Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Nigerian counterpart on the recent kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement I made to the House on 27 November 2025 (HCWS1105), where I addressed the security challenges facing Nigeria due to the activities of terrorist groups and criminal bandits, and set out how the UK is supporting the Nigerian authorities to respond. We continue to work closely with the Government of Nigeria to tackle insecurity, including through our ongoing Security and Defence Partnership.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of adopting the legislative framework championed by Animal Free Research UK known as Herbie's Law.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Government has assessed that the UK’s existing legal framework already requires animals to be used in science only where no validated alternative exists. Through the Replacing Animals in Science strategy, we are accelerating the development, validation and regulatory uptake of alternative methods, supported by investment, regulatory reform and strengthened delivery oversight. The strategy sets out a long-term vision to eliminate animal use in science in all but exceptional circumstances. While the Government keeps the legislative framework under review, our current priority is delivering this science-led programme rather than introducing further legislation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress is being made towards establishing Fracture Liaison Services across all NHS trusts by 2030.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services by 2030, and outlines our vision for a more devolved health service.

We are acting across the whole pathway of fracture prevention. This includes improving access to diagnosis, supporting the adoption of effective treatments, and encouraging local systems to develop services that identify people at the highest risk of future fractures and intervene early.

We want integrated care boards (ICBs) to shape services for their localities, and we have set expectations that ICBs will prioritise community-based models when commissioning new services.

Found: Alex Ballinger (Labour; Halesowen) Aphra Brandreth (Conservative; Chester South and Eddisbury) Dan Carden

The Committee is examining the UK Government’s approach to Syria following the collapse of the Assad Regime in December 2024 and the establishment of a transitional government. 

The National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence Review identify Russia as the most acute threat to the UK. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK Government has focused its defence and foreign policy posture on visible and practical support for Ukraine. The Committee is launching an inquiry on Russia to consider the UK’s bilateral relationship and whether the UK’s long-term strategic approach to a post-conflict Russia is clearly defined.