Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken steps to implement the recommendations of the report by Dr Frances Rawle entitled The role of review and regulatory approvals processes for animal research in supporting implementation of the 3Rs, published on 27 February 2023.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Rawle report identified opportunities to strengthen regulation and review processes supporting the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in animal research, some of which are led by the Home Office. The Home Office has taken substantive steps to implement the recommendations, including:
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 55524 on Gaza: Genocide, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of this policy on Government decision making.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our policy remains as set out in the answer to which the Right Hon Gentleman refers.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the proposed funding by the European Commission for the development of new approach methodologies which do not involve the use of live animals in experiments.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting alternatives to animals in science and will publish a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption later this year. We have reviewed the European Commission's (EC) Life Sciences Strategy and engaged with the European Medicines Agency on accelerating the science-led adoption of alternatives for a range of uses of animals in science, including chemicals, medicines and cosmetics. Government officials regularly attend international meetings to collaborate on best practice and consider approaches to reducing reliance on animal testing, including attending European Commission workshops on the EC roadmap to phasing out animal testing for chemicals.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which companies have expressed an interest in investing in Public Private Partnerships.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government announced in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy document, published on 19 June, and its 10 Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, that it will explore the feasibility of using new Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to deliver certain types of primary and community health infrastructure.
A decision whether to use PPPs in these circumstances will be taken in the Autumn Budget 2025, based on co-development of a model and business case between the Department and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.
Any new model will be market-tested and informed by past lessons and recent Government reviews to ensure better outcomes and value for money.
To better understand market appetite and lessons learned from previous PPPs, the Department conducted a successful preliminary market engagement exercise over the course of the summer. We had in excess of 320 interested parties who registered an interest, including advisors, construction, equity, debt, facilities management, and managed service providers. This preliminary market engagement exercise was not inviting expression of interest to invest, instead, it was focused on testing market appetite for a new PPP model and discussing lessons learnt.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide information on the (a) new Public Private Partnerships and (b) in what way they differ from Private Finance Initiatives.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government announced, in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy document on the 19 June 2025 and the 10-Year Health plan published on 3 July 2025, that it will explore the feasibility of using new Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to deliver certain types of primary and community health infrastructure.
A decision whether to use PPPs in these circumstances will be taken by the 2025 Autumn Budget, based on the co-development of a model and business case between the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority and the Department.
The Department conducted a successful preliminary market engagement exercise over the summer, and this is feeding into the business case, which is still in development.
Any new PPP models will be subject to further market-testing and will build on lessons learned from past experience, models currently in use, and the March 2025 National Audit Office report Lessons Learned: private finance for infrastructure.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle age discrimination in the workplace.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government acknowledges the key role employers play in helping older individuals to remain in or re-enter the workforce, and the importance of embracing policies conducive to this support. The 2010 Equality Act provides strong protection against direct and indirect age discrimination in employment, rendering it unlawful for employers to discriminate against employees or job applicants based on age.
We know that work helps everyone play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement. The Department is committed to supporting older workers through a wide-ranging strategy that promotes inclusion, flexibility, and progression. This includes promoting age-inclusive practices, supporting workplace health, policy and service reform and removing age related barriers to employment. The Department has also signed up to and actively promotes the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, encouraging employers to adopt flexible working, age-positive hiring, and career development.
Our new Jobs and Careers service will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and help them progress in work or increase their earnings. The Jobs and Careers Service will incorporate principles of accessibility and inclusivity, acknowledging diverse support needs, including those of older individuals.
We also asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead an independent “Keep Britain Working” review as a part of the plan to Get Britain Working. In recognition of employer's vital role, his review is considering recommendations to support and enable employers to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. This includes the perspectives of older people themselves, as well as input from organisations like the Centre for Ageing Better. Recommendations are expected in autumn 2025.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police on the development of policing best practice in responding to the needs of neurodiverse people.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The College of Policing is responsible for setting the relevant professional standards, guidance and training on operational policing matters. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.
The NPCC have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver an effective service for neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents.
Police powers of entry under PACE must be exercised proportionally, meaning the level of intrusion should be necessary and justified in the circumstances, and where there are vulnerable people, the powers must be balanced to ensure public safety and the rights of individuals. Police forces, including the Met use a Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) to identify vulnerability and ensure an appropriate response.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has provided guidance to police forces on the entry of police into supportive environments for neurodiverse people.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The College of Policing is responsible for setting the relevant professional standards, guidance and training on operational policing matters. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.
The NPCC have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver an effective service for neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents.
Police powers of entry under PACE must be exercised proportionally, meaning the level of intrusion should be necessary and justified in the circumstances, and where there are vulnerable people, the powers must be balanced to ensure public safety and the rights of individuals. Police forces, including the Met use a Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) to identify vulnerability and ensure an appropriate response.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to police forces on supporting neurodiverse people.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The College of Policing is responsible for setting the relevant professional standards, guidance and training on operational policing matters. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.
The NPCC have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver an effective service for neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents.
Police powers of entry under PACE must be exercised proportionally, meaning the level of intrusion should be necessary and justified in the circumstances, and where there are vulnerable people, the powers must be balanced to ensure public safety and the rights of individuals. Police forces, including the Met use a Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) to identify vulnerability and ensure an appropriate response.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is provided by police forces for interacting with neurodiverse people; and whether she has considered the potential merits of issuing guidance on this matter.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The College of Policing is responsible for setting the relevant professional standards, guidance and training on operational policing matters. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.
The NPCC have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver an effective service for neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents.
Police powers of entry under PACE must be exercised proportionally, meaning the level of intrusion should be necessary and justified in the circumstances, and where there are vulnerable people, the powers must be balanced to ensure public safety and the rights of individuals. Police forces, including the Met use a Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) to identify vulnerability and ensure an appropriate response.