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 of the potential merits of lowering the income threshold for the NHS salary sacrifice car scheme.

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

No specific assessment has been made. Employers in the National Health Service offer a broad range of salary sacrifice schemes which have varying values and requirements. The interaction with the national minimum wage must be considered for all employees who participate in one or more of these schemes. Participation must not mean that an employee’s cash earnings fall below the National Minimum Wage. This is not new policy and is not specific to the NHS.

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 impact of changes to safe staffing levels in mental health services on patient safety; whether the Department has revised its definition of safe staffing levels in response to workforce shortages; and what steps he is taking to ensure that staffing standards are maintained at levels that protect both patient safety and staff wellbeing.

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

No assessment has been made. NHS England is currently updating guidance on how trusts should set their staffing levels, via the Developing Workforce Safeguards and Safe Staffing in Mental Health Services 2018 framework, to reflect current evidence and operations. Staffing any service and any shift should be built around the needs of patients which should be the aim of all National Health Service providers.

Guidance on safe staffing levels also specifies that every NHS organisation should have a strategic workforce plan which is discussed and agreed at the trust board level and should also have escalation processes to cover staffing shortages or changes.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring organisations to contribute to legal fees when (a) an unfair dismissal and (b) a discriminatory employment practice has occurred.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Organisations can already be asked to contribute to the cost of legal fees where vexatious or unreasonable behaviour has occurred. The Employment Tribunals (ET) can issue cost orders where one side is ordered to pay the other’s legal costs. For unfair dismissal cases, if the tribunal decides a claimant has been unfairly dismissed, they can receive compensation. Compensation awards can be ‘basic’ (based on age, length of service and average weekly wage) and ‘compensatory’ (based on loss of earnings).

The Ministry of Justice has not carried out an assessment of the merits of introducing more widespread use of cost orders. This is because the Tribunal Procedure Committee (TPC) is responsible for making procedure rules in the ET that includes the rules regarding cost orders. The Lord Chancellor can consider impacts of the changes the TPC recommend before deciding whether to implement them.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of penalties to deter organisations from discriminatory employment practices.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department keeps employment rights and enforcement mechanisms under regular review.

Discrimination in the workplace is unlawful, and robust penalties already exist under the Equality Act 2010 for employers who breach these obligations. We will continue to assess whether the current framework provides an effective deterrent, including the potential merits of enhanced enforcement models—such as Fair Work Agency measures—to support fair treatment in workplaces and strengthen compliance.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to enforce restrictions against nuisance light pollution under the The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

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

The Government has put in place a range of measures to ensure that light pollution is effectively managed through the statutory nuisance regime. Local authorities have a duty to investigate complaints about light emitted from premises which could constitute a nuisance or be harmful to health and have powers to take action where there is a problem.

The Government believes that any mitigating actions to try to reduce light pollution in urban, suburban and rural areas are best taken by local authorities as these are best dealt with at a local level.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to increase awareness of the issues and impact surrounding light pollution.

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

The Government recognises that good use of artificial light can contribute to preventing accidents, reducing crime and creating safer spaces and promoting the night-time economy, benefiting us all in various ways.

The Government has put in place a range of measures to ensure that light pollution is effectively managed through controls in the planning system, the Permitted Development Regime and the Statutory Nuisance Regime.

Defra will continue to work closely with researchers, non-governmental organisations and across Government to improve our understanding of the impacts of light pollution.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current notification procedures for County Court Judgments; and whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring that all notifications of impending County Court Judgments be sent by recorded and tracked delivery to ensure defendants receive proper notice of court proceedings.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee is responsible for the rules that govern the procedure for notifying people of court proceedings, known as the rules of service. In July 2025 it consulted on changes to the service rules including to permit electronic service on parties with whom there has already been electronic communication pre-action. The work to review responses to the consultation and any subsequent Civil Procedure Rules amendments is ongoing. The consultation can be found at - Civil Procedure Rule Committee - service consultation

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department provides support to pregnant employees that have challenged their unfair dismissal and discriminatory employment practices that they have experienced.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for Business and Trade, provides authoritative and impartial advice free to employees or employers in relation to employment discrimination issues via their website (http://www.acas.org.uk) and telephone helpline 0300 123 1100 or text relay service 18001 0300 123 1100. ACAS also provides employees and employers with Early Conciliation to help them resolve or settle their workplace dispute without going to court.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to ensure that employment protections for pregnant employees are legally enforceable.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government is committed to ensuring pregnancy and maternity protections are effective and enforceable.

We recently consulted on legislation to make it unlawful to dismiss pregnant women, mothers on Maternity Leave, and for at least six months after they return to work, except in specific circumstances. We sought ideas to improve awareness of workplace rights, so pregnant employees feel confident to challenge unlawful treatment and hold employers to account.

