Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to compensate providers for additional work created by the cyber security incident at the Legal Aid Agency.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We acknowledge and appreciate the constructive way that providers have worked with us following the serious criminal attack on the Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) digital systems. They have continued to do vital work in challenging circumstances.

Time spent on communication with the LAA on specific cases is generally claimable at hourly rates, subject to the provisions of the relevant Contract and the LAA’s published Cost Assessment Guidance.

There is a pre-existing route for making claims for compensation, details of which are on gov.uk. We do not plan to put in place a separate compensation route specific to this incident. Providers will be paid for the work undertaken on legal aid cases in the relevant period.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a limited access to suitable (a) prosthetics and (b) wigs on ethnic minority patients; and what steps he is taking to improve access.

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

The current NHS Supply Chain Wigs Framework Agreement was awarded to 42 suppliers and provides a range of wigs, both real and synthetic, and headwear products to provide alternative choices to patients, as well as maintenance, styling, alteration, and repair services.

Whilst there is availability of Afro Caribbean wigs through the currently awarded suppliers, NHS Supply Chain is aware that due to the regionality of suppliers and the nature of them being predominantly micro and small to medium enterprises in many instances, patient choice and access across the United Kingdom can be subject to regional variation.

NHS Supply Chain acknowledges that there is a need to develop the framework offering to support an increase in accessibility to patients for Afro Caribbean products and services, and NHS Supply Chain is preparing to introduce enhanced specifications and a specific category for Afro Caribbean for the successor framework agreement due to launch on 1 February 2027.

NHS Supply Chain’s new Prosthetics, Components and Associated products Framework Agreement is due to launch on 24 November 2025, to replace the current Artificial Limbs framework. The new framework will offer over 95,000 products delivered by 12 suppliers to provide clinical choice to meet patient need. Ensuring that a patient has a prosthetic limb which blends with their actual skin tone is part of the routine standard of care. NHS Supply Chain works closely with the leading national charities and has not had any issues raised concerning accessing appropriate skin tone.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England to ensure the procurement of suitable (a) prosthetics and (b) wigs suitable for ethnic minority patients meets diverse patient needs.

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

The current NHS Supply Chain Wigs Framework Agreement was awarded to 42 suppliers and provides a range of wigs, both real and synthetic, and headwear products to provide alternative choices to patients, as well as maintenance, styling, alteration, and repair services.

Whilst there is availability of Afro Caribbean wigs through the currently awarded suppliers, NHS Supply Chain is aware that due to the regionality of suppliers and the nature of them being predominantly micro and small to medium enterprises in many instances, patient choice and access across the United Kingdom can be subject to regional variation.

NHS Supply Chain acknowledges that there is a need to develop the framework offering to support an increase in accessibility to patients for Afro Caribbean products and services, and NHS Supply Chain is preparing to introduce enhanced specifications and a specific category for Afro Caribbean for the successor framework agreement due to launch on 1 February 2027.

NHS Supply Chain’s new Prosthetics, Components and Associated products Framework Agreement is due to launch on 24 November 2025, to replace the current Artificial Limbs framework. The new framework will offer over 95,000 products delivered by 12 suppliers to provide clinical choice to meet patient need. Ensuring that a patient has a prosthetic limb which blends with their actual skin tone is part of the routine standard of care. NHS Supply Chain works closely with the leading national charities and has not had any issues raised concerning accessing appropriate skin tone.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his planned timeline is for the implementation of the uplift of (a) housing and (b) immigration legal aid.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Government announced in July this year that legal aid fees for housing and immigration legal aid will be uplifted.

Following the criminal attack on the Legal Aid Agency’s digital systems, the Government’s priority has been to maintain access to justice through the rapid implementation of contingency measures and the restoration of critical systems.

We remain fully committed to introducing the fee uplifts as soon as it is operationally feasible.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to prevent the exploitation of workers on the Seasonal Worker visa in food supply chains following BBC’s File on 4 Abused for our Food investigation.

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

The Home Office undertakes extensive assurance action across the route, including significant numbers of boots on the ground visits, including interviews with randomly selected workers. Since March 2023, we have visited 387 farms and conducted 2560 interviews of both farm managers and workers.

