Question

To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52332 on House of Commons: Morning Star, what criteria the House uses to determine the number of copies ordered.

Answered by Nick Smith

The Library takes one copy of each daily national newspaper which is made available in the Members’ Library. Additional copies of titles are only taken if Library staff determine there is sufficient demand. Newspaper orders, including numbers of copies, are reviewed annually to ensure they are still meeting Members’ needs.

Further copies are placed in the Members’ Tea Room, Smoking Room, and Portcullis House Atrium, as previously requested by Members.

In June 2025, the Administration Committee approved a review of newspaper provision in non-Library areas, to look at both quantities and locations of hard-copy newspapers. This will be completed by the House Service post summer recess.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will list the names of the six digital influencers who were funded by his Department to promote the Living Wage and Minimum Wage.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

I refer the member to the answer I gave on 2^nd July 2025 to question 62768 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament) and the answer I gave on 11^th July to question 64918 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 60489 on Universities: Fees and Charges, whether young people from EU member states coming to the UK under the proposed UK-EU youth mobility scheme would pay international student fees.

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

We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. Any scheme will be time-limited and capped, and we have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes with countries like Australia and New Zealand. The primary purpose of a youth mobility scheme is cultural exchange and to give young people opportunities to experience life overseas on a temporary basis. We have not agreed to offer home fee status to EU students. Most new EU students who were not lawfully resident in the UK before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 pay international fees.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government Property Agency provides free tampons in (a) female and (b) male toilets.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Property Agency (GPA) provides free tampons in female toilets at Birmingham, 23 Stephenson Street, Nottingham, Apex Court, London, 70 Whitehall and Coventry, Cheylesmore House. Tampons are not provided by the GPA in any male toilets.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will update the About us section of the National Security and Intelligence webpage on gov.uk.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The “about us” section of the National Security and Intelligence webpage will be updated shortly.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question HL8158 on Arm’s Length Bodies, what is the (a) purpose and (b) function of Project Seahorse.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answers of 29 May 2025 to Question UIN 53535 and of 16 July 2025 to Question UIN 65871.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2025, to Question 53205, on Intelligence and Security Committee, whether the Prime Minister will meet with the Intelligence and Security Committee before the summer recess.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Prime Minister met the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) on 14 July. The Prime Minister was pleased to have the opportunity to reset the relationship between the Government and the ISC, and discuss a range of important issues pertaining to national security and the Committee’s remit.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the (a) percentage and (b) cash term monetary change in average fees for the House of Commons nursery in (i) 2024-25 and (ii) 2025-26.

Answered by Nick Smith

In May 2024, following benchmarking exercises against other similar nursery provision, and taking account of pay awards for the period 2023-2025, fees were increased by 10% for all users. The rise was the first since 2017. The Nursery is an important service to support Members, their staff and House staff.

Assuming a 5 day a week usage, this saw a cash equivalent of increases of £127.84 a month for children under two years old, and £117.00 a month for children over two years old.

In July 2025, a further increase of 3% was implemented.

Assuming a 5 day a week usage, this saw a cash equivalent of increases of £42.5 a month for children under two years old, and £39.00 a month for children over two years old.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for the review of NHS England guidance entitled Delivering same-sex accommodation; and what role he will play in the process.

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

The National Health Service is currently reviewing its ‘Delivering same-sex accommodation’ guidance and will ensure revised guidance reflects the Supreme Court ruling and is aligned with the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) statutory guidance when this becomes available.

The EHRC is working at pace to develop a new statutory Code of Practice in light of the judgment. This will cover in detail the approach employers should take in relation to single-sex spaces to align with their legal obligations. All service providers, including the NHS, must comply with this Code of Practice.

The EHRC recently closed their consultation for the new Statutory Code of Practice and are now processing the responses.

In the meantime, I continue to expect NHS employers to act in line with their legal obligations, including applying the Equality Act 2010 in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion of 30 May 2025, if he will list (a) the suppliers and (b) a breakdown of the expenditure related to the £3,779 of expenditure on (i) LGBT+ and (ii) Humanists’ Convention.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

See below the suppliers and a breakdown on the expenditure requested:

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, with reference to the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, which suppliers were used to provide the LGBTi internal conference.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The LGBTI conference was a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) event, and the supplier used to provide venue services was Calder Conferences.

Calder Conferences offers venue solutions for meetings, conferences, and other events, and works with various government departments.

The CPS has a contract with Calder Conferences through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework for Travel and Venue Solutions. This framework allows CPS to access venues for meetings and conferences as needed.

The contract was signed in 2024 under the previous government for two years, with an option to extend for one additional year until February 2027, as is standard across government departments when contracting with conference suppliers. As standard, government contracts are routinely reviewed.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the press release entitled UK to purchase F-35As and join NATO nuclear mission as Government steps up national security and delivers defence dividend, published on 24 June 2025, whether the new RAF plans will be equipped with (a) strategic or (b) tactical nuclear weapons.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 July 2025 to Question 67413 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr Cartlidge).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-07-14/67413

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the FCDO press release entitled LGBTQIA+ Legal Guidebook launched in Philippines for Pride Month, published on 23 June 2025, whether her Department has a policy on the use of the phrase LGBTQIA+; and whether it has replaced (a) LGBT and (b) LGBT+.

Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Office for Equality and Opportunity does not mandate the use of any particular acronym in reference to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office works with a range of organisations globally to protect and promote the human rights of the most vulnerable communities.

The Government uses LGBT+ in communications and publications, as these are widely recognised and understood.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish an annual written statement on charges incurred by Departments for the use of official government cars for Ministers.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The annual written statement on charges incurred by departments for the use of official government cars for Ministers ceased in 2018 under the previous administration. There are no plans to resume it.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the publication entitled Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, which suppliers were used to provide the Black History Month events.

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

The suppliers for the Ministry of Justice Black History Month events listed in the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, were:

• Author Colin Douglas who spoke about the role of the Caribbean in the Second World War

• Historians Paul Obinna and Danny Thompson who are experts on black history.

Found: _NC4 Robert Jenrick Dr Kieran Mullan Mike Wood Jack Rankin Mr Richard Holden .

Found: _NC4 Robert Jenrick Dr Kieran Mullan Mike Wood Jack Rankin Mr Richard Holden .