Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the most recent new NHS radiotherapy centre was built that was not linked to the closure of an existing centre in (a) England and (b) the North East.

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

The Department does not collect information as to why new radiotherapy centres were built, and what links may exist with closures of radiotherapy centres. This is because decisions about radiotherapy treatment are made at local level.

However, the most recent NHS radiotherapy centre in England that opened was the Oxford University Hospitals Radiotherapy Centre in Milton Keynes which opened to patients in January 2025. The most recent radiotherapy centre to open in the North East of England is at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesborough, which opened in May 2012.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) Departments, (b) agencies and (c) public bodies sponsor staff on skilled worker visas.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This information is not held centrally. However, the Civil Service Nationality Rules govern eligibility for employment in the Civil Service and must be followed by government departments in their recruitment and appointment procedures.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on reducing barriers to cross-border travel for thoroughbred horses since 6 February 2025.

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

There have been no changes to the rules for importing thoroughbred horses into Great Britain since 6 February 2025. Imports of thoroughbred horses from the European Union do not currently need to enter Great Britain via a Border Control Post and are not subject to physical checks at the border. Guidance on importing horses into Great Britain is available on gov.uk.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential merits of ringfencing funding for Buvidal for people released from prison.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds local authorities to deliver drug and alcohol treatment services. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol services according to local need, which includes the provision of Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB), known under the brand name Buvidal. LAIB is available in all regions in England, including in County Durham and Easington, and for those who have been released from prison. It is a clinical decision whether to offer this treatment, based on an individual assessment and personal choice.

The Government has no current plans to ring-fence funding specifically for the provision of LAIB, and the Secretary of State for Justice has not held discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the provision of LAIB for people released from prison. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is committed to working with health partners to support access to clinical interventions appropriate to individual needs, and MoJ and DHSC work closely to ensure that people leaving prison receive continuity of care. We have a range of interventions to prepare prison leavers to continue their recovery journey in the community, including Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators nationwide, who strengthen links between prisons, probation and treatment providers.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the availability of Buvidal for people released from prison.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) funds local authorities to deliver drug and alcohol treatment services. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol services according to local need, which includes the provision of Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB), known under the brand name Buvidal. LAIB is available in all regions in England, including in County Durham and Easington, and for those who have been released from prison. It is a clinical decision whether to offer this treatment, based on an individual assessment and personal choice.

The Government has no current plans to ring-fence funding specifically for the provision of LAIB, and the Secretary of State for Justice has not held discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the provision of LAIB for people released from prison. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is committed to working with health partners to support access to clinical interventions appropriate to individual needs, and MoJ and DHSC work closely to ensure that people leaving prison receive continuity of care. We have a range of interventions to prepare prison leavers to continue their recovery journey in the community, including Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators nationwide, who strengthen links between prisons, probation and treatment providers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to introduce a national digital equine ID system.

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

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and of improving equine identification. We have no current plans to implement mandatory digital identification, but we remain in close touch with the industry to look at potential improvements to equine ID.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which (a) Departments, (b) agencies and (c) public bodies employ staff on graduate visas.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department employs people on graduate visas.

Of our executive non-departmental public bodies, the following employ people on graduate visas:

• Construction Industry Training Board.
• Student Loans Company.
• Engineering Construction Industry Training Board.
• Social Work England.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy published on 25 March 2025, what steps she is taking to ensure that the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (SHORE) takes account of employment practices at companies which submit bids to SHORE for public funding.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy encourages building on the UK’s extensive maritime knowledge, expertise and capacity for innovation. Through the UK Shipping Emissions for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme, we have invested £236m across the UK to support research and development into clean maritime technologies.

As the primary delivery partner for UK SHORE, Innovate UK manages the competition, assessment process, due diligence, and ongoing monitoring and management of UK SHORE funded projects. Innovate UK undertakes rigorous checks on each organisation receiving funding before grants are awarded. There are clauses within the grant awards that allow funding to be immediately suspended or terminated if we have concerns about an organisation breaking the law, including through their employment practices.

Death of Pope Francis

News journalism and artificial intelligence tools

Second state visit by Donald Trump

Oversight of homelessness

British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme

Injury on Duty Award Scheme

Avanti West Coast ticket offices and station staffing

Changes to Great Western Railway ticket offices and stations

Found: Richard Burgon Barry Gardiner Andy McDonald Rachael Maskell Clive Lewis Nadia Whittome Grahame Morris