Defra’s Annual Seasonal Worker survey showed that the vast majority of respondents (94.2%) reported a positive experience from their time in the UK and 96.9% expressed a desire to return.

Scheme Operators are required to have a clear employer transfer pathway in place as a condition of holding their sponsor licence, including transparent criteria for making a transfer request and a process for considering such requests. This is set out in published Home Office guidance, available at: Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors: sponsor a seasonal worker - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We currently have five scheme operators for horticulture and poultry workers who are responsible for 43,000 employees. We carefully manage the allocation each operator receives to ensure that it is commensurate with their scale, capabilities and experience as a scheme operator. Allowing workers to move freely between operators is incompatible with this important safeguard as it could place individuals at greater risk of exploitation.

If a significant issue was identified with an individual employer, a Scheme Operators will promptly relocate any workers placed with that employer to a more appropriate farm. This can be done immediately with no need to for further visa applications or any interruption to the workers immigration status. The gives workers a safety net which explicitly ensures that they are not tied to their employer.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to her US counterpart on the imposition of visa restrictions on officials of third countries who cooperate with Cuba in the provision of medical services.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 6 November to Question 87175.

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 the potential (a) economic and (b) diplomatic merits of ratifying the UK–Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) was signed under the previous Government. We are currently undertaking a cross-Government consultation before it is laid before Parliament for scrutiny, while continuing to cooperate positively with Cuba in the interim where possible, including on climate. The PDCA will support discussion on issues of common interest and will include human rights as a standing agenda item. It also offers the potential to facilitate exchanges of expertise, including on economic reform and healthcare.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress she has made on concluding the inter-departmental consultation process on the UK–Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) was signed under the previous Government. We are currently undertaking a cross-Government consultation before it is laid before Parliament for scrutiny, while continuing to cooperate positively with Cuba in the interim where possible, including on climate. The PDCA will support discussion on issues of common interest and will include human rights as a standing agenda item. It also offers the potential to facilitate exchanges of expertise, including on economic reform and healthcare.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the real-terms freeze in the annual Cash ISA allowance on (a) pensioners and (b) other low-risk savers.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

ISAs incentivise saving and investment by providing generous tax advantages to individual taxpayers. Individuals can save up to £20,000 into an Individual Savings Account (ISA) each year, and any savings income received within an ISA is tax free. In 2022/2023 the average Cash ISA subscription was £5,296.

Along with the Personal Savings Allowance of up to £1,000 for basic rate taxpayers and £500 for higher rate taxpayers, and the Starting Rate for Savings, which allows for tax free savings income of up to £5,000 for those with earned income below £17,570, around 90 per cent of people with savings income pay no tax on that income.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to work with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to (a) improve awareness of cardiac risk among young athletes and (b) ensure sports clubs have access to (i) screening and (ii) defibrillator equipment.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Sport England, DCMS’s Arm's-Length Body for grassroots sport, is helping increase awareness of cardiac risk among young athletes in the community sports sector, including signposting to information about screening, through Buddle, its online site for clubs and community organisations. They can also provide funding to community sports clubs for Automated External Defibrillators through their Movement Fund.

I will continue to work with ministerial colleagues at the Department for Health and Social Care on these issues.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations on council tax in the consultation entitled Modernising and improving the administration of council tax, published on 20 June 2025.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We are currently considering all responses to the consultation. The Government will publish its response to the consultation in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the household income threshold for childcare support on (a) labour market participation and (b) associated reductions in local economic activity.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Government is committed to providing access to affordable childcare to support parents’ who want to go out to work, and their local economies. This includes rollout of 30 funded hours for working parents from September 2025, which the OBR has estimated would lead to 60,000 more people in employment and 1.5m people increasing their hours.

The income threshold for childcare eligibility ensures that support is targeted towards the families who most need it, and that the system remains fair and sustainable.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to police departments on appropriate use of live facial recognition technology.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has not issued guidance to police forces on the use of live facial recognition (LFR) but the government is responsible for the legal framework. The legal framework governing police use of facial recognition requires compliance with data protection, equalities, and human rights laws, national guidance, the Code of Practice for surveillance cameras, and is supplemented by specific policies published by individual forces.

The College of Policing has produced national guidance, in the form of an Authorised Professional Practice (APP); this includes when the police can use LFR, the categories of people they can look for and how the data is processed.

