate on the use of starvation as a weapon of war held on 16 October 2025. [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-10-16/debates/7404DF67-1A74-4DCD-8421-84BB55189F25/StarvationAsAWeaponOfWar].
In his response, Lord Collins referred to the publication in May of the Government's legal handbook on conflict, hunger and international law, further details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/conflict-hunger-and-international-humanitarian-law-handbook-launch-lord-collins-speech.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of levels of prevalence of starvation being used as a tool of war in (a) international and (b) non-international conflicts.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's position on these issues was set out most recently by Lord Collins of Highbury in response to a House of Lords debate on the use of starvation as a weapon of war held on 16 October 2025. [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-10-16/debates/7404DF67-1A74-4DCD-8421-84BB55189F25/StarvationAsAWeaponOfWar].
In his response, Lord Collins referred to the publication in May of the Government's legal handbook on conflict, hunger and international law, further details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/conflict-hunger-and-international-humanitarian-law-handbook-launch-lord-collins-speech.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to promote sustainable (a) agricultural, (b) food processing and (c) food distribution systems internationally.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's position on these issues was set out most recently by Lord Collins of Highbury in response to a House of Lords debate on the use of starvation as a weapon of war held on 16 October 2025. [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-10-16/debates/7404DF67-1A74-4DCD-8421-84BB55189F25/StarvationAsAWeaponOfWar].
In his response, Lord Collins referred to the publication in May of the Government's legal handbook on conflict, hunger and international law, further details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/conflict-hunger-and-international-humanitarian-law-handbook-launch-lord-collins-speech.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to limit the flow of (a) weapons, (b) war funds and (c) other materials used to conduct warfare into Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 7 October 2025 to Question 75005.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken with international partners to (a) provide effective humanitarian aid to Sudan and (b) help resolve the conflict in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 7 October 2025 to Question 75005.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of involvement of (a) the Africa Corps and (b) other parts of the Russian military in the conflict in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 7 October 2025 to Question 75005.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the (a) financial and (b) humanitarian situation in South Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
South Sudan faces a humanitarian crisis driven by conflict, climate shocks, and economic instability. Despite resumed oil exports, previously accounting for 90 per cent of government revenue, its financial situation remains fragile. The UK urges reforms in public financial management, legislation, and budget execution aligned with development priorities. While UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) supports essential services, we continue to press for improved domestic resource allocation. We remain a leading donor to the humanitarian response in South Sudan, providing £103 million of aid funding for this financial year, in addition to £137 million last year, to programmes supporting the people of South Sudan, including humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding initiatives, and girls' education. A further £24.5 million of Sudan's allocation has been assigned to support refugees and returnees who have fled the conflict into South Sudan. The UK also advocates for the full implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement, prioritising civilian protection and unhindered humanitarian access. We have consistently delivered these messages to the Government of South Sudan, including in a joint statement with Troika and other likeminded partners on 6 August.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025 to Question 69778 on Hysteroscopy: Correspondence, whether his Department holds information on the number of women who were not sent a letter in advance of an outpatient hysteroscopy appointment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold information on the number of women who were not sent a letter in advance of an outpatient hysteroscopy appointment specifically.
Letters and information sent to patients are determined at a local level by individual National Health Service trusts. A range of additional information is available for patients on hysteroscopy procedures, including on the NHS.UK website, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has created a patient information resource on hysteroscopy. This is available at the following link:
https://www.rcog.org.uk/outpatient-hysteroscopy
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she has taken to help reduce (a) wealth and (b) productivity inequalities in England.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are committed to reducing wealth and productivity inequalities across England. We are investing in local economic growth, regenerating high streets, supporting communities, and improving transport and cultural infrastructure.
We are giving local leaders the tools they need to deliver growth, boost productivity, and raise living standards in their areas by devolving power and money from central government. This includes strong new powers over housing, planning, transport, energy, employment support and a stronger role in joining up public services locally, backed up with integrated and consolidated funding.
Additionally, our reforms to housing and planning aim to increase affordable housing supply and home ownership, supporting social mobility and job creation.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made in helping to reduce sudden cardiac deaths in (a) children and (b) young adults.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has published a national service specification for inherited cardiac conditions that covers patients who often present as young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease or families requiring follow up due to a death from this cause. This describes the service model and guidance that should be followed to support diagnosis and treatment of patients or family members. It also includes the requirement for specialised inherited cardiac conditions services to investigate suspected cases.
NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification in line with the national service specification methods review process. NHS England is working with a broad range of stakeholders as part of this review including National Health Service clinical experts, the Association of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Cardiomyopathy UK, Heart Valve Voice, and the British Heart Foundation.
The consensus at present is to focus on the rapid identification and care of people who are likely to be at risk of sudden cardiac death, and on automated external defibrillator use in people who suffer a cardiac arrest.