Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recent reports of inadequate future personal pension provision; and what further steps he is taking to help increase personal pension contributions.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Ensuring current and future pensioners have adequate retirement income is a key priority for this Government.

Despite the success of Automatic Enrolment in transforming workplace retirement saving with over 23 million employees participating in 2024, we know that 45% of working-age adults are not actively saving into a pension.

That is why the government is taking action to reform the pensions landscape. The Pension Schemes Act 2026 received Royal Assent in April and will play a huge role in strengthening the private pensions market, providing better outcomes for pension savers and supporting UK growth.

We have also revived the Pensions Commission, to explore how to improve retirement outcomes for future generations. The Commission published their interim report on 19 May 2026, setting out areas of focus on the longer-term challenges around retirement adequacy, especially for those at the greatest risk of undersaving. The Government will set out its plans following the Pensions Commission’s final report, which is due in early 2027.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will set out the benefits derived from the UK-German Strategic Science and Technology Partnership to date.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK‑Germany Strategic Science and Technology Partnership was launched alongside the Kensington Treaty in July 2025 to accelerate the development of transformative technologies through closer UK-Germany collaboration. Early outcomes include £6 million joint funding for quantum research and development, investment in applied photonics research in Glasgow to help businesses bring new products to market, and an AI partnership between centres in Edinburgh and Stuttgart to speed up AI adoption in industry and the public sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will have discussions with the the Northern Ireland Executive on ensuring that the economic impact of the Northern Ireland Enhanced Investment Zone extends beyond the Greater Belfast area.

Answered by Nesil Caliskan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I am pleased that the UK Government has worked closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to co-develop the Northern Ireland Enhanced Investment Zone to invest £150 million over the next 10 years to unlock around 1,000 jobs.

Recognising the strengths of Northern Ireland’s economy, the programme is designed on an “all-Northern Ireland” basis to support the Executive’s objective of regional balance. Identifying sectoral strengths and growth opportunities within and beyond the Greater Belfast Area. I was delighted that we announced our first investment in May to support advanced manufacturing skills in Lurgan, County Armagh.

We will continue to work in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive throughout the delivery of the programme.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who arrived illegally in the UK have subsequently successfully applied for the right to remain within the last five years.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes statistics on detected arrivals via illegal routes to the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on initial decisions on asylum claims from small boat arrivals is published in table IER_D03 of the ‘Illegal entry routes to the UK detailed datasets’, with the latest data up to the end of December 2025.

We do not routinely produce official statistics on initial decisions on asylum claims by route of entry for people who arrived by non-small boat routes, or on applications for the right to remain via any non-asylum pathways.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of differing VAT policies for dine-in establishments and takeaway-only premises on small takeaway food businesses in coastal and tourist areas, including those in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £189 billion in 2026/27.

Hot takeaway food is subject to the 20 per cent standard rate of VAT. This ensures parity of treatment with food sold in restaurants, which is also subject to the standard rate. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

Across the UK from 25 June to 1 September the Government is introducing a temporary reduced rate of VAT on children's menu meals and eligible family attractions.

This temporary VAT relief is focused on activities especially targeted at children and families, keeping the package targeted and affordable. Including takeaways would have significantly increased the cost of the package, and this decision means the Great British Summer Savings is more closely targeted at family days out.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has held with the Northern Ireland Office on the impact of upfront customs duty payments on Northern Ireland car retailers bringing vehicles into Northern Ireland, in the context of longer repayment times in Northern Ireland compared with car retailers in other parts of the UK.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC continues to support industry, including car retailers, to maximise the use of the facilitations under the Windsor Framework. The UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) can be used by authorised businesses to move eligible goods ‘not at risk’, without payment of duty, if they are brought from Great Britain into Northern Ireland for sale or final use by end consumers in the UK. The Independent Monitoring Panel's November 2025 report confirmed that the vast majority of goods movements to Northern Ireland by value (96%) continue to do so without paying any duty. Where goods are assessed to be 'at risk' but remain outside the EU, HMRC has also recently delivered improvements to the Duty Reimbursement Scheme (DRS) to support businesses, and in particular those affected by upfront duty costs.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Indian counterpart on the case of the three Baptist pastors shot dead in the State of Manipur on 13 May.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 1 June in response to Question 2730.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, under the international arrangements English HE providers have for registering with the Office for Students, on how many occasions in the past five years has there been an intervention by the OfS regarding alleged breaches at Confucius Institutes.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The information requested is not held centrally by the department. The Office for Students (OfS), as the independent regulator for higher education in England, is responsible for identifying, monitoring and holding information relating to potential breaches of its regulatory requirements. The OfS publishes details of formal enforcement action where appropriate but does not routinely publish information on notifications it receives or ongoing investigations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate numbers of personnel entering the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in the context of recently announced changes to remuneration.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We deeply value and recognise the significant service Coastguard Rescue Officers provide along our coastline, and we will be supporting them during this transition. Where Coastguard Rescue Officers are unfortunately unable to continue, local teams will be supported to recruit and train new members. Volunteers will continue to receive training, equipment and operational support as well as uniforms and personal protective equipment, and be able to claim expenses.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been spent on the roll out of Making Tax Digital between its original inception and June 1st 2026.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answers of 1 June 2026 to Question 2730 and 11 June 2026 to Question 7371, whether the topic of the three pastors shot dead in the State of Manipur on 13 May has been raised with Indian authorities since the incident took place.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I have no further update to provide the Hon Member beyond the previous responses referred to in his question. If and when there is anything more to report, I will let him know.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has offered advice and support to the organisers of the Northern Ireland Armed Forces day celebrations to be held this year in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry on Saturday 20th June 2026.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Ministry of Defence has provided advice and support to the organisers of Armed Forces Day through 38 Brigade, which is the military lead for the event. Defence assets, including the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team, a Royal Navy P2000 patrol boat, and RAF Music Services, will deliver key elements of the event. Several regiments with strong links to Northern Ireland, including the Royal Irish Regiment, will also support the event through regimental stands and musical contributions. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has been awarded the maximum Armed Forces Day grant of £10,000 in support of the event.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with Coeliac UK on difficulties being encountered by coeliac sufferers as they have to buy gluten-free products which are more expensive than other similar non gluten free products.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Ministers and officials regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders to understand the challenges faced by people living with long-term conditions, including coeliac disease.

The Government recognises the increased costs incurred by people with coeliac disease because they must buy gluten-free options, which are often more expensive than similar non-gluten-free products.

Food prices are determined by commercial suppliers and depend on a range of factors including import prices, domestic agricultural prices, domestic labour and manufacturing costs, and exchange rates. It is not for the Government to set retail food prices or to comment on day-to-day commercial decisions taken by businesses.

More broadly, the Government is taking action to support households with the cost of living, and we will continue to work with the National Health Service and stakeholders to ensure people with coeliac disease receive appropriate support and advice to manage their condition effectively.

Museum online sales to Northern Ireland

110th anniversary of the 36th (Ulster) Division at the Somme

Armed Forces Day 2026

Armed Forces Week

Armed Forces Week 2026

Antisemitic hostility

Jeffrey Donaldson

Kevin Sinfield

Houses in multiple occupation

Public health campaign on the dangers of swimming in open water

Bus and train travel from the Republic of Ireland to the UK

One millionth parkrun

Pilot scheme for the hospitality VAT rate in Northern Ireland

Somme 110