Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to raise the potential impact of Chinese companies providing military support to Russia during his upcoming trade talks with China.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As the Foreign Secretary has previously said, we are concerned about China’s military backing for Russia, including the provision by Chinese companies of dual-use goods and support to Russia’s military. We continue to call on China to take action and prevent companies within its jurisdiction from providing military support to Russia. We will continue to engage with them at all levels to this end.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will release all bereavement case studies submitted to Module 4 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry in a timely manner.

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

The COVID-19 Inquiry is independent of the Government, and its timing, process, and focus are all matters for the Chair, Baroness Heather Hallett. This includes the disclosure of documents submitted to the Inquiry.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of safeguarding policies in mixed-sex changing facilities in (a) leisure centres and (b) swimming pools.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

It is vital that everyone participating in sport feels safe and secure.

Decisions regarding the use of changing facilities are the responsibility of facility owners. Many National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs), local authorities and sports organisations have guidance and policies in place to help facility owners. As an example, the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CSPU) has produced best practice guidance. Similarly, Sport England’s This Girl Can Campaign published new guidance this year for gyms and leisure centres to make safer spaces for women and girls. This guidance was created in collaboration with ukactive, The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity and Women’s Aid, and is available on the Safer Spaces to Move Hub.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) recruitment target for and (b) actual number of people recruited into the (i) Army Reserves, (ii) Maritime Reserves and (iii) RAF Reserves was by constituency in each year since 2020.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way.

Information on the average time to process applications to join the Reserves by Service and year, and the number of people recruited by constituency is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The single Services do not set recruitment targets by constituency.

Information on the number of applications to the Volunteer Reserves is provided in the following table:

Applications to the Volunteer Reserves, broken down by Service, From 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2025 (12 months ending each 31 March)

Source: Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics 1st July 2025

Note:

1. Naval figures for the period ending 31 March 2025 are provisional. There is a break in the time series for the Naval Service following the period ending 31 March 2024 due to a methodology refinement.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average length of time to process applications from people wanting to join the Reserves in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF was in each year since 2020.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way.

Information on the average time to process applications to join the Reserves by Service and year, and the number of people recruited by constituency is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The single Services do not set recruitment targets by constituency.

Information on the number of applications to the Volunteer Reserves is provided in the following table:

Applications to the Volunteer Reserves, broken down by Service, From 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2025 (12 months ending each 31 March)

Source: Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics 1st July 2025

Note:

1. Naval figures for the period ending 31 March 2025 are provisional. There is a break in the time series for the Naval Service following the period ending 31 March 2024 due to a methodology refinement.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications to join the Reserves for the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF were made in each year since 2020.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way.

Information on the average time to process applications to join the Reserves by Service and year, and the number of people recruited by constituency is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The single Services do not set recruitment targets by constituency.

Information on the number of applications to the Volunteer Reserves is provided in the following table:

Applications to the Volunteer Reserves, broken down by Service, From 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2025 (12 months ending each 31 March)

Source: Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics 1st July 2025

Note:

1. Naval figures for the period ending 31 March 2025 are provisional. There is a break in the time series for the Naval Service following the period ending 31 March 2024 due to a methodology refinement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Roadmap to rebuild trust in water sector unveiled in major new report, published on 21 July 2025, what proportion of the £104 billion water infrastructure investment will be funded by (a) water companies, (b) the public purse and (c) private third-party investors.

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

Over the next five years water companies will spend £104 billion on investment and operation combined. This is more spending than at any previous price review.

Ofwat set out in its final determinations that £44 billion of this spending would be on new infrastructure and resources.

In the first instance, this will be provided by private investors. Ofwat has estimated that investors will provide £12.7 billion in new equity during the spending period. The remainder will be funded by water companies, in part through debt in order to spread the costs of investment over the lifetime of the new assets.

In line with the funding model for the water industry, debt and equity investors will be repaid over time through customer bills.

Business plans for all water companies have been published by Ofwat.

Water company investment plans will require no contributions from general taxation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has met with representatives from Red Tractor to discuss the effectiveness of the Red Tractor assurance scheme regarding animal welfare standards.

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

The Red Tractor assurance scheme is independent from Government. We have not met with representatives of Red Tractor to discuss the effectiveness of the Red Tractor scheme standards.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulatory framework in relation to insurance companies’ use of loss adjusters; and whether she plans to regulate the conduct of loss adjusters.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Whilst loss adjusters acting on behalf of insurers are not directly regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), they are typically members of professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA). CILA sets standards for ethical conduct, technical competence, and professional integrity through its Guide to Professional Conduct.

Insurers are ultimately responsible for ensuring that all aspects of their claims process meet the FCA’s regulatory standards. These include requirements to handle claims promptly and fairly, provide reasonable guidance to policyholders, and avoid unreasonable claim rejections. The FCA’s Consumer Duty also requires insurers to deliver good outcomes for customers throughout the claims journey.

At present, there are no plans to introduce additional regulation specifically targeting the conduct of loss adjusters. However, the FCA continues to monitor practices across the insurance sector and has robust powers to take action against regulated firms that fail to comply with its rules.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulatory framework for insurance companies’ use of loss adjusters; and whether she plans to regulate the conduct of loss adjusters.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Whilst loss adjusters acting on behalf of insurers are not directly regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), they are typically members of professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA). CILA sets standards for ethical conduct, technical competence, and professional integrity through its Guide to Professional Conduct.

Insurers are ultimately responsible for ensuring that all aspects of their claims process meet the FCA’s regulatory standards. These include requirements to handle claims promptly and fairly, provide reasonable guidance to policyholders, and avoid unreasonable claim rejections. The FCA’s Consumer Duty also requires insurers to deliver good outcomes for customers throughout the claims journey.

At present, there are no plans to introduce additional regulation specifically targeting the conduct of loss adjusters. However, the FCA continues to monitor practices across the insurance sector and has robust powers to take action against regulated firms that fail to comply with its rules.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to mitigate risks to delivery of proposed water infrastructure upgrades arising from the financial instability of water companies.

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

Water companies’ delivery of infrastructure and improved water demand management to secure our water supplies is a top priority and will be supported by our reforms of the sector.

Defra work with regulators to closely monitor delivery through annual reviews of how companies against their targets. If they are not meeting their targets, they will receive a joint regulators letter setting out what they are failing on and when they must rectify these issues.

We have established a ministerial Water Delivery Taskforce to monitor and intervene in projects that are essential for growth.

This will also work alongside the regulators to hold the water companies to account to deliver their PR24 plans and scrutinising the costs of major projects in PR24.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the repayment threshold of student loans on plan five in line with those on plan two.

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

Where government reforms lead to the introduction of a new student loan plan type, the terms of the new loan, such as repayment threshold, interest rates and length of the loan are considered as a whole. They are then set in legislation to apply to that specific loan type, such as for Plan 5 which was introduced in 2023.

Comparing only one element, such as the threshold, of a historic plan to a new plan does not provide a balanced assessment. Though the Plan 5 repayment threshold is lower than for Plan 2, the Plan 5 interest rate is lower (RPI+0%) when compared with Plan 2 Plan (RPI+3% during study and varies with earnings post-study).

In 2022, the department conducted a government consultation to assess the impact of policy reforms on higher education funding and finance, including changes to repayment thresholds from Plan 2 to Plan 5. Details on the consultation are available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62223cfb8fa8f549071fc82c/Higher_education_policy_statement_reform_consultation_-_Equality_analysis.pdf.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a delay in settlement for British National (Overseas) child visa holders caused by a change from a 5+1 to a 10+1 route on access to (a) scholarships, (b) tuition support and (c) student finance.

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

Subject to meeting the normal eligibility requirements, Hong Kong British National (Overseas) status holders will be able to qualify for student finance, including tuition fee loans and maintenance loans, and home fee status once they have acquired settled status in the UK. This is in line with most other persons on routes to settlement.

The Home Office has made clear that they will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details of the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed reforms to PIP on demand for (a) local authority services, (b) food banks, and (c) mental health support.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, led by myself and co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of prolonged temporary immigration status on British National (Overseas) visa holders’ access to (a) employment, (b) housing and (c) credit.

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

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.

I welcomed the opportunity to listen to the views of Members around these subjects in the recent 8th September Westminster Hall Debate on Indefinite Leave to Remain.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year. All will be welcome to participate. We will provide details of how the scheme will work after that consultation.

We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve career progression pathways for NHS nursing staff.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has accepted 36 non-pay recommendations from workstreams committed to in the 2023 Agenda for Change (AfC) pay deal. Some of these recommendations include specific measures to improve career progression for nurses, such as reviewing Annex 20 of the AfC contract to ensure nurses are not inadvertently excluded from the development of professional roles and developing guidance to help employers support the career progression of ethnic minority and internationally educated nurses. Implementation of these measures will take place over the next two years.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many UK-trained junior doctors were unable to secure NHS training placements in 2024.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In 2024, 14,620 graduates from United Kingdom medical schools applied for medical specialty training posts. Of these 1,299 were unsuccessful and deemed unappointable in any of their applications. A further 1,476 UK graduates were deemed appointable at interview but did not receive any offers due to post availability.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure clearer support pathways for women experiencing the menopause.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that women suffering from symptoms of menopause have been failed for far too long, and we acknowledge the impact it has on women’s lives, relationships and participation in the workplace.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published their updated guideline on 7 November 2024 and recommended more treatment choices for menopause symptoms.

Women’s health hubs are an effective model for improving access to and experiences of care for women and include menopause as an essential service. That is why the hub in Tower Hamlets was included in the 10 Year Health Plan as a best practice example to guide the shift to neighbourhood health. As of March 2025, 41 of the 42 integrated care boards in England reported to NHS England that they had a women’s health hub.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the use of AI assisted drones during (a) night time operations and (b) periods of rest for human surveillance teams.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK's conventional force. It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence's capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities, while these systems' design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's Formal Response to the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces 2024 Annual Report published on 1 September 2025, what further steps he is taking to protect service personnel against (a) bullying, (b) harassment and (c) discrimination.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

There is no place for bullying, harassment and discrimination within the Armed Forces, and we are committed to preventing these types of behaviours and taking appropriate action when faced with issues or concerns raised by our people. It is vital everyone feels empowered to speak up, knows how to take action, and is confident in doing so.

Through the Raising Our Standards programme, Defence seeks to tackle unacceptable behaviours across Defence, strengthen complaints processes, and promote a culture of respect, accountability, and zero tolerance for bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Furthermore, the single Services continue to develop interventions aimed at tackling unacceptable behaviours and providing a supportive environment for those that are affected.

In March 2025 the Ministry of Defence also announced its intention to create a new specialist Tri-Service Complaints team, outside of the single Service chains of command, to handle the most serious complaints, such as bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing specialist menopause training for at least one GP in every surgery.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

General practitioners (GPs) are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on menopause, remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.

All United Kingdom registered doctors are expected to meet the professional standards set out in the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) Good Medical Practice. The training curriculum for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners, and must meet the standards set by the GMC.

The GMC has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the UK. The content map for this assessment includes several topics relating to women’s health including menstrual problems, endometriosis, menopause and urinary incontinence. This will encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of extending the settlement pathway to ten plus one years on the cost of visa renewal fees for families of British National (Overseas) visa holders.

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

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.

I welcomed the opportunity to listen to the views of Members around these subjects in the recent 8th September Westminster Hall Debate on Indefinite Leave to Remain.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year. All will be welcome to participate. We will provide details of how the scheme will work after that consultation.

We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of extending the route to settlement from 5+1 to 10+1 years on the mental health of British (National) Overseas visa holders.

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

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at the time. An impact assessment will be developed alongside any finalised policy.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the BNO visa settlement route on older BNO visa holders’ ability to access pension funds from Hong Kong.

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

The Government remains fully committed to the BNO route, and we will continue supporting members of the Hong Kong community in the UK and all those who will arrive in future. We are listening to visa holders' views about the route to settlement, and we will continue to do so.

We are aware that individuals in the UK on the BN(O) visa route are having difficulty drawing down early their pensions held in Hong Kong's Mandatory Provident Fund. We continue to raise this issue directly with the Hong Kong authorities to encourage a pragmatic solution.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timeline is for publishing the new research on the extent and impact of pavement parking.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. The new research announced last week will not delay this; my officials are finalising its terms now. The Department will aim to publish within 12 weeks of agreeing final outputs, per Government Social Research protocols. Local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to make an announcement on pavement parking.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. The new research announced last week will not delay this; my officials are finalising its terms now. The Department will aim to publish within 12 weeks of agreeing final outputs, per Government Social Research protocols. Local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) introducing penalties for certain uses of a mounted device while driving and (b) updating the guidance entitled Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving to clarify the legality of using a mounted device.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

My department is developing our Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course. My department keeps the law under review but has not made an assessment of the penalties for the use of a mounted device while driving, or of updating the guidance “Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving".

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending armed forces pension eligibility criteria to include personnel who served for more than six years but left the service before the age of 26 and prior to 6 April 1975.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

It is a principle of public service pensions policy, including Armed Forces Pensions, and one that has been upheld by successive Governments, that improvements to pension schemes are not made retrospectively. To concede retrospection for one group would place great pressure on other public service schemes.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to include voluntary work as a qualifying measure of societal contribution for British National (Overseas) visa holders under the proposed points-based pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain.

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

We will consult later this year on the details of the Earned Settlement policy and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that, including on any transitional arrangements for those already in the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department encouraged the Tunisian government to set up complaint mechanisms for people to report alleged violations of their human rights as part of the implementation of (a) the upskilling of migrants in-country, (b) the International Organisation for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Returns & Reintegration Programme and (c) other UK funded programmes.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

We have engaged with the Tunisian Government on allegations of human rights abuses and expect them to investigate such allegations. The UK has worked with Tunisian officials and partners on the implementation of a ‘code of conduct’ that aims to increase the accountability of Tunisian authorities. With UK funding, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) delivers case management for migrants in Tunisia which provides opportunities to disclose information on their experience of their journey.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to allow British National (Overseas) visa holders to use the same border control queues as UK citizens at UK airports.

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

There are no proposed changes to airport queuing arrangements for any cohorts, including British National (Overseas) passport holders, at the current time.

However, queueing arrangements at the UK border, including the use of eGates, remain under constant review to prioritise security, maintain fluidity and ensure that we continue to run our border in the best interests of the UK whilst also taking into account capacity and availability of space at individual ports. The government is committed to improving our border security and the passenger experience by continuing to look at options to increase the usage of eGates by those currently eligible and explore innovative technologies to increase the use of automation at the UK border.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure that evidence submitted to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry from (a) bereaved families and (b) their legal representative is represented in (i) published materials and (ii) oral hearings.

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

The Covid-19 Inquiry is independent of the Government, and its timing, process and focus are all matters for the Chair, Baroness Heather Hallett. This includes the submission and representation of evidence.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, why (a) notice or (b) a transition period was given for the closure of the ARAP scheme.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) Scheme was not created to be an open-ended scheme, and as such had strict eligibility criteria for applicants to meet before they would be offered relocation.

