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 the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (England and Wales) Regulations 2024 on the timely registration of deaths.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, including the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Regulations 2024, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. The median time taken to register a death since the introduction of the reforms in England and Wales has typically been eight days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days. It’s important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct before and after comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.

The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Department is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths were registered in Wales between 9 September 2024 and 31 December 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths were registered in Wales between 1 January 2024 and 8 September 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, of the deaths registered in Wales between 9 September 2024 and 31 December 2024 and which were not reported to the Coroner, how long on average did it take for a certificate for (a) burial or (b) cremation to be issued.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, of the deaths registered in Wales between 1 January 2024 and 8 September 2024 and which were not reported to the Coroner, how long on average did it take for a certificate for (a) burial or (b) cremation to be issued.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending deemed reseller rules to include UK-established sellers.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Since 1 January 2021 overseas sellers, or online marketplaces where they facilitate the sale, are required to be registered and account for VAT for supplies of low value imports of £135 or less. Where an overseas seller sells goods located in the UK at the point of sale via an online marketplace, the online marketplace is liable for the VAT for goods of any value. 
 
The changes ensure a level playing field for UK high street and online retailers, ensure the continued flow of goods at the border and improve compliance. Certified analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates the changes will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026-27. 
 
The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the revenue raised by extending deemed reseller rules to include UK-established sellers.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Since 1 January 2021 overseas sellers, or online marketplaces where they facilitate the sale, are required to be registered and account for VAT for supplies of low value imports of £135 or less. Where an overseas seller sells goods located in the UK at the point of sale via an online marketplace, the online marketplace is liable for the VAT for goods of any value. 
 
The changes ensure a level playing field for UK high street and online retailers, ensure the continued flow of goods at the border and improve compliance. Certified analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates the changes will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026-27. 
 
The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the extent of VAT non-compliance by overseas retailers selling (a) goods and (b) services in the UK through online marketplaces.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Since 1 January 2021 overseas sellers, or online marketplaces where they facilitate the sale, are required to be registered and account for VAT for supplies of low value imports of £135 or less. Where an overseas seller sells goods located in the UK at the point of sale via an online marketplace, the online marketplace is liable for the VAT for goods of any value.

The changes ensure a level playing field for UK high street and online retailers, ensure the continued flow of goods at the border and improve compliance. Certified analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates the changes will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026-27.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of copyright law to ensure that creators are remunerated for the use of their work in training AI tools.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

Through this consultation, the Government aims to ensure that right holders in the creative industries can control and be remunerated for the use of their work, while supporting the development of world-leading AI models in the UK.

The Government recognises that this is a complex area and welcomes all views and evidence to help shape its thinking.

The consultation closes on 25 February.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of (a) the number of people eligible for compensation and (b) the total cash value of the compensation owed under the ruling by the Court of Appeal from October 2024 that certain commissions that lenders paid to car dealerships for arranging loans were unlawful.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

This is a complicated issue and the government is working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. The government is pleased that the Supreme Court will hear an appeal from 1-3 April and hopes that its judgment will provide clarity for firms and consumers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take legislative steps to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government is completely committed to ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement, also known as the "High Seas Treaty" or "Global Ocean Treaty"), which is in line with our determination to reinvigorate the UK's wider international leadership on climate and nature. Work is in hand on the measures needed to implement the detailed and complex provisions of the Agreement before the UK can ratify.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with his Israeli counterparts on ensuring that actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory comply with international law.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We have always been clear that a ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. We must build confidence on all sides that helps sustain a ceasefire and move it into a lasting peace. This government is fully committed to international law and continues to press the Israeli government on issues of international law compliance. This government has suspended relevant export licences to Israel for use in military operations in the Gaza conflict, following a review of Israel's compliance and commitment to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which concluded that there was a clear risk they might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL. Separately, this government respects the independence of the International Court of Justice. We continue to consider the Court's Advisory Opinion on Israel's occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) carefully. We are of the clear view that Israel should bring an end to its presence in the OPTs as rapidly as possible - but this must be done in a way that creates the conditions for negotiations towards the two-state solution.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of Israel's operation Iron Wall in the occupied West Bank; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of Israel's compliance with international law.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has been clear that it is in no one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of people living in Wales that have received overpayments of the Carers Allowance.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We don’t measure or report Fraud and Error statistics at a regional level. Our benefit review sample sizes are not large enough to support this level of detail measure or report Fraud and Error statistics at a regional level.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inquests were launched in Ceredigion in each of the past ten years.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information is set out in the table below or can be extrapolated from the data published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2023.

