Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when Ministers were first made aware of documents (a) confirming abnormal levels of radiation in fish near UK atomic test sites in the Pacific and (b) advising that their contents are incompatible with official statements previously submitted in court cases brought on behalf of nuclear test veterans; and what action they took.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I was first made aware of the unfinished draft document relating to historic nuclear testing at Christmas Island in December 2025. Following the release of the draft document by AWE, I wrote to interested MPs and LABRATS advising them of its release and explaining its contents on 2 March 2026.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason Question 111416 on Jeffrey Epstein and Lord Mandelson, tabled on 6 February for answer on 11 February 2026, has not been answered; and when he plans to answer it.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
An answer was made to UIN 111416 on 4 March.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-02-06/111416
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase awareness of naloxone as an effective emergency treatment among (a) people at risk of opioid overdose and (b) people who may witness an opioid overdose.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Naloxone forms a key part of the Government’s plan to reduce drug‑related deaths, and we are committed to raising awareness of, and expanding access to, naloxone across the country.
In 2024, the Government amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. This legislation enables more services and professionals to supply naloxone, which in turn makes it easier for people at risk, and those close to them, to access it. We are continuing to work with the other United Kingdom nations and front-line services to ensure naloxone reaches all those who need it.
In addition to the changes made in 2024 to expand access, we recently launched a ten-week UK-wide public consultation on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone.
Increasing awareness of naloxone, and ensuring frontline services are trained to use it, is vital to reducing deaths from opioid overdoses. Last year, the Department published guidance on the GOV.UK website that sets out essential practical information such as who can supply naloxone, the products available, how to use naloxone and other basic lifesaving tools, and the training required.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) steps she will take and (b) powers she possesses to protect (i) military bases and (ii) other sensitive locations from the threat posed by the piecemeal purchase of properties in their vicinity by (A) Russian, (B) Chinese and (C) other adversaries.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The first duty of Government is national security. We take the protection of sensitive locations extremely seriously, and we work closely with the police and operational partners to ensure they have the powers they need.
The National Security and Investment Act 2021 provides the Government with powers to identify and, where necessary, intervene in acquisitions of entities or assets (including land) that may pose a threat to the UK’s national security. This can, under some circumstances, include properties near sensitive sites.
In addition, the National Security Act 2023 protects against activity that could be harmful to the UK in and around the most sensitive sites through new and updated criminal offences, police powers to protect these sites, and a power to designate new sites as prohibited places.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to acquire from Ukraine (a) cheap anti-drone military assets and (b) instruction in maximising their effective operation in order to augment the protection of United Kingdom and allied personnel in the Middle East.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
This continues to be an extremely challenging and unsettling time for many across the Middle East. The UK condemns Iran’s role in attempting to draw the region into a wider conflict. Our first priority is to protect British nationals, British interests and our partners. We support action that will help bring a swift resolution to this conflict, and an end to Iran's reckless and escalatory response.
I will not go into operational details but let us be clear, Iran has continued to support Russia in its on-going illegal war on Ukraine including through supplying unmanned aerial systems – like those now being used to target our Middle East partners.
We will continue to do all we can to ensure the protection of United Kingdom and allied personnel in the region
The Minister for Defence Readiness & Industry has been engaging with industry on how the UK can further support partners in the region.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the likely impact of the recent changes in immigration rules on the practicability of continuing the rescue from oppressive regimes of academics in danger by awarding fellowships at United Kingdom universities, arranged until now by the Council for At-Risk Academics.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The visa brake will apply to nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan, for the Student route, and nationals of Afghanistan for the Skilled Worker route. We understand decision may be disappointing to some people. If fellowship schemes use the specified routes, they will be impacted; schemes that use any other visa routes will be unaffected.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to support small rural communities dependent on oil supplies whose commercial suppliers have said than none will be available for a period of weeks.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is closely monitoring heating oil supply and demand in light of instability in the Middle East. The UK benefits from a strong and diverse security of fuel supplies and Ministers have met with and continue to engage with the UK & Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA) and other key industry bodies. We are aware that increased demand is leading to delays in some companies being able to accept new orders while they work through the backlog of existing orders.
We continue to work with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on whether any further support or action is needed to protect consumers.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the Government’s response to its 2025 public consultation on (a) strengthening local government standards and (b) addressing misconduct and bullying by town and parish councillors will be published.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government published its response to the consultation “Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England” in November 2025. The response sets out the Government’s intention to introduce measures including a mandatory Code of Conduct for councillors and strengthened oversight of the local government standards regime.
We intend to legislate on local government standards reforms when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her US counterpart on the statement issued by the United Nations’ Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 8 December 2025 on the ratification of the UK-Mauritius agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers and officials in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are in constant discussion with their US counterparts across a wide range of issues.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many applications were made by (a) Chagossians and (b) other nationalities to visit the British Indian Ocean Territory in each of the last 5 years; and how many of those applications were accepted.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Administration is responsible for immigration matters in BIOT.
The last Heritage Visit for Chagossians to visit the Archipelago took place in February 2020, and was attended by 27 Chagossians. Heritage visits were paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and during treaty negotiations with Mauritius. The Government acknowledges the importance of heritage visits to the Chagossian community and is working to reinstate these as soon as possible.