Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the potential cost to the Metropolitan Police of the proposals set out in her Department's policy paper entitled From local to national: a new model for policing published on 27 January 2026.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The reforms set out in the White Paper are fully funded to the end of the Parliament with nearly half a billion pounds invested. These reforms will make policing both more effective and more efficient with savings made through removal of duplication across the policing system. These savings will be reinvested into neighbourhood policing, including in London.

In addition, this Government has already announced record funding for policing of £18.4 billion next year to tackle crime and improve community safety. The Metropolitan Police will benefit from increased funding of up to £4.0bn next year, a 4.7% cash increase.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding was originally made available for the provision of the planned 92 new special and AP free schools that were commissioned by the previous Government and were subject to a value for money review by this Government.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

For the 18 schools where no trust had been appointed and which were in the earliest stages of development local authorities will receive funding for 2487 school places in Summer 2026, equivalent to places the school would have provided.

For local authorities with the choice between accepting the alternative funding offer or continuing with the free school, the deadline to confirm their choice is 27 February 2026. After this date, we will know how many local authorities have accepted the alternative funding offer and the total funding amount.

Funding for delivery of free school projects are provided at different stages of a project’s development, in line with key delivery milestones. Most of the projects in scope of the alternative funding offer are at the earliest stages of development and therefore have not received any funding. Where sites have been secured for these schools, details and costs of acquisitions will have been set out on the Land Registry website. Additionally, the department will have published contract details and costs for all free school construction contracts on Contracts Finder.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much alternative funding has been provided to the local authorities who have decided to not proceed with the building of the proposed special and AP free schools, following the review of planned special and AP free schools.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

For the 18 schools where no trust had been appointed and which were in the earliest stages of development local authorities will receive funding for 2487 school places in Summer 2026, equivalent to places the school would have provided.

For local authorities with the choice between accepting the alternative funding offer or continuing with the free school, the deadline to confirm their choice is 27 February 2026. After this date, we will know how many local authorities have accepted the alternative funding offer and the total funding amount.

Funding for delivery of free school projects are provided at different stages of a project’s development, in line with key delivery milestones. Most of the projects in scope of the alternative funding offer are at the earliest stages of development and therefore have not received any funding. Where sites have been secured for these schools, details and costs of acquisitions will have been set out on the Land Registry website. Additionally, the department will have published contract details and costs for all free school construction contracts on Contracts Finder.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much alternative funding has been provided to the local authorities of the 18 cancelled special and AP free schools, to create specialist spaces in mainstream schools.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

For the 18 schools where no trust had been appointed and which were in the earliest stages of development local authorities will receive funding for 2487 school places in Summer 2026, equivalent to places the school would have provided.

For local authorities with the choice between accepting the alternative funding offer or continuing with the free school, the deadline to confirm their choice is 27 February 2026. After this date, we will know how many local authorities have accepted the alternative funding offer and the total funding amount.

Funding for delivery of free school projects are provided at different stages of a project’s development, in line with key delivery milestones. Most of the projects in scope of the alternative funding offer are at the earliest stages of development and therefore have not received any funding. Where sites have been secured for these schools, details and costs of acquisitions will have been set out on the Land Registry website. Additionally, the department will have published contract details and costs for all free school construction contracts on Contracts Finder.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to promote community engagement on the new Air Navigation Guidance.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport consulted on potential changes to the statutory guidance (The Air Navigation Guidance) it provides to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This guidance is used by the CAA to inform its airspace change process. The consultation closed on 26 January 2026 and responses are now being reviewed.

The consultation was open to everyone and a number of groups representing local communities, as well as individuals and companies, responded.

Engagement and consultation has always been part of the airspace change process. The proposals in the draft Guidance aim to retain and enhance the principle that anyone potentially affected by an airspace change should have the information they need and the ability to feed in their views before final decisions are taken. The sponsor for an Airspace Change will be responsible for ensuring this happens effectively as a key part of the airspace change process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to improve accessibility for SMEs to the research and development tax credit system.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the important role that research and development (R&D) plays in driving innovation and economic growth as well as the benefits it can bring for society.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government committed to maintaining the generosity of the rates in both the merged R&D Expenditure Credit (RDEC) scheme and the Enhanced Support for R&D Intensive SMEs (ERIS) scheme. This, combined with the commitment to cap the headline rate of Corporation Tax, means that companies doing qualifying R&D will continue to receive between £15 to £27 for every £100 spent on R&D. Notably, the ERIS scheme will provide around £1.3 billion of relief per year to roughly 20,000 R&D intensive, loss-making SMEs.

The Government is also taking steps to improve the administration of the reliefs, to make it easier and more reliable for legitimate claimants while continuing to protect taxpayer money from unacceptable levels of error and fraud in the system. HMRC is working with the Expert Advisory Panel which will provide it with cutting edge technical expertise to inform policy and operations. HMRC also operates an advance assurances service to help SMEs applying for the tax credits and will pilot an expanded service this spring, enabling more firms to use it.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department's reviews into the a) economics and b) environmental impacts of Heathrow expansion are seeking external expert input.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department’s review into the economic and environmental impacts of Heathrow expansion includes both internal and external expert input.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will set up a meeting between the Aviation Minister and the Hon. Members for Twickenham and Richmond Park following his correspondence referenced MC 00050628.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

My officials have scheduled a meeting for the end of February.

New US sanctions on Cuba

Situation in Iran

Public inquiry into Epstein links

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026

World Cancer Day

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Found: In answer to a Parliamentary Question from Munira Wilson MP in April 2025, then Parliamentary Under-Secretary