* The Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire coroner area includes both the Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council areas, and it is not possible to provide information for Pembrokeshire only.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken was for an inquest to be concluded in Pembrokeshire in each of the last five years.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information is set out in the table below or can be extrapolated from the data published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2023.

* The Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire coroner area includes both the Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council areas, and it is not possible to provide information for Pembrokeshire only.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, of the inquests launched in Pembrokeshire in each of the past ten years, how many were concluded within 6 months.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information is set out in the table below or can be extrapolated from the data published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2023.

* The Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire coroner area includes both the Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council areas, and it is not possible to provide information for Pembrokeshire only.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken was for an inquest to be concluded in Ceredigion in each of the last five years.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information is set out in the table below or can be extrapolated from the data published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2023.

* The Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire coroner area includes both the Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council areas, and it is not possible to provide information for Pembrokeshire only.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, of the inquests launched in Ceredigion in each of the past ten years, how many were concluded within 6 months.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information is set out in the table below or can be extrapolated from the data published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2023.

* The Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire coroner area includes both the Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council areas, and it is not possible to provide information for Pembrokeshire only.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inquests were launched in Pembrokeshire in each of the past ten years.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information is set out in the table below or can be extrapolated from the data published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2023.

* The Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire coroner area includes both the Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council areas, and it is not possible to provide information for Pembrokeshire only.

Emergency Palestinian Family Visa Scheme

World Cancer Day 2025

National Apprenticeships Week 2025

LGBT+ History Month 2025

Mental health in farming

Mental health of women in farming

Royal Mail's universal service obligation

National Heart Month

Freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria

Interstitial Lung Disease

Drug-resistant superbugs

US proposals for Gaza

Children's Mental Health Week

Proposals to forcibly displace and ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Gaza

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Amendment) Bill

Compensation for Equitable Life policyholders

Heathrow airport third runway expansion

Expanding airports

Dinosaur trackway discovery in Ardley, Oxfordshire

Free-to-air television coverage of the Six Nations

Independent parking regulator

Possible sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili

Julia and Clive Davies: 35 years of volunteering with Headway Swansea

US trade and impact assessments

Consultation on Work Capability Assessment

Support for SMEs in coastal and farming constituencies

Imprisonment of Alaa Abd El-Fattah (No. 2)

Publication of fuel court prices

Found: present: Ruth Jones (Chair); David Chadwick; Ann Davies; Gill German; Simon Hoare; Claire Hughes; Ben Lake

Found: present: Ruth Jones (Chair); David Chadwick; Ann Davies; Gill German; Simon Hoare; Claire Hughes; Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: _6 Llinos Medi Liz Saville Roberts Ben Lake Ann Davies .

Found: Not called_6 Llinos Medi Liz Saville Roberts Ben Lake Ann Davies .

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: _6 Llinos Medi Liz Saville Roberts Ben Lake Ann Davies .

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: _NC1 Llinos Medi Liz Saville Roberts Ben Lake Ann Davies .

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: _NC1 Llinos Medi Liz Saville Roberts Ben Lake Ann Davies .

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Sarah Champion Ian Byrne Mike Amesbury John McDonnell Jess Asato Clive Lewis Daniel Francis Ben Lake

Found: Presented by Wendy Chamberlain supported by Ben Lake, Pete Wishart, Rebecca Harris and Tonia Antoniazzi

Found: Christine Jardine Rachel Gilmour Robin Swann Andy McDonald Neil Duncan-Jordan Henry Tufnell Ben Lake

Found: _NC1 Llinos Medi Liz Saville Roberts Ben Lake Ann Davies .

Criminal justice in Wales exists within a unique policy environment, with prisons, probation and rehabilitation reserved to the UK Government, and key intersecting services like health, education and housing devolved to the Welsh Government.