Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 55860 on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Health Services, whether he has a new target date for publication of that plan.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, final delivery plan will be published shortly. The plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At the April London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced £120 million for this financial year, which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people. A portion of this uplift provides support to local responders both through the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which supports the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), and the Mercy Corps-led Cash Consortium for Sudan which provides direct cash assistance to Mutual Aid Groups and ERRs on the ground.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to introduce a maximum limit on levels of glyphosate in menstrual products.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Most period products are regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which requires all products to be safe and for consumers to be provided with information on the potential risks of a product.
Officials are currently reviewing the evidence base concerning the safety of period products, from which any evidence gaps will be identified, and appropriate expert evidence or further research sought. Where appropriate the Department will seek to work with other interested Government Departments, including those with responsibility for the regulation of glyphosate.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to support global maternal and newborn health initiatives; and whether he plans to change the level of support in the next five years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Healthy Women, Children and Newborns (HWCN) is the UK government's approach to help end preventable maternal, child and newborn deaths, supporting global efforts in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age by 2030. The approach works to strengthen health systems; promote gender equality and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights; and support improved nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene and climate resilience in health.
The Spending Review 2025 confirmed the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget from 2026/27 onwards. Over the coming months, the Department will undertake detailed planning to determine how this budget will be allocated. The FCDO is reviewing how these allocations will support existing and future commitments, with a continued focus on ensuring all ODA spending delivers value for money and advances the UK's development priorities, including global health.
ODA has always been only one element of the UK's approach, alongside policy and diplomatic efforts. In April 2025, at the UN Commission on Population and Development, the UK cosponsored the launch of the Global Midwifery Accelerator, which aims to shift the dial on midwifery, encouraging partnerships and investment to end preventable maternal and neonatal deaths.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking through the UN to advance the Children and Armed Conflict agenda.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UN Secretary General's 2025 report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking; it shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.
As we made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 25 June, the UK is deeply concerned at the worsening situation for children in conflict, and remains committed to both preventing and ending grave violations against children in conflict, and to supporting, promoting and defending the UN Children and Armed Conflict mandate.
The UK is an active member of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and plays a key role in ensuring effective scrutiny by the UN Security Council of conflicts where children are harmed.
In 2024-25, the UK funded UNICEF's Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, which is a vital tool in ensuring that perpetrators are held to account.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with menstrual product manufacturers on the adequacy of levels of glyphosate in menstrual products.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My officials engage regularly with a number of industry bodies, including the Absorbent Hygiene Products Manufacturers Association who represent the UK disposable nappy, adult continence care and period product industries.
Subject to Royal Assent of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, the Government will consult on a range of issues, including the safety of period products, to ensure that any changes to the regulatory framework are robust and consistent. As part of this, we are considering further research and testing in this area to complement the consultation, as well as engaging with other interested Government Departments in reviewing any evidence and agreeing a way forward following consultation.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress he has made on developing the children and armed conflict strategy.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The latest UN Secretary General's report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking. It shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.
As the UK made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 25 June, the UK calls on all parties to armed conflict to immediately end and prevent grave violations against children and for perpetrators to be held to account. The UK also remains committed to promoting and defending the UN's Children and Armed Conflict mandate.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is currently reviewing our approach to children in conflict.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with NATO counterparts on Russian sanctions.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Sanctions are primarily an FCDO lead, but I can say that the UK and other NATO allies do all we can to shut down the funding for Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.
The UK has led action against Russia sanctioning over 2,500 Russian targets including over 280 shadow fleet vessels, and allied sanctions have deprived Russia of over $450 billion worth of funds for its war.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he has taken to help reduce the (a) import and (b) processing of illicitly mined Sudanese gold by third countries.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take diplomatic steps through the UN to help reduce the role of the illicit international gold trade in financing Sudan's civil war.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.