Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she had made of the effectiveness of the the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023.

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

The purpose of the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023 (the Order) is to enable prosecution of the dangerous use of watercraft. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is the relevant enforcement authority. 17 potential reports have been received, and one prosecution is currently underway following an incident that occurred in Pembrokeshire in 2024.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department have had with Welsh Government counterparts on the implementation of local investigations in Wales as part of the grooming gangs inquiry.

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

On 9 December 2025 the Home Secretary announced to Parliament the appointment of Baroness Anne Longfield CBE as Chair of the new Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, and Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE as Panel.

The Home Office has had regular discussions with the Welsh Government while the Inquiry was being established. The Inquiry is independent of Government. The draft Terms of Reference for the Inquiry make clear that it will establish its own process for how local investigations are determined, with no location able to resist if one is declared. All areas of Wales are within scope of the inquiry.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to extend Ofgem’s regulatory powers to cover all off‑grid domestic heating fuels.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government has no current plans to extend the licensing by Ofgem of gas and electricity operators to the supply of off-grid heating fuels, such as fuel oils, bottled gas or coal and wood products. However, Ofgem and the Competition and Markets Authority have powers to enforce the rights of consumers under consumer law, such as the Consumer Rights Act.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with Welsh Government officials on the application of relevant measures set out in the violence against women and girls strategy, published on 18 December 2025, in Wales.

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

Throughout the development of the VAWG Strategy we have engaged with the Welsh Government, Scottish Government, and Northern Ireland Executive, including through roundtables with Welsh stakeholders and representation of the Wales National Advisor on VAWG as part of our Strategy Advisory Board. Each Devolved Government has its own strategy, and ours has been informed by best practices drawn from the approaches of all three, including Wales. We are committed to sharing learning and best practice to make our work complementary. VAWG is a national and international emergency, and we will continue working with the Welsh Government, Scottish Government, and Northern Ireland Executive to ensure a coordinated UK-wide response.

Tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV) has been a long-standing priority for the Welsh Government, as demonstrated through the ground-breaking Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act. Its second Strategy (May 2022) further set out its vision to end VAWG, domestic abuse and sexual violence in Wales. The VAWDASV Blueprint approach brings together devolved and reserved public authorities, non-governmental organisations, specialist services and survivors whose voices are integral to securing a future without VAWG to deliver this vision. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our Welsh Government colleagues as we deliver on our commitments within the Strategy to ensure a cohesive, joined-up approach.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which specific measures set out in the Tackling violence against women and girls strategy, published on 18 December, apply to (a) England only and (b) England and Wales.

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

This Strategy applies to areas under UK Government responsibility. Commitments on crime, policing, and justice apply to England and Wales, while those on health, social care, housing, transport, and education apply to England only, as these are devolved matters. Reserved areas, such as online safety and immigration, apply across the UK.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what Barnett consequential funding will Wales receive as a result of measures set out in the Violence against women and girls strategy, published on 18 December 2025.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The Barnett formula applies to all increases or decreases to UK Government Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL). Programmes set out in the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy are being funded from within existing unallocated budgets. The Barnett formula has already been applied in the normal way to funding previously allocated at Spending Review 2025.

Spending Review 2025 provided the Welsh Government with their largest spending review settlements in real terms since devolution in 1998. As a result of decisions at Budget 2025, the Welsh Government will receive an additional £320 million RDELex and £185 million CDEL through the operation of the Barnett formula on top of these record settlements.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps his Department has taken to identify and investigate online retailers that misrepresent themselves as UK-based businesses.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 prohibits unfair commercial practices, including misleading actions (such as online retailers that misrepresent themselves as UK-based), that are likely to impact the average consumer’s transactional decision.

The CMA and Trading Standards are responsible for investigating any breaches of misrepresentation (along with HMRC if any breaches of customs rules and duties are indicated).

75 years of Mebyon Kernow

Changes to Right To Protest in the Public Order Act 2023

Report on conditions and treatment at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre

Use of UK bases by the United States and international law in relation to Greenland

Deregistration of international non-governmental organisations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Iran protests

Situation in Iran

Sinking of SS Tilawa

Commemoration of Terry Yorath

Grok AI generation and dissemination of sexually explicit and non-consensual images of women and children on X

Hunger strike by pro-Palestinian activists

Incident in Switzerland

International sport and alleged United States violations of international law

US military attack on Venezuela

Parliamentary screening of The Removed and historic forced adoptions

Matthew Doyle's appointment to the House of Lords

Newborn bloodspot screening for spinal muscular atrophy

Border violence

Supporting shopworkers

US military build-up in the Caribbean

Postal workers and Royal Mail staff

Union of Agricultural Work Committees in the Occupied West Bank

Higher education pension cuts

Life and legacy of Saskia Jones

Professional integrity of BBC journalists