Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her Department's joint press release entitled UK and US take joint action to disrupt major online fraud network, published on 14 October 2025, what steps she is taking to support international efforts to monitor conditions in Cambodian scam centres and assist victims of torture and other abuses.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he was given on 3 November in response to Questions 85061-64, and I would add that we are closely monitoring reports of torture, human trafficking and other abuses in Myanmar-based scam centres, working with partners and international organisations to gather evidence of the scale of the problem, and strengthening law enforcement capacity to detect, investigate, and disrupt online trafficking recruitment and illicit financial flows linked to cyber-enabled fraud. All evidence is kept under review, and further action will be taken when needed.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
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 monitor and prevent the rerouting of assets, including gold reserves, from Cambodia to other jurisdictions following recent sanctions; and whether she is working with international partners to disrupt money laundering linked to cybercrime networks in Cambodia.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he was given on 3 November in response to Questions 85061-64, and I would add that we are closely monitoring reports of torture, human trafficking and other abuses in Myanmar-based scam centres, working with partners and international organisations to gather evidence of the scale of the problem, and strengthening law enforcement capacity to detect, investigate, and disrupt online trafficking recruitment and illicit financial flows linked to cyber-enabled fraud. All evidence is kept under review, and further action will be taken when needed.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to take further steps beyond recent sanctions to address human rights abuses linked to Cambodian scam centres, including efforts to secure the release of individuals held in conditions amounting to torture.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he was given on 3 November in response to Questions 85061-64, and I would add that we are closely monitoring reports of torture, human trafficking and other abuses in Myanmar-based scam centres, working with partners and international organisations to gather evidence of the scale of the problem, and strengthening law enforcement capacity to detect, investigate, and disrupt online trafficking recruitment and illicit financial flows linked to cyber-enabled fraud. All evidence is kept under review, and further action will be taken when needed.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of reports of torture and other serious human rights abuses in scam centres operating in Cambodia; and what steps his Department is taking to press for accountability and the protection of victims.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he was given on 3 November in response to Questions 85061-64, and I would add that we are closely monitoring reports of torture, human trafficking and other abuses in Myanmar-based scam centres, working with partners and international organisations to gather evidence of the scale of the problem, and strengthening law enforcement capacity to detect, investigate, and disrupt online trafficking recruitment and illicit financial flows linked to cyber-enabled fraud. All evidence is kept under review, and further action will be taken when needed.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she last raised the case of Karim Ennarah with her Egyptian counterpart.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly raises human rights and civil society issues with the Egyptian authorities. We are aware of Mr Karim Ennarah's case, and our Ambassador in Egypt met Mr Ennarah and his wife in October this year.
We are committed to supporting human rights defenders, who play a vital role and should be able to work freely in Egypt, consistent with rights guaranteed under the Egyptian Constitution.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what evidential basis she decided to include fiscal incentives for electric cars but not for low or zero-emission motorcycles, mopeds, or other L-Category vehicles in the Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
At Budget, Government announced the electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), which will ensure electric car drivers contribute fairly to using the roads and protect the long-term fiscal sustainability of the country. Alongside this, Government committed to providing £1.3 billion of additional funding for the Electric Car Grant, meaning more motorists can benefit from a discount of up to £3,750, reducing the upfront costs of these vehicles for consumers.
The Government's plug-in motorcycle grant is available until the end of financial year 2025/26 or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of updating the collection of STATS19 national collision statistics to allow for differentiation between motorcycles and mopeds.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The STATS19 collection already provides a differentiation for motorcycles by engine capacity, including a category for motorcycles under 50cc, with a breakdown as shown in the published statistics in data table RAS0502 available on the gov.uk website (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accidents-vehicles-and-casualties-tables-for-great-britain#vehicles-and-drivers-ras05)
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will review the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant and extend it beyond April 2026.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant will continue at the same price threshold. The grant will close at the end of the 2025/26 FY or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 91898, if the MOD produces any drones for non-military purposes with Chinese components.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
All drones or Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) procured as Programmes of Record under Ministry of Defence (MOD) commercial frameworks are deemed for military use, regardless of function.
The UK MOD does not operate Chinese-manufactured drones. We review our supply chains regularly to identify and mitigate risk to national security.
For drones procured outside frameworks, such as small unit purchases for training, procurement officers must consult the Defence Uncrewed Systems Design Authority for guidance to ensure that all uncrewed systems acquired for the UK military are integrated, interoperable, safe, secure, and provide value for money across the entire defence enterprise.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will review the £10,000 price threshold applied to electric motorcycles for the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant will continue at the same price threshold. The grant will close at the end of the 2025/26 FY or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first.