Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of designating the wreck of the SS Tilawa, sunk in 1942, as a protected heritage site in recognition of its status as a Commonwealth wartime loss.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The sinking of the SS Tilawa, and many other merchant vessels during the world wars, represents a tragic loss of life that we must all strive to remember and reflect upon. It is right that we honour and recognise this sacrifice and strive to ensure the grave sites of those who have been lost receive the highest levels of protection in accordance with international law and best practice.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take diplomatic steps to encourage the Government of Japan to acknowledge the sinking of the SS Tilawa in 1942, and for them to provide goodwill closure to known survivors and victims.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answers he received on 27 April in response to Questions 128231 and 128238.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress he has made on extending the UK-India trade deal to include services.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

It already does include services - and always has done.

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 adequacy of the security of Hindu and other religious minority communities in Bangladesh following the February 2026 election; and what representations she has made to the Bangladeshi authorities on protecting those communities.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 10 March in response to Question 112260.

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 security of Hindu and other religious minority communities in Bangladesh following the February 2026 election; and what representations she has made to the Bangladeshi authorities on protecting those communities.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 10 March in response to Question 112260.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the then Department for International Development conducted any written reassessment or value-for-money analysis after receiving the December 2019 evaluation report for Area C Development Programme Package IV (ENI/2017/384-622); and whether UK funding continued to that programme or successor programmes after receipt of that evaluation.

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

Documentation related to the Area C Development Programme is available on DevTracker at: DevTracker Programme GB-1-203452 - https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/programme/GB-1-203452/documents. Value for money is embedded across all of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's work. We employ robust systems and frameworks, and continuously review our programmes to ensure effectiveness, equality and non-discrimination, and the responsible use of UK taxpayers' money.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the then Department for International Development conducted any written assessment of the objective stated in the December 2019 evaluation report for Area C Development Programme Package IV (ENI/2017/384-622), which received €970,000 of direct DFID funding, against UK Official Development Assistance criteria.

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

Documentation related to the Area C Development Programme is available on DevTracker at: DevTracker Programme GB-1-203452 - https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/programme/GB-1-203452/documents. Value for money is embedded across all of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's work. We employ robust systems and frameworks, and continuously review our programmes to ensure effectiveness, equality and non-discrimination, and the responsible use of UK taxpayers' money.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether FCDO has conducted any written equality or non-discrimination assessment concerning the differential provision of UK-funded infrastructure, legal advocacy, or protection services between Palestinian and Jewish communities in Area C.

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

Documentation related to the Area C Development Programme is available on DevTracker at: DevTracker Programme GB-1-203452 - https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/programme/GB-1-203452/documents. Value for money is embedded across all of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's work. We employ robust systems and frameworks, and continuously review our programmes to ensure effectiveness, equality and non-discrimination, and the responsible use of UK taxpayers' money.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answers of 22 April 2026 to Question 127321 on Gambling: Regulation and of 28 April 2026 to Question 128520 on Horse Racing: Gambling, for what reasons her Department has not updated Parliament on the work of the Gambling Act Review Evaluation Advisory Group.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) is undertaking an evaluation of the Gambling Act Review on behalf of DCMS. The findings will be published on gov.uk later this year.

The Gambling Act Review Advisory Group provides objective, external advice to NatCen on how best to take the Gambling Act Review evaluation forward. It has no role in policy development, and does not have access to collected data. It is an advisory group providing technical methodological input to NatCen on the design of the evaluation and its implementation, to ensure it meets the highest possible standards. There are therefore no plans to assess its work as part of the evaluation findings.

The Gambling Act Review evaluation is looking at the real-world impact of measures that have been implemented. Measures such as financial risk assessments have not been implemented and therefore are not included.

NatCen is separately working as an evaluation partner alongside the pilot of financial risk assessment, advising on methodology and data clarity and transparency. The Commission has also committed to ongoing review, evaluation and adaptation over time if Financial Risk Assessments are introduced.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the work of the Gambling Act Review Evaluation Advisory Group.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) is undertaking an evaluation of the Gambling Act Review on behalf of DCMS. The findings will be published on gov.uk later this year.

The Gambling Act Review Advisory Group provides objective, external advice to NatCen on how best to take the Gambling Act Review evaluation forward. It has no role in policy development, and does not have access to collected data. It is an advisory group providing technical methodological input to NatCen on the design of the evaluation and its implementation, to ensure it meets the highest possible standards. There are therefore no plans to assess its work as part of the evaluation findings.

The Gambling Act Review evaluation is looking at the real-world impact of measures that have been implemented. Measures such as financial risk assessments have not been implemented and therefore are not included.

NatCen is separately working as an evaluation partner alongside the pilot of financial risk assessment, advising on methodology and data clarity and transparency. The Commission has also committed to ongoing review, evaluation and adaptation over time if Financial Risk Assessments are introduced.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered using the Armed Forces Bill 2026 to clarify the legal status of maritime wrecks connected to the United Kingdom’s war effort which are not currently afforded protection comparable to military maritime graves.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Protection of Military Remains Act (1986) is being strengthened via the Armed Forces Bill 2026 to automatically provide ‘Protected Place’ status to shipwrecks that were under Admiralty orders at the time of their sinking. This will ensure compliant shipwrecks are treated as maritime military graves, prohibiting the removal of artefacts and ensuring these sites are left undisturbed. Maritime wrecks which were not under Admiralty orders at the time of their loss cannot be addressed via the Armed Forces Bill 2026, as it would be outside the Bill’s core constitutional purpose.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered using the Armed Forces Bill 2026 to clarify the legal status of maritime wrecks connected to the United Kingdom’s war effort which are not currently afforded protection comparable to military maritime graves.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Protection of Military Remains Act (1986) is being strengthened via the Armed Forces Bill 2026 to automatically provide ‘Protected Place’ status to shipwrecks that were under Admiralty orders at the time of their sinking. This will ensure compliant shipwrecks are treated as maritime military graves, prohibiting the removal of artefacts and ensuring these sites are left undisturbed. Maritime wrecks which were not under Admiralty orders at the time of their loss cannot be addressed via the Armed Forces Bill 2026, as it would be outside the Bill’s core constitutional purpose.

Houses in multiple occupation

Social Security

Energy Conservation

12th International Day of Yoga on 21 June 2026

Carers Week 2026

84th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Tilawa

Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day 2026

Afghan women and girls

Reform of monetary limits on charity lotteries

Found: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Members present Bob Blackman, in the Chair Jack Abbott Mary Glindon Alison

Found: Smith (Labour; Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney) (Chair) Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Labour; Cardiff West) Bob Blackman

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