To strengthen enforcement, we are also extending the Employment Tribunal time limit from three to six months, giving pregnant women more time to bring claims.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons who are HKSAR passport holders have claimed asylum in the UK in each of the last five calendar years; and how many were (a) granted refugee status, (b) granted humanitarian protection, (c) granted other leave, (d) refused and (e) withdrawn.

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

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of people claiming asylum and initial decisions on asylum claims, by nationality, is published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum claims and decisions detailed datasets’. The latest data relates to the year ending September 2025. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook.

There is no published breakdown available for HKSAR passport holders.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that Hong Kong SAR passport holders in the asylum system have access to appropriate mental health support.

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

The Home Office takes safeguarding issues extremely seriously. Protecting vulnerable people is a key departmental priority.

We recognise that that all asylum seekers are potentially vulnerable. During the asylum decision making process we aim to ensure that particularly vulnerable claimants are identified and that they are given help in accessing appropriate services.

All asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, including those who are Hong Kong SAR passport holders, can access the NHS for both physical and mental health needs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the extent to which exclusions from the BN(O) visa route for Hong Kong born-persons born after 1 Just 1997 and without BN(O) status, contribute to HKSAR passport holders claiming asylum in the United Kingdom.

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

The BN(O) route reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997. To be eligible for the BN(O) route, applicants must have BN(O) status, or be the eligible family member of someone with BN(O) status. Adult children of BN(O) status holders who were born after 1 July 1997 are eligible for the route.

The route is focused on those with BN(O) status and is already available to a significant proportion of the Hong Kong population. However, we understand concerns about the current scope of the route and so continue to keep this policy under review.

We have not made an assessment of the number of Hong Kongers born on or after 1 July 1997 who are not eligible for the BN(O) route, or of the extent to which ineligibility for the BN(O) route may contribute to asylum claims. Asylum and the BN(O) route serve different purposes and operate independently.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will expand eligibility for the BN(O) route to include Hongkongers born on or after 1 July 1997; what assessment she has made of the number of people currently excluded for this reason.

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

The BN(O) route reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997. To be eligible for the BN(O) route, applicants must have BN(O) status, or be the eligible family member of someone with BN(O) status. Adult children of BN(O) status holders who were born after 1 July 1997 are eligible for the route.

The route is focused on those with BN(O) status and is already available to a significant proportion of the Hong Kong population. However, we understand concerns about the current scope of the route and so continue to keep this policy under review.

We have not made an assessment of the number of Hong Kongers born on or after 1 July 1997 who are not eligible for the BN(O) route, or of the extent to which ineligibility for the BN(O) route may contribute to asylum claims. Asylum and the BN(O) route serve different purposes and operate independently.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will introduce an exemption from earnings requirement for indefinite leave to remain for persons who were (a) children or (b) enrolled in higher education for all or part of the relevant qualifying period.

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

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.

The Immigration White Paper included a commitment to consult on these changes. The changes involve significant reforms to the settlement pathway, and it is right that we consult to assess their impact on affected groups.

In the case of children, it is acknowledged that many of the requirements in the earned settlement mode– such as the mandatory earnings requirement or meeting an income threshold – cannot be met by those who may still be children at the point that their parents become eligible for settlement. At the same time, however, the introduction of an earned settlement system with a longer baseline qualifying period does bring into focus whether and how those who turn 18 during their parents’ qualifying period should be brought within earned settlement principles and be expected to qualify for settlement in their own right.

The consultation questionnaire therefore includes questions seeking views on how dependants should be accommodated within an earned settlement system, and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Details of the final earned settlement scheme will be finalised once the consultation has closed and the responses analysed.

The government’s response to the consultation will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will confirm that the current exemption from English language requirements for applicants aged 65 and over will be maintained for those applying for indefinite leave to remain.

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

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.

The Immigration White Paper included a commitment to consult on these changes. The changes involve significant reforms to the settlement pathway, and it is right that we consult to assess their impact on affected groups.

In the case of children, it is acknowledged that many of the requirements in the earned settlement mode– such as the mandatory earnings requirement or meeting an income threshold – cannot be met by those who may still be children at the point that their parents become eligible for settlement. At the same time, however, the introduction of an earned settlement system with a longer baseline qualifying period does bring into focus whether and how those who turn 18 during their parents’ qualifying period should be brought within earned settlement principles and be expected to qualify for settlement in their own right.

The consultation questionnaire therefore includes questions seeking views on how dependants should be accommodated within an earned settlement system, and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Details of the final earned settlement scheme will be finalised once the consultation has closed and the responses analysed.

