Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered alternative models for funding the duties of the Head of State, including a fixed annual budget subject to Parliamentary approval.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The requirements for reviewing the Sovereign Grant have been set by Parliament in the Sovereign Grant Act 2011, sections 6 and 7.

The Government has also committed to bring forward legislation to reset the Grant to a lower level from 2027-28 once Buckingham Palace Reservicing works are completed.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the scope is of the review of the Sovereign Grant scheduled for 2026; and whether that review will include consideration of abolishing the Grant.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The requirements for reviewing the Sovereign Grant have been set by Parliament in the Sovereign Grant Act 2011, sections 6 and 7.

The Government has also committed to bring forward legislation to reset the Grant to a lower level from 2027-28 once Buckingham Palace Reservicing works are completed.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will consider adopting the recommendations set out in Refugee Action’s report Laying the Foundations: Making asylum housing work by investing in communities, published in November 2025.

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

We are actively working with local authorities to develop several potential accommodation models that could ‘pilot’ a more sustainable, flexible and collaborative outcome. These ‘pilot’ models will examine potential alternative accommodation sources – in collaboration with councils – promoting community cohesion and joint initiatives.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), in partnership with the Home Office, is investing millions in a new locally led accommodation model. This funding will support local authorities to make available basic alternative accommodation to be used on a temporary basis to house asylum seekers waiting for their cases to be processed. The ambition is that this investment will leave a lasting legacy of housing for local communities and reduce pressure on local housing markets. MHCLG and the Home Office are committed to continue working closely with devolved governments and local government to co-design this new model, building on the work undertaken to date.

This new funding will complement ongoing Home Office reforms to the asylum accommodation estate, including pilot schemes to repurpose derelict buildings and to develop other community-led alternatives to the use of hotels.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to improve transparency in (a) method-of-production welfare labelling and (b) country of origin labelling.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government's animal welfare strategy was published on 22 December 2025 and is available here on GOV.UK.

As set out in the strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.

We are also committed to working with stakeholders in ongoing discussions about further improving transparency and consumer trust in country-of-origin labelling.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has undertaken any impact assessment in 2025 ahead of decisions to reduce, maintain or increase financial support in 2026 to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait (ECW) multilateral funds.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) published an Equalities Impact Assessment related to Official Development Assistance (ODA) in September 2025. The UK's future commitments to both the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait are being determined as part of our multi-year budget allocation process, the outcome of which will be set out in due course. The GPE remains committed to supporting children's access to safe, quality education, and the FCDO has been working closely with the GPE on their new Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, including support for safe-school initiatives, and the prevention of violence against women and girls.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with the Global Partnership for Education to ensure safe schools and reduce violence against girls around the world.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) published an Equalities Impact Assessment related to Official Development Assistance (ODA) in September 2025. The UK's future commitments to both the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait are being determined as part of our multi-year budget allocation process, the outcome of which will be set out in due course. The GPE remains committed to supporting children's access to safe, quality education, and the FCDO has been working closely with the GPE on their new Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, including support for safe-school initiatives, and the prevention of violence against women and girls.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of long-term potential impacts of the mandatory disclosure of criminal records on access to (a) employment and (b) education for offenders.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We recognise the importance of removing barriers to employment for ex-offenders. Employment reduces the chance of reoffending significantly, by up to nine percentage points in the year following release, and a similar percentage point reduction for prisoners who take any form of learning activity. The criminal record regime has a role in this process, striking a balance between providing employers with the information they need to make safer recruitment decisions, while enabling ex-offenders to rebuild their lives.

We recognise that disclosure requirements and the approach of employers and learning institutions can have a significant impact on an individual’s employment opportunities and access to education. This is also an area that Sir Brian Levenson’s recent independent review of the Criminal Courts highlighted. The Deputy Prime Minister confirmed in his Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 2 December 2025 that we are considering Sir Brian’s recommendation, including opportunities to simplify the regime to ensure it is clear and proportionate, particularly in relation to childhood offences.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of requiring disclosure of offences committed by children once they reach adulthood.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We are committed to supporting children to turn their lives around and recognise that having a criminal record can have a significant impact on children and adults who offended as a child. Sir Brian Leveson, in his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, noted the importance of ensuring that the impact of a criminal record is proportionate to the offending.

In response, the Deputy Prime Minister committed to exploring opportunities to reform the criminal records regime, particularly in relation to childhood offences, so that it is clear and proportionate, while continuing to prioritise public safety. We will set out our plans for doing so in due course.