Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of clinical oncologists in regions with the lowest consultant-to-population ratios.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We’re building our cancer workforce. As of February 2025, there are over 1,800 full time equivalent doctors working in the speciality of clinical oncology in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England. This is almost 150, or 8.9%, more than last year.
We will publish a new workforce plan to ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places to deliver the care patients need, transforming the health service and making it fit for the future.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of the murder of Danilo Benavides in Arauca on 2 March 2025.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned at the murders of former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) combatants, including that of Danilo Benavides in Arauca on 2 March 2025. We urge the Colombian authorities to investigate and tackle the root causes of violence to prevent such attacks. At the UN Security Council, we consistently call for the strengthening of protection and reintegration measures for former FARC combatants. Through UK funding, we have long supported the implementation of the peace agreement, including the security and reintegration of its signatories.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to include the (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) research of urinary tract infections in the (i) 10-year Health Plan and (ii) Women’s Health Strategy.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan will set out how we tackle the inequities that lead to poor health. This will include how we will improve access to and the experience of care for conditions such as chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all support people to manage their conditions, including chronic UTIs, closer to home.
Recurrent UTIs are more prevalent in women. This Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future, and our focus is on turning the commitments in the Women's Health Strategy into tangible actions to improve health for women.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce consumption of ultra-processed food among children.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
United Kingdom dietary recommendations are based on robust independent risk assessments by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). In its 2023 and 2025 position statements on processed foods and health, the SACN concluded that while there are limitations in the evidence, on balance, most people are likely to benefit from reducing their consumption of processed foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt, and free sugars, and low in fibre.
In relation to foods and drinks that would be classified as high in calories, saturated fat, salt, and free sugars, work on our health commitments is progressing through:
There are a range of actions have already been taken to create a healthier environment to help children reduce their consumption of foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt, and free sugars, and these include:
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to commission an independent review of the (a) carbon capture and storage programme and (b) associated cluster model ahead of the next Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Currently, we do not plan to commission an independent review into the CCUS programme. The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority provides oversight of the Programme as a Government’s Major Projects Portfolio, through Gateway Reviews and reporting. In 2024, the Programme was subject to a National Audit Office review and subsequently a Public Accounts Committee hearing. Internally, we continue to evaluate our work and to ensure we are delivering value for money to taxpayers.
We will publish a report setting out our plan to meet carbon budgets in October. This will set out the policies and proposals that will enable the UK to meet Carbon Budgets 4-6 and will reflect the role that CCUS will play in meeting these targets.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help tackle the impact of the recruitment of children by armed groups on (a) the humanitarian situation and (b) human rights in Colombia.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is concerned by reports of a sharp rise in child recruitment by armed groups in Colombia. The UK is a key member of the UN's Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) which plays a key role in promoting the protection of children affected by armed conflict, including through preventing recruitment. We align the activity of this multilateral group to the recommendations in the UN Secretary General's annual report on CAAC. We also regularly raise the issue of CAAC in our interventions at the UN Security Council (UNSC). We welcome the progress the Colombian government has made in the consultative phase of its Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security which if implemented effectively could help prevent youth and child recruitment. In November 2024, the Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean attended the Violence Against Children Conference in Colombia. At the conference, she discussed with Colombian counterparts how to strengthen the capacity of child protection systems to address significant threats to their wellbeing including in armed conflict.