In statements made by the Ministry of Defence in December 2024 and May 2025, intent for scheme closure was reiterated. In the Written Ministerial Statement on 1 July 2025, we explained that throughout the previous year, we have regularly assessed progress, and carefully considered the right time to stop taking on new applications. As explained in that statement, we considered that we had reached the right point. Given the wider context, it was not considered necessary to provide for any transitional period.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will have a military use exemption.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From 1 January 2027, the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply to specific goods imported from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron & steel sectors. The specific goods are listed in the Government response to the consultation on the ‘Introduction of a UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism’, this is available at: Consultation on the introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism - GOV.UK

The UK CBAM is designed to address the risk of carbon leakage and to ensure that CBAM goods which are imported from overseas face a comparable carbon price to what is paid by manufacturers producing the same goods in the UK.

The UK CBAM does not apply to imports of military equipment. Therefore, the UK CBAM will not have a specific military use exemption.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to support (a) lower income families and (b) pensioners impacted by the energy price cap increase.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government knows that more needs to be done to support vulnerable households struggling with their energy bills. That's why we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from this winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bill costs. The Warm Home Discount regulations expire in 2026, and we will want to consider all options for future bill support beyond this point.

I have been clear with suppliers that they should do all that they can to support their customers – including vulnerable consumers – who may be struggling with their bills. I would urge any consumers who are struggling to pay their bills to speak to their supplier, local authority, or Citizens Advice who may be able to provide help and support. Your constituent can also visit the GOV.UK website, where extra cost-of-living support can be found - www.gov.uk/cost-of-living.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase girl’s participation in rugby.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, are able to participate in sport and physical activity.

Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign has inspired millions of women and girls to get active and anticipates that 1.6 million women will be active as a result of the campaign by 2028.

Sport England have awarded the Rugby Football Union £13,859,000 as one of their long-term system partners for the period 2022-27 to support grassroots men’s and women’s rugby union.

DCMS has provided £17.98 million of investment to support England hosting the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, including £6.77m legacy funding.

This tournament can be the springboard for women's rugby, just as the women's EUROs in 2022 was for women’s football. A record-breaking 400,000 tickets have been sold and 43,500 women and girls are now playing rugby. The legacy programme, Impact 25, is pivotal in cementing rugby as a game for all- improving facilities, reaching 850 clubs up and down the country, and supporting greater opportunities for women and girls of all ages to get involved.

We’re also launching the Women’s Sport Taskforce at the Rugby World Cup to tackle challenges and barriers facing women and girls in sport, including rugby, from grassroots to elite. Meeting actions will be published on gov.uk.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase participation in women's rugby.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, are able to participate in sport and physical activity.

Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign has inspired millions of women and girls to get active and anticipates that 1.6 million women will be active as a result of the campaign by 2028.

Sport England have awarded the Rugby Football Union £13,859,000 as one of their long-term system partners for the period 2022-27 to support grassroots men’s and women’s rugby union.

DCMS has provided £17.98 million of investment to support England hosting the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, including £6.77m legacy funding.

This tournament can be the springboard for women's rugby, just as the women's EUROs in 2022 was for women’s football. A record-breaking 400,000 tickets have been sold and 43,500 women and girls are now playing rugby. The legacy programme, Impact 25, is pivotal in cementing rugby as a game for all- improving facilities, reaching 850 clubs up and down the country, and supporting greater opportunities for women and girls of all ages to get involved.

We’re also launching the Women’s Sport Taskforce at the Rugby World Cup to tackle challenges and barriers facing women and girls in sport, including rugby, from grassroots to elite. Meeting actions will be published on gov.uk.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure integrated care boards publish data on funding for children’s hospices.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Palliative care services, including for children, are included in the list of services that integrated care boards (ICBs) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including children’s hospices, also play in providing support to children who require palliative care and end of life care, and their loved ones.

Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative care and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area. It is for ICBs to determine whether they publish their funding data.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. The allocations for 2024/25 are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hospices-receive-multi-million-pound-boost-to-improve-facilities

The allocations for 2025/26 are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/75-million-boost-for-hospices-to-transform-end-of-life-care

We are also providing £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant.

