Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of HMRC’s capacity to monitor the importation of goods from (a) countries and (b) territories subject to (i) arms embargoes, (ii) trade sanctions and (iii) other trade restrictions.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC operates a risk-based model for customs compliance which is designed to support the flow of compliant international trade, while maintaining effective controls to collect revenue, protect the UK economy and wider society from harm and uphold the UK’s reputation as a trusted trading partner.

Imported and exported goods must be declared to HMRC and are subject to risk-based controls and verification. There are additional controls and restrictions on goods imported from and exported to certain countries, including those subject to arms embargoes and sanctions.

The controls and verification are tailored to the underlying risks but may include physical examinations of goods at the time of import or export and/or documentary checks.

HMRC collects the UK’s international trade in goods data and publishes this as two accredited official statistics series on gov.uk.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered providing (a) funding and (b) other support to NHS Trusts to participate in early access programmes for (i) Givinostat for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and (ii) other medicines.

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

The Department understands the importance of rapid patient access to new medicines for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and has worked with NHS England to consider the issues raised by the givinostat early access programme. The first National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) committee meeting for givinostat took place on 10 July 2025, with a provisional date for a decision in September. If the manufacturer, Italfarmaco, can offer a cost-effective price to enable a positive NICE recommendation, NHS England is ready to work with the company to explore immediate funding options for the treatment.

Although medicines administered via company-sponsored early access programmes (EAPs) are licensed, EAPs do not share common clinical, data, or regulatory standards, meaning each one demands a new protocol to be devised and delivered by each participating trust, and that can create significant pressures on clinical and financial resources.

It would not be appropriate for the Government or NHS England to issue any form of national direction around the participation in these early access programmes as it would both pre-empt and undermine the role of NICE, whose very purpose is to advise the National Health Service on whether or not particular treatments should be made routinely available on the NHS.

The Government does, however, support patients getting early access to new, innovative medicines through established routes such as the Early Access to Medicines Scheme.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support structured partnerships between mainstream schools and specialist SEND education providers.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The government has committed to enhancing the capability of mainstream schools to better support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

We are encouraged by emerging examples of effective collaboration, where special schools are working in partnership with mainstream settings to share specialist expertise.

Through our Change Programme, we are currently piloting approaches whereby alternative provision settings provide outreach support to mainstream schools. The insights gained from these pilots will inform future policy development and help shape sustainable, effective partnerships between mainstream schools and specialist SEND providers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to amend the regulatory framework for waste (a) carriers, (b) brokers and (c) dealers to help reduce criminal activity in the sector.

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

The Government recently announced plans to tighten up the regulation of those who transport and manage waste services, moving them from a light-touch registration system into environmental permitting. This will give the Environment Agency a greater range of powers and more resources to be able to take action against those operating illegally. It will also introduce the possibility of up to 5 years imprisonment for those who breach these new laws.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of waste crime and illegal waste exports on the economy in each of the last five years.

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

The Environmental Services Association (ESA) estimated in 2021 that waste crime costs the economy in England about £1 billion per year. The ESA estimate that of that cost illegal waste exports amount to at least £42 million per year. (see here: ESA_Cost_of_Waste_Crime.pdf.)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the review of the early access to medicines system will include Early Access Programmes of the type used for Givinostat; and what steps he is taking to (a) help tackle geographic variations in uptake and (b) improve equitable access to innovative treatments across the NHS.

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

The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs as a priority, and health equity as a cross-cutting theme. The Department understands the importance of rapid patient access to new medicines for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and has worked with NHS England to consider the issues raised by the Givinostat early access programme.

We are also working to review the effectiveness of access schemes for rare disease therapies. This will focus on the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway, and the Innovative Medicines Fund, but will broadly consider access to rare disease therapies.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) SEND advocacy organisations and (b) special school leaders on (i) attendance, (ii) attainment and (iii) wellbeing for students with SEND who spend part of their education learning from home.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and I continue to engage with special educational needs and disabilities charities, stakeholders and parents and carers on a wide variety of issues, including through weekly engagement sessions via webinars, meetings and visits. We also conduct roundtables with charities and campaigners, the most recent of which was in June.

These engagements will carry on throughout the White Paper consultation period into the autumn and beyond.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the AI Security Institute will be given statutory powers to (a) carry out audits, (b) approve the training of powerful AI models and (c) shut down unsafe systems.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and the Government is taking action to harness its economic benefits for UK citizens. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs. Through well-designed and implemented regulation, we can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to give statutory powers to the AI Security Institute.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and the Government is taking action to harness its economic benefits for UK citizens. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs. Through well-designed and implemented regulation, we can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI.

Jagtar Singh Johal (No. 2)

Government's role in Birmingham bin strikes

Proposal for a wealth tax

Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules

Animals

UK-based medical charities in Palestine

Mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting and action plans

Import of goods from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

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