Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
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 impact of reductions to ODA on access to prevention tools such as long-acting PrEP; and what steps she is taking to (a) ensure equitable global access to those tools and (b) end AIDS.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains firmly committed to ending AIDS. We continue to support the organisations at forefront of the global response to HIV, including UNAIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and our investments to Unitaid, CHAI and MedAccess have helped shape the market for new HIV innovations, including Lenacapavir. A formal Equality impact assessment of Official Development Assistance programme allocations for 2025 to 2026 was published on 2 September 2025, and is available on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-official-development-assistance-programme-allocations-2025-to-2026-equality-impact-assessment/equality-impact-assessment-of-official-development-assistance-oda-programme-allocations-for-2025-to-2026). Assessments of the impact of future funding allocations will be made in due course once those allocations are set.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she will discuss access to finance for businesses based in areas of deprivation with the Chair of the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMT has engaged the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods and the Department continues to work with the Commission, including engaging with their recent report. I would welcome a discussion with the Chair on access to finance, should she think it helpful.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the replacement system for the NHS Electronic Staff Record will be required to record whether (a) clinicians have condition-specific specialisations such as a Parkinson’s Specialist Nurse and (b) roles are speciality-specific such as neuro physiotherapist.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Service provider trusts are required to provide core workforce data to NHS England and the Department based on definitions set out in the National Workforce Data Set (NWD). The NWD is kept under review to ensure it is kept up to date while the burden on trusts of data collection remains proportionate.
The replacement system for the NHS Electronic staff Record (ESR), the Future NHS Workforce System (FWS) will make it easier to record the information that aligns with NHS organisational needs, including the skills and specialisms of staff. NHS England is currently working with the NHS Business Services Authority to make the best use of the data capture ability of the new system.
There is not a hard deadline for deciding what will be recorded on the FWS. As with ESR, new fields will be able to be added to meet the changing requirements of trusts and of national workforce planning. We will though need to continue to work with trusts to ensure that the data we require them to capture is both useful, proportionate and aligned with operational needs.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will introduce legislation to allow cooperatives to issue capital instruments to raise finance which don’t lead to demutualisation.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is keen to ensure that the law governing co-operatives and community benefit societies supports their growth. That is why we are funding the Law Commission’s independent review of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.
The Law Commission’s independent review is considering ways to update and modernise the legislation for co-operatives and community benefit societies, ensuring that it fits the nature and needs of these societies as well as ensuring that regulation is proportionate and effective. The Law Commission is considering methods of raising capital, including society shares, as part of its review.
The Law Commission will publish its final recommendations in 2026. Once this is published, the government will carefully consider the Law Commission’s recommendations to understand whether reform of the legislation is needed to ensure these businesses are supported to grow and succeed into the future.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to make a decision on the replacement system for the NHS Electronic Staff Record.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority signed a contract with Infosys to deliver a new enhanced workforce management system for the National Health Service on 10 October 2025. Further details on the programme can be found at the following link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/future-nhs-workforce-solution-transformation-programme
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she will discuss support for new mutual banks with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Business and Trade.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is committed to supporting the growth of mutual financial services in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the mutual and co-operative sector.
HM Treasury works closely with departments across government, including the Department for Business and Trade, to deliver this commitment. We also engage regularly with the mutuals sector to understand the challenges they face and explore opportunities to help the sector grow.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to apply for UK membership of Eurodac.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK-EU Summit on 19 May set out a framework for future cooperation on migration issues. We are working closely with EU partners to deliver new capability as it is crucial part of our response to Illegal Migration. We will not provide a running commentary of these negotiations
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether British students will be able to take part in the Erasmus+ exchange programme by January 2027.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As set out at the UK-EU Summit in May, the UK agreed to work towards association to the Erasmus+ programme on mutually agreed financial terms.
Negotiations are ongoing, and the timelines for any association are subject to ongoing discussion. We are open to associating to Erasmus+ for 2027 in principle, but only if we can reach agreement on financial terms, which should ensure a fair balance as regards the contributions of and benefits to the UK.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92513, if he will confirm who the relevant authorities are.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
The Secretary of State is aware that the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Ombudsman have been responding to the implications for clients in England and Wales of the firm’s closure. It would not be appropriate for him to comment any further and any inquiries should be directed to these relevant authorities.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to increase levels of household savings.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Everyone should have access to affordable and appropriate products for their financial wellbeing. The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring individuals and households have greater financial security.
This is why the government offers several ways to help people save and increase their financial resilience. The overall ISA allowance of £20,000 ensures that savers can put significant sums away in a tax-free savings account. For those who save outside of an ISA, the Personal Savings Allowance provides up to £1,000 of tax-free savings interest for basic rate taxpayers, and £500 for higher rate taxpayers.
The Help to Save scheme supports financial resilience for working people on low incomes by encouraging consistent, long-term saving and helping them build a financial buffer to plan and prepare for the future. The scheme is currently available to working individuals in receipt of Universal Credit, ensuring it remains targeted at its intended population.
As announced at Autumn Budget 2025, the government will make the Help to Save scheme permanent and, from April 2028, will expand eligibility to include all Universal Credit claimants who receive the child element, the caring element or both.