Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of eligible households in Belfast South and Mid Down, West Belfast, North Belfast and East Belfast constituencies are availing of the Tax Free Childcare scheme.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The number of families that use Tax Free Childcare in these constituencies each year is published in table 12 of Tax Free Childcare statistics (Tax-Free Childcare Statistics, December 2025 - GOV.UK).Eligible population data is not broken down at constituency level so it is not possible to calculate the proportion that are using the scheme.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure Northern Irish residents who hold only Irish passports will be supported for evacuation, by the British government, from locations in the middle east impacted by the ongoing conflict.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Anyone who is eligible for British nationality can use the Register Your Presence service, including those with birthright citizenship under the Good Friday agreement, irrespective of whether or not they have a British Passport. If a constituent does not have a British Passport but wishes to register their presence, they can call the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 24/7 Consular Call Centre +44 (0)7008 5000, who will advise them how to do so. We maintain regular contact with the Northern Ireland Executive about these matters, including the provision of consular assistance to Irish passport holders.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the needs of British nationals without access to flights to Britain who are in the Maldives due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The safety of British nationals remains the Government's top priority. I refer the Hon Member to the statement I gave to the House on 5 March, and the answers provided to questions raised in response. Assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans her Department has to provide evacuation flights to British Nationals in the Maldives who are impacted by conflict in the Middle East.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The safety of British nationals remains the Government's top priority. I refer the Hon Member to the statement I gave to the House on 5 March, and the answers provided to questions raised in response. Assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the EU’s adoption of a ban on the sale of intentionally added microplastics.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In 2022, Defra initiated a research proposal to investigate the risks of intentionally added microplastics. The evidence project reviewed their emissions, the risks they pose both to human health and the environment, and included a socio-economic assessment of different policy options, including restricting primary microplastics in line with the EU. This was published on 12 May 2025. Defra welcomed the findings of the report, which provides important analysis of the UK-specific emissions of, and policy options for, intentionally added microplastics.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to establish a commissioner for covert law enforcement in Northern Ireland that could help ensure covert surveillance techniques are only used within the law.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Oversight of the use of investigatory powers in Northern Ireland is provided by the UK-wide Investigatory Powers Commissioner.
The Commissioner’s role is to ensure that such use is necessary and proportionate and in accordance with the law. This arrangement also has the benefit of ensuring the scrutiny of these powers is consistent across the United Kingdom.