The government’s response to the consultation will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of having full transitional arrangements when introducing an earned settlement scheme.

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

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.

The Immigration White Paper included a commitment to consult on these changes. The changes involve significant reforms to the settlement pathway, and it is right that we consult to assess their impact on affected groups.

In the case of children, it is acknowledged that many of the requirements in the earned settlement mode– such as the mandatory earnings requirement or meeting an income threshold – cannot be met by those who may still be children at the point that their parents become eligible for settlement. At the same time, however, the introduction of an earned settlement system with a longer baseline qualifying period does bring into focus whether and how those who turn 18 during their parents’ qualifying period should be brought within earned settlement principles and be expected to qualify for settlement in their own right.

The consultation questionnaire therefore includes questions seeking views on how dependants should be accommodated within an earned settlement system, and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Details of the final earned settlement scheme will be finalised once the consultation has closed and the responses analysed.

The government’s response to the consultation will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take legislative steps to amend the Mobile Homes (Site Licensing) (England) Regulations 2014 to (a) require local authorities to review site licences and site licence conditions at regular intervals and (b) take representations from residents into account during those reviews.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities have extensive enforcement powers to take action against site owners who breach their site licence conditions. Local authorities can change the conditions attached to a site licence at any time, and may choose to consult residents on the licence conditions being proposed.

The government has published guidance for local authorities on site licensing duties.

Concerns about conditions on a site should be raised with the local authority. If those concerns are not addressed, a formal complaint should be made through the authority’s complaints process and can be taken further, where appropriate, through the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, local authorities have had departmental engagement, intervention or support due to concerns about park homes enforcement capacity or performance in each of the last five years.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities have extensive enforcement powers to take action against site owners who breach their site licence conditions. Local authorities can change the conditions attached to a site licence at any time, and may choose to consult residents on the licence conditions being proposed.

The government has published guidance for local authorities on site licensing duties.

Concerns about conditions on a site should be raised with the local authority. If those concerns are not addressed, a formal complaint should be made through the authority’s complaints process and can be taken further, where appropriate, through the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to improve consistency of local authority enforcement of park home site licensing and related protections for residents.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities have extensive enforcement powers to take action against site owners who breach their site licence conditions. Local authorities can change the conditions attached to a site licence at any time, and may choose to consult residents on the licence conditions being proposed.

The government has published guidance for local authorities on site licensing duties.

Concerns about conditions on a site should be raised with the local authority. If those concerns are not addressed, a formal complaint should be made through the authority’s complaints process and can be taken further, where appropriate, through the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 April 2025 to Question 44299 on Park Homes: Sales, when he plans to seek evidence from the sector on the potential impact of paying site owners a commission upon sale of a park home on residents.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of requiring that utility supply arrangements on (a) new and (b) extended residential park home sites provide supplier choice for residents on the same basis as other housing developments.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Where park home residents purchase electricity from their site owner, they may not always have a choice of energy supplier, contract type or prices and this can lead to disputes between residents and site owners. The previous government explored this matter in 2023 through a Call for Evidence (which can be found on gov.uk here) but no straightforward solutions were identified.

In October 2025, Ofgem issued a call for input on Reselling Gas and Electricity (which can be here) to assess whether current arrangements under the Maximum Resale Price (MRP) provisions remain fit for purpose, ensure fair pricing, and protect consumers, particularly in light of evolving market conditions and energy affordability concerns. Ofgem is considering the responses and aims to publish a policy consultation on proposed changes in early summer 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on (a) identifying and (b) tackling unlawful (i) charges, (ii) bullying and (iii) intimidation by park home site operators.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Contractual disputes between site owners and park home residents, such as those relating to pitch fees and utility charges, fall within the jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal, rather than local planning authorities.

Local planning authorities have powers under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 to deal with cases of harassment and unlawful eviction on residential caravan sites. However, some cases reported as bulling or intimidation, may be contractual matters and will be for the First Tier Tribunal, not local planning authorities, to determine.

Park home residents who believe they have been bullied or intimidated can contact the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service for free, independent advice about their rights and the most appropriate action.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help support people with short and long-term spinal cord injuries.

Answered by Ashley Dalton

Our 10-Year Health Plan will have profound and positive impacts on care for patients with spinal cord injury. More tests and scans are delivered in the community, better joined-up working between services, and greater use of technology will all support people in the management of long-term conditions, including spinal cord injuries.

In March 2025, NHS England published the Spinal Services Clinical Network Specification, which establishes expectations for spinal clinical networks to standardise pathways and reduce variation, with the aim of improving access to care for patients.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services is also driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with National Health Service trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from.

