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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Cage reform: proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages, published on 12 January 2026, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposals to ban all cage systems for laying hens, pullets and breeder layers on the level of imports of (a) eggs and (b) egg products from (i) EU and (ii) non-EU countries.

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

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, sought views on that assessment. The consultation also sought additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and current levels of imports and exports. We are now analysing the consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.

As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the Government’s disposal to protect UK’s most sensitive sectors.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Cage reform: proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages, published on 12 January 2026, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning caged (a) eggs and (b) egg products from (i) EU and (ii) non-EU countries.

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

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, sought views on that assessment. The consultation also sought additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and current levels of imports and exports. We are now analysing the consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.

As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the Government’s disposal to protect UK’s most sensitive sectors.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to publish plans for office closures within her Department.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

As part of the department’s People Strategy and in line with the government's commitment to a more productive, agile and efficient civil service, the department has developed a long-term locations strategy. This includes closing six of our smaller sites and moving towards a focused 8-site model, with locations at Bristol, Cambridge, Coventry, Darlington, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. My noble Friend, the Secretary of State for Education does not plan to publish plans for office closures. Our external communications are focused on the department's strategy, delivery and changes impacting the sector. This is an internal issue for the department.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the savings targets are for each directorate in her Department for (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Each year, the department must make tough decisions to ensure every pound of taxpayers’ money is driving high and rising standards for our children, ensuring every child has the best start in life.

The department considers priorities across the department to determine how best to allocate its available funding.

A breakdown of the department’s funding for 2026/27 will be published in due course in the 2026/27 Main Estimate and in each subsequent year. This will be published on GOV.UK.

The 2025/26 Main Estimate can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/main-supply-estimates-2025-to-2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will (a) complete a full skills audit of staff within her Department and (b) share that audit with trade unions.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department supports 15 professions to which we encourage staff to align themselves, and we collect data monthly on the number of members of each. As part of the Government Skills Campus platform, which is currently in development, the department is exploring the most effective ways to capture the live skills of staff. The department will then seek to agree with trade unions an appropriate approach to sharing this data.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of patient consultations that have been performed by UK-Med in Gaza as a result of UK aid funding.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is providing £81 million of humanitarian and early recovery support as part of our £116 million programme for Palestine this financial year, including support for UK-Med. Funding to UK-Med has supported over a million patient consultations across Gaza but humanitarian partners are still reporting delays and restrictions in providing medical support, and denials of critical medical supplies. We continue to press Israel to open all crossings and lift restrictions preventing urgently needed medical supplies from reaching those in desperate need.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of frontline customer contact work HMRC expects to be delivered by Managed Staff Provider staff versus directly employed civil servants over (a) the next 12 months and (b) the duration of the Comprehensive Spending Review, and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by MSPs represent additional capacity for 2025/26. The proportion of frontline customer contact work delivered by MSP staff is small compared to the proportion of work handled by HMRC staff. No HMRC staff will be made redundant as a result of this initiative. HMRC headcount is forecast to increase by the end of the Spending Review 2025 period.

HMRC are not privatising their services and there are no plans to outsource customer contact services beyond this limited contract for additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC intends the expertise behind customer support to remain within HMRC.

HMRC will continue to use a range of resourcing models, including Surge, alongside the use of MSPs, to meet variable customer demand. With a complex mix of transformation, resourcing models and impacts from external events it is difficult to attribute work to single things or make statements about permanent approaches. Future workforce decisions will be taken through normal business planning and Spending Review processes.

HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. Whilst HMRC sees MSPs as part of its resourcing mix going forward, a joint HMRC and PCS evaluation will take place to inform future use, beyond the next 12 months.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC intends for the Managed Service Provider to remain limited to peak demand cover or to become a permanent component of Customer Services Group resourcing, and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by MSPs represent additional capacity for 2025/26. The proportion of frontline customer contact work delivered by MSP staff is small compared to the proportion of work handled by HMRC staff. No HMRC staff will be made redundant as a result of this initiative. HMRC headcount is forecast to increase by the end of the Spending Review 2025 period.

