Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will review the current eligibility criteria for NHS-funded COVID-19 vaccinations, in light of the emergence of a new variant and rising hospitalisations.

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

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation carefully considered the latest evidence on the risk of hospitalisation and mortality in specific groups, as well as cost-effectiveness analysis, in order to provide the Government with advice on the autumn 2025 programme. The evidence indicates that whilst the risk from COVID-19 is now much lower for most people, adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and those who are immunosuppressed are those at highest risk of serious COVID-19 disease.

Therefore, a more targeted vaccination programme aimed at individuals with a higher risk of developing serious disease, and where vaccination was considered potentially cost-effective, was advised for autumn 2025.

The latest UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) data in the national flu and COVID-19 surveillance report supports the current eligibility, showing that there is a strong association between age and COVID-19 hospitalisation rates. The highest hospital admission rate for COVID-19 in the report published on 27 November 2025 was in those aged 85 years old and over.

Currently XFG and its sub lineages, sometimes called the ‘Stratus’ variant, are the most prevalent SARS-CoV-2 lineages in England. This lineage is closely related to previous variants that circulated in the United Kingdom. At this time there is no indication that XFG causes more serious disease, or that the vaccines being used in the autumn 2025 campaign will not be effective against it. The UKHSA will continue to monitor both COVID-19 outcomes and variant prevalence as we enter the winter season.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will commit to appointing a new National Clinical Director for Rare Diseases.

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

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases. NHS England and the Department are strongly supportive of clinical leadership and recognise that national clinical directors play an important role in policy development and implementation. There are over 7,000 types of rare disease which span the range of clinical specialities. As such, NHS England and the Department expect to continue to draw upon the range of clinical expertise that their national clinical directors hold to inform our work in this area, as well as that of expert clinicians delivering services for rare diseases, such as those commissioned by specialised commissioning. In addition, there is a National Medical Director for Specialised Services who provides national leadership and advice for the healthcare of rare disease and oversight for the portfolio of rare diseases which NHS England commissions services for.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to monitor and tackle the environmental impact of single-use packaging waste on terrestrial trail ecosystems, including public rights of way.

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

Local councils are responsible for keeping their public land clear of litter and refuse.

We are targeting some of the more commonly littered items to reduce the presence of these in our communities. The sale of single-use vapes was banned from 1 June 2025 and a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers will go live in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland in October 2027. The Deposit Return Scheme will cover plastic and metal drinks containers (like bottles and cans which make up 55% of litter volume), and the goal is to reduce litter and help keep our streets, rivers, and oceans clean.

We have a number of restrictions on other unnecessary single use plastic products and we will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and/or materials to take a systematic approach, in line with circular economy principles, to reduce the use of unnecessary single-use plastic products and encourage reuse solutions. These measures help reduce litter at the source and reduce pollution on terrestrial trail ecosystems.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to introduce standardised digital literacy guidance for schools to teach children critical evaluation skills for assessing the reliability of online information.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report on 5 November, the department will update the national curriculum to prepare young people for life and work in a changing world. In line with the Review’s recommendations, refreshed programmes of study will include critical thinking skills, in addition to digital and media literacy and artificial intelligence.

To ensure consistency, we are legislating so that academies will be required to teach the refreshed national curriculum alongside maintained schools. Content will be shaped through expert engagement, with a public consultation on draft proposals next year.

Currently, media literacy is taught through citizenship, relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) and computing, whilst digital literacy is addressed in computing and RSHE. To support teachers now, the department-funded National Centre for Computing Education provides free resources and continuing professional development, including materials on messaging in digital media, the credibility of sources and identifying ‘fake’ news and edited images.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is planning to take to ensure that public confidence in the criminal justice system is maintained if the use of jury trials is reduced.

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

The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard and too many victims waiting years for justice. The significant delays in our courts are corrosive of public confidence in our justice system. In many cases, witnesses and victims are pulling out of the court process, resulting in the collapse of trials and justice not being served. That is why this Government is determined to tackle the crisis and why we asked Sir Brian Leveson to undertake his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. On 2 December, the Deputy Prime Minister responded to the first part of that review and set out why reform is necessary, alongside investment and modernisation. The central purpose of these reforms is precisely to restore public confidence in the justice system.

