Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the need for workers from other countries to deliver a third runway at Heathrow airport.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The draft Heathrow Expansion Policy Statement, published on the 18th June, requires any future applicant for expansion to assess the scheme's economic impacts, including labour supply effects. This would include consideration of workforce requirements during construction and operation. The Secretary of State for Transport would consider this evidence as part of any future application and decision for development consent.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what artificial intelligence services and tools are used by her Department; and whether her Department has a contract with providers for those services.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to adopting artificial intelligence in a way that is transparent, responsible and accountable to the public.
Information about algorithmic and AI tools used by government departments to support decisions that affect members of the public, or that have a significant influence on a decision-making process with public effect, is published through the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS). The ATRS has been mandatory for central government departments since 2024, and records are published on GOV.UK at www.gov.uk/algorithmic-transparency-records. In addition, departments may use other internal tools which do not fall within the scope of the Standard.
In line with public procurement transparency requirements, departments publish contractual information for AI services and tools on Contracts Finder and, where above the relevant threshold, on the Find a Tender Service.
AI services and tools are accessed across government through a range of commercial routes. Departments may contract directly with AI providers, access AI products via intermediated routes such as reseller arrangements where the contractual relationship sits with a partner rather than the underlying provider, or use AI capabilities delivered as features within existing enterprise software and platform contracts (for example productivity, HR or service management tools).
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what training his Department provides on AI; and (a) how many hours and (b) what topics and skills are covered by such training.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Cabinet Office provides a recommended AI training offer for all civil servants across government who are not digital or technical specialists. The training is available online and delivered via Civil Service Learning.
The learning offer provides material to meet a wide range of needs across the Civil Service. In total, around 130 hours worth of training is available. However, most civil servants will only need to complete some modules.
The AI training modules and are intended to build the following AI skills in civil servants:
Foundational AI skills (AI literacy, Assessing AI opportunities, Interpreting AI outputs)
AI Strategy and Implementation
AI Governance and Safety (Applying AI Governance, Using AI Safely).
Digital and AI training will be a top priority for the National School of Government and Public Services when it launches in the Autumn.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which capital projects have been (a) cancelled, (b) delayed, (c) descoped and (d) reprofiled to fund the Defence Investment Plan by region, original funding allocation and revised funding allocation.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Departments have been asked to contribute 1p in every £1 of their capital budgets to fund this Government’s Defence Investment Plan, helping keep the country safe in an increasingly volatile world.
The Ministry of Justice will set out further impacts on specific policies and programmes in due course.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training his Department provides on AI; and (a) how many hours and (b) what topics and skills are covered by such training.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice provides artificial intelligence (AI) training through its AI for All programme, which includes training sessions, webinars, practical resources as well as targeted sessions to support the frontline staff to use AI tools safely and responsibly.
As part of this, the Department’s One Big Thing campaign on AI included a one-hour Civil Service Learning module and team workshops. Training and guidance cover the safe and responsible use of AI tools, understanding risks and limitations, and building confidence in using AI to support day-to-day work.
The Department does not hold a single standard total duration for all AI training, as learning is delivered through a mix of in-person and online formats, including self-directed learning as well as bespoke and practical sessions requested by teams.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which capital projects have been (a) cancelled, (b) delayed, (c) descoped and (d) reprofiled to fund the Defence Investment Plan by region, original funding allocation and revised funding allocation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Departments have been asked to contribute 1p in every £1 of their capital budgets to fund this Government’s Defence Investment Plan, helping keep the country safe in an increasingly volatile world.
The Home Office will set out further impacts on specific policies and programmes in due course.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, a) what AI training her Department provides, b) how many hours of AI training her Department provides and c) what topics and skills are covered.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra provides a wide range of AI training through the Government Learning Framework, available via the online prospectus, and Civil Service Professional Curriculums for digital learning. Topics range from an introduction to AI to learning on cyber security and leading change. The department also provides direct access to bite-sized learning on specific AI products, such as Copilot, from Microsoft as well as internal bite-sized learning. Due to the range and self-serve nature of much of the training, the department is unable to provide the number of hours of development undertaken.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support the recruitment of doctors.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are taking steps to boost the recruitment of homegrown talent. The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 implements the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training places, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors with significant National Health Service experience for specialty training places. The act reduces competition for places and gives homegrown talent a clear path to become the next generation of NHS doctors.
The new resident doctors’ deal will see significant expansion of training places by up to 4,500 over the next three years, including 1,000 next year, 250 of which will be starting in February. This expansion combined with the impact of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act is expected to bring competition ratios down and tackle bottlenecks almost immediately.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve working conditions for doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving the working conditions for all National Health Service staff.
The 10-Year Health Plan committed to developing a new set of staff standards which would outline minimum standards for employment across a range of areas. On 6 July 2026, the Government published new Staff Standards which set minimum standards of employment for NHS staff in secondary care in England. The aim of the standards is to ensure staff experience is prioritised by employers and that a consistent level of experience is felt by all NHS staff.
The new resident doctor pay and training settlement in England (the Deal) was accepted by British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee members on behalf of resident doctors in England on 29 June 2026. Under the Deal, resident doctors will benefit from improved pay scales, better working conditions, enhanced career progression, and up to 4,500 new training places over the next three years.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an estimate of the cost of replacing Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre and the Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre in the event a third runway at Heathrow Airport was approved.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The draft HENPS outlines requirements for relocating Immigration Removal Centres, as well as their connected assets, located northwest of Heathrow Airport. Any proposals must be developed in collaboration, and to the satisfaction of, the Home Office. Proposals must also be financially viable and will be subject to funding agreements, planning consent, and any other relevant statutory approvals.