HMRC are not privatising their services and there are no plans to outsource customer contact services beyond this limited contract for additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC intends the expertise behind customer support to remain within HMRC.

HMRC will continue to use a range of resourcing models, including Surge, alongside the use of MSPs, to meet variable customer demand. With a complex mix of transformation, resourcing models and impacts from external events it is difficult to attribute work to single things or make statements about permanent approaches. Future workforce decisions will be taken through normal business planning and Spending Review processes.

HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. Whilst HMRC sees MSPs as part of its resourcing mix going forward, a joint HMRC and PCS evaluation will take place to inform future use, beyond the next 12 months.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what modelling has been undertaken on the future role of Surge staff and other flexible HMRC resources in light of potential Managed Service Provider expansion.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by MSPs represent additional capacity for 2025/26. The proportion of frontline customer contact work delivered by MSP staff is small compared to the proportion of work handled by HMRC staff. No HMRC staff will be made redundant as a result of this initiative. HMRC headcount is forecast to increase by the end of the Spending Review 2025 period.

HMRC are not privatising their services and there are no plans to outsource customer contact services beyond this limited contract for additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC intends the expertise behind customer support to remain within HMRC.

HMRC will continue to use a range of resourcing models, including Surge, alongside the use of MSPs, to meet variable customer demand. With a complex mix of transformation, resourcing models and impacts from external events it is difficult to attribute work to single things or make statements about permanent approaches. Future workforce decisions will be taken through normal business planning and Spending Review processes.

HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. Whilst HMRC sees MSPs as part of its resourcing mix going forward, a joint HMRC and PCS evaluation will take place to inform future use, beyond the next 12 months.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC can confirm that Managed Staffing Provider staffing represents additional capacity rather than a substitution for civil service roles.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by MSPs represent additional capacity for 2025/26. The proportion of frontline customer contact work delivered by MSP staff is small compared to the proportion of work handled by HMRC staff. No HMRC staff will be made redundant as a result of this initiative. HMRC headcount is forecast to increase by the end of the Spending Review 2025 period.

HMRC are not privatising their services and there are no plans to outsource customer contact services beyond this limited contract for additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC intends the expertise behind customer support to remain within HMRC.

HMRC will continue to use a range of resourcing models, including Surge, alongside the use of MSPs, to meet variable customer demand. With a complex mix of transformation, resourcing models and impacts from external events it is difficult to attribute work to single things or make statements about permanent approaches. Future workforce decisions will be taken through normal business planning and Spending Review processes.

HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. Whilst HMRC sees MSPs as part of its resourcing mix going forward, a joint HMRC and PCS evaluation will take place to inform future use, beyond the next 12 months.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC anticipates a reduction in the use or recruitment of Surge staff as MSP staffing increases.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by MSPs represent additional capacity for 2025/26. The proportion of frontline customer contact work delivered by MSP staff is small compared to the proportion of work handled by HMRC staff. No HMRC staff will be made redundant as a result of this initiative. HMRC headcount is forecast to increase by the end of the Spending Review 2025 period.

HMRC are not privatising their services and there are no plans to outsource customer contact services beyond this limited contract for additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC intends the expertise behind customer support to remain within HMRC.

HMRC will continue to use a range of resourcing models, including Surge, alongside the use of MSPs, to meet variable customer demand. With a complex mix of transformation, resourcing models and impacts from external events it is difficult to attribute work to single things or make statements about permanent approaches. Future workforce decisions will be taken through normal business planning and Spending Review processes.

HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. Whilst HMRC sees MSPs as part of its resourcing mix going forward, a joint HMRC and PCS evaluation will take place to inform future use, beyond the next 12 months.

Redundancies of skilled rail workers at Balfour Beatty

Ketamine

Industrial relations at Carlisle Support Services

Trade union de-recognition at GB Railfreight

Seafarer pay and conditions at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Driver-only trains on East West Rail

100th anniversary of the birth of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Steve Cram CBE

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mr Lee Dillon; Mary Glindon

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mary Glindon; Will Stone;