Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to to Amnesty International's report entitled No one guarantees my safety: the urgent need to strengthen Mexico’s federal policies for the protection of journalists, published in March 2024, what discussions he has had with his Mexican counterpart on (a) strengthening Mexico’s Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists and (b) the need for its effective implementation.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is committed to Media Freedom, and to championing democracy and human rights around the world. Independent media is essential to a healthy democracy. The danger facing journalists in Mexico is highly concerning and Amnesty International's report rightly raises concerns about the effectiveness of the Federal Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists. Our Embassy in Mexico City works closely with the Mexican Government and civil society organisations on understanding and reducing the risks faced by journalists and human rights defenders due to their professions. Representatives from the UK Government and the Mexican Government held their second Multilateral and Human Rights Dialogue on 13-14 May 2025 where both Governments reaffirmed their commitment to human rights. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials met with representatives of Amnesty International on 17 June in London to understand their concerns around the mechanism.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on whether the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence plans to publish guidelines for the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of chronic urinary tract infections.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has an established prioritisation process overseen by a prioritisation board, for the identification of priorities for guidance development. Anyone can suggest a topic through the NICE website at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/forms/topic-suggestion

NICE has no current plans to develop guidance on chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) at this time and the topic has not been considered by its prioritisation board. However, NICE has produced a clinical guideline on antimicrobial prescribing for recurrent UTIs which provides recommendations on treatments and self-care for the prevention of recurrent UTIs. This guideline is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng112

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, updated 6 June 2025, what steps she is taking to ensure that reforms will allow recognised refugees to become British citizens.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

We will be consulting on the earned settlement and citizenship scheme later this year, and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered the potential merits of a certification scheme for e-bikes to be carried on public transport; and whether she has had discussions with Transport for London on such a scheme.

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

It is for transport operators to decide on their conditions of carriage, as safe duty holders, including whether to allow people to bring e-bikes onboard.

While I have therefore not discussed any form of certification scheme with Transport for London, Ministers and officials have regular discussions with TfL on a variety of issues, including on e-bike safety.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking's report entitled Unregulated and unsafe: the threat of illegal e-Bikes, published in June 2025, whether her Department plans to support the introduction of scrappage schemes for unsafe (a) e-bikes and (b) conversion kits.

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

While there are no plans to introduce a scrappage scheme, the Government is bringing forward the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill. This will enable the UK product safety framework to keep up with innovative products and technological progress, giving Ministers the power to update relevant product safety laws accordingly to tackle products that pose greater risks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to include measures to tackle the use of (a) illegal and (b) unregulated e-bikes in its Road Safety Strategy.

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

Only e-bikes that are fully compliant with the requirements of the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 are legal to use on the roads, and we recognise the risk to road safety of those e-bikes that are not compliant with regulations.

The Government treats road safety very seriously, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing our Road Safety Strategy and will set out more detail in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support local authorities to ensure Travellers are not able to access public green spaces.

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

It is the responsibility of local authorities (LPAs) to assess the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites in their area and then plan to meet that need, in the same way that they plan for all forms of housing.

In doing so, LPAs should promote peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community, and aim to reduce the number of unauthorised developments and encampments.

In relation to local planning authority enforcement powers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 46336 on 30 April 2025.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had recent discussions with the Office for Product Safety and Standards on the enforcement of standards for e-bike (a) batteries and (b) conversion kits.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Under existing UK product safety law, all consumer products, including e-bike batteries and conversion kits, must meet legal requirements for safety when placed on the market. Tackling unsafe e-bikes is a priority for the Office for Product Safety and Standards, in my Department. They and Local Authority Trading Standards have powers to enforce the law including removing non-compliant products from sale. OPSS has prohibited the supply of certain models of unsafe e-bike batteries, and published 22 separate product recalls for non-compliant e-bikes and similar products since 2022.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that online marketplaces are held accountable for the sale of (a) unsafe and (b) non-compliant e-bike products.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

UK product safety law is clear: all products must be safe before being placed on the market, including e-bikes.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards leads a national Online Marketplaces Programme of regulatory action to reduce risks from unsafe and non-compliant goods sold online. This involves a range of activities, including regulatory engagement with online marketplaces on products such as e-bikes and enforcement action where necessary.

The Government has also introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to allow updates to the product safety framework and ensure consumers are protected; recognising the increasingly important role of online supply chains.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce legislative proposals to extend the ban on pavement parking outside of London.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department held a consultation on pavement parking in 2020 and has been considering all the views expressed in response to the consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the possible legislative opportunities for delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to restrict and enforce pavement parking.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support an international agreement that includes targets to reduce plastic production ahead of the next round of Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in August 2025.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to reaching an agreement on a global legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution when negotiations resume in August 2025. At the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on a treaty to end plastic pollution, the UK endorsed a statement calling for all countries to commit to achieving sustainable levels of primary plastic production and for a global target. Ahead of negotiations we are engaging with other countries to push for an effective treaty that addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including sustainable production and consumption.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she has considered the potential merits of requiring schools to have (a) allergy policies, (b) staff training on allergy management and (c) adrenaline auto-injectors available on site.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed. Policies should set out how staff will be supported in carrying out their role to support pupils, including how training needs are assessed and how training is commissioned and provided. Any member of school staff providing support to a pupil with medical needs should have received suitable training.

Schools can purchase spare adrenaline auto-injectors from a pharmacy without a prescription and for use in an emergency situation.

The department intends to consult on updated statutory guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions later this year. The full guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending transitional protection under Universal Credit to include couples who form a household which becomes eligible for Universal Credit and consequently (a) reduce the overall level of welfare expenditure and (b) free up social housing.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

No assessment has been made.

Transitional Protection was introduced as part of the Move to UC journey to ensure legacy benefit customers maintain the same level of entitlement on moving to UC at the point of transition.

Transitional protection is considered for both single and couple households that manage migrate to UC. It is not extended to customers in receipt of the transitional element that have a significant change of circumstances or where a couple forms and makes a new claim to UC.

The Universal Credit (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 made provision for transitional protection. DWP has no plans to amend the regulations to extend transitional protection to include couples who form a household after they have moved to Universal Credit.

Found: Presented by Bob Blackman supported by Christine Jardine, Fabian Hamilton, Sir Desmond Swayne, Siân

Found: Dyke Dave Robertson Anna Gelderd Mrs Elsie Blundell Rachel Gilmour Siân Berry Karl Turner Fabian Hamilton