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 1 December 2025, to question 93987 on Phenylketonuria: Health Foods, (a) If he will confirm the latest number of individuals with Phenylketonuria receiving low-protein foods on prescription and (b) if his Department will make an assessment of the potential positive business implications on manufacturers and suppliers of low-protein foods in the event of a shift from prescriptions to financial support.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Regarding the number of individuals with Phenylketonuria receiving low-protein foods on prescription, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) does not hold this information centrally.

NHBSA prescription data does not contain information about the indication, medical condition, or reason that a prescription was issued.

We are not considering shifting to a different model to support those with Phenylketonuria thus do not intend to assess the potential impact on manufacturers and suppliers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (a) what discussions her Department has had with Avanti West Coast on the use of Withdrawal of Implied Permission (WIP) notices to address anti-social behaviour on the rail network and (b) whether the Department plans to introduce a consistent, network-wide approach to WIPs.

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

No such discussions have taken place. Usage of Withdrawal of Implied Permission (WIP) notices is an operational matter for operators, Network Rail and the British Transport Police. The Department keeps security under constant review, however no change of policy for Withdrawal of Implied Permission (WIP) is planned at this stage.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with Northern on ticket office staffing levels at Brinnington station.

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

Rail North Partnership, through which the Department and Transport for the North jointly manage Northern’s contract, has regular conversations about Northern services, including ticket office staffing and opening hours. Operators must comply with their obligations under the ticketing and settlement agreement between the Secretary of State and the operator.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will publish a monitoring and evaluation framework on disability equality training in order to establish a baseline level of training to meet requirements under Section 36 of the Bus Services Act 2025.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We are clear that high‑quality staff training is essential to providing bus services that are accessible for all passengers. That is why the Bus Services Act 2025 will mandate that both bus drivers and passenger-assisting staff undertake disability awareness and assistance training.

Section 36 of the Bus Services Act 2025 provides powers for the Secretary of State for Transport to require carriers and terminal managing bodies to record and publish training statistics in order to ensure that compliance can be monitored. Once commenced, we will expect all relevant operators and terminal managing bodies to comply with their reporting duties. We will engage with relevant stakeholders when developing such requirements, and will provide the industry with more information in due course.

The approach to evaluating the impact of the requirements under Section 36 will be considered as part of a wider monitoring and evaluation plan for the Bus Services Act 2025. In particular, and as stated in our Impact Assessment on the new measures on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), we intend to undertake process evaluation, for example evaluating the mechanisms for developing, delivering and reporting on the new disability training requirements, as part of the process evaluation for the Act’s wider training requirements on VAWG and anti-social behaviour.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the British Transport Police Authority regarding the adequacy of current levels of funding to meet recent trends in levels of violent crime and antisocial behaviour on the rail network.

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

The British Transport Police (BTP) play a vital role in keeping passengers and staff safe across the rail network. Their budget is set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) following proposals from the Force and engagement with industry and railway operators. The Department for Transport has no statutory powers to intervene in these decisions.

The BTPA agreed a three-year budget settlement for BTP on 10 December which will see BTP’s budget increase by 6.2% for FY 2026/27, 5.6% for FY 2027/28 and 2.5% for FY 2028/29.

BTP’s budget will increase by £63m from £418.5m in 25/26 to £481.5m in 28/29. This will see over 180 additional officer roles created in highly visible Network Policing, as well as a new dedicated Violence and Intimidation Against Women and Girls capability with 36 further officers by the end of 2027/28.

The British Transport Police Authority and rail industry will now need to work through the full implications of this settlement.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential differences in terms and conditions between outsourced and directly employed staff within train operating companies, including pay, sick pay, pensions and travel facilities; and whether the Railways Bill will include measures to address employment practices and contractual arrangements affecting outsourced rail workers.

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

The Department for Transport has not made an assessment of the potential differences in terms and conditions between outsourced and directly employed staff within train operating companies. These matters are managed directly by the operators and employers themselves. In the future, workforce issues, including employment practices and contractual arrangements, will be a matter for Great British Railways. The Railways Bill does not cover matters relating to employment.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent general aviation aircrafts, landing at small airports, airfields and airstrips, from facilitating the smuggling of (a) people, (b) drug and (c) arms.

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

The security of the UK border remains our top priority, and this government is committed to strengthening border security. Border Force conducts robust security checks on those arriving into the UK, including 100% checks on all notified general aviation flights and spot checks at aerodromes to reinforce security.

Border Force allocates resources based on assessed risk, applying intelligence and targeting techniques. We have significantly reduced the number of aerodromes authorