Lord Swire

On 22 October 2024, together with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, we commissioned NESO to produce the first ever Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP), to support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across Great Britain, including for overhead power lines. The SSEP will be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulation Assessment and take into account views of both rural and urban communities to ensure the impacts of infrastructure on local areas are properly considered.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with the Charity Commission. In relation to this specific case, the Charity Commission is aware of the concerns raised, but as the Charity Commission is independent from the Government in its regulatory decision making, it will be for them to assess the matter further.

Decisions relating to the care and management of the Parthenon Sculptures are a matter for the Trustees of the British Museum, which is operationally independent of the government. Any potential agreement is therefore for the British Museum trustees to agree.

The Department monitors the implementation and impact of the grant scheme through the regular reporting of the grant administrator. Since 2010, the grant scheme has returned over £350 million to listed places of worship.

Departmental settlements have been set following the Budget announcement on October 30. Individual programmes will now be assessed during the departmental Business Planning process. We have made no specific assessment in the terms set by the Lord Bishop, but we are fully aware of the importance of the scheme to all listed places of worship, including Anglican churches across England and the rest of the UK.

We have received a range of advice about the future of the Scheme. The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism and DCMS officials have met with a range of heritage bodies since July and this has frequently included representations on the future of the Scheme.

The Department has also received correspondence from religious organisations, predominantly in the Church of England, regarding the Scheme.

Qualifications in economics are available for schools to offer at GCSE and A level. Schools are free to decide which qualifications they will offer in each subject they teach. As part of their duty to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, schools are expected to offer a range of subject options to help meet the aspirations of all pupils.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. It will seek to refresh the curriculum to ensure it is cutting edge, fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people to support their future life and work.

The terms of reference for the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is attached and can also be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66d196b7d107658faec7e3db/Curriculum_and_assessment_review_-_aims_terms_of_reference_and_working_principles.pdf.

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Littering is a crime that blights communities and the environment. Local authorities already have a range of powers to tackle littering including the ability to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500. They must spend the income from these penalties on enforcement or clean up.

This Government is committed to delivering the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in October 2027, as agreed with the devolved Governments of the UK, and in accordance with the Joint Policy Statement published in April 2024. It is estimated that DRS could lead to an 85% reduction in litter of in-scope items.

Fly-tipping is a serious crime which blights communities and the environment and dealing with it imposes significant costs on both taxpayers and businesses. In our manifesto we committed to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess that they have created as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. We will provide further details on this commitment, and other actions to tackle fly-tipping, in due course.

In the meantime, Defra will continue to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders such as local authorities, the Environment Agency and National Farmers Union, to promote good practice with regards to tackling fly-tipping, including on private land.

Network Rail own and manage Waterloo station. There are no plans to rename the station.

The UK remains committed to the international non-proliferation regime and strongly encourages all UN Member States including our G7 partners to employ strict vigilance over potential proliferation efforts conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). We continue to encourage the DPRK to return to full compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and to honour its international obligations in accordance with existing United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). We regularly discuss a range of issues related to international peace and security with our close ally the United States of America.

The North Korean Chargé d'Affaires was summoned to FCDO on 29 October 2024 where FCDO officials raised reports of North Korean troops arriving in Russia. We outlined the UK's position of unequivocally supporting Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity, condemned Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, and warned that DPRK would likely suffer heavy casualties. We called for DPRK to immediately cease its support of Putin's war, either through the deployment of DPRK troops, or the provision of munitions. We continue to engage with the DPRK embassy on a regular basis.

Humanitarian assistance in Ukraine is essential to protecting the lives of innocent civilians. The FCDO is providing at least £120 million in humanitarian aid through to the end of FY 24/25 bringing the total contribution to £477 million to Ukraine and the region since the start of the full-scale invasion, making us one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors to Ukraine. Although some of our humanitarian partners support frontline medical evacuations like those undertaken by the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), we do not directly fund such services.

We are deeply concerned about the situation in northern Gaza. That is why we, alongside France and Algeria, co-convened an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on 16 October, where we underlined that northern Gaza must not be cut off from the south and there must be no forcible transfer of Gazans from or within Gaza contrary to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), nor any reduction in the territory of Gaza. Israel must comply fully with IHL and ensure sufficient aid reaches all parts of Gaza. As the Prime Minister said in Berlin on 18 October, the world will not tolerate any more excuses from Israel on humanitarian assistance. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary continue to press Israeli leaders to take all steps to avoid civilian casualties and we continue to work with our international partners including at the UN to put pressure on Israel to show the world it is complying with IHL.

The UK is analysing the proposed amendments to Iraq's Personal Status Law and its implications for women and children's rights. As we privately engage with a range of Iraqi interlocutors to discuss this, we are emphasising the importance of any amendments' compatibility with Iraq's international obligations.

We would condemn any legislative change that would violate international norms, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).

The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with powers to deprive a person of citizenship status only under the circumstances set out at sections 40(2) and 40(3) of the Act. Section 40(2) allows the Secretary of State to deprive any person of British citizenship, should they deem it conducive to the public good to do so.

Detail on the numbers of conducive deprivation orders made under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Eight reports have been published to date providing the number of deprivations of citizenship orders made up until the end of 2023 can be found on Gov.UK.

More recent data will be published in future publications in relation to deprivation of British citizenship 40(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981.

Section 40(3) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, allows for deprivation of citizenship where fraud, false representation or concealment of material facts have been used to obtain British citizenship. Since August 2020 these figures have been published via the Transparency report on asylum data, which can be found on Gov.UK:

For ease, the data below (taken from the Immigration and Protection data: Q3 2024 – GOV.UK report) sets out the number of people deprived of British Citizenship on the grounds of fraud:

The current published data runs to 2022, more recent data will be published when available.

On 15 January 2025, the Government laid a statutory instrument before Parliament that will increase fees charged by police forces to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications, in line with the Government's manifesto commitment on firearms fees. The fees were last increased in 2015 and they are now considerably below the cost of the service provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that increased fees are introduced so that service improvements can be made. The new fees will come into effect on 5 February.

The new fees are based on data produced by a review of firearms licensing costs in 31 police forces in January 2023. This data has since been updated to reflect increases in costs since then. The review was discussed at the Firearms Fees Working Group, chaired by the Home Office, which met in 2022 and 2023 with representation from:

· National Police Chiefs' Council

· Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

· Police Scotland

· Scottish Government

· Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

· British Shooting Sports Council

· British Association for Shooting and Conservation

· Gun Trade Association

· National Rifle Association

· Countryside Alliance

· National Gamekeepers Organisation

· Scottish Association for Country Sports.

We keep the framework of firearms licensing controls under constant review as it is important that we maintain strong controls on firearms to safeguard the public.

On 15 January 2025, the Government laid a statutory instrument before Parliament that will increase fees charged by police forces to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications, in line with the Government's manifesto commitment on firearms fees. The fees were last increased in 2015 and they are now considerably below the cost of the service provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that increased fees are introduced so that service improvements can be made. The new fees will come into effect on 5 February.

The new fees are based on data produced by a review of firearms licensing costs in 31 police forces in January 2023. This data has since been updated to reflect increases in costs since then. The review was discussed at the Firearms Fees Working Group, chaired by the Home Office, which met in 2022 and 2023 with representation from:

· National Police Chiefs' Council

· Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

· Police Scotland

· Scottish Government

· Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

· British Shooting Sports Council

· British Association for Shooting and Conservation

· Gun Trade Association

· National Rifle Association

· Countryside Alliance

· National Gamekeepers Organisation

· Scottish Association for Country Sports.

We keep the framework of firearms licensing controls under constant review as it is important that we maintain strong controls on firearms to safeguard the public.

It is for locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to make decisions around appointing, suspending, and removing chief constables. The Office of the PCC for Devon and Cornwall have kept the Home Office updated on the decisions taken by the PCC about the leadership of the force. I welcome the recent appointment of James Vaughan QPM as interim Chief Constable for Devon & Cornwall Police

It is vital that all forces have strong leadership that instils the right culture across the workforce. That is why the College of Policing are working to embed consistent leadership standards across all forces and ranks.

In her Written Ministerial Statement of 19 November 2024 (HCWS232), the Home Secretary announced her intention to present a White Paper to Parliament next year on reforms to deliver more effective and efficient policing, to rebuild public confidence and to deliver the Government’s Safer Streets mission. This reform programme will be a collaborative endeavour with policing, and will include exploring how to strengthen police workforce, leadership, and culture.

National portfolio leads are a matter for the NPCC.

The government does not have plans to place specific restrictions on Spanish citizens buying UK residential property. We have already acted on overseas buyers in the housing market by raising the Stamp Duty Higher Rate for Additional Dwellings by 2 percentage points to 5%. This will raise £310 million by 2029-30 and help to rebalance the housing market towards those who want to buy property for use as a primary residence.

The Government is alert to the damage to community cohesion caused by antisemitism and is absolutely committed to rooting out this abhorrent form of hatred. We understand the concerns that have been raised by some Jewish organisations in relation to Sheikh Mishary Alafasy’s speaking tour and, whilst we are not aware of a broader impact on community cohesion, we will continue to be watchful as part of our routine community tensions monitoring. The Government has not met with al Mustafa Welfare Trust about the speaking tour.

The Government is alert to the damage to community cohesion caused by antisemitism and is absolutely committed to rooting out this abhorrent form of hatred. We understand the concerns that have been raised by some Jewish organisations in relation to Sheikh Mishary Alafasy’s speaking tour and, whilst we are not aware of a broader impact on community cohesion, we will continue to be watchful as part of our routine community tensions monitoring. The Government has not met with al Mustafa Welfare Trust about the speaking tour.

HMG does not engage with the Muslim Council of Britain. No assessment has been made of this research note.

Prisoners currently can access community service work through Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) during the custodial element within their sentence.

The Prison Rules in England and Wales provide that a prisoner may be granted leave from prison for short periods on temporary licence. ROTL is an important rehabilitation tool which allows prisoners to participate in activities in the community which have been identified as serving a particular purpose in meeting their individual resettlement objectives. Suitable, risk assessed prisoners may be allowed out during the day to, for example, work, attend college, attend an interview, maintain/re-establish links with their family or undertake community work such as litter clearance. This helps them develop responsibility and gain valuable skills.

The decision to allow temporary release is taken by the prison governor, on behalf of the Secretary of State, who must always balance the needs of the prisoner and the purpose of the ROTL applied for, against the need to maintain public safety and the public’s confidence in the criminal justice system. Each decision is taken on a case-by-case basis to safeguard the public. Any breaches can result in more time behind bars.

We are working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the use of drones to deliver contraband into prisons. We conduct vulnerability assessments across the prison estate to identify risks, and to develop and implement plans to manage and mitigate them. His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) uses targeted countermeasures including improvements to windows, netting and grills to stop drones delivering contraband such as drugs, mobile telephones and weapons.

We work across Government to examine options to mitigate the threat of drones to prisons. We are also engaging with international counterparts to develop our learning, support our strategy and share best practice. Our response to drone threats is specific to the individual prison site, but owing to operational sensitivities, we are not able to discuss in detail the tactics used by HMPPS to disrupt drones.

The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021, which authorises the use of counter-drone technology, also enables the police to stop and search anyone suspected of committing drone-related offences.

We are working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the use of drones to deliver contraband into prisons. We conduct vulnerability assessments across the prison estate to identify risks, and to develop and implement plans to manage and mitigate them. His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) uses targeted countermeasures including improvements to windows, netting and grills to stop drones delivering contraband such as drugs, mobile telephones and weapons.

We work across Government to examine options to mitigate the threat of drones to prisons. We are also engaging with international counterparts to develop our learning, support our strategy and share best practice. Our response to drone threats is specific to the individual prison site, but owing to operational sensitivities, we are not able to discuss in detail the tactics used by HMPPS to disrupt drones.

The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021, which authorises the use of counter-drone technology, also enables the police to stop and search anyone suspected of committing drone-related offences.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on prosecutions and convictions for female genital mutilation in the Outcomes by Offence data tool published at Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: June 2024 - GOV.UK under the following HO offence code: 00852 – Offences under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003.

There have been 2 prosecutions and 1 conviction under the Female Genital Mutilation Act in the period 01 July 2019 to 30 June 2024.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on prosecutions and convictions for female genital mutilation in the Outcomes by Offence data tool published at Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: June 2024 - GOV.UK under the following HO offence code: 00852 – Offences under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003.

There have been 2 prosecutions and 1 conviction under the Female Genital Mutilation Act in the period 01 July 2019 to 30 June 2024.