Although there is a legal framework in place, this is complicated, inflexible and difficult for the public and police to understand. That is why we will shortly be launching a consultation to support the development of a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to bring almshouse residents’ rights in line with tenants' rights.

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

The legal position of almshouse residents is that they occupy their homes under a licence rather than a tenancy. The government has no current plans to change this.

Almshouse residents have protections under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.

Where almshouses are registered with the Regulator of Social Housing, they must also deliver the outcomes set out in the regulator's standards. The Tenancy Standard, which can be found on gov.uk here, compels Private Registered Providers to offer tenancies or terms of occupation which are compatible with the purpose of the accommodation, the needs of individual households, the sustainability of the community, and the efficient use of their housing stock.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary (i) expenditure and (ii) other commitments to international humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in each year since 2015-16.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

It will take time to collate the information requested. To ensure I can be as accurate as possible, I will write to the hon. Member with the detail requested and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, what steps he is taking in November 2025 to promote inclusive (a) wig and (b) prosthetic services.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and the National Health Service in England recognise that there are particular challenges for specific groups of people and for breast cancer care, particularly concerning the promotion of inclusive wigs and prosthetic services.

For wigs and accessories, NHS Supply Chain has conducted extensive engagement nationally to fully understand the provision and supply and is working closely with industry groups to support access to the wigs framework, to provide a wider range of products for NHS providers to access. Appropriateness for the wearer has been one of the fundamental focus areas of consideration in this work.

Decisions about the funding and provision of health services, including prosthetic services, are the responsibility of local integrated care boards. NHS England funded audits into primary and metastatic breast cancer to help identify and reduce inequalities and variations in care. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with breast cancer in an NHS setting, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it is being done well, and what needs to be done better. Findings were published in September 2025, and the NHS is acting on the findings.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions the has had with the Royal Navy on the role of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the humanitarian aid and disaster relief operation in the Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

There have been no discussions on the role of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in support of humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in the Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. The Ministry of Defence’s support to the region during the Hurricane season, Operation VENTUS, is, in the first instance, delivered through the presence of a Royal Navy ship with an embarked crisis response troop. HMS TRENT is currently serving this role and can provide an immediate response and, crucially, set the conditions for further recovery operations.

The Royal Navy, alongside FCDO colleagues, has delivered humanitarian aid and disaster relief in the Caribbean following Hurricane Melissa. This supported the deployment of Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Teams to Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands. HMS TRENT supported both locations with the ship’s crew and crisis response troop also deployed ashore in Falmouth, Jamaica to clear debris and conduct engineering repairs to restore critical infrastructure ahead of the arrival of other agencies.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on potential scientific exchange programmes with Cuba on (a) maternal health and (b) sickle cell disease.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) was signed under the previous Government. We are currently undertaking a cross-Government consultation before it is laid before Parliament for scrutiny, while continuing to cooperate positively with Cuba in the interim where possible, including on climate. The PDCA will support discussion on issues of common interest and will include human rights as a standing agenda item. It also offers the potential to facilitate exchanges of expertise, including on economic reform and healthcare.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what is the planned timetable for the ratification of the UK–Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) was signed under the previous Government. We are currently undertaking a cross-Government consultation before it is laid before Parliament for scrutiny, while continuing to cooperate positively with Cuba in the interim where possible, including on climate. The PDCA will support discussion on issues of common interest and will include human rights as a standing agenda item. It also offers the potential to facilitate exchanges of expertise, including on economic reform and healthcare.

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 the potential impact of steps taken by the US to discourage third countries from engaging with (a) the Henry Reeve Medical Brigade and (b) other Cuban international medical cooperation programmes on health outcomes in Cuba.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK continues to support access to essential health services, alongside transparency and ethical labour standards, and there is no reason those objectives should not be compatible.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support countries in determining their own healthcare partnerships without external interference.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is committed to modern development partnerships in health - designed with the Global South - with countries and communities at the heart of decision making, shaping systems that reflect their priorities and realities - not imposing our own. Our support of the Lusaka Agenda emphasises a coordinated approach focused on country priorities and supported by increasing domestic spending on health. In our work on health system strengthening we support country-led strategies, which include a focus on primary health care, as a cost-effective and equitable approach, and one which reflects our own reforms in the UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase blood donations among Latin American people in (a) Lambeth and (b) the rest of the UK.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligion

The heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicity

NHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase diagnosis of sickle cell amongst patients of Latin American descent.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases such as sickle cell disease. Helping patients get a final diagnosis faster is one of the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We published the annual England action plan in February 2025, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance this priority.

