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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of E. coli levels in the River Roding during dry weather; and what discussions he has had with the Environment Agency on those levels.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The River Roding faces challenges from urban pressures, storm overflow discharges, surface water runoff, misconnections, and pollution incidents. These factors can contribute to elevated bacterial levels, including E. Coli, particularly during wet weather when foul and surface water systems may interact. These urban influences are factored into the Environment Agency’s overall assessment of water quality.

The Environment Agency’s routine monitoring is carried out under the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). This includes sampling for a range of chemical, ecological, and biological indicators to assess the overall health of the watercourse

During Thames Water’s improvements in PR19, there was an investigation into the Snakes Lane Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) to look at options available to reduce spill frequency. In its final determinations for PR24 (2020-2025), Ofwat allowed Thames Water £784 million to reduce the use of storm overflows across its network. Improvement actions will include increasing treatment capacity at sewage works, providing storage for high flows, reducing flows entering the system and provision of treatment for storm overflows which are separate from the main treatment route.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Environment Agency in tackling pollution of the River Roding by Thames Water outfalls without permits.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The River Roding faces challenges from urban pressures, storm overflow discharges, surface water runoff, misconnections, and pollution incidents. These factors can contribute to elevated bacterial levels, including E. Coli, particularly during wet weather when foul and surface water systems may interact. These urban influences are factored into the Environment Agency’s overall assessment of water quality.

The Environment Agency’s routine monitoring is carried out under the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). This includes sampling for a range of chemical, ecological, and biological indicators to assess the overall health of the watercourse

During Thames Water’s improvements in PR19, there was an investigation into the Snakes Lane Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) to look at options available to reduce spill frequency. In its final determinations for PR24 (2020-2025), Ofwat allowed Thames Water £784 million to reduce the use of storm overflows across its network. Improvement actions will include increasing treatment capacity at sewage works, providing storage for high flows, reducing flows entering the system and provision of treatment for storm overflows which are separate from the main treatment route.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) relocation assistance and (b) other support for travel costs are provided by his Department for (i) prospective students and apprentices considering (A) defence apprenticeships, (B) university graduate schemes and (C) further education programmes and (ii) people accepted onto such schemes.

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

The Ministry of Defence offers no specific entitlements to claim travel or subsistence costs for those attending interviews or events relating to a prospective apprenticeship or graduate scheme. However, business units have discretion to stipulate in recruitment adverts that receipted and necessary expenses may be claimed.

Civilian apprentices who necessarily live away from home are entitled to financial support with accommodation and the costs of a return journey home three times per year.

In some circumstances First Appointment Expenses (FAE) may be offered through an external recruitment advert. FAE is based upon a tax exemption which allows an employer to pay up to £8,000 towards the cost of certain expenses incurred when an individual moves home to take up a new job.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what outreach programmes are being conducted by (a) Defence Nuclear Enterprise, (b) Defence Equipment and Support and (c) other bodies responsible to his Department to engage with diverse and underrepresented groups to promote defence (i) apprenticeship and (ii) graduate schemes; how many such programmes were undertaken in the last 12 months; and where these programmes took place.

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

Defence is dedicated to recruiting and retaining the best talent, drawn from the broadest diversity of thought, skills, and background, to reflect the society we serve and ensure we maintain an advantage in a competitive age. It is mission critical to our operational effectiveness and to ensuring we continue to meet the threats we face and safeguard the security, stability, and prosperity of our nation. We will only meet these threats if all our people, regardless of background, are confident that their efforts and skills are properly recognised, their individuality and experience respected and are able to achieve their full potential.

Defence is involved in a number of relationships that directly link to both apprenticeships and graduate opportunities, including national and multicultural apprenticeship awards; National Apprenticeship Week; Apprenticeship Ambassador Network; Universities and Colleges Admission Service; university careers fairs; the 5% Club and the Youth Futures Foundation. In the time available to answer this question it has not been possible to identify the number or location of all such interactions over the last 12 months, but given that most of these relationships operate nationwide, London is undoubtedly included.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what outreach programmes are being conducted by (a) Defence Nuclear Enterprise, (b) Defence Equipment and Support and (c) other bodies responsible to his Department to engage with diverse and underrepresented groups to promote defence (i) apprenticeship and (ii) graduate schemes in London; and how many such programmes were undertaken in the last 12 months.

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

Defence is dedicated to recruiting and retaining the best talent, drawn from the broadest diversity of thought, skills, and background, to reflect the society we serve and ensure we maintain an advantage in a competitive age. It is mission critical to our operational effectiveness and to ensuring we continue to meet the threats we face and safeguard the security, stability, and prosperity of our nation. We will only meet these threats if all our people, regardless of background, are confident that their efforts and skills are properly recognised, their individuality and experience respected and are able to achieve their full potential.