Whilst jury trial will remain an important feature of the criminal justice system following reforms, it is important to recognise that there is no constitutional right to a jury trial. The removal of the defendants’ right to elect is compatible with Article 6 of the ECHR. As you will be aware, the vast majority of criminal trials in this country are conducted fairly, without a jury. 90% of all criminal cases are dealt with by magistrates. Only around 3% of all criminal trials are heard by a jury currently.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposals to remove jury trials for offences other than the most serious crimes on defendants’ rights.

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

Whilst the jury trial will remain an important feature of the criminal justice system following reforms, it is important to recognise that there is no constitutional right to a jury trial. The removal of the defendants’ right to elect or right to insist on a jury trial irrespective of the seriousness of the offence is compatible with Article 6 of the ECHR. As you will be aware, the vast majority of criminal trials in this country are conduct fairly, without a jury. 90% of all criminal cases are dealt with by magistrates. Only around 3% of all criminal trials are heard by a jury currently.

The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard and too many victims waiting years for justice. One of the first priorities of this Government has been to tackle this crisis, which is why we asked Sir Brian Leveson to undertake his independent review. On 2 December, the Deputy Prime Minister responded to the first part of that review and set out why reform is necessary, alongside investment and modernisation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of members of defined benefit pension schemes with pre-1997 service who have received no discretionary pension increases in the last ten years; and what steps he is taking to encourage sponsoring employers and trustees to grant discretionary increases to pre-1997 pension benefits.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Analysis published by the Pensions Regulator indicates that, as of March 2023, around 17 per cent of members of private sector defined benefit pension schemes do not receive any pre-1997 indexation on benefits. This information can be found at: thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/document-library/research-and-analysis/data-requests.

Reforms in our Pension Schemes Bill will enable more trustees of well-funded defined benefit pension schemes to share surplus with employers, and deliver better outcomes for members, and benefit the wider economy, unlocking some of the estimated £160 billion of scheme surplus. As part of any agreement to release surplus funds to the employer, trustees will be better placed to negotiate additional benefits for members such as discretionary indexation.

The Pension Regulator already sets out that trustees should consider the situation of those members who would benefit from a discretionary increase and whether the scheme has a history of making such awards. The Regulator will be producing further guidance on surplus sharing once the legislation is in place.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of funding mechanisms under the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme to enable local authorities and other land managers to address single-use packaging waste on public rights of way and in rural green spaces.

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

In autumn last year, Defra published the final impact assessment for the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) regulations when they were laid in Parliament. Payments for litter cleanup are outside the scope of the regulations and therefore this assessment did not include analysis of how pEPR funding might address littered packaging on public rights of way or in rural green spaces.

More broadly this Government remains committed to tackling litter. Most importantly the deposit return scheme for drinks containers which will be rolled out in October 2027, will have a major impact on littered single use packaging waste. Plastic bottles and cans account for 55% of litter volume and DRS is expected to significantly reduce the number of items littered.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many enhanced DBS check applications for care sector roles have exceeded 60 days at the police checking stage in each of the last six months; and whether the Government plans to provide additional resources to police forces experiencing significant backlogs in DBS processing.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The DBS does not report its performance by specific job sectors. The DBS publishes its performance for Enhanced checks on a quarterly basis at DBS performance and metrics - GOV.UK. These attainments apply to applications across all employment sectors including the care sector.

The DBS works closely with all police forces to ensure checks are completed as quickly as possible. This includes funding additional staff and overtime within forces. Where possible, police forces with capacity are also helping those with a large number of outstanding cases, a process managed by the DBS.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average processing time is for enhanced DBS checks in the care sector in each of the last twelve months; and what steps the Government is taking to reduce the time taken in the police checking stage of DBS applications.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The DBS does not report its performance by specific job sectors. The DBS publishes its performance for Enhanced checks on a quarterly basis at DBS performance and metrics - GOV.UK. These attainments apply to applications across all employment sectors including the care sector.

The DBS works closely with all police forces to ensure checks are completed as quickly as possible. This includes funding additional staff and overtime within forces. Where possible, police forces with capacity are also helping those with a large number of outstanding cases, a process managed by the DBS.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to change the minimum income requirement and English language proficiency level for applicants under the BN(O) visa scheme.

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

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.

There are no plans to change the requirements of the BN(O) visa route for those applying for entry clearance or permission to stay.

As set out in the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, BN(O) visa holders will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements which include meeting level B2 in English language and having paid at least three years of National Insurance contributions.

We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation. In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the proposed timeline between January 2027 and December 2029 in the F Gas Regulation consultation for the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sector to implement the safety measures required for the transition to alternative refrigerants with flammability or toxicity characteristics.

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

The Government is currently consulting on proposed reforms to the GB hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown. The consultation remains open, and the Department is carefully considering all responses received from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, trade associations and other interested parties.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to include mandatory training and certification requirements for refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump technicians handling alternative refrigerants as part of the proposed reforms to the F Gas Regulation phasedown schedule.

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

The Government is currently consulting on proposed reforms to the GB hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown. The consultation remains open, and the Department is carefully considering all responses received from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, trade associations and other interested parties.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative estimate her Department has made of the cost to consumers of (a) the proposed SESRO reservoir and (b) a Severn-to-Thames water transfer pipeline.

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

Water Resource Management Plans, which are approved by regulators, ensure that the strategic options pursued by water companies provide the best value for customers. Expenditure on infrastructure and customer bills are also controlled by Ofwat to minimise costs to billpayers. Defra are working to minimise bill impacts of any strategic resource option through the Water Delivery Taskforce, which brings together regulators and water companies to find cost-effective solutions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential costs and benefits of a hybrid phasedown scenario that would maintain the existing phasedown schedule until 2030 before transitioning to the Medium Ambition Scenario, compared to the High Ambition Scenario proposed in the F Gas Regulation consultation.

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

The Government is currently consulting on proposed reforms to the GB hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown. The consultation remains open, and the Department is carefully considering all responses received from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, trade associations and other interested parties.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many responses his Department has received from (a) refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump industry representatives, (b) small and medium-sized enterprises and (c) trade associations representing environmental technology businesses to the F Gas Regulation consultation.

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

The Government is currently consulting on proposed reforms to the GB hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown. The consultation remains open, and the Department is carefully considering all responses received from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, trade associations and other interested parties.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that broadband infrastructure providers complete full fibre rollout in areas where initial deployment was incomplete; and what steps she is taking to ensure that residents in those areas have access to adequate broadband connectivity.

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

We are committed to ensuring 99% of premises receive gigabit coverage by 2032. We will continue to work in partnership with industry to deliver the fibre rollout and will maintain a stable pro-competition regulatory environment to encourage private investment.

However, where network operators choose to deploy their services in commercially viable areas is a commercial matter, and the government will not intervene in private business decisions.

Through Project Gigabit, we are addressing gaps in coverage by delivering gigabit-capable connections to premises not included in suppliers’ plans. As of the end of September 2025, over 1.3 million premises in hard-to-reach communities across the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes.

Alongside this, over one million further premises have been included within contracts to provide access to gigabit-capable broadband, with funding of over £2.4 billion through Project Gigabit.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of the overseas development assistance budget was allocated to rapid disaster response in developing countries in 2024-25.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 26 November in response to Question 92339.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to Sri Lanka beyond the initial humanitarian assistance announced in response to Cyclone Ditwah.

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

The level of UK humanitarian assistance provided in response to a natural disaster will be based on a number of factors, including the vulnerability of the affected population, capacity of the affected country's government to respond, the number of people affected or in need, and contributions from other donors towards the crisis.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much UK humanitarian assistance was provided to Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah in November 2025.

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

The level of UK humanitarian assistance provided in response to a natural disaster will be based on a number of factors, including the vulnerability of the affected population, capacity of the affected country's government to respond, the number of people affected or in need, and contributions from other donors towards the crisis.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with the (a) World Bank, (b) International Monetary Fund and (c) Asian Development Bank on financial support for Sri Lanka's post-Cyclone Ditwah recovery.

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

The level of UK humanitarian assistance provided in response to a natural disaster will be based on a number of factors, including the vulnerability of the affected population, capacity of the affected country's government to respond, the number of people affected or in need, and contributions from other donors towards the crisis.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria her Department uses to determine the level of UK humanitarian assistance in response to natural disasters in developing countries.

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

The level of UK humanitarian assistance provided in response to a natural disaster will be based on a number of factors, including the vulnerability of the affected population, capacity of the affected country's government to respond, the number of people affected or in need, and contributions from other donors towards the crisis.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of protective security funding allocated to places of worship, schools and community centres in financial year 2025-26; and what steps she is taking to ensure such funding is adequate to meet current threat levels.

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

This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer.

In 2025/26, up to £70.9 million is available to protect faith communities. This includes additional emergency funding of £10 million each this year to support the safety, security and peace of mind for both Jewish and Muslim communities.