In England, there are around 17,000 people living with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder with around 250 new cases a year. It is the fastest growing genetic condition in the country. It is generally more common in people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage (77% of patients) however, we recognise that the condition is not unique to this community and NHS England remain committed to delivering quality improvement to all patients living with sickle cell.

All pregnant women in England are offered a blood test to find out if they carry a gene for thalassaemia. Those at high risk of being a sickle cell carrier are offered a test for sickle cell. As part of the National Health Service Antenatal Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia (SCT) Screening Programme, the Family Origin Questionnaire (FOQ) is mandatory for all booking blood requests. By recording accurate family origin details, the FOQ enables midwives to identify women at higher risk. For example, women with Latin American ancestry extending back two generations are considered high risk and are offered screening accordingly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has discussions with NHS Blood and Transplant on the potential merits of including Latin American as a monitored ethnicity at the Brixton donation centre.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligion

The heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicity

NHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason 'Latin American' is not listed as an ethnicity option on blood donation forms.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligion

The heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicity

NHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what demographic data his Department considered when choosing blood donation centres to pilot the post donation testing for advanced Hb assessment.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England.  NHSBT’s post donation testing feasibility study will assess if an analyser-based blood count, including a haemoglobin (Hb) assessment, can be used to assess a whole blood donor’s ability to have a blood collection taken safely without the need for a Hb measurement at subsequent donation appointments. If the donor’s Hb is above specific thresholds, it will determine the need for testing at their next visit, or for a deferral period based on the Hb being too low to donate. This will start NHSBT’s ability to personalise the deferral period of donors with low Hb.

This study started collecting baseline data in the London Middlesex mobile team and will roll out to the Manchester Norfolk House and Nottingham Donor Centres. These teams have been targeted to assess if testing is possible under current mobile and donor centre processes, rather than targeting specific donor groups or demographics.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which blood donation centres have begun a trial of the Post Donation Testing for advanced Hb assessments.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England.  NHSBT’s post donation testing feasibility study will assess if an analyser-based blood count, including a haemoglobin (Hb) assessment, can be used to assess a whole blood donor’s ability to have a blood collection taken safely without the need for a Hb measurement at subsequent donation appointments. If the donor’s Hb is above specific thresholds, it will determine the need for testing at their next visit, or for a deferral period based on the Hb being too low to donate. This will start NHSBT’s ability to personalise the deferral period of donors with low Hb.

This study started collecting baseline data in the London Middlesex mobile team and will roll out to the Manchester Norfolk House and Nottingham Donor Centres. These teams have been targeted to assess if testing is possible under current mobile and donor centre processes, rather than targeting specific donor groups or demographics.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of collaboration between UK and Cuban research institutions on (a) public health and (b) genetic medicine.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In our ever more interconnected world, international research cooperation is fundamental to driving medical breakthroughs and saving lives. By sharing knowledge, resources, and expertise, international collaborations can overcome limitations faced by individual nations and achieve breakthroughs that benefit patients all over the world.

Whilst no assessment has been undertaken on the specific merits of research collaboration with Cuba, through the Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department works internationally to fund, support, and enable high impact research to address national and global health challenges.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of supporting a formal bilateral exchange of medical expertise between Cuba and the United Kingdom to promote health equity.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In our ever more interconnected world, international cooperation is fundamental to driving medical breakthroughs and saving lives. By sharing knowledge, resources, and expertise, international collaborations can overcome limitations faced by individual nations and achieve breakthroughs that benefit patients all over the world.

The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to international collaboration on health and highly values the bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Cuba. The Government has a longstanding policy of engagement with Cuba, including positive collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

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 raise awareness of sickle cell disease amongst the Latin American and Latinx community.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases such as sickle cell disease. Increasing awareness of rare diseases in healthcare professionals is one of the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We published the annual England action plan in February 2025, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance this priority.

