Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many planes operated by the Royal Air Force have landed in (a) Lebanon, (b) Egypt, (c) Jordan and (d) Syria since 7 October 2023.

Answered by Leo Docherty

The RAF undertakes regular flights to the Middle East region as part of our routine engagement and to conduct humanitarian aid airdrops as part of the Jordanian led mission. For operational security considerations we will not comment further.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish details of the items that Royal Air Force operated planes landing in Israel since 7 October 2023 have carried on board.

Answered by Leo Docherty

Royal Air Force operated planes landing in Israel since 7 October 2023 have been used by Ministers, officials and UK Armed Forces personnel conducting diplomatic and defence engagement, and to transport life-saving medical supplies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel from his Department have been transported to Israel on RAF operated planes since 7 October 2023.

Answered by Leo Docherty

Ministers, officials and UK Armed Forces personnel have travelled to Israel using RAF aircraft. This information is not held centrally within the Ministry of Defence, we are unable to give a specific number.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many planes operated by the US Air Force have taken off from RAF Akrotiri since 7 October 2023.

Answered by Leo Docherty

The Ministry of Defence does not comment on the operations of our Allies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Air Force operated planes have flown to Israel since 24 April 2024.

Answered by Leo Docherty

As of 8 May 2024, two Royal Air Force operated planes have flown to Israel since 24 April 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many planes operated by the Royal Air Force have taken off from Israel since 7 October 2023.

Answered by Leo Docherty

There have been 59 Royal Air Force aircraft that have taken off from Israel from 7 October 2023 to 9 May 2024.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what prosecutions referred by HMRC are (a) ongoing, (b) pending and (c) complete into the illegal importation of Russian oil branded as (i) refined and (ii) from other countries.

Answered by Robert Courts

It would not be possible to determine the number of cases involving the illegal importation of Russian oil referred by HM Revenue & Customs to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) without an examination of CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make representations to his Bahraini counterpart on the release of (a) Sheikh Ali Salman, (b) Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, (c) Hassan Mushaima and (d) other members of the political opposition in that country.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The FCDO continues to follow matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain closely, including some individual cases. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed human rights with Bahrain Foreign Minister Al Zayani on 22 April. The UK remains committed to supporting reforms in Bahrain and to encouraging the government to meet its human rights commitments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 10 May 2024 to Question 24573 on Energy: Debts, whether any additional sums were previously included in the Energy Price Guarantee to cover (a) bad debt, (b) debt administration and (c) working capital.

Answered by Amanda Solloway

The Energy Price Guarantee provided a unit rate discount on the price of energy for all households with a domestic gas and/or electricity contract, so within this support structure there was no scope for including additional funding for energy debt.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using (a) the (i) detritus and (ii) cut offs from timber products and (b) the waste from Whisky distilling in the manufacture of sustainable aviation fuel.

Answered by Anthony Browne

Through the SAF Mandate the government will reward eligible SAF with certificates to incentivise its supply. Only SAF from waste and residue will be eligible. Wastes and residues from many industries have the potential to produce SAF. SAF developers can submit new materials to be assessed by the Department to decide if eligible. Many have already been assessed, including forestry wastes and residues from the whisky production process, from which some specific materials have already been deemed eligible.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department was involved in arranging the meeting between Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and HM the King on 3 May 2024.

Answered by David Rutley

The FCDO was not involved in arranging the meeting referenced between HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and His Majesty The King.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2024 to Question 24833 on Edinburgh Airport, what progress he has made on concluding a formal (a) treaty and (b) agreement between the UK and USA.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

A treaty covering a formal agreement to allow the US to operate pre-clearance on UK soil would be required before it could be operated at a UK airport. However, pre-clearance also requires a commercial agreement between the UK airport operator and the US authorities for this to be advanced beyond the discussions that have already taken place.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2024 to Question 24833 on Edinburgh Airport, whether a (a) treaty and (b) formal agreement between the UK and USA is required before any commercial deal.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

A treaty covering a formal agreement to allow the US to operate pre-clearance on UK soil would be required before it could be operated at a UK airport. However, pre-clearance also requires a commercial agreement between the UK airport operator and the US authorities for this to be advanced beyond the discussions that have already taken place.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the claim by Hamas that British hostage Nadav Popplewell has died as a result of an IDF airstrike.

Answered by Leo Docherty

The UK Government is working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals. We continue to do all we can to secure the release of the hostages. It would not be right to comment further until the facts of the matter are ascertained.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department shared intelligence on the location of British hostage Nadav Popplewell in Gaza with the IDF.

Answered by Leo Docherty

We will not comment further on detailed intelligence matters.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an RAF Shadow R1 plane landed at Nevatim air base in Israel on 13 February 2024.

Answered by Leo Docherty

We will not comment on operational activity.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what (a) assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of and (b) representations he has made to his Saudi counterpart on the case of Manahel al-Otaibi.