The Government and police work closely together to review threats and strengthen protections for communities against terrorism and hate crime. The Home Office continuously reviews the adequacy of its protective security schemes for faith communities through evaluating information provided by policing and intelligence partners on threat levels, monitoring data on uptake of the schemes, and reviewing feedback from faith communities and other stakeholders.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered alternative water supply schemes to the proposed SESRO reservoir in the Thames Valley.

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

The need for SESRO has been determined through statutory Water Resources Management Plans which are developed by water companies to show how they will manage supply and demand for the next 25 years. Water company plans adopted the outputs of the Regional Plan developed by Water Resources South East Water which appraised over 2400 options to meet water demand in the region. This included reservoirs, transfers, recycling schemes, new and redeveloped sources. All available options were compared through best value modelling, and SESRO was selected as a preferred option for the southeast and included in Thames Water’s Water Resources Management Plan.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed SESRO reservoir on the environment of the Thames Valley.

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

Assessments to understand the potential impacts of SESRO have been developed by Thames Water, working with environmental regulators, as part of the Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) gated planning process ahead of formal planning stages. For SESRO to proceed it will need to obtain a Development Consent Order as well as environmental permits. Through the Development Consent Order process, a full environmental impact assessment will be required to understand all environmental impacts from the scheme and to identify mitigation needed to protect the environment through both construction and operational phases. The Environment Agency (EA), along with other environmental regulators, is a statutory consultee for the process. Environmental assessments will also be required for any permits needed for the scheme, for which the EA is a regulator.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the (a) reduction in business rates relief, (b) 2026 rates revaluation and (c) increase in employer National Insurance contributions announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget on pubs and breweries.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

Without our support, the pub sector as a whole would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. Because of the support we’ve put in place, this has fallen to just 4%.

More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. We are doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties, including those on the high street.

The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.

The National Insurance Contributions (NICs) Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500, ensuring that over half of businesses with National Insurance liabilities, including those in the hospitality sector, will either gain or see no change this year. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside changes to employer NICs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reduction in business rates relief and the 2026 rates revaluation on pubs and breweries.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

Without our support, the pub sector as a whole would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. Because of the support we’ve put in place, this has fallen to just 4%.

More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. We are doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties, including those on the high street.

The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.

The National Insurance Contributions (NICs) Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500, ensuring that over half of businesses with National Insurance liabilities, including those in the hospitality sector, will either gain or see no change this year. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside changes to employer NICs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many pubs closed in England in each of the last three years; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates increases on pub closure rates.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

Without our support, the pub sector as a whole would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. Because of the support we’ve put in place, this has fallen to just 4%.

More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. We are doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties, including those on the high street.

The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.

The National Insurance Contributions (NICs) Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500, ensuring that over half of businesses with National Insurance liabilities, including those in the hospitality sector, will either gain or see no change this year. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside changes to employer NICs.

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 support the horticultural industry's transition to peat-free growing media.

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

The Government plans to legislate for a ban on the sale of peat and peat containing products when parliamentary time allows. This commitment is embedded within our Carbon Budget planning and, most recently, reflected in the latest iteration of the Environmental Improvement Plan.

We are working with the industry to develop peat-free fresh produce roadmaps, and we are continuing to support research and development, such as that being undertaken as part of the Royal Horticultural Society's Transition to Peat-Free Fellowship.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing legislation to ban the sale and supply of peat for horticultural use before 2030.

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

The Government plans to legislate for a ban on the sale of peat and peat containing products when parliamentary time allows. This commitment is embedded within our Carbon Budget planning and, most recently, reflected in the latest iteration of the Environmental Improvement Plan.

We are working with the industry to develop peat-free fresh produce roadmaps, and we are continuing to support research and development, such as that being undertaken as part of the Royal Horticultural Society's Transition to Peat-Free Fellowship.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of the Covid-era loan repayment obligations on the British Council’s ability to maintain its global network and cultural programmes.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I provided on 13 October in response to question 906060, and to the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, where these issues were addressed at length.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the British Council’s capacity to meet its Covid-era loan repayments on staffing levels and the closure of overseas offices.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I provided on 13 October in response to question 906060, and to the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, where these issues were addressed at length.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made a value-for-money assessment of the British Council loan issued during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I provided on 13 October in response to question 906060, and to the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, where these issues were addressed at length.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what advice his Department has received on whether changes to the inflation indexation methodology of the Feed-in Tariff scheme would constitute a material change to the contractual terms agreed with scheme participants.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Feed-In Tariff scheme does not involve individual contracts between generators and government. Accredited generators may have entered into contracts with their energy suppliers in relation to their FIT payments, but their entitlement to those payments arises from legislation and the standard conditions of the electricity supply licence. Any changes to the indexation methodology would follow the statutory process for changing those conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to prevent sudden cardiac deaths in people aged 35 and under.