In England, there are approximately 17,000 people living with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder with approximately 250 new cases a year. It is the fastest growing genetic condition in the country. It is generally more common in people of black African and black Caribbean heritage, 77% of patients, however, we recognise that the condition is not unique to this community and NHS England remains committed to delivering quality improvement to all patients living with sickle cell.

Our national Can You Tell its Sickle Cell campaign launched in 2022, to boost public awareness of sickle cell disease, including in the Latin American and Latinx community, and help staff better understand the condition, crises, and how to care for patients during their greatest hour of need. Co-developed with NHS England’s patient advisory group, clinical experts, and the Sickle Cell Society, the campaign included staff resources as well as hand-held patient cards distributed via haemoglobinopathy coordinating centres. The campaign was relaunched as part of Sickle Cell Awareness Month in 2025, and an information toolkit remains available on the national Campaign Resource Centre.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will take steps to ensure that vehicles fitted with illegal emissions defeat devices are (a) recalled and (b) rectified at no cost to the vehicle owner.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s Market Surveillance Unit (MSU) is investigating cases of possible non-compliant diesel emissions in cars and vans. The investigations aim to ensure any non-compliance found is fixed as soon as reasonably possible, working together with manufacturers to achieve real-world impacts on air quality.

Where an investigation into the emissions has identified emissions that do not meet the required standard, the MSU will work with the manufacturer to implement improvement plans and, where necessary, recall affected vehicles. In the event of non-compliance, work to bring the vehicle into compliance will be done at no expense to the owner.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to provide (a) additional funding and (b) guidance to local authorities to support the expansion of School Streets schemes across England.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

On 19 November 2024, Active Travel England and the Department for Transport published guidance for local authorities in England on how to set up and manage a School Streets scheme. This can be found on the government website.

Funding for School Streets Schemes is available from a variety of funding sources, including the Consolidated Active Travel Fund which was announced in February 2025 as part of £222.5 million of funding being made available for local authorities for 2024/25-25/26. Additionally, the Spending Review of June 2025 allocated £616 million over the next four years to build and maintain walking, wheeling, and cycling infrastructure. Further funding is available from wider transport funds, such as Transport for City Regions settlements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of diesel vehicles in the UK that are fitted with illegal defeat devices.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is investigating a range of Euro 5 and early Euro 6 diesel vehicles where potential non-compliance has been identified.

There are currently 95 vehicle models from 28 brands under investigation. Manufacturers with a vehicle model under investigation have received a notification of this. For legal and operational reasons, the DVSA does not publish case-specific figures during active investigations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of School Streets schemes on (a) reducing air pollution and (b) improving child health outcomes.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Provision of school streets is a matter for local traffic authorities to consider. The Department and Active Travel England published guidance for local authorities last year, which included information and research on air quality and traffic impacts. The guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-streets-how-to-set-up-and-manage-a-scheme

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the enhanced pre-donation testing process pilot on reducing the number of deferrals for low Hb levels.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT tests donors’ haemoglobin (Hb) to ensure they are at sufficient levels to safely donate.

NHSBT has recently changed its testing to include the first line finger prick and blood drop test using copper sulphate that estimates donors’ Hb to be above the threshold for donation. If this test is failed, second line testing with venous HemoCue, a more accurate quantitative test, is carried out. If passed, a donor can donate. If failed, a donor is deferred to ensure they can replenish low iron stores to allow their Hb to improve back to safe donation thresholds.

Earlier in 2025, the peak of low Hb deferrals was greater than 12%. With the rollout of venous HemoCue across the country, this has fallen to 4.5% of donors attending per week and has remained below 5% since 15 September 2025, resulting in improved collections.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the potential public health impact of excess nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel vehicles fitted with defeat devices since 2015.

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

The Government is committed to reducing air pollution from all forms of transport.

The department recognises that elevated NOx emissions from diesel vehicles contribute to poor air quality. The Department has not produced a specific UK-only assessment of the potential health impact.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s Market Surveillance Unit (MSU) is investigating cases of possible non-compliant diesel emissions in cars and vans. The investigations aim to ensure any non-compliance found is fixed as soon as reasonably possible, working together with manufacturers to achieve real-world impacts on air quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of international cooperation in healthcare.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In our ever more interconnected world, international cooperation is fundamental to driving medical breakthroughs and saving lives. Health challenges such as pandemics, antimicrobial resistance and climate-related impacts do not respect borders. By sharing knowledge, resources, and expertise, international cooperation can overcome limitations faced by individual nations and achieve breakthroughs that benefit patients all over the world, including the United Kingdom.

The Government is committed to collaborating with our international partners and continues to engage with global health institutions, including the World Health Organization. These efforts help build resilient health systems worldwide, reduce preventable deaths and safeguard against shared threats, while supporting UK prosperity through trade and investment in health and life sciences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many companies have a licence to grow cannabis in the UK.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

There are currently 102 licences in extant to cultivate low THC cannabis (Industrial Hemp) in Great Britain. The majority of these licences will be issued to farms. A small proportion of these licences will be issued to educational or research institutes.

The licences are generally issued for a validity period of three growing seasons and therefore will include licences issued in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Standard ‘cannabis cultivation licences’ may be issued for research or pharmaceutical purposes.

In the last year (to 11 November 2025) 16 companies have been issued ‘High THC’ cannabis cultivation licences at a total of 19 sites. A proportion of these licences will have been issued for research purposes.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many legal cannabis farms there are in the UK.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

There are currently 102 licences in extant to cultivate low THC cannabis (Industrial Hemp) in Great Britain. The majority of these licences will be issued to farms. A small proportion of these licences will be issued to educational or research institutes.

The licences are generally issued for a validity period of three growing seasons and therefore will include licences issued in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Standard ‘cannabis cultivation licences’ may be issued for research or pharmaceutical purposes.

In the last year (to 11 November 2025) 16 companies have been issued ‘High THC’ cannabis cultivation licences at a total of 19 sites. A proportion of these licences will have been issued for research purposes.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer received to question 87406 on the 11th November 2025 on Legal Aid Scheme: Housing and Immigration, whether the uplift will be backdated, once the system is back up and running, to a date when the uplift would otherwise have been implemented.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

As stated in our consultation response ‘Civil legal aid: Towards a sustainable future’, published in July 2025, we will implement the fee uplifts as soon as operationally possible. We will not backdate the fee uplifts.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with airline companies to ensure passengers are informed of any potential passport validity issues prior to their trip.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

It is for carriers to determine that they are satisfied their customer’s travel document meets the entry requirements of the country that they are travelling to on that day.

While the UK government is not responsible for guiding airlines on the entry requirements of another country, or on the advice that they provide to their customers in preparation for their journey, it does provide guidance to British travellers regarding the passport requirements of other countries through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s foreign travel advice on GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of travellers denied travel due to passport validity issues.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

It is for carriers to determine that they are satisfied their customer’s travel document meets the entry requirements of the country that they are travelling to on that day.

While the UK government is not responsible for guiding airlines on the entry requirements of another country, or on the advice that they provide to their customers in preparation for their journey, it does provide guidance to British travellers regarding the passport requirements of other countries through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s foreign travel advice on GOV.UK.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the £40 million Trust Fund for Chagossians under the agreement with Mauritius forms part of the £40 million support package for Chagossians pledged in 2016.

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

No. The £40 million Trust Fund for Chagossians under the Agreement with Mauritius is entirely separate from the support package for Chagossians pledged in 2016. As we have said, this Government will scale-up HMG’s support for Chagossians in the UK and elsewhere.

Accommodation standards for people seeking asylum

Human rights violations and suppression of democratic opposition in Tanzania

Football Supporters’ Association’s Stop Exploiting Loyalty campaign

Independent Office for Police Conduct findings on Norman Bettison

Whitkirk Brownies and Rainbows

Literacy and the criminal justice system

Local authority funding (No. 2)

Support for early years and the National Literacy Trust

Israel’s use of cluster munitions

50th anniversary of Franco’s death

Safe and legal routes for Sudanese people to the UK

New private capital in the NHS in the Autumn Budget

Border Force industrial dispute

Buying community energy locally

Media Plurality and Press Freedom in Parliament

50 years of service to the RMT by John Stewart, Leeds RMT Branch Secretary

Two-child limit

Cumulative disruption proposals and the right to protest