Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing levels of defence co-operation with the EU.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
There is no European security without the UK. With our rapidly deployable capabilities and nuclear deterrent, we are a critical component of European Defence against an increasingly aggressive Russia.
That is why, in May 2025, the UK and EU agreed a landmark Security and Defence Partnership, delivering on this Government’s commitment to strengthen European security, support growth, and reinforce NATO.
We continue to strengthen this Partnership, including exploring UK participation in the EU’s Ukraine Support Loans, as the Prime Minister announced last month.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed union access rules on small businesses; and if he will consider exemptions.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government is introducing the new trade union right of access in a regulated and responsible manner, ensuring it is proportionate and workable for employers and unions. We recognise that smaller employers may find it more difficult to facilitate trade union access. That is why, following consultation at the end of 2025, we are setting out in secondary legislation an exemption for employers with fewer than 21 employees from statutory access provisions. This exemption will not apply to statutorily supported national bargaining frameworks, such as the Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care, however it will mean that the majority of micro-businesses and small employers will not be within scope of the policy.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has been made of the potential impact on job losses in the independent school sector over the next five years following the removal of eligibility for business rates charitable relief for private schools.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The impact note on the removal of eligibility for business rates charitable relief for private schools can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of allegedly transphobic rhetoric in the media in the last 12 months.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Government is clear that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, and that there is no place for harassment or abuse directed at any group, including trans people. A free and independent media is a cornerstone of our democracy. To protect this freedom the media has editorial independence from Government and this means that the Government does not intervene in what the media publishes, provided it is within the law. However, there are established frameworks in place to uphold standards, including independent press regulators and broadcasting rules overseen by Ofcom. We remain mindful of the importance of ensuring that public debate is conducted responsibly and does not contribute to hostility or harm.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Plan 2 student loan interest rates, particularly for graduates from less advantaged backgrounds; and whether she is considering further reforms.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that public investment in sports facilities supports a balanced range of sports, including court-based activities such as tennis and padel, to maximise participation among women, disabled people, and inactive communities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is investing at least £400 million in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities over the next four years, promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion, while removing the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, such as women and girls and people with disabilities.
£15 million is being invested into new delivery models across England in 2026/27, to allow more people to participate in sports they wish to. At least £2.5 million will be invested through the LTA for covered courts in England for tennis, padel and other activities, and additional funding will also enable a wider range of sporting bodies to trial innovative funding pathways.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the requirement to pay childcare costs in advance prior to reimbursement through Universal Credit on levels of employment; and what steps she is taking to support affected families.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Office for Budget Responsibility, in their Spring 2023 and October 2024 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published their economic impacts of various policy measures, including childcare. These can be found here: The economic effects of policy measures - Office for Budget Responsibility, Monitoring and evaluating the supply-side effects of policy measures - Office for Budget Responsibility.
Parents who need help with their upfront childcare costs to move into work or increase their working hours may be eligible for support from the Flexible Support Fund.
The Flexible Support Fund’s Upfront Childcare Costs can be used to pay 100% of the upfront costs of up to one month of childcare. This is designed to ensure that any costs that the Universal Credit customer incurs in relation to childcare when starting work or increasing their hours is not a barrier to taking up this work.
We are streamlining the process and extending eligibility to parents returning from parental leave to improve access to upfront childcare support. We will also extend eligibility to parents returning from parental leave to ease the difficult transition back to work.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
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 the Government of Saudi Arabia on the application of the death penalty to child defendants.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 December 2025 in response to Question 97116. The UK continues to oppose the use of capital punishment in all circumstances.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Animal welfare strategy for England, published on 22 December 2025, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands on marine mammals in UK waters.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We remain committed to meeting our international obligations and continue to have concerns about the welfare and sustainability of these hunts.
In December 2025 we published the UK Cetacean Conservation Strategy with devolved governments. This includes species hunted in the Faroe Islands and aims to improve the conservation status of cetaceans in UK waters.
UK ministers and officials consistently call for an end to cetacean hunts in the Faroe Islands. As Chair of the International Whaling Commission’s Conservation Committee and Intersessional Working Group on Welfare, the UK promotes stronger protection and improved welfare for small cetaceans.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to publish the consultation on a ban on caged hens.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A UK-wide consultation on laying hen cage reform was launched on 12 January 2026 and closed on 9 March 2026. The Government is now analysing consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.