In 2024/25 and 2025/26, this funding was administered via ICBs in line with NHS devolution.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to publish its legal advice on whether Israel is breaching international humanitarian law in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In line with the long-standing practice under successive governments, we do not routinely publish the legal advice on which assessments of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) compliance are based.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the findings by the Human Rights Watch entitled Questions and Answers on Israel’s Use of White Phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon, published on 12 October 2023.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Since the start of the conflict, the UK has urged all parties to comply with their obligations under International Humanitarian Law, including in relation to protection of civilians. We continue to engage the Government of Israel at the highest levels to urge it to do much more to protect Gaza's civilians and to ensure it fully complies with its obligations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) drought, (b) flooding and (c) rising temperatures on the UK’s top 10 fruit and vegetable supplier countries.

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

The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Our food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes.

Defra has commissioned research to gather evidence which explores how climate change could affect the production of fruit and vegetables in regions across the Mediterranean.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will take steps to ensure that the design of new leisure facilities funded through the Levelling Up Programme reflects community preferences in changing arrangements.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Levelling Up Programme was run under the previous Government. Our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, provides resources to help in the design of new leisure facilities. Sport England works with local authorities as part of their place partnerships work to help them understand and meet community needs for sport and physical activity.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking t support the expansion of (a) return to work and (b) accredited conversion courses at UK universities for (i) overseas workers and (ii) BNO visa holders seeking to re-enter the UK workforce.

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

UK higher education (HE) providers offer a wide range of conversion courses designed to help individuals transition into new career areas. Many providers also offer tailored support for students, including pre-sessional programmes, careers guidance and post-graduation employability support.

As autonomous bodies which are independent of government, universities and other HE providers are responsible for their business decisions in relation to both domestic and international students.

The UK European Network of Information Centre supports the recognition of international qualifications in the UK. The service facilitates the entry of students with qualifications from other countries into UK educational institutions and work by enabling them to provide evidence that they meet the entry requirements for courses and jobs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the current NHS dentist vacancy rate is in Surrey; and what steps he is taking to ensure equitable dental care access in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In 2024, there was a 20% vacancy rate for NHS dentists in the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes the Epsom and Ewell constituency. We do not hold data at constituency level. More data is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/dental-workforce/

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to ICBs across England. For the Epsom and Ewell constituency, this is Surrey Heartlands ICB.

We will deliver 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments per year, and ICBs have been making extra appointments available from 1 April 2025. Surrey Heartlands ICB is expected to deliver 6,585 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.

The Government’s ambition is to deliver fundamental contract reform before the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the consistent availability of menopause medications.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products, and the vast majority are in good supply. We are aware of supply issues affecting Estradot (estradiol) patches until early October 2025. We have issued comprehensive management guidance to healthcare professionals and Serious Shortage Protocols to enable community pharmacists to supply specified alternative estradiol patches, with the patient’s consent and without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber.

We work closely with suppliers and other stakeholders such as the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to maintain overall HRT supply to patients across the United Kingdom during any shortages, including working to expedite resupply dates of the disrupted HRT products to resolve issues as soon as possible and to help fill supply gaps and prevent future shortages. We have added estradiol to the list of products that cannot be exported from, or hoarded in, the UK to protect supply of this hormone replacement therapy for UK patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the percentage of GPs that have downloaded firearms marker software.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The role of general practitioners (GPs) in the firearms licensing process is set out in the Home Office’s publication Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for chief officers of police, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-guidance-for-police-on-firearms-licensing

To support their role, a digital marker, SNOMED activity coding, was fully rolled out across GP IT suppliers by May 2023, giving all GPs in England access within existing GP IT systems. GPs do not need to download a separate firearms marker software.

We have not made an estimate of the proportion of firearm holders with a firearms marker on their patient records. This is because NHS England publishes an annual SNOMED report, which includes information on the number of times a relevant firearms code was added to GP patient records within the publication period. The report is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-snomed-code-usage-in-primary-care/2023-24

It should be noted that a patient could have one code added to their record multiple times throughout the year, and therefore, it is not possible to infer the number of patients with a particular code from this data. We are exploring options for how this data can be analysed to support the use of the digital marker.

This significant strengthening of the medical checks process aids GPs, or any other registered medical practitioners, in completing the application form for a person’s medical suitability for a firearms licence. The digital marker also alerts a GP if there is any concerning deterioration in a person’s health presented during the five year licence period that may impact their suitability to hold a firearms licence. GPs can now more easily alert their local police force when necessary, as the decision for who can grant and renew a firearms licence remains with the local police force.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the proportion of firearm holders with a firearms marker on their patient records.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The role of general practitioners (GPs) in the firearms licensing process is set out in the Home Office’s publication Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for chief officers of police, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-guidance-for-police-on-firearms-licensing

To support their role, a digital marker, SNOMED activity coding, was fully rolled out across GP IT suppliers by May 2023, giving all GPs in England access within existing GP IT systems. GPs do not need to download a separate firearms marker software.

We have not made an estimate of the proportion of firearm holders with a firearms marker on their patient records. This is because NHS England publishes an annual SNOMED report, which includes information on the number of times a relevant firearms code was added to GP patient records within the publication period. The report is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-snomed-code-usage-in-primary-care/2023-24

It should be noted that a patient could have one code added to their record multiple times throughout the year, and therefore, it is not possible to infer the number of patients with a particular code from this data. We are exploring options for how this data can be analysed to support the use of the digital marker.

This significant strengthening of the medical checks process aids GPs, or any other registered medical practitioners, in completing the application form for a person’s medical suitability for a firearms licence. The digital marker also alerts a GP if there is any concerning deterioration in a person’s health presented during the five year licence period that may impact their suitability to hold a firearms licence. GPs can now more easily alert their local police force when necessary, as the decision for who can grant and renew a firearms licence remains with the local police force.

Pavement parking consultation response

Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize awarded to Mines Advisory Group

200th anniversary of the Church of St Martin of Tours, Epsom

Award of honorary posthumous England cap to Frank Soo

Chinook Justice Campaign

Fertility funding access for LGBTQIA+ people

Independence of Healthwatch England

Dame Annette Brooke

Neurodivergent children at school

Commemoration of H G Wells’ birthday

Jackie Ingle’s service to Street Library

Tribute to Councillor Nick Cottle

Lucy Bull

Mental health care in Gaza

Air Ambulance Week 2025 (No. 2)

Final delivery plan on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

Farmers, growers and the supermarket supply chain

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Found: _NC9 Dr Danny Chambers Zöe Franklin Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett Helen Maguire .

Found: _NC9 Dr Danny Chambers Zöe Franklin Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett Helen Maguire REPORT

Found: _NC9 Dr Danny Chambers Zöe Franklin Jess Brown-Fuller Helen Morgan Alison Bennett Helen Maguire .

Found: Pinkerton Mr Lee Dillon Victoria Collins Luke Taylor Layla Moran Alison Bennett Freddie van Mierlo Helen Maguire

Found: Pinkerton Mr Lee Dillon Victoria Collins Luke Taylor Layla Moran Alison Bennett Freddie van Mierlo Helen Maguire

Found: Moran Martin WrigleyTom Morrison Mr Lee Dillon Dr Danny Chambers Daisy Cooper Cameron Thomas Helen Maguire

Found: Pinkerton Mr Lee Dillon Victoria Collins Luke Taylor Layla Moran Alison Bennett Freddie van Mierlo Helen Maguire

Found: Sarah Olney Dr Al Pinkerton Mr Lee Dillon Victoria Collins Luke Taylor Layla Moran Alison Bennett Helen Maguire

Found: Moran Martin WrigleyTom Morrison Mr Lee Dillon Dr Danny Chambers Daisy Cooper Cameron Thomas Helen Maguire