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

To reduce the risks of sudden cardiac death, NHS England has published a national service specification for inherited cardiac conditions which includes services for young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease.

NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification and is working with a broad range of stakeholders as part of the review.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department has taken to explore alternatives to business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure premises; and whether she has considered implementing a Commercial Landowner Levy based on land value.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto.

The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties.

The Call for Evidence, published at Budget, focuses on how reform of the business rates system can be used to incentivise and secure more investment by Britain’s businesses. This Call for Evidence builds on the findings of the Transforming Business Rates: Discussion Paper and asks stakeholders for more detailed evidence on how the business rates system influences investment decisions.

Any reforms taken forward will be phased over the course of the Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been deprived of their British citizenship in each year since 2020; and how many of those (a) were born British citizens, (b) became stateless as a result, and (c) had their citizenship restored following an appeal.

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

The Home Office publishes data on the number of citizenship deprivation orders. These reports are available on Gov.UK as part of the HMG Counter-Terrorism Disruptive Powers reports and the Immigration and Protection transparency data

However, the full information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the process for assigning judges to cases involving legal challenges to Government decisions.

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

Under section 7(2)(c) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, the Lady Chief Justice is responsible for the maintenance of appropriate arrangements for the deployment of the judiciary and the allocation of work within courts. Accordingly, the Government has no role in the process for assigning judges to cases.

This is consistent with the important principle of judicial independence, which shields judges from external pressures and gives the public confidence that cases will be decided fairly and in accordance with the law.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK financial services firms can effectively use the (a) data localization and (b) transparency commitments in the UK-South Korea Free Trade Agreement.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Although we have concluded negotiations, we have not yet reached signature, let alone ratification, so this question is premature. However DBT’s Free Trade Agreement Utilisation team helps businesses understand and benefit from the UK’s new Free Trade Agreements, such as the new UK-Republic of Korea FTA, working in partnership with businesses and their representatives.

New data localisation and transparency provisions will provide legal certainty to UK firms on their treatment by Korean authorities, underpinned by appropriate enforcement mechanisms. The Republic of Korea has also agreed to publish new regulatory guidance on its domestic data rules which will give firms practical, accessible information to help navigate the Republic of Korea’s data regime and make effective use of the agreement’s commitments.

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 accessibility of information about (a) streamlined import/export documentation and (b) simplified licensing rules under the UK-South Korea Free Trade Agreement for businesses with limited international trade experience.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The upgraded UK-Republic of Korea FTA will include provisions to streamline import and export documentation requirements by simplifying customs declarations and allowing businesses to self-certify the origin status of their goods so that they can qualify for preferential tariffs. The Republic of Korea has also committed to publishing customs information in English, making it more accessible for UK businesses. The FTA also streamlines licensing processes by encouraging online publication of key information, eliminating unreasonable fees and facilitating electronic payments.

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 impact on UK manufacturing businesses of the expiry of the UK steel safeguard in 2026; what discussions he has had with steel-using industries about trade measures to be introduced following that expiry; and when he plans to publish details of those measures.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Steel is a top priority for this Government. The sector is facing a challenging and uncertain global landscape due to significant steel overcapacity. We are therefore developing robust new measures in light of the steel safeguard expiring at the end of June 2026.

DBT Ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders across the steel industry, including producers and downstream businesses. On 10 November, Minister McDonald and I met with representatives from across the downstream steel sector.

We look forward to saying more in early 2026, including publishing our Steel Strategy.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure police forces receive (a) adequate training and (b) resources to (i) identify, (ii) prevent and (ii) prosecute antisemitic hate crimes.

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

Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, and the government is committed to tackling it in all its forms.

The government is committed to ensuring there are consistent, high standards in police training and leadership to help maintain public trust and confidence. That is why the Home Office continues to fund the College of Policing to deliver support to forces and improvements to leadership and training standards through the National Police Leadership Centre.

The College of Policing sets national guidance and standards for policing in England and Wales, including publishing Authorised Professional Practice on hate crime. This Authorised Professional Practice provides guidance on how police should respond to hate crimes and promotes a proportionate and consistent approach that upholds the rights of victims and protects free speech. While the College sets the overall framework, individual police forces are responsible for determining their own local delivery of training.

Police forces are operationally independent, but we expect them to use these standards, tools and guidance, and to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure robust charging decisions and prosecutions in cases of antisemitic hate crime.

The Home Secretary launched an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation on 5 October. This review will assess whether police powers remain fit for purpose, are used consistently, and strike the right balance between protecting the public and safeguarding the right to lawful protest.

It will address whether the existing legislation is effective and proportionate, whether it adequately protects communities from intimidation and hate and whether it strikes a fair and sustainable balance between the right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest, and the need to prevent disorder and keep communities safe.

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 value to the UK economy of enhanced services trade provisions in the UK-Turkey Free Trade Agreement; what specific barriers to UK services exports to Turkey are being addressed in the negotiations referenced in his written ministerial statement of 11 December 2025; and what recent developments have taken place in negotiations regarding mutual recognition of professional qualifications.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Detailed economic scoping analysis of an upgraded UK-Turkey FTA was published in March 2024. A full Impact Assessment will be published upon the completion of negotiations.

In the four quarters to the end of Q2 2025, UK-Turkey bilateral services trade was worth £7.7 billion, with UK exports comprising £3.4 billion. Despite this strong performance, Turkey is a relatively restrictive services export market, with an above-average OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index scoring. We are seeking to ease this restrictiveness, providing improved market access and greater legal certainty for UK services exporters, including through provisions on recognition of professional qualifications.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has set a target date by which no veteran should be sleeping rough in England; and what resources have been allocated to achieve this objective.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

This Government is fully committed to ensuring that all veterans across the UK have access to the support they need on housing. That is why we have committed an additional £12 million to ensure the continuation of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme. Op FORTITUDE will also be extended, putting the service that has already supported over 1,000 veterans on a sustainable footing. These programmes will deliver three years of support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

On 11 December 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published A National Plan to End Homelessness. The Ministry of Defence contributed to this strategy including committing to ensuring that all councils are aware of service provision in their area to support veterans at risk of homelessness.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to review medal eligibility criteria for armed forces personnel injured in acts of terrorism while serving in the UK but not on operational deployment.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

All UK medallic recognition is at the behest the monarch. He is advised by a Cabinet Office led system of committees that consider the merits of individual endeavour in various fields.

I am aware of calls for a specific acknowledgement for Service personnel who are injured in the course of their military careers, either during military conflict or through incidents of terrorism. For that reason, officials in the Ministry of Defence are considering this issue, looking at whether a defined ‘Injury Medal’ would be the best method of recognition in such circumstances, and whether such an award would be viable.

This work is at an early stage, and it would not be appropriate to speculate on whether such an award may be instituted, nor precisely what it might look like in terms of eligibility.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her written ministerial statement of 15 December 2025 on Investment in high needs places, how many of the 50,000 new specialist SEND places will be allocated to Windsor and Maidenhead local authority; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of SEND provision in that area.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places, including for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), sits with local authorities. To support local authorities with this duty, in December, the department announced at least £3 billion for high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. We will confirm local authority allocations for 2026/27 in the spring.

This funding builds on the £740 million invested in 2025/26, which is on track to create around 10,000 new specialist places. Of this funding, Windsor and Maidenhead has been allocated just under £1.29 million.

This funding is intended to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs. It can also be used to adapt mainstream schools to be more accessible and create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

The Gatehouse in Oxford

In memory of Andrew Arbuckle MBE

Vera Petty

Nuclear Regulatory Review and habitats regulations

Construction of a new MRI centre at West Berkshire Community Hospital

Sinking of SS Tilawa

Homelessness in Wiltshire

Convention on Cluster Munitions and preventing UK involvement in their production

UK arms export licensing and conflict in Sudan

Missing Evri deliveries

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Future of Cambridge Veterinary School

80th anniversary of the South Devon Branch of the Devonshire Association

Selsey Beach Litter Ninjas

Tribute to Lance Corporal George Thomas Hooley

ADHD services

60th anniversary of Re-engage Epsom and Ewell

Parkway Shopping

Changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief in the Autumn Budget 2025

Blue Badge wait times

Postal workers and Royal Mail staff

Winter NHS corridor care

Frozen pensions for UK citizens overseas

Life and legacy of Saskia Jones

Royal Naval Association Torbay

Horton Cemetery

Lando Norris wins Formula One World Driver's Championship

McLaren title win for British motorsport

Valporate report

Found: Letter dated 11/12/2025 from Diana Johnson MP to Joshua Reynolds MP regarding a Ministerial correction