Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on reports that IDF forces opened fire on children at aid distribution points.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is horrifying that 875 people have been killed at or near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites. We regularly engage with Israeli counterparts to urge them to improve the situation on the ground. Most recently, on 21 July, the Foreign Secretary spoke to Foreign Minister Sa'ar, to once again reiterate his grave concern over civilian casualties while collecting aid in Gaza.
On 11 July, I called for an independent investigation into the killing of women and children while collecting aid in central Gaza.
We have repeatedly called for an immediate investigation into theses mass casualty incidents, and we expect the perpetrators to be held to account.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 39290 on Coronavirus: Drugs, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the potential use of PEMGARDA to help protect clinically vulnerable people against covid-19 in emergency situations.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers and Department officials have regular discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on a range of issues, including topics for new or updated guidance.
Pemivibart, also known under the brand name Pemgarda, for use in the prophylaxis of COVID-19, does not have a marketing authorisation in the United Kingdom issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). It is the responsibility of the company to apply to the MHRA for the relevant marketing authorisation. Should an application for it be received, the MHRA will consider the product for its benefits and risks in relation to quality, safety, and efficacy.
In England, NICE evaluates all newly licenced medicines to determine whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. If the manufacturer of Pemgarda seeks a licence from the MHRA, then NICE may consider it through its technology appraisal programme.
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, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) help tackle high rates of Group B Strep infection and (b) improve access to (i) screening, (ii) diagnosis and (iii) treatment for Group B Strep infections in (A) Black and (B) Asian (1) women and (2) babies.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of group B streptococcus (GBS). Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors such as a previous baby with GBS infection or fever during labour, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby.
People from certain ethnic groups may be predisposed to health conditions which may affect their maternity outcomes, and a study led by the UK Health Security Agency did conclude that the rate of GBS was higher in those of black or Asian ethnicity.
To improve understanding, prevention, and treatment of GBS infection, the Department is supporting a trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. It aims to determine whether routine testing for GBS for all women, either in late pregnancy or on admission for labour with point of care testing, reduces early-onset neonatal sepsis compared to the current approach of risk-based screening.
Findings from the trial will be submitted to the Department and reviewed by the UK National Screening Committee to inform future decisions on national screening policy.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what comparative assessment she has made of the performance of the Family Court system in (a) London and (b) the rest of the country.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This Government is committed to improving performance, which is assessed against system wide targets for 2025/26, agreed by the Family Justice Board. The latest published data shows encouraging signs nationally, including a reduction in the public law open caseload.
Official statistics on family courts are available here: Family Court Statistics Quarterly: January to March 2025 - GOV.UK.
Performance varies across regions, and London continues to experience significant challenges which result in high outstanding caseloads and high average case durations. System partners are working collaboratively to understand and address the drivers of delay and the region is showing positive signs of improvement.
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, what the deadline is for Thames Water to submit its annual review of its Water Resources Management Plan under section 37A of the Water Industry Act 1991.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Thames Water submitted its latest annual review of its Water Resources Management Plan on 30 June 2025. This review covers the period April 2024 to March 2025. The Environment Agency and Ofwat are currently scrutinising this report.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will take steps to help support parents with the costs of the Family Court system.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is already taking steps to ensure that financial hardship does not prevent parents from engaging with the family court system. To support access to justice, the Help with Fees scheme provides full or partial remission of court and tribunal fees for those on low incomes or in receipt of certain benefits. This includes applications made in the family courts such as applications for child arrangement orders.
Legal aid is available in some private family matters, including for individuals experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse; for individuals (for example, parents) where the child who is the subject of the order is a victim of child abuse or at risk of abuse; people under the age of 18; in certain cases of international or domestic abduction; for family mediation where there is a family dispute and for certain urgent protection applications – for example, non-molestation orders. To be eligible for legal aid means and merits tests and evidence requirements also usually need to be met.
Legal aid is also available for parents, those with parental responsibility, children and third parties (such as grandparents) in certain public family proceedings, subject to meeting the relevant means and merits tests.
Beyond legal aid, the Ministry of Justice is providing funding to support the delivery of wider legal support services, which provide advice and support to individuals facing social welfare legal problems, including family matters. In 2025-26 the Ministry of Justice will provide over £6 million of grant funding to 60 frontline organisations to improve access to free legal support and information, both in-person and online, and to help people resolve their problems as early as possible. This includes funding for organisations including some local Citizens Advice and Law Centres, as well as AdviceNow, which provides online support on their website across a range of civil, family and tribunal issues.
The Government recognises the importance of supporting separating families to, where appropriate, resolve their issues without the need to come to court. The Mediation Voucher Scheme provides up to £500 towards the cost of mediation to help families resolve their child arrangement disputes outside of court, where this is safe and appropriate. The voucher is non-means tested and is available to anyone with a private law dispute relating to children. The scheme will be in place until at least March 2026 and has helped over 44,000 families to date.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security has met the Climate Change Committee since July 2024.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Minister attended the Jet Zero Taskforce Plenary in December 2024, which was attended by the CCC’s CEO, Emma Pinchbeck, and where the government’s approach to aviation decarbonisation was discussed. The minutes from that meeting can be found here: Jet Zero Taskforce – 2024 Annual Plenary 4:00pm – 5:30pm, Wednesday 4 December 2024. The Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security has not had a bilateral meeting with the Climate Change Committee (CCC) since July 2024.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to increase funding for (a) road maintenance and (b) pothole repairs in Twickenham.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has already provided an additional £500 million increase for local highway maintenance this financial year. As a result of this increase, Richmond upon Thames will receive up to £664,000 in additional funding.
Building on this, at the spending review the Chancellor announced that the Government will be providing £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads across the country. This funding increase will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to address consumer protection concerns in the locksmith sector.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK’s framework for occupational regulation upholds public protection, while ensuring regulatory burdens on industry are proportionate. Although the locksmithing profession is not subject to statutory regulation, several self-regulating trade associations and accreditation schemes exist within the industry and provide training, conduct criminal record checks, and inspect their members.
The Government encourages consumers to use providers that operate under a regulated trusted trader scheme, such as the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA), which has a Police Crime Prevention-approved licensing scheme in place to ensure approved locksmiths are appropriately vetted, inspected and qualified.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the current regulatory framework for the locksmith industry.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK’s framework for occupational regulation upholds public protection, while ensuring regulatory burdens on industry are proportionate. Although the locksmithing profession is not subject to statutory regulation, several self-regulating trade associations and accreditation schemes exist within the industry and provide training, conduct criminal record checks, and inspect their members.
The government keeps the occupational regulation regime under review and continues to monitor any concerns raised by the public or the industry, including those related to locksmithing.