Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data her Department holds on whether there are unwanted side effects resulting from the addition of folic acid to food products.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 July in response to Question 18201.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are being taken to recover state pension and pension credit payments that were mistakenly paid in the past five years, to those who were deceased more than six months prior to the payments being made.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 16 June 2026 to Question UIN 2948.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2026 to WPQ 2683, how the Semiconductor Advisory Panel plans to speak to all geographies of the semiconductor community, especially in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Semiconductor Advisory Panel shapes our national approach on semiconductors by engaging with the full spectrum of the UK’s semiconductor industry, across the different strengths, priorities and issues across all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland. This includes consideration of cross cutting issues like photonics and skills, both of which are important to Northern Ireland’s semiconductor cluster. Government-funded sector studies also support the Panel’s work, with the 2026 Semiconductor Sector Study providing an updated assessment of the size, composition and development of the sector across the UK, including its regional clusters and strengths. This study highlights Northern Ireland as an important UK semiconductor cluster with particular strengths in photonics and hardware security.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2026 to Question 34739, on how many occasions officials from the Northern Ireland Executive attended in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

We do not comment on the attendance of officials at individual Taskforce meetings, however officials from the Northern Ireland Executive are not standing members of the Taskforce.

Officials from the Taskforce and member departments such as the Joint Election Security Preparedness Unit regularly engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on relevant topics. The Taskforce will continue to do so as we approach the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections next year.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when does she expect to publish the first annual report of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

We are currently preparing the FIRS annual report for publication, and it will be laid in Parliament as soon as practicable. The report will set out, among other things, the number of registrations, the number of information notices issued, the number of persons charged with an offence and the number of persons convicted of an offence.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding has been made available to assist with the UK Squirrel Accord supporting research into immunocontraception.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra provides ongoing funding for the laboratory facilities used in the UK Squirrel Accord research. Defra and the Forestry Commission also provide wider support to the UK Squirrel Accord, including funding towards its Director post.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what VAT distinction has been made between elective orthodontic treatment in adults and essential appliances used to correct craniofacial and occlusal abnormalities in children.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

There is no distinction in VAT treatment dependent on whether the patient is an adult or child.

Orthodontic treatment is exempt from VAT where it forms part of a package of medical care whose principle purpose is to protect, maintain or restore a person’s health, provided the conditions for the medical exemption are met.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will raise with NATO partners the ongoing construction of a new radar system at Gvardesyk, close to the Polish border and any security implications this may present.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Government remains in close consultation with NATO Allies on developments that may affect the security environment in the Euro-Atlantic area, including monitoring and assessing Russia’s investment in its military capabilities.

Construction of the radar facility in Kaliningrad has been underway for some time and forms part of this wider investment. The UK and NATO Allies routinely monitor relevant Russian military developments and share information and assessments where appropriate.

NATO continues to maintain an effective deterrence and defence posture, including on its Eastern Flank.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps other than letters from HMRC he plans to take to ensure further take up of Home Responsibilities Protection.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is continuing to support people who may have missing Home Responsibilities Protection to come forward. Alongside HM Revenue and Customs contacting potentially affected customers, we are undertaking regular communications encouraging people to check their National Insurance records, improving GOV.UK guidance, including information on Home Responsibilities Protection in annual State Pension uprating letters, and working with external organisations to help reach potentially eligible people.

Anyone who believes they may have missing Home Responsibilities Protection can use the online eligibility checker and make a claim through GOV.UK.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Pursuant to WPQ 29895, Will he undertake a survey of those traders that have been using the Windsor Framework arrangements for SPS movements, regarding their experience of the system and whether suggested improvments can be made to it

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra routinely engages with traders on their experience of the Windsor Framework arrangements for SPS movements. Feedback from businesses helps the Department understand how the arrangements are operating and where improvements may be needed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how long she expects the TRANSFORM screening trial to take to (a) produce first stage results and (b) publish a final outcome.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 19 June in response to Question 8715.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions officials from the Northern Ireland Executive have attended the Defending Democracy Taskforce in each of the last three years.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

Ministers and officials from the Northern Ireland Executive attended an Extraordinary Taskforce meeting ahead of the devolved and local elections earlier this year. The Taskforce is committed to engaging with the Northern Ireland Executive on relevant topics, and officials from the Taskforce and member departments, including the Joint Election Security Preparedness Unit will continue to do so, including as we approach the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections next year.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether formal or informal meetings took place between Departmental officials and August Hanning between 1998 and 2005.

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

It is the longstanding policy of His Majesty's Government that we do not comment on intelligence matters.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if he will promote the next funding round of the Music Export Grant Scheme in February 2027 in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

My department will promote the next funding round of the Music Export Grant Scheme (MEGS), due to open in February 2027, on the Government’s ‘Find a Grant’ site, Home - Find a grant and we will work with partners in Northern Ireland to promote the scheme to music businesses, including with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Output, the Oh Yeah Centre and Music Connections.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, When will the academic Peer Review of the Ipsos Mori Retribution survey begin undertaking it's work.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The academic Peer Review process is already underway. Once reports have been finalised in the new year following peer review, publication will commence.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to encourage those entitled to an enhanced State Pension as a result of Home Responsibilities Protection to apply.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has taken significant steps to encourage people who may be entitled to an increase in their State Pension as a result of missing Home Responsibilities Protection to come forward. This has included writing to over 370,000 potentially affected customers, securing national and local media coverage, and working with organisations such as Age UK and Citizens Advice.

HM Revenue and Customs is continuing to contact potentially affected customers as part of its ongoing work to identify and support those who may be entitled to missing Home Responsibilities Protection. Following research and feedback from the earlier campaign, communications have been revised to make them clearer and more accessible.

The Government is also improving GOV.UK guidance, promoting checks of National Insurance records, including relevant information in annual State Pension uprating letters, and working with external organisations to reach potentially eligible people.

Anyone who believes they may have missing Home Responsibilities Protection can use the online eligibility checker and make a claim through GOV.UK.

Remembering the life of Ciara Mageean

Appointment of Russian diplomat to lead United Nations' mine-action work

Drumcree policing and the Provisional IRA

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Cancer treatment in rural areas