Answered by David Rutley

The FCDO is closely monitoring the case of Manahel al-Otaibi and the British Embassy in Riyadh will continue to attempt to attend trials where possible. The Minister for the Middle East and Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon regularly raises individual freedom of expression cases with the Saudi authorities, alongside other human rights concerns, including in January with the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission. Saudi Arabia remains a FCDO human rights priority country, in part due to continued restrictions on freedom of expression.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make (a) an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of and (b) representations to his Saudi counterpart on the approval of new death sentences against minors in that country.

Answered by David Rutley

Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country, in part because of the continued use of the death penalty. The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and circumstances. During Saudi Arabia's Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council on 22 January, the UK Government recommended that Saudi Arabia abolish the juvenile death penalty and conduct thorough investigations into individuals who may have been minors at the time of their alleged crimes. The Minister for the Middle East and Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, has also raised recent cases with the Saudi authorities as a priority, including in January with the President of the Human Rights Commission.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of (a) the statement by Amnesty International entitled Bahrain: human rights activist faces trial in further prosecution for protesting travel ban, published on 3 May 2024, and (b) other reports by human rights organisations on that matter; and if he will make representations to his Bharani counterpart on ensuring that human rights are upheld.

Answered by David Rutley

The FCDO continues to follow matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain closely and is aware of the report by Amnesty International. We continue to draw upon a range of sources when assessing the situation in Bahrain. The UK remains committed to supporting reforms in Bahrain and to encouraging the government to meet its human rights commitments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2024 to Question 25717 and to the Answer of 10 May 2024 to Question 24573 on Energy: Debts, whether an allowance for servicing consumer debt was permitted by Ofgem in any period before April 2024.

Answered by Amanda Solloway

The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) has never included an allowance for bad debt held by suppliers. All funding was used to apply a unit rate discount to household tariffs.

Ofgem have always included within the standing charges element of the Default Tariff Cap (Price Cap) some element to account for consumer debt held by suppliers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2024 to Question 24574 on Bahrain: Political Prisoners, which individual cases his Department are monitoring; and whether he has made recent representations to his Bahraini counterpart on their releases.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The FCDO continues to discuss human rights regularly with Bahrain, including some individual cases where appropriate and when specific allegations relating to them are raised.  Whilst we sometimes comment publicly, we also engage constructively in private. The FCDO has not made recent representations to Bahrain on the release of the individuals mentioned in Question 24574.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2024 to Question 25364 on Bahrain: Official Visits, whether any (a) Departments, (b) agencies and (c) public bodies were responsible for (i) arranging, (ii) coordinating and (iii) advising the meeting between Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and HM the King on 3 May 2024.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Cabinet Office had no involvement in the meeting between Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and HM the King on 3 May 2024.

Information regarding any other departments, agencies and public bodies involved in arranging, coordinating, or advising this meeting is not held centrally.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2024 to Question 24574 on Bahrain: Political Prisoners, if he will list the individual human rights cases discussed with Bahrain Foreign Minister Al Zayani on 22 April 2024.

Answered by David Rutley

The UK's close and long-standing relationship with Bahrain continues to allow for a genuine and mutually beneficial dialogue, including on individual cases we discuss where allegations relating to human rights are made. Whilst we sometimes comment publicly, we most often engage constructively in private and do not as a matter of course release the details of Ministerial discussions with international counterparts.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the Net Zero Research and Innovation Delivery Plan on the UK's target to become a science and technology superpower by 2030.

Answered by Amanda Solloway

The Net Zero Research & Innovation Delivery Plan supports the UK's target to become a science and technology superpower by setting out government investment of approximately £4.2 billion in research and innovation that is directed towards creating strategic advantage in net zero technologies and aims to boost private sector investment in this space. This investment forms a key part of the government's commitment to increase public expenditure on R&D to £20 billion per annum by 2024/2025 and helps maintain the UK's spend on R&D in this space compared to other leading OECD countries.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2024 to Question 26615 on Energy: Debts, what is the (a) sum, (b) quantum and (c) value of the element of the Default Tariff Cap allocated by Ofgem for consumer debt held by suppliers.

Answered by Amanda Solloway

Ofgem includes an ‘adjustment allowance’ in the price cap calculation to account for elements such as consumer debt. In the April-June 2024 price cap, the amount is £28 per typical domestic customer bill per year.

Ofgem publishes price cap calculations on its website: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-policy-and-regulation/policy-and-regulatory-programmes/energy-price-cap-default-tariff-policy/energy-price-cap-default-tariff-levels

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2024 to Question 25990 on Edinburgh Airport, what information his Department holds on the progress that has been made by (a) Edinburgh and (b) Gatwick Airport on reaching a commercial agreement with the US authorities on a pre-clearance scheme for travellers to the US; and whether his Department is taking steps with the US (i) Customs and Border Protection and (ii) Transportation Security Administration to help support these negotiations.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

Home Office, Department for Transport and Scotland Office officials are in regular contact with counterparts at the US Customs and Border Protection Agency and Transportation Security Administration and representatives of Edinburgh and Gatwick airports about US pre-clearance.

Manchester Arena terror attacks

Government surveillance of bank accounts

Found: Letter dated 14/06/2024 from Andrew Murrison to Kenny MacAskill regarding a correction to a response