Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of removing the customs duty on mastectomy bras.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK’s tariff schedule, known as the UK Global Tariff (UKGT), adheres to global classification standards. Those classify mastectomy bras under a commodity code that covers a range of other textiles.
We continue to monitor the UKGT to ensure our Most Favoured Nation tariff schedule functions as effectively as possible, supports domestic priorities, and provides a stable operating environment for businesses.
Businesses are able to request the partial or full liberalisation of the import duty applied to the products under this commodity code, including mastectomy bras, either through the online feedback form or the next business suspensions window.
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress he has made on AI collaboration with Anthropic since 14 February 2025.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department has continued to deepen its collaboration with Anthropic as part of its broader strategy to strengthen the UK’s sovereign AI capabilities. This partnership forms part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring the UK is an AI maker, not just a taker. Through the Sovereign AI Unit, DSIT is working with Anthropic and other frontier AI companies to shape the development of strategically important capabilities, leveraging the UK’s strengths in talent, data and investment to secure economic and technological advantage.
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the Rt hon. Member for Godalming and Ash of 3 April 2025 requesting a meeting with the Minister for Housing and Planning to discuss the Community Infrastructure Levy.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in previous replies to the Rt Hon Member on this subject, my Department is continuing to review the issues highlighted in the correspondence shared as part of the government’s commitment to strength the existing system of developer contributions.
I would be more than happy to meet with the Rt Hon Member and my office has contacted his with a view to finding a mutually convenient date and time.
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to increase support for Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This year the UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever before, with a £4.5 billion boost.
At the 27th Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting, we announced a rapid surge in support, valued at around £450 million. This follows the £2.26 billion loan agreement with Ukraine earmarked for military spending.
We are absolutely committed to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made on completing feasibility studies to provide step-free access to Ash Vale Station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The feasibility work for Ash Vale station is underway and we expect all 50 of the feasibility studies announced last year to be complete in the spring. We expect to be able to confirm which stations will move forward over the summer. The Access for All programme continues to be heavily oversubscribed.
We remain committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the valuable social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will implement the recommended compensation schemes for victims of (a) pelvic mesh implants, (b) sodium valproate, and (c) Primodos made by the Hughes report.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.
The Patient Safety Commissioner was not asked to look at redress for hormone pregnancy tests as part of her recent report. The causal link between the use of hormone pregnancy tests during pregnancy and adverse outcomes in pregnancy has not been demonstrated. However, we are committed to reviewing any new scientific evidence that comes to light.
We remain hugely sympathetic to the families who believe that they or their children have suffered following the use of hormone pregnancy tests.
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish its final response to its Duty of candour review.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is supportive of the review it inherited into the effectiveness and implementation of the statutory duty of candour for health and social care providers.
We are clear that the duty needs to act as a catalyst for providers to improve openness and commit to a learning culture. The aim of the review is to examine how all providers and their leaders can act upon that duty consistently and effectively.
We are using the findings of our consultation on manager regulation, which closed on 18 February 2025, to help inform the final response to the review on the statutory duty of candour. The Government is preparing its consultation response, and we intend to publish the final duty of candour review report once the consultation response has been published.
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve mobile phone coverage in rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Through the Shared Rural Network, we are continuing to deliver 4G connectivity where there is limited or no coverage.
Beyond this, our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural communities, to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030.
We are working with Ofcom and the industry to ensure we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market, including more accurate coverage reporting.
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
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 ensure the timely publication of the 2023-24 report by NHS England on learning from lives and deaths: people with a learning disability and autistic people.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England commissions Kings College London and its partners to analyse data from the publication, Learning from Lives and Deaths: People with a Learning Disability and Autistic People. The annual report is published by Kings College London, which is currently working on the next annual report and NHS England advises it will publish this shortly. The last report was published in November 2023 and is available at the following link:
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/assets/fans-dept/leder-2022-v2.0.pdf
Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of giving Ukrainians with temporary residence the option to apply for visas longer than 18 months.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine to assist in the rebuilding of that country. It is important our approach respects these wishes.
This is why the temporary Ukraine Schemes do not lead to settlement in the UK.
We will, of course, continue to keep the Ukraine schemes under review in line with developments in Ukraine.
There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.