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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of prohibiting the sale of overseas hunting trips.

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

Whilst no assessment has been made of the merits of prohibiting overseas hunting trips, the Government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern.

The Department continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can implement a robust import ban. Timeframes for introducing legislation will be provided once the Parliamentary timetable for future sessions is determined.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the annual cost is of Government contracts for the licensing of a) Zoom, b) Microsoft, c) Amazon d) Google computing platforms for the civil service.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Information on the annual cost of Government contracts for licensing across the Civil Service is not held centrally.

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 the provision of NHS audiology services in Dewsbury and Batley constituency.

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

NHS England is supporting provider organisations and integrated care boards who are the commissioners of audiology services to improve performance and reduce waiting lists for appointments and assessments for hearing services. This includes capital investment to upgrade audiology facilities in National Health Service trusts, expanding audiology testing capacity via community diagnostic centres, and direct support through a national audiology improvement collaborative.

Data is also published on community health services waiting lists, which includes waiting times for community audiology services. This is published at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/community-health-services-waiting-lists/

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will amend the Protective Security for Mosques scheme to remove the requirement for a hate crime to have already been committed in order to qualify for protective security.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Mosques and associated Muslim community centres where regular worship takes place are eligible to apply for the Protective Security for Mosques scheme through the application form on gov.uk.

Applicants are asked to provide a summary of any security concerns or hate crime experienced at their mosque or community centre, and the impact these have on the people who use it.

Applicants are also asked to provide further details or evidence of any incidents of hate crime, where relevant. This will be considered as part of their application alongside other factors set out in the guidance.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia (a) are being used and (b) will be used in the future by the United States for military operations against Iran; and whether operations from these bases are involved in offensive strikes.

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

As announced by the Prime Minister on 1 March 2026, the Government agreed to a US request to use British bases for specific and limited defensive purposes.

The agreement allowing the US to use UK miliary bases is for specific and limited defensive action against missile facilities in Iran

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the House will be given an opportunity to debate and vote on UK support for US operations in Iran.

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

The Prime Minister has provided an update to Parliament through an oral statement on 2 March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what legal advice he has received on the compatibility of allowing US use of RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia with the United Nations Charter, including Articles 2(4) and 51.

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

A summary of the Government’s legal position was published on gov.uk on 1 March 2026. This can be found at the followed address: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/summary-of-the-uk-government-legal-position-the-legality-of-defensive-action-in-respect-of-iranian-regional-attacks.

Since this has been published, the Government has notified the United Nations Security Council of relevant actions taken under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has had discussions with the Electoral Commission on reporting by Labour Together between 2017 and 2020.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Electoral Commission is the independent body which regulates elections and political finance in the UK.

The Department does not intervene in, or comment on, the handling of individual cases or the regulatory decisions of the Electoral Commission.

Officials regularly engage with the Electoral Commission on matters of policy development and the operation of the electoral and political finance framework.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will undertake an updated feasibility review of all the different ownership models relating to the provision of water in the United Kingdom.

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

There are several different ownership models in the companies providing water in the United Kingdom.

Where a company requests to transition to a new ownership model, we have committed in the White Paper that the regulator will develop a transparent process. This process will assess whether the change should go ahead and ensure customer interests are properly reflected in the decision.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a UK Government cloud computing system independent from technology multinationals' services.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises the importance of a secure and resilient cloud infrastructure for the delivery of digital public services. As set out in the Roadmap for Modern Digital Government (2026), the government is developing a National Cloud Strategy. As part of this, the government will assess how to strengthen the security and resilience of UK cloud infrastructure and improve the cloud ecosystem.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department will take steps to (a) review all existing contract with Palantir and (b) suspend any further engagement with company until the investigations into Peter Mandelson are completed.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All contracts for any firm go through rigorous departmental processes and their decision makers. Contracts procured by Government departments are done so in line with procurement law. This was the case with all contracts to Palantir.

We utilise a range of suppliers based on operational requirements, value for money, and compliance with our security and legal obligations, with all suppliers subject to rigorous due diligence. There are robust processes in place to ensure government contracts are awarded fairly and transparently.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on whether Government Departments have sought advice from Labour Together on policy development.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This information is not held centrally.

Support for the ceramics industry

Mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence law

World Social Work Day 2026

Transition of rail workers into Great British Railways

Industrial action and the cost of living

Closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan

Fipronil and Imidacloprid Pesticides

Royal Mail postal delivery services