Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to update Universal Credit childcare costs regulations and guidance in line with paragraph 4.18 of the 2025 Budget.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The regulations and guidance will be updated when the childcare costs changes, announced at the 2025 Budget, are implemented.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide a timeline for the (a) design, (b) tendering and (c) award of contracts for (i) dry-dock maintenance and (ii) berthing of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet from 2028.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) are an indispensable part of Defence, and I am grateful to all the seafarers in the RFA who support defence outputs.

The Ministry of Defence is developing requirements for future RFA afloat support arrangements, including dry dock maintenance beyond 2028, in accordance with standard commercial and procurement processes. Detailed timelines for design, tendering, and contract award are being determined and cannot be shared at this stage due to commercial sensitivities

RFA vessels are not allocated fixed berths, and instead undertake dry dock maintenance and routine berthing through a combination of commercial and military ports, dependent on operational requirements.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has been made of the additional crewing required to bring the RFA Fort Victoria back into operational service.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) are an indispensable part of Defence, and I am grateful to all the seafarers in the RFA who support defence outputs.

The RFA operates platforms in accordance with the defence priorities. RFA Fort Victoria will be regenerated in accordance with defence needs. To protect the operational security of the Fleet, I am unable to confirm the exact operational status of individual vessels however Surface Fleet readiness data is provided to the House of Commons Defence Committee (HCDC) on a six-monthly basis. This information can be found on the HCDC website but for ease, please find links to the latest submission:

committees.parliament.uk/publications/53357/documents/298463/default/

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the operational (a) status and (b) future of RFA Fort Victoria.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) are an indispensable part of Defence, and I am grateful to all the seafarers in the RFA who support defence outputs.

The RFA operates platforms in accordance with the defence priorities. RFA Fort Victoria will be regenerated in accordance with defence needs. To protect the operational security of the Fleet, I am unable to confirm the exact operational status of individual vessels however Surface Fleet readiness data is provided to the House of Commons Defence Committee (HCDC) on a six-monthly basis. This information can be found on the HCDC website but for ease, please find links to the latest submission:

committees.parliament.uk/publications/53357/documents/298463/default/

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many charges for Assault on an Emergency Worker were not proceeded with by the CPS in each of the last 5 years.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) holds management information on offences derived from its Case Management System (CMS) and associated Management Information System (MIS).

CPS offence-level data can be used to report on the number of offences charged and reaching a first hearing at the magistrates’ court. However, this data does not include outcome information for specific offences.

Accordingly, the CPS does not hold centrally retrievable data to identify how many charges for Assault on an Emergency Worker were not proceeded with. To obtain this information would require a manual review of individual case files.

However, to provide context on the volume of cases involved, the table below shows the number of offences for Assault on an Emergency Worker which were charged and reached a first hearing at the magistrates’ court over the last five calendar years under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018:

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many of the cases of charges for assault on emergency workers was the public interest test cited as the reason for discontinuation.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold centrally retrievable data on the reasons for discontinuation at an offence level within its Case Management System (CMS) and associated Management Information System (MIS).

While the CPS applies the Code for Crown Prosecutors, including both the evidential and public interest tests, the specific reasons for decisions are recorded within individual case records rather than in a structured, searchable format.

Accordingly, the CPS is unable to provide the number of cases where the public interest test was cited as the reason for discontinuation in Assault on Emergency Worker cases. To obtain this information would require a manual review of individual case files.

However, to provide context on the volume of cases involved, the table below shows the number of offences for Assault on an Emergency Worker which were charged and reached a first hearing at the magistrates’ court over the last five calendar years under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018:

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many Assault on Emergency Worker prosecutions proceeded where AEW was the only remaining charge.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) holds management information on offences derived from its Case Management System (CMS) and associated Management Information System (MIS).

CPS offence-level data can be used to report on the number of offences charged and reaching a first hearing at the magistrates’ court. However, this data does not include outcome information for specific offences.

Accordingly, the CPS does not hold centrally retrievable data to identify how many charges for Assault on an Emergency Worker were not proceeded with. To obtain this information would require a manual review of individual case files.

However, to provide context on the volume of cases involved, the table below shows the number of offences for Assault on an Emergency Worker which were charged and reached a first hearing at the magistrates’ court over the last five calendar years under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018:

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, if the CPS will publish internal guidance and policy documents relating to charging decisions in Assault on Emergency Worker cases.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General

The Crown Prosecution Service updated its guidance for prosecuting offences relating to the Assault on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 in June 2025. Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 | The Crown Prosecution Service.

The update ensures prosecutors consider the full range of available offences and adopt a more flexible, case by case approach to selecting the most appropriate charge.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many compensation orders have been issued in cases involving the offence of Assault on an Emergency Worker each year since 2019.

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

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of compensation orders at criminal courts in England and Wales for a wide range of offences including assault on an emergency worker in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress the Ministry of Defence has made in reaching agreements with commercial shipping operators to enable Royal Fleet Auxiliary (a) apprentices, (b) cadets (c) qualified Ratings and (d) qualified Officers to gain the sea time on merchant vessels required to (i) qualify, (ii) progress to higher grades and (iii) obtain higher certificates of competence.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Ministry of Defence continues to engage with maritime industry partners and the regulator to explore opportunities for Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel at all grades to gain the sea time required for qualification, career progression and certification. This work is being taken forward carefully to balance access to commercial experience with the need to maintain the specialist skills required by the RFA, and to ensure appropriate and effective pathways to qualifying sea time.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, whether the Crown Prosecution Service will publish the sentencing outcomes of defendants convicted in cases flagged under the Joint Enterprise National Monitoring Scheme 2024-25, broken down by (a) ethnicity, (b) sex and (c) age at sentencing.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General

The CPS holds information on the sentences imposed following convictions in cases included in the Joint Enterprise National Monitoring Scheme 2024–25. As the CPS is not the official record of sentencing the information requested could only be obtained through the manual inspection of individual case files and could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2026 to Question 16091, Sentencing: Young Offenders, whether the Crown Prosecution Service holds information on the sentences imposed following convictions for defendants in cases included in the Joint Enterprise National Monitoring Scheme 2024-25.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General

The CPS holds information on the sentences imposed following convictions in cases included in the Joint Enterprise National Monitoring Scheme 2024–25. However, the information requested could only be obtained through the manual inspection of individual case files and could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the British Museum on public-facing signage changes referencing Palestine, Palestinian and Israelite occupation.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The British Museum is curatorially independent of the Government. Decisions on signage and object labelling are made by curatorial experts at the Museum.

DCMS officials have discussed these matters with British Museum officials to understand the Museum’s decision. We note the Museum’s public statements made in February 2026, which explain the curatorial justifications for two recent changes.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the International Maritime Organisation on the mandatory firefighting requirements in the Seafarers Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention and the fire safety implications of transporting (a) road vehicles and (b) appliances containing lithium-ion batteries by ship.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), continues to participate in International Maritime Organization (IMO) discussions on seafarer training and maritime fire safety.

The UK is also actively engaged in IMO work on the fire safety implications of transporting battery-electric vehicles by ship. Through the IMO Ship Systems and Equipment Sub-Committee, work is underway to develop fire safety measures for vehicle carriers and related detection and monitoring arrangements.

In relation to lithium-ion batteries and equipment containing such batteries carried as cargo, the UK participates in ongoing IMO discussions on amendments to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, which sets the international requirements for the safe carriage of dangerous goods by sea.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average sentence length was for those convicted aged 16 to 25 at the time of sentencing for cases included in the CPS Joint Enterprise National Monitoring Scheme 2024-25 by ethnicity and sex.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on average sentence length for a variety of offences including murder and attempted murder in England and Wales. These data are available by ethnicity and sex in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.

However, information on whether cases were included in the CPS Joint Enterprise National Monitoring Scheme is not held centrally in the Court Proceedings Database.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (1) mean and (2) median tariff length is for people receiving a life sentence aged 16 to 25 at the time of sentencing in each year since 2015 by ethnicity.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The following tables show the (1) mean and (2) median tariff lengths for people receiving a life sentence aged 16 to 25 at the time of sentencing, by ethnicity, in each year since 2015.

Table 1: Mean tariff at sentence for life sentences by ethnicity and year of sentence

Table 2: Median tariff at sentence for life sentences by ethnicity and year of sentence

1. Tariff length is the time between date of sentencing and tariff expiry date and does not take into account any time served on remand.

2. ‘N/A’ entries include cases where a confirmed tariff expiry date has yet to be received, and any unmatched records.

3. Where necessary, [c] has been used to suppress values of one or two to prevent the disclosure of individual information. Further disclosure control may be completed where this alone is not sufficient. This could include the secondary suppression of zero values.

Data quality

The figures in these tables have been derived from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to mitigate the potential risk of industrial action by PCS resulting from her Department's restructuring.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a more strategic, high performing and technology-enabled organisation, better equipped to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. The FCDO2030 reform programme is driving forward this transformation, ensuring the Department can deliver its purpose effectively in a rapidly changing world.

The programme is being implemented in a phased way to support continuity of delivery, minimise disruption and retain critical skills and expertise. Changes to workforce size and structure are being made strategically to ensure the right number of staff, with the right capabilities, are focused on the FCDO's highest priorities. Any redundancies will be made in line with Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules and the 2016 protocols.

The Department recognises the importance of staff morale, workforce pressures, and continuity of delivery throughout this process. Senior leaders continue to engage regularly with staff to provide clarity and support, and recognised Trade Unions have been consulted throughout the restructuring process. All decisions are made in line with the FCDO's legal and Public Sector Equality Duty obligations.

Ministers are kept informed of progress on the wider FCDO2030 programme, while implementation of organisational change is led by the Department. The FCDO will continue to update Parliament on significant developments relating to the programme, and information on workforce size and composition will continue to be published through the Department's official reporting mechanisms.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what policy reason her Department's FCDO2030 restructuring exercise deviates from 2016 Protocols.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a more strategic, high performing and technology-enabled organisation, better equipped to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. The FCDO2030 reform programme is driving forward this transformation, ensuring the Department can deliver its purpose effectively in a rapidly changing world.

The programme is being implemented in a phased way to support continuity of delivery, minimise disruption and retain critical skills and expertise. Changes to workforce size and structure are being made strategically to ensure the right number of staff, with the right capabilities, are focused on the FCDO's highest priorities. Any redundancies will be made in line with Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules and the 2016 protocols.

The Department recognises the importance of staff morale, workforce pressures, and continuity of delivery throughout this process. Senior leaders continue to engage regularly with staff to provide clarity and support, and recognised Trade Unions have been consulted throughout the restructuring process. All decisions are made in line with the FCDO's legal and Public Sector Equality Duty obligations.

Ministers are kept informed of progress on the wider FCDO2030 programme, while implementation of organisational change is led by the Department. The FCDO will continue to update Parliament on significant developments relating to the programme, and information on workforce size and composition will continue to be published through the Department's official reporting mechanisms.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether ministers have been involved in her Department's FCDO 2030 restructuring process.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a more strategic, high performing and technology-enabled organisation, better equipped to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. The FCDO2030 reform programme is driving forward this transformation, ensuring the Department can deliver its purpose effectively in a rapidly changing world.

The programme is being implemented in a phased way to support continuity of delivery, minimise disruption and retain critical skills and expertise. Changes to workforce size and structure are being made strategically to ensure the right number of staff, with the right capabilities, are focused on the FCDO's highest priorities. Any redundancies will be made in line with Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules and the 2016 protocols.

The Department recognises the importance of staff morale, workforce pressures, and continuity of delivery throughout this process. Senior leaders continue to engage regularly with staff to provide clarity and support, and recognised Trade Unions have been consulted throughout the restructuring process. All decisions are made in line with the FCDO's legal and Public Sector Equality Duty obligations.

Ministers are kept informed of progress on the wider FCDO2030 programme, while implementation of organisational change is led by the Department. The FCDO will continue to update Parliament on significant developments relating to the programme, and information on workforce size and composition will continue to be published through the Department's official reporting mechanisms.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the FCDO2030 restructuring exercise and proposed staff reductions on the level of the UK’s soft power capability and wider overseas interests.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a more strategic, high performing and technology-enabled organisation, better equipped to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. The FCDO2030 reform programme is driving forward this transformation, ensuring the Department can deliver its purpose effectively in a rapidly changing world.

The programme is being implemented in a phased way to support continuity of delivery, minimise disruption and retain critical skills and expertise. Changes to workforce size and structure are being made strategically to ensure the right number of staff, with the right capabilities, are focused on the FCDO's highest priorities. Any redundancies will be made in line with Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules and the 2016 protocols.

The Department recognises the importance of staff morale, workforce pressures, and continuity of delivery throughout this process. Senior leaders continue to engage regularly with staff to provide clarity and support, and recognised Trade Unions have been consulted throughout the restructuring process. All decisions are made in line with the FCDO's legal and Public Sector Equality Duty obligations.

Ministers are kept informed of progress on the wider FCDO2030 programme, while implementation of organisational change is led by the Department. The FCDO will continue to update Parliament on significant developments relating to the programme, and information on workforce size and composition will continue to be published through the Department's official reporting mechanisms.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure (a) meaningful consultation with trade unions and (b) assess equality safeguards to inform proposed redundancy decisions in the FCDO2030 restructuring.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a more strategic, high performing and technology-enabled organisation, better equipped to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. The FCDO2030 reform programme is driving forward this transformation, ensuring the Department can deliver its purpose effectively in a rapidly changing world.

The programme is being implemented in a phased way to support continuity of delivery, minimise disruption and retain critical skills and expertise. Changes to workforce size and structure are being made strategically to ensure the right number of staff, with the right capabilities, are focused on the FCDO's highest priorities. Any redundancies will be made in line with Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules and the 2016 protocols.

The Department recognises the importance of staff morale, workforce pressures, and continuity of delivery throughout this process. Senior leaders continue to engage regularly with staff to provide clarity and support, and recognised Trade Unions have been consulted throughout the restructuring process. All decisions are made in line with the FCDO's legal and Public Sector Equality Duty obligations.

Ministers are kept informed of progress on the wider FCDO2030 programme, while implementation of organisational change is led by the Department. The FCDO will continue to update Parliament on significant developments relating to the programme, and information on workforce size and composition will continue to be published through the Department's official reporting mechanisms.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she had made of the potential impact of the FCDO2030 restructuring programme on (a) departmental delivery and (b) workforce pressures.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a more strategic, high performing and technology-enabled organisation, better equipped to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. The FCDO2030 reform programme is driving forward this transformation, ensuring the Department can deliver its purpose effectively in a rapidly changing world.

The programme is being implemented in a phased way to support continuity of delivery, minimise disruption and retain critical skills and expertise. Changes to workforce size and structure are being made strategically to ensure the right number of staff, with the right capabilities, are focused on the FCDO's highest priorities. Any redundancies will be made in line with Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules and the 2016 protocols.

The Department recognises the importance of staff morale, workforce pressures, and continuity of delivery throughout this process. Senior leaders continue to engage regularly with staff to provide clarity and support, and recognised Trade Unions have been consulted throughout the restructuring process. All decisions are made in line with the FCDO's legal and Public Sector Equality Duty obligations.

Ministers are kept informed of progress on the wider FCDO2030 programme, while implementation of organisational change is led by the Department. The FCDO will continue to update Parliament on significant developments relating to the programme, and information on workforce size and composition will continue to be published through the Department's official reporting mechanisms.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether key data on levels of staffing resulting from her Department's restructuring process have been shared with staff and trade unions.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to becoming a more strategic, high performing and technology-enabled organisation, better equipped to deliver tangible benefits for the British people. The FCDO2030 reform programme is driving forward this transformation, ensuring the Department can deliver its purpose effectively in a rapidly changing world.

The programme is being implemented in a phased way to support continuity of delivery, minimise disruption and retain critical skills and expertise. Changes to workforce size and structure are being made strategically to ensure the right number of staff, with the right capabilities, are focused on the FCDO's highest priorities. Any redundancies will be made in line with Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules and the 2016 protocols.

The Department recognises the importance of staff morale, workforce pressures, and continuity of delivery throughout this process. Senior leaders continue to engage regularly with staff to provide clarity and support, and recognised Trade Unions have been consulted throughout the restructuring process. All decisions are made in line with the FCDO's legal and Public Sector Equality Duty obligations.

Ministers are kept informed of progress on the wider FCDO2030 programme, while implementation of organisational change is led by the Department. The FCDO will continue to update Parliament on significant developments relating to the programme, and information on workforce size and composition will continue to be published through the Department's official reporting mechanisms.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the progress the Royal Fleet Auxiliary has made in recruiting and retaining civilian seafarer staff since July 2024.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Ministry of Defence keeps the recruitment and retention of Royal Fleet Auxiliary civilian seafarers under close review, including through ongoing workforce analysis and engagement with Maritime Trade Unions.

The RFA has faced sustained recruitment and retention challenges in recent years, driven in part by competition with the commercial maritime sector and differences in terms and conditions of service. In response, the Department has implemented a workforce recovery programme, supported by engagement with trade unions and wider work to improve the employee offer, including pay, conditions and flexibility.

Recent performance indicates improving trends, with recruitment increasing over the past five years and application levels reaching their highest in that period. Delivery against training pipelines has also strengthened, with Officer Cadet and Apprenticeship intake filled to high proportions of target in 2025–26.

Workforce stability has improved, with overall strength stabilising and voluntary outflow reducing between January 2025 and January 2026. While challenges remain, these improvements suggest that measures taken since 2024 are beginning to have a positive effect on recruitment and retention outcomes within the RFA. We continue to work with MTUs and RFA members to address their concerns over pay and term and conditions of service

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on compensation awards resulting from the offence of Assault on an Emergency Worker by type of emergency worker.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of compensation orders and average amount of compensation at criminal courts in England and Wales for a wide range of offences including assault on an emergency worker in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics

However, the type of emergency worker assaulted under the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 is not held centrally in the Court Proceedings database. This information may be held on court records but to examine individual court records would incur disproportionate costs.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total value of compensation awarded for cases of assaults on Emergency Workers was since 2019.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of compensation orders and average amount of compensation at criminal courts in England and Wales for a wide range of offences including assault on an emergency worker in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics

However, the type of emergency worker assaulted under the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 is not held centrally in the Court Proceedings database. This information may be held on court records but to examine individual court records would incur disproportionate costs.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help ensure that arms transferred through UK military bases are used in accordance with international law.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK continues to be committed to upholding International Law and will always operate in accordance with its key principals.

The use of UK military bases by foreign governments is governed by a range of longstanding agreements. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ routine movements.

For export licensing matters, I will defer to my right honourable colleagues in the Department for Business and Trade.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of the UK government advocating for a new United Nations Convention for the Protection of Journalists and Media Workers.

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

The Government is committed to upholding media freedom and ensuring that journalists and other media workers are able to operate without fear, harassment or violence, wherever they are in the world. We are currently pursuing those goals through our role as co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition, as set out in my written ministerial statement on 23 February (HCWS1342), but we will continue to keep other options for international coordination of these efforts under review.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting on the cost of living.

Answered by Mary Creagh

As part of a transition to a circular economy, Defra wants to help businesses reduce food waste and improve efficiency. Through the No10-led Food Waste Endeavour, we are working with food businesses and technology providers to understand how UK companies are using AI technologies to drive reductions in food waste and deliver savings for businesses and how government can best support these data driven solutions. No recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting on the cost of living.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department distinguishes between legal basis relied upon for support to allied military operations and the general criteria used to determine whether a proposed activity falls within the Government’s stated defensive purpose.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Any decision to determine whether any proposed activity falls within the Government's stated defensive purpose or to support allies is considered on a case-by-case basis. The decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity. This includes consideration of the applicable legal and policy frameworks.

Prohibiting Members of Parliament from having paid second jobs

National bank holiday should England win the FIFA World Cup 2026

VAT on energy saving materials

London South Bank University industrial dispute

Autonomy’s report entitled Cleaning Up Politics

Richard Pengelly

Srebrenica Memorial Week

Strike action and industrial dispute at Tower Hamlets leisure centres

Touring artists mobility arrangements

Palantir and the NHS (No. 2)

Impact of Israel’s ingress into Palestinian territory on maternal care

Durham Miners’ Gala 2026

Palestinian children in Israeli military detention

UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Ownership and regulation of water

Enhertu for metastatic breast cancer patients

South Yemen

Air conditioning in hospitals, care homes, schools and nurseries

Arrest of Dr Mazen Al-Rantisi and Israeli action against Palestinian civil society

Five-year indefinite leave to remain pathway for Skilled Worker visa holders (No. 2)

Technology companies and crimes against Palestinians

Release of Venezuela's gold reserves held at the Bank of England

Toxicity testing on animals