Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he will take to remove barriers to accessing a social home for those most in need.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has already taken action to remove barriers for those most in need of access to social housing, including exempting former members of the regular armed forces, young care leavers under 25 and victims of domestic abuse from local connection tests.

As announced in the government’s National Plan to End Homelessness on 11 December, we will work with partners to update statutory guidance on social housing allocations to ensure that allocations reflect local need and ensure homes go to those who need them the most.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the allegations relating to the (a treatment and (b) location of Y Qunyh Bdap from Vietnam; and what discussions she has had with her counterparts in Vietnam on his (i) location, (iI) wellbeing and (iii) access to legal counsel and independent monitoring.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 November in response to Question 83589. The UK raised the case of Y Quynh Bdap in our statement at the UN Human Rights Council in September 2025. On 19 December, the UK Human Rights Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Eleanor Sanders, also raised the UK's position on this case with Thailand's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Usana Berananda.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help increase funding for education for children around the world.

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

The UK is a world leader in championing safe, inclusive, quality education, working in partnership with governments and multilaterals to deliver the education that all children deserve. In a context of scarce resources, the UK is working to increase both the volume and effectiveness of global and national financial investments in education, including supporting innovative financing mechanisms such as the International Finance Facility for Education.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what reassurance she can give to farmers whose cashflow relies on Higher Tier payments arriving in early December and who have not received their payments yet from the Rural Payments Agency.

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

The 2025 payment window opened on 1 December, and by mid-December around three quarters of eligible farmers had already received their Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship payments. The Agency continues to work hard improving payment performance and to deliver all remaining eligible Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship payments as quickly as possible.

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 Rural Payments Agency’s performance in delivering Higher Tier and other payments in early December in line with past expectations.

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

The 2025 payment window opened on 1 December, and by mid-December around three quarters of eligible farmers had already received their Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship payments. The Agency continues to work hard improving payment performance and to deliver all remaining eligible Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship payments as quickly as possible.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy for England, following the closure of the call for evidence on 20 February 2025.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is committed to publishing the integrated national transport strategy shortly, which will set the long‑term vision for domestic transport across England.

St Mirren Football Club

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Tonia Antoniazzi (Chair); Chris Bloore; David Smith; Sorcha Eastwood

Found: humanitarian law.41 • Support freedom religion or belief (FoRB): The UK’s Special Envoy on FoRB, David Smith

Found: - The HeraldScreen2025-09-24 00:00:00MeetingIsabel Davis, Executive Director, Screen Scotland; David Smith