In October 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published new guidance on rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders, which includes rehabilitation for spinal cord injury.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role local community safety groups will have in the consultation relating to the From local to national: a new model for policing white paper published on 26 January 2026.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Police Reform White Paper, published on 26 January 2026, represents the most significant reforms to policing in England and Wales since the service was professionalised nearly 200 years ago. Proposals will focus local forces on local crime, while strengthening our ability to tackle serious and organised crime and threats to national security by creating a new national force, the National Police Service. The White Paper also sets out an ambition to significantly reduce the number of police forces by the end of the next Parliament.

Whilst there will be no formal consultation on the proposals in the White Paper, the Home Office continues to engage with Policing and wider stakeholders, including community safety groups, to support the implementation of the reforms.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10 per cent commission on park home resales, including potential interactions with tax receipts and local authority adult social care budgets.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to promote the National Year of Reading in (a) early years settings, (b) primary schools, (c) secondary schools, (d) further education and (e) higher education.

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

The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment.

It includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings throughout the year. Reading together is one of the most powerful ways to build a child’s language and communication skills, strengthen early bonds, and spark a lifelong love of reading, which is why early years is one of the priority groups for the National Year of Reading.

We are raising awareness of the National Year of Reading through a range of methods, such as via departmental communication channels, the National Year of Reading mailing list and social media, communications from the National Literacy Trust, and promotion via the English Hubs network.

All interested parties are encouraged to sign up to the National Year of Reading website for more information: https://goallin.org.uk/.

To further support reading for pleasure, this government has committed over £10 million of dormant assets funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament, and a further £5 million for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he taking to ensure that people in the criminal justice system can engage with the National Year of Reading.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The National Year of Reading is a welcome opportunity to promote a wide range of activity to improve literacy and engagement with reading for people in custody and on probation.

As part of this work we have appointed the first ever Prison Reading Laureate, the author Lee Child. He will champion the transformative power of reading across the criminal justice system, continue expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 and will bring in more authors to work with prisons across the country, promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Reading is a priority for HMPPS who work with many voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations such as the Reading Agency and National Literacy Trust. A programme of work is planned throughout this year to improve national access to books and facilitate workshops with authors. The Youth Custody Service is also launching its first ever Literacy Festival to inspire reading amongst some of the most complex children in our society.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many 999 call handlers in England and Wales have received specific training on transnational repression since 1 January 2025.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not collect information on the training 999 call handlers have received.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the risk posed by foreign-state bounties and wanted notices against UK residents; and what steps are being taken to deter and prosecute any person in the UK seeking to facilitate such schemes.

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

The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated.

The police and intelligence services have mature mechanisms to continually assess potential threats in the UK. They use a wide range of tactics to counter the most acute forms of state-directed threats and protect those individuals identified as at risk.

The National Security Act 2023 has provided a comprehensive suite of powers to counter the threat of TNR. In particular, the Foreign Interference Offence and State Threats aggravating factor, have been specifically designed to bear down on harmful state-linked conduct (including state-directed activity such as transnational repression). Foreign Interference in the UK carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

Anyone who believes they are a victim of state‑directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station. Allegations of unlawful activity will be handled sensitively, treated seriously, and swiftly investigated in line with UK law.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training on transnational repression in the UK by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) has been offered to territorial police forces; and which forces in England and Wales have (a) completed that training, (b) partially completed that training and (c) not commenced any training.

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

The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated.

As of March 2025, guidance on the National Security Act and foreign interference is available to all police forces in the UK through the College of Policing, and the guidance has been used by each force. Counter Terrorism Police (CTP) continue to encourage forces to increase usage of these products to enhance awareness of the threat from foreign interference and how to respond.

Anyone who believes they are a victim of state‑directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station. Allegations of unlawful activity will be handled sensitively, treated seriously, and swiftly investigated in line with UK law.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure effective due diligence when assessing applications for export licences for UK military equipment that could be re-exported onwards to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Urgent Question debate on this issue held on 15 December 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to extend Transport UK's contract for East Midlands Railway beyond 18 October 2026.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Expiry Date of East Midlands Railway’s National Rail Contract (NRC) with the Department is October 2030, with a ‘Core Term Expiry Date’ of October 2026. Under the terms of NRCs, the Secretary of State can give the operator at least three Railway Periods’ notice (usually 12 weeks) to end the contract on a date stipulated by the Secretary of State, provided that the date is no earlier than the Core Term Expiry Date and coincides with the end of a Railway Period.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the East Midlands Railway will come into public ownership when its contract expires on 18th October 2026.

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

The Expiry Date of East Midlands Railway’s National Rail Contract (NRC) with the Department is October 2030, with a ‘Core Term Expiry Date’ of October 2026. Under the terms of NRCs, the Secretary of State can give the operator at least three Railway Periods’ notice (usually 12 weeks) to end the contract on a date stipulated by the Secretary of State, provided that the date is no earlier than the Core Term Expiry Date and coincides with the end of a Railway Period.

The Secretary of State has previously announced that Govia Thameslink Railway services will transfer into public ownership on 31 May 2026, and has outlined the intention for Chiltern Railways’ and Great Western Railways’ services to then follow. Expiry notices will be issued to confirm the dates of transfer once a final decision has been taken regarding each operator. Ministers will take decisions on further transfers in due course.

Services currently delivered by private sector operators under contract with the Department will transfer to a public-sector operator as current contracts expire, after they reach their contractual break point or if the contractual right to terminate is met - avoiding the need to pay compensation to the current operators for early termination.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure taxi drivers are protected from physical and verbal abuse whilst at work (a) in Nottinghamshire and (b) nationally.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Physical and verbal abuse against transport workers is unacceptable and something the Department takes very seriously. The Department’s best practice guidance to taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England is clear that authorities are required to consider crime and disorder reduction while exercising their duties; this includes ways in which the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime can be used to protect drivers. Guidance is also included for the trade on ways they can increase safety and what to do when incidents occur.

The Department’s statutory guidance recommends that licensing authorities should consult on the mandating of CCTV in vehicles. The Department’s view is that CCTV in vehicles can enhance both drivers’ and passengers’ safety and consideration of the merits of CCTV by licensing authorities must include both aspects.

The Best Practice Guidance highlights that health and safety law creates duties on businesses where requirements apply to workers in the same way as they do for employees. Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (Health and safety for gig economy, agency and temporary workers - HSE) outlines the different type of workers and what is expected of businesses who use their services. This means business subject to duties should establish effective management arrangements and carry out an assessment of the risks to workers while they are at work, and to other people who may be affected by their work activities. Any assessment should identify the significant risks affecting workers and others, and, importantly, identify measures to reduce those risks.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help support libraries.

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

Each local authority is responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing a library service to meet those needs within their available resources.

DCMS supports library services by providing guidance on any proposed changes to their statutory library service and shares best practice from other library services who have undertaken similar changes. DCMS also works across government departments to promote public libraries’ contributions to a range of important agendas and encourage a “libraries first” approach to delivery of government projects and policies.

Core funding for libraries is through the Local Government Finance Settlement. In 2026-27 the government will make available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26.

In January 2026 the DCMS Secretary of State announced continued investment in the Libraries Improvement Fund, meaning £27.5 million over the period 2025-30. This will enable library services across England to invest in a range of projects to upgrade buildings and technology to meet changing user needs. Nottinghamshire County Council has previously received £399,086 from this fund to support projects in a number of their libraries.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what role public libraries will play in the delivery of the National Year of Reading.

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

Public libraries are central to the success of the National Year of Reading’s campaign to engage people of all ages with reading. The Reading Agency has been appointed to work with sector partners to deliver and support public library engagement. The Summer Reading Challenge in 2026, and World Book Night, the annual celebration of reading for adults on 23 April 2026, will be key moments for libraries during the National Year of Reading 2026. Throughout the year, The Reading Agency will provide public libraries with resources, toolkits, and print and digital materials to support their work and boost engagement.

Local authorities such as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Hillingdon, Oxfordshire and Nottinghamshire are actively celebrating and participating in the National Year of Reading programmes with various activities and events at their library branches.

Found: present: Sarah Champion (Chair); Janet Daby; Monica Harding; Noah Law; Brian Mathew; David Mundell; James Naish

Found: present: Sarah Champion (Chair); Janet Daby; Monica Harding; Noah Law; Brian Mathew; David Mundell; James Naish

Found: LISA0175 Anonymous LISA0176 Anonymous LISA0177 Anonymous LISA0178 Anonymous LISA0182 Mr James Naish

Found: ; Melksham and Devizes) David Mundell (Conservative; Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) James Naish

Found: Democrat; Melksham and Devizes) David Mundell (Conservative; Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) James Naish

Found: Q18 James Naish: It was £1.5 million, I think, at first.

Found: Q18 James Naish: It was £1.5 million, I think, at first.

Submit Evidence (by 15 Apr 2026)

The International Development Committee will explore the FCDO’s approach to higher education and research partnerships as part of its development strategy; how this may shift in response to a reduced aid budget and in the light of the new International Education Strategy; and the medium to long-term benefits of higher education and research partnerships to the UK’s international development goals.