Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle antisemitism within schools and universities.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Tackling antisemitism in schools, colleges and universities is a job for us all. This government will root out antisemitism wherever we find it. The government has accepted all 27 recommendations from the Bell Review, including encouraging schools and colleges to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, providing dedicated training for leaders, improving the reporting and recording of antisemitic incidents, and developing resources to help staff identify and challenge antisemitism. Key guidance will be strengthened, including Keeping Children Safe in Education, and schools and colleges will receive further support to discuss sensitive geopolitical issues and respond to complex cases.
The government is also clear that antisemitic abuse has no place on university campuses. The Office for Students' E6 condition of registration requires providers to have effective measures in place to address harassment. The department continues to work closely with universities and the Union of Jewish Students, including funding training to improve understanding of antisemitism and support effective responses to incidents on campus.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to raise awareness of preventative security measures and encourage households to better secure oil tanks.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Households can help themselves by putting in place preventive physical security measures, which can reduce the costs and disruption associated with security incidents and help maintain confidence.
The police publish specific advice at The police publish specific advice at https://www.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/protect-home-crime/oil-tank-theft/ on practical and preventive steps households can take to protect domestic oil tanks from theft, such as installing appropriate locks, security lighting, alarms, and CCTV.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure access to apprenticeships and provide good employment options for young men.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 October 2026 to Question UIN 33619.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative assessment his Department has made of government funding for electrical apprenticeship training between England and Northern Ireland, and whether he plans to take steps with the Northern Ireland Executive to identify opportunities to support greater consistency in training provision and outcomes.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Funding for apprenticeships and skills is a devolved matter. This government is committed to engaging with the devolved governments on skills policy, including on the development of the growth and skills levy for England, to share best practice and support one another in boosting growth and spreading opportunity throughout the UK.
In England, we are transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy, backed by over £1 billion of additional investment. This will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, give employers, including in the electrical contracting industry, greater flexibility to develop the workforce they need, and support the industrial strategy.
To support businesses to take on apprentices, we have introduced a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (who are typically SMEs) when they take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. The government now also fully funds apprenticeship training for all eligible under 25s at employers of all sizes.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions the Minister for Skills has had with the Northern Ireland Executive and representatives of the electrical contracting industry about ensuring adequate funding for Level 3 electrical apprenticeships and addressing projected skills shortages across the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Funding for apprenticeships and skills is a devolved matter. This government is committed to engaging with the devolved governments on skills policy, including on the development of the growth and skills levy for England, to share best practice and support one another in boosting growth and spreading opportunity throughout the UK.
In England, we are transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy, backed by over £1 billion of additional investment. This will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, give employers, including in the electrical contracting industry, greater flexibility to develop the workforce they need, and support the industrial strategy.
To support businesses to take on apprentices, we have introduced a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (who are typically SMEs) when they take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. The government now also fully funds apprenticeship training for all eligible under 25s at employers of all sizes.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on support for effective mental health support resourcing and workforce levels.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As a Department of State, we work collaboratively with the devolved administrations to drive forward our objective of supporting people to lead more independent, healthier lives for longer.
The Government has already made progress in increasing the number of frontline staff, improving working conditions, and making the National Health Service a rewarding and fulfilling place to work. Decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual NHS employers, who manage this at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of causes of delays in MND diagnosis, particularly in women.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is developing a motor neurone disease fast track pathway and diagnosis will be considered as part of it. I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 7 September in response to Question 22114 and the answer provided on 14 September in response to Question 24375.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the proposed Legacy Commission is transparent and accountable, with investigations that deliver meaningful outcomes for victims and their families.
Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
Through the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, the Government is putting in place a fundamentally reformed independent Legacy Commission, with stronger investigative functions, a new governance structure, a robust conflict of interest framework, and an amended disclosure regime.
The Troubles Bill places a statutory duty on the Legacy Commission to ensure that the approach to dealing with Northern Ireland’s past is balanced, proportionate, transparent, fair and equitable. A core function of the Commission will be to carry out investigations and to publish findings of those investigations.
The Bill’s new accountability arrangements include an independent oversight board, statutory victims and survivors group, and regular independent review of the Commission’s performance of its functions.
Following the Government's amendment at Committee Stage, the Commission will also be subject to scrutiny by the HMICFRS, who will inspect the efficiency and effectiveness of its investigative function. The Government is confident these measures will deliver answers to victims and families who have waited so long for the truth.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department will take to support further marine research and seagrass restoration in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
Marine research is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. The UK Government will continue to work collaboratively with the Executive on these issues as and when needed, but specific queries regarding policy delivery in this area are a matter for Northern Ireland Ministers.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the cost of energy bills for manufacturers in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that high electricity prices are a significant pressure on industry and a barrier to investment and growth. We are taking action to support manufacturers, including through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, which will benefit over 10,000 businesses and reduce electricity costs by up to £40/MWh. As confirmed at Budget last month, the Northern Ireland Executive will receive funding to deliver a comparable scheme. We are also continuing to develop policies to bring down electricity costs relative to gas for the non-domestic sector. The Government continues to engage with relevant partners, including the Northern Ireland Executive, on matters affecting businesses across the United Kingdom