Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the written statement of 13 March 2025, HCWS517, on Board of Trade, when the Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of all matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations last met.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Board of Trade last met on the 21^st May 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference the UK Visas and Immigration guidance entitled (a) Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes and (b) Skilled Worker visa: temporary shortage list, updated on 22 July 2025, what the evidential basis is for (i) a shortage of Equality, diversity and inclusion managers and (ii) the impact on the UK economy of granting visas for such roles; and whether the Migration Advisory Committee has advised on the matter.

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

On 12 May, we published our Immigration White Paper, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes and the 22 July changes to the Immigration Rules delivered key steps, including raising the skills threshold governing Skilled Worker route to RQF 6, which removed access to over 100 occupations.

The Skilled Worker system relies on Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes, which are managed by the Office for National Statistics. Occupations which are recognised as meeting the skills threshold for the Skilled Worker immigration route can continue to be sponsored through the route.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54390 on Data Statistics Research on Sex and Gender Independent Review, if he will make a statement to Parliament with a formal government response to that report.

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

As outlined in previous Answers of 3 June to Question 54390 and 2 May 2025 to Question 47834, relevant departments and policy teams will consider the findings in light of their ongoing policy work.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what funding (a) the Government Digital Service and (b) his Department has provided to DigiGov Expo 2025.

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

No funding has been provided to DigiGov Expo 2025 by either the Government Digital Service or the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance the National Protective Security Authority has provided on using Virtual Private Networks.

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

As part of our ongoing monitoring of the potential impact of circumvention techniques on the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act, Government is engaging with relevant bodies. However, the National Protective Security Authority has not provided the department with guidance on the use of VPNs.

The child safety duties are newly implemented and represent a major milestone in the protection of children online. It is now much harder for children to accidentally or intentionally access harmful content. Services that deliberately target UK children and promote VPNs to circumvent online safety measures could face enforcement action under the Act.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 2 of the document entitled DSR 2: General Principles of Conduct of the Diplomatic Service Code, if he will publish a copy of any supplementary guidance on political activities in addition to the guidance in DSR 36.

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

No such supplementary guidance has been published, nor is any considered necessary.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the style guide entitled Writing about ethnicity, updated in October 2024, for what reason the reference to communities was removed.

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

The ‘Writing about ethnicity’ style guide is kept under review, in order to ensure it aligns with government communication preferences.

The guide was updated by the Office for Equality and Opportunity in October 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the (a) re-use and (b) disposal of branded (i) goods and (ii) signage out of date following machinery of Government changes.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office does not issue guidance on the re-use and/or disposal of branded goods and signage made obsolete as a result of Machinery of Government changes. It is the responsibility of individual departments to ensure their branded assets are managed appropriately following changes in government structures.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 32929 on Cabinet Office: Palantir, which non-civil service organisations have seconded staff to the Downing Street business unit since July 2024.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

There have been no secondments from non-Civil Service organisations to Downing Street since July 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Extension of Generalist Member to the Senior Salaries Review Body, published on 5 August 2025, whether the Public Appointments Commissioner was consulted on the decision to reappoint the Generalist Member for 12 months.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Under the Governance Code on Public Appointments, departments must notify the Commissioner for Public Appointments of “exceptional reappointments or extensions”. An exceptional reappointment or extension is one that requires a postholder to serve for more than two terms or ten years.

On 10 July 2025, Pippa Greenslade’s appointment to the Senior Salaries Review Body was extended for 12 months. This is not considered an “exceptional extension” and therefore the Commissioner for Public Appointments was not notified.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written ministerial statement of 21 July 2025, HCWS870, on Government of service, ⁠what criteria will be used to distinguish a breach from a serious breach for the purposes of severance payment recovery.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Issues that arise under the Ministerial Code are handled on a case by case basis. From 13 October 2025, if a minister leaves office having been found to have seriously breached the Ministerial Code, they will be expected to forgo a ministerial severance payment.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent on alcohol for the 10 Downing Street business unit via (a) the Government Wine Cellar, (b) Berry Bros and (c) other suppliers since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Official receptions in 10 Downing Street are hosted by Ministers across Government, with details published each quarter as part of the Government's transparency returns. The cost of hospitality in 10 Downing Street is published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding (a) his Department and (b) the Crown Commercial Service has provided to the DigiGov Expo 2025.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

No funding has been provided to DigiGov Expo 2025 by either the Crown Commercial Service or the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many houses in multiple occupation are currently being funded by the Home Office to house migrants, broken down by local authority area.

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

The Home Office does not publish detailed information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons. Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. The data can broken down by local authority rather than by constituency.

Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK

The Home Office, and its accommodation providers, take into account a range of issues when considering the suitability for dispersed accommodation. Local authorities are consulted on bedspaces before they are procured.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, further to the press release entitled NHS App overhaul will break down barriers to healthcare and reduce inequalities, published on 25 June 2025, whether those convicted of (a) violent offences and (b) sexual offences will be eligible for the new recruitment scheme.

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

Anyone taking part in the Widening Access Demonstrator programme will be subject to the same employment checks as existing NHS and social care staff.

Roles providing health or personal care are considered ‘regulated activity’ and are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS check), which would disclose any details related to violent and sexual offences whether spent or unspent. In addition, these roles are subject to a check against the DBS barred list. The DBS barred lists ensure that individuals who have been convicted of the most serious crimes such as violent and sexual offences, where there is an ongoing risk of harm to vulnerable groups (patients), are prevented from seeking employment to gain access to these groups.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund will open for applications.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund is a £360 million long-term investment, delivered over 12 years. We are working closely with industry to identify priority areas for support and to ensure funding is targeted where it will have the greatest impact. Following the conclusion of this engagement phase, we will establish and confirm timelines for the scheme’s launch. This will not open before March 2026 but will be communicated once finalised.

Young farmers' organisations across the United Kingdom

Agriculture

Mass deportation of illegal migrants

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Charlie Dewhirst; Helena