Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what grounds her Department decided to extend the opening of papers relating to the 1959 murder of Martha Giles to 2055.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

During a review of the records held at The National Archives concerning the murder of Martha Giles, a record was found to contain the personal data of several individuals who are assumed to still be living. Consequently, in accordance with the 100-year principle that is set out in the Guide to Archiving Personal Data, the record in question will be kept closed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the assumed lifetime of the youngest individual identified (2055).

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if monies will be noted in the April budget which includes the interim payment for people impacted by Valproate.

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

The Spring Statement demonstrated that the Government has taken the decisions necessary to provide security, reform the state, and grow the economy. The Government remains committed to holding only one major fiscal event a year, to give families and businesses the certainty they need on tax and spending changes.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has of the potential impact of the increasing role of (a) Russia and (b) China in global nuclear energy exports for the UK's geopolitical interests; and whether he plans to bring forward a strategy to counter their influence in this area.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

All investment involving critical infrastructure is subject to thorough scrutiny and needs to satisfy our robust legal, regulatory, and national security requirements.

The UK takes its national security extremely seriously. The powers we have through the National Security and Investment Act further enhance our ability to intervene if required.

The UK, as a member of nuclear fuels alliance Sapporo 5, is resolved to realise a nuclear fuel supply free from Russian influence and potential political leverage by other countries, and to expand our existing fuel cycle capabilities further to ensure a resilient fuel supply chain of benefit to our international allies.

We continue to invest in domestic fuel cycle capabilities such as our £300 million investment in high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). We are committed to working with our international partners to reduce global dependence on Russian nuclear fuel, as outlined in the Sapporo Agreement (April 2023).

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the weight of volumetric concrete mixers on the average number of miles driven by concrete mixers each year from 2028 onwards.

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

The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The following factors were considered: reduction in payload per journey, increased waste, and increased vehicle mileage. Information received did not provide any compelling evidence for permitting a weight limit exemption specifically for VCMs on the grounds of mileage.

This is not a change to the policy on weights for VCMs but a decision to continue with the existing policy that a temporary exemption will come to an end in 2028.

Imprisonment of Lucy Connolly

Upholding biological sex-based protections in single-sex spaces

Mass deportation of illegal migrants

British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme