Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the number of Metropolitan police officers who have left the service before retirement age in each year, due to the staff rotation policy of the metropolitan police.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not hold data on the number of police officers leaving the Metropolitan Police Service due to staff rotation policy.
The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers leaving the police service and their reasons for leaving, for each year ending 31 March, in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.
Information on the number of police officers leaving the police service by reason for leaving and Police Force Area between the years ending 31 March 2007 and 2025 can be found in the ‘Leavers Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687a364d312ee8a5f0806b7c/open-data-table-police-workforce-leavers-230725.ods
Information on the length of service of police officers leaving the police service by reason for leaving and Police Force Area, for the years ending 31 March 2024 and 2025 can be found in the ‘Length of Service Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6972562d3f2908a349040577/open-data-table-police-workforce-length-of-service-280126.ods
Reasons for leaving include normal retirement, medical retirement, voluntary resignation, dismissal or contract termination, voluntary exit scheme, death or transfer.
Data covering the year ending 31 March 2026 are scheduled for release on 22 July 2026.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the protection of humanitarian demining personnel in Ukraine in the context of the attack on Norwegian People's Aid staff in Kherson Oblast on 24 June 2026.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Attacks on humanitarian personnel in any circumstances are totally unacceptable, and it is deplorable for staff engaged in the already hugely dangerous work of demining in Ukraine to be killed or injured by Russian strikes. Russia's illegal invasion has left Ukraine with extensive explosive ordnance contamination, threatening civilians and acting as an obstacle to recovery, reconstruction and the safe return of displaced people.
Since June 2022, through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's Global Mine Action Programme, the UK has funded UK NGO The HALO Trust to deliver humanitarian mine action interventions in Ukraine, latterly with UK NGO Mines Advisory Group and Ukrainian Deminers Association as downstream partners. Our demining efforts have released over 1,131,304 square metres of land and provided Explosive Ordnance Risk Education to 134,491 beneficiaries (June 2022 to end March 2026).
The UK has also provided equipment and training to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the State Transport Special Service to strengthen Ukraine's humanitarian demining sector. Our funding for these efforts in Ukraine is just one aspect of our wider support for demining activities in countries and regions across the world, delivered primarily through our Global Mine Action Programme.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential long-term impact of explosive ordnance contamination on civilian return rates in Ukraine and what steps the Government is taking to support NGOs and commercial companies delivering humanitarian mine action alongside state military aid.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Attacks on humanitarian personnel in any circumstances are totally unacceptable, and it is deplorable for staff engaged in the already hugely dangerous work of demining in Ukraine to be killed or injured by Russian strikes. Russia's illegal invasion has left Ukraine with extensive explosive ordnance contamination, threatening civilians and acting as an obstacle to recovery, reconstruction and the safe return of displaced people.
Since June 2022, through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's Global Mine Action Programme, the UK has funded UK NGO The HALO Trust to deliver humanitarian mine action interventions in Ukraine, latterly with UK NGO Mines Advisory Group and Ukrainian Deminers Association as downstream partners. Our demining efforts have released over 1,131,304 square metres of land and provided Explosive Ordnance Risk Education to 134,491 beneficiaries (June 2022 to end March 2026).
The UK has also provided equipment and training to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the State Transport Special Service to strengthen Ukraine's humanitarian demining sector. Our funding for these efforts in Ukraine is just one aspect of our wider support for demining activities in countries and regions across the world, delivered primarily through our Global Mine Action Programme.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department is taking to promote British soft power through the mine action sector.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Attacks on humanitarian personnel in any circumstances are totally unacceptable, and it is deplorable for staff engaged in the already hugely dangerous work of demining in Ukraine to be killed or injured by Russian strikes. Russia's illegal invasion has left Ukraine with extensive explosive ordnance contamination, threatening civilians and acting as an obstacle to recovery, reconstruction and the safe return of displaced people.
Since June 2022, through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's Global Mine Action Programme, the UK has funded UK NGO The HALO Trust to deliver humanitarian mine action interventions in Ukraine, latterly with UK NGO Mines Advisory Group and Ukrainian Deminers Association as downstream partners. Our demining efforts have released over 1,131,304 square metres of land and provided Explosive Ordnance Risk Education to 134,491 beneficiaries (June 2022 to end March 2026).
The UK has also provided equipment and training to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the State Transport Special Service to strengthen Ukraine's humanitarian demining sector. Our funding for these efforts in Ukraine is just one aspect of our wider support for demining activities in countries and regions across the world, delivered primarily through our Global Mine Action Programme.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with international counterparts on accelerating the deployment of remote-controlled and autonomous mine-clearance technology to Ukraine to minimize the physical risk to civilian humanitarian deminers.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK continues to work closely with international partners through the Demining Capability Coalition to support Ukraine's demining requirements. Through this collaboration, the Coalition provides equipment, training and specialist expertise, including technologies that help reduce the risk to personnel operating in hazardous environments. Support is delivered in response to Ukrainian priorities, and the UK remains committed to working with allies and Ukraine to develop the capabilities needed to address explosive hazards safely and effectively.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to share technical expertise and threat intelligence with humanitarian mine action organisations in Ukraine to protect personnel from targeted missile and artillery strikes.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK continues to work closely with international partners through the Demining Capability Coalition to support Ukraine's demining requirements. Through this collaboration, the Coalition provides equipment, training and specialist expertise, including technologies that help reduce the risk to personnel operating in hazardous environments. Support is delivered in response to Ukrainian priorities, and the UK remains committed to working with allies and Ukraine to develop the capabilities needed to address explosive hazards safely and effectively.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of conducting a formal review of mandatory testing, clearer labelling and targeted restrictions on high-exposure plastic baby products.
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)
The Government takes the safety of baby products seriously and has robust regulations requiring that all products placed on the UK market are safe, with specific controls addressing chemical exposure from plastic baby products. These requirements are kept under review.
The Government's consultation on reforming the core Product Safety Framework closed on 23 June 2026. We are considering all feedback received including any evidence presented on the regulation of these products. The Government also launched a Call for Evidence on toy safety on 6 July, to ensure protections keep pace with emerging risks.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department assessed the implications for the UK's sanctions policy of importing jet fuel from the Jamnagar refinery in India; and what assessment has he made of the UK's need for that fuel shipment; what consideration was given to alternative non-Russian-linked sources of supply; and on what basis any licence or authorisation relating to that shipment was approved.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
On 20 May 2026, the UK introduced a new sanctions package to further target Russian revenues and degrade its ability to wage its illegal war in Ukraine and for the first time processed oil products refined from Russian crude in third countries have been banned. The UK Government published an Impact Assessment alongside the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, available on legislation.gov.uk.
Alongside this, a general trade licence, including for jet fuel processed in third countries from Russian crude, was issued to support a managed and phased implementation of complex restrictions, and to provide targeted, temporary flexibility to safeguard UK energy supply and global market stability.
The Government will continue to review the licence every two weeks. This involves continually assessing its impact on energy supply, market conditions and other relevant considerations, against our objective to revoke the licence as soon as is practicable. As part of this process, we have since set an end date of 1 January 2027.
The Secretary of State will consider each application for a trade licence on a case-by-case basis, with key consideration given to whether the proposed activity is consistent with the purposes of the sanctions as specified in Regulation 4 of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The Secretary of State must act within the statutory framework Parliament has approved, the licensing power is exercised in a targeted and proportionate way.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made on the recommendations in the Royal College of Anaesthetists’ report, titled ‘The Anaesthetic Workforce: UK State of the Nation Report’ published in June 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This specific assessment has not been made. Officials have noted the Royal College of Anaesthetists’ report.
In relation to pay and training places, on 29 June 2026, the British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee announced that their membership had voted to accept an offer from the Government to resolve their dispute on pay and jobs. The deal for resident doctors includes the introduction of up to 4,500 specialty training places over the next three years in England.
The Government is committed to ensuring that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. That is why NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that the expansion of places is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.
The Government greatly values consultants and specialty, associate specialists, and specialist doctors and remains committed to working with trade unions to improve the working lives of all senior doctors, including anaesthetists.
The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out the action we will take to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken and what mechanisms are being used to ensure that Article 15 of the 2025 UK-EU Common Understanding Agreement on cultural exchange and touring matters is being upheld.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Common Understanding from the inaugural UK-EU Summit in May 2025 notes that the UK and EU are committed to cultural and artistic exchange, including through the activities of touring artists. This is a priority, as set out in the Government’s manifesto.
To deliver this commitment, we regularly engage with the EU institutions and Member States, as well as music and arts industry stakeholders, to determine the most effective ways to foster cultural exchange and support touring artists who wish to perform across the European continent. Our engagement has led to improvements in individual EU Member States, for instance the recent removal of visa and work authorisation certificate requirements for touring artists and technical staff for stays of less than three months in Croatia.
On 24 March, I co-chaired the first UK-European Commission High-Level Meeting on Culture with Commissioner Micallef (Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport) to support UK-EU cultural cooperation. I also attended an industry panel session at the European Parliament, hosted by MEPs Hannes Heide and Bogdan Zdrojewski in collaboration with the Cultural Exchange Coalition, focused on strengthening UK-EU cultural exchange, including removing barriers to cross-border touring.
I welcome the European Commission’s new EU Visa Strategy, which commits to exploring practical flexibilities for touring artists, specialist crew, and hauliers within the existing Schengen framework. This Government is also modernising cross-border infrastructure to simplify processes and reduce administrative burdens. Most notably, we have launched HMRC’s digital ATA carnets pilot on 1 June, in collaboration with EU Member States, Switzerland, and Norway, enabling touring artists and their crews to move equipment temporarily without the burden of customs duties.