Defence is involved in a number of relationships that directly link to both apprenticeships and graduate opportunities, including national and multicultural apprenticeship awards; National Apprenticeship Week; Apprenticeship Ambassador Network; Universities and Colleges Admission Service; university careers fairs; the 5% Club and the Youth Futures Foundation. In the time available to answer this question it has not been possible to identify the number or location of all such interactions over the last 12 months, but given that most of these relationships operate nationwide, London is undoubtedly included.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report on Major Projects 2023-24, published on 16 January 2025, what progress has been made with the Collective Training Transformation Programme since 31 March 2024.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Since March 2024, the Collective Training Transformation Programme (CTTP) has launched its competition for a Strategic Training Partner for British Army collective training. It is now selecting the final two tenderers and remains on track to meet its delivery target of 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report on Major Projects 2023-24, published on 16 January 2025, what progress has been made with the MODnet Evolve programme since 31 March 2024.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Significant progress has been made on the MODNET Evolve programme since 31 March 2024, when the programme was rated Red.

The development of the next generation MODNET Official service is nearing completion, and rollout of the new service to MOD’s 200,000 users worldwide will commence in June 2025.

The new Managed Print Service has been rolled out to over 90% of sites worldwide, with the remainder due for completion this year.

The contract for the MODNET Secret service was awarded in December 2024 with all 17,000 users transitioning to the new service by June 2025.

All contracts deliver considerable cost savings to defence, enhance the quality of service to users, and ensure MOD has a modern ICT infrastructure that aligns to the Department’s need.

In April 2024, the IPA’s formal review of the programme recognised the considerable progress and improved the rating to Amber.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations his Department has received in relation to the potential impact of uncompensated devolved (a) taxes and (b) other charges between (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales, (iv) Northern Ireland and (v) other devolved authorities on recent rates of completed recruitment into the armed services.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence is not aware of having received representations of the kind described.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has received representations from relevant stakeholders on the potential impact of the (a) STEM curriculum and (b) attainment differences between (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland on recent rates of completed recruitment into the armed services.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence is not aware of having received representations of the kind described.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations his Department has received in relation to the potential impact of travel costs on (a) rates of completed recruitment into the armed services in the last 12 months and (b) rates of completed recruitment into the armed services among different social groups.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence is not aware of having received representations of the kind described.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report on Major Projects 2023-24, published on 16 January 2025, what progress has been made with the Core Production Capability programme since 31 March 2024.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Department is working closely with Rolls-Royce Submarines (RRS) to improve delivery confidence for the Core Production Capability programme. This has included increasing production rates and improving manufacturing resilience. The Infrastructure and Projects Authority has confirmed these ongoing actions are appropriate.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to (a) the police, (b) local authorities and (c) other authorities on removing covers from illicitly-covered licence plates in public spaces to help enforce existing legislation and regulations; and whether she has received representations on the risk of criminal damage complaints if authorities remove coverings.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Disguising a vehicle’s identity is an offence and should be reported to the police to be investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts.

The Home Office has not issued any specific guidance on the removal of covers from licence plates.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of his Department's budget he plans to allocate to mine action in the 2025-26 financial year.

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

We are currently considering Official Development Assistance programme allocations for 2025/26 and will publish them in the FCDO Annual Report and Accounts in the summer.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and (b) devolved administrations on the potential impact of waiting lists for medical care required in order to pass recruitment standards on the number of candidates dropping out of armed service recruitment processes; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of NHS waiting lists on household income disparities for people awaiting recruitment into the armed services.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

In the United Kingdom the provision of healthcare to the general population is devolved; however, the Ministry of Defence (MOD)/UK Departments of Health Partnership Board facilitates joint working across the UK to support recruitment to the Armed Forces and the retention of personnel in Service. Ministers from the MOD and the Department of Health and Social Care have regular discussions on wide range of issues, including those facing the Armed Forces in recruitment.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report on Major Projects 2023-24, published on 16 January 2025, what progress has been made with the Next Generation (fixed) Communication Network programme since 31 March 2024.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Since March 2024, the programme has been reset to leverage existing infrastructure and deliver some benefits earlier, whilst making progress towards broader programme key milestones. The team has been restructured and additional specialist resources have been brought on board. The programme has achieved an amber status following a further IPA review.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Chair); Mr Calvin Bailey; Alex Baker;