Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure children are adequately safeguarded in family courts.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Children Act 1989 requires the court to have the child’s welfare as its paramount consideration when making a decision about the child’s upbringing. Any decisions the family courts make about the future arrangements for children are based on this fundamental principle.

This Government is delivering a package of reform to the family courts to ensure that children continue to be safeguarded and supported. This includes the expansion of the Pathfinder programme, which promotes child safeguarding through early multi-agency collaboration, expert domestic abuse support, and greater emphasis on the voice of the child.

This Government also recognises the significant impact that delays in court proceedings can have on children and families. That is why it is working to reduce backlogs and improve timeliness, so that children can access the support and stability they need without unnecessary delay. This includes the agreement of system-wide targets by the Family Justice Board for 2025/26, with a continued focus on tackling delay and reducing outstanding caseloads. In public law proceedings relating to children (such as care proceedings), this involves a renewed emphasis on the procedure set out in the Public Law Outline; and in private law proceedings relating to children (such as applications for child arrangements orders), areas delivering the Pathfinder model have made significant progress in addressing delays.

We are also working closely with the Department for Education to support the delivery of their reforms to children’s social care, underpinned by measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The Government will share further plans for reform in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will list the ten most frequently (a) used commodity codes for imports and (b) types of goods imported from illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 2024.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times HMRC recorded imported goods whose country of origin was falsely labelled as Israel in 2024 .

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. Goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK’s current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Government of Israel.

Where there are doubts about the origin of goods that have been declared as being of Israeli origin, HMRC will undertake checks to verify the origin of those goods to ensure fiscal compliance. HMRC does not however provide specific details regarding checks as it may serve to undermine compliance activity.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 75814 on Coronavirus: Fraud, how many cases the National Investigation Service (a) has open and (b) expects to transfer to the Insolvency Service.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since the commencement of Covid-related investigations, the National Investigation Service has opened 254 criminal cases into alleged Bounce Back Loan fraud, with 131 cases currently ongoing.

We remain committed to tackling fraud and are working closely with the National Investigation Service and the Insolvency Service to ensure that cases are managed effectively. The Department for Business and Trade is considering a range of options for the transfer of cases, and further decisions will be made, guided by the latest information and statistics on the current caseload and enforcement activity.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish a timetable for the roll-out of the new pet passport scheme.

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

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper.

Instead of getting an animal health certificate each time they travel, pet owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.

We are expecting to start negotiations in the autumn, once the EU has confirmed their mandate.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of requiring self-catering holiday lets to achieve Energy Performance Certificate rating C under the proposed Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards on the profitability of rural tourism businesses.

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

Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. We have sought views on whether short-term lets should be included in the scope of our changes, to help ensure a consistent standard across all private rented properties. We have engaged widely with stakeholders, including self-catering businesses, on our proposals. A government response will be published in due course.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many times the Crown Prosecution Service has been contacted by the police wanting to charge people following investigations conducted by the National Investigation Service in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) engaged directly with the National Investigation Service (NATIS) and therefore did not have any communication with police on these matters, unless the police were otherwise assisting NATIS on a case.

A manual count of cases shows that the CPS advised on 40 cases investigated by NATIS between June 2021 and November 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timetable is for further interim payments to the estates of infected people who died after joining infected blood support schemes.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Following the publication of the Inquiry’s Additional Report, the UK Government has announced further interim payments of £210,000 for eligible estates of someone registered with an IBSS or predecessor scheme (on or before 17 April 2024) who sadly passed away.

This is in addition to the £100,000 interim payments to the estates of deceased infected beneficiaries which opened in October 2024. Since then, 600 interim payments of £100,000 have already been paid to estates.

On 26 September, the Government announced that applications for these interim payments will open on 23 October.

The Government expects the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to begin making payments to the estates of deceased infected people this year.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 76154 on Bounce Back Loan Scheme: Fraud, for what reason his Department's contract with the National Investigation Service to investigate Covid-19 Bounce Back Loan fraud was renewed on 1 April 2024.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The contract with Thurrock for the services of the National Investigation Service (NATIS) was renewed under the previous government on 1 April 2024 to continue service delivery.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will hold discussions with the Judicial College on the adequacy of the mandatory training for judges on (a) domestic abuse and (b) coercive control.

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

To preserve judicial independence, statutory responsibility for judicial training is held by the Lady Chief Justice, Senior President of Tribunals and Chief Coroner. These responsibilities are fulfilled by the Judicial College. Whilst the content of judicial training is for the judiciary to decide, Ministers have relayed the Government’s view of the importance of domestic abuse training for judges and magistrates.

All judges and magistrates complete induction and regular continuation training. Training is designed to equip the judiciary with the essential knowledge and skills they need to discharge their duties effectively.

Family judges completed specialist mandatory training on domestic abuse between 2022 and 2024, which was also made available to civil judges. Training for judges who hear criminal cases includes judgecraft, effective decision-making and sentencing, and advancing procedural fairness. Dealing with the vulnerable in court and issues relating to domestic abuse are interwoven into much of the training. Magistrates sitting in the family and criminal jurisdictions receive mandatory domestic abuse training. The training is trauma-informed and reflects the wide nature of domestic abuse including coercive and controlling behaviour. Training seminars are complemented by a range of other resources, including the Equal Treatment Bench Book which includes specific guidance in relation to domestic abuse.

The College regularly reviews its training to ensure it remains high quality and up to date, and reflects contemporary law, practice and procedure.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many newly qualified nurses have secured employment through the Graduate Guarantee scheme since its introduction; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Graduate Guarantee scheme; and with reference to the forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan, what steps his Department is taking to align the number of nursing graduates with the availability of entry-level posts.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Supporting newly qualified nurses and midwives to move smoothly into employment is a key priority. The Graduate Guarantee, introduced in August 2025, is now being implemented across the National Health Service to ensure every newly qualified nurse and midwife is supported to secure appropriate employment. Early feedback from trusts and regions indicates that it is having a positive impact on the current recruitment cycle, with organisations recruiting ahead of turnover and creating additional entry-level posts.

We expect the recruitment cycle to be concluded by March 2026 for this cohort, and published workforce statistics will provide a transparent assessment of the current NHS workforce. The forthcoming Chief Nursing Officer professional strategy for nursing and midwifery, alongside the 10 Year Workforce Plan, will set out further details on future workforce needs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure newly qualified nurses can access Band 5 roles in their local area; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) experience requirements and (b) internal-only job advertisements on newly qualified nurses' ability to secure employment.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Newly qualified nurses are an essential part of the National Health Service workforce, and it is important that they are able to access suitable Band 5 employment opportunities on qualification. The Graduate Guarantee, introduced in August 2025, is now being implemented across the NHS to ensure every newly qualified nurse and midwife is supported to secure appropriate employment. Early feedback from trusts and regions indicates it is having a positive impact on the current recruitment cycle, with organisations recruiting ahead of turnover and creating additional entry-level posts.

In parallel, all regions are working with providers and higher education institutions to ensure a smooth transition from training into employment for newly qualified nurses with students being invited to apply for local roles. NHS England has also reminded employers to ensure advertisements do not disadvantage newly qualified nurses seeking their first post.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many internal meetings his Department held on the National Investigation Service between January 2020 and December 2022.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Regular meetings are a routine way of conducting departmental business. These are not tracked and recorded, so this information is not held in a reportable form by the Department for Business and Trade.

Sale of caged hens’ eggs

Import of goods from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Equitable national prostate cancer screening

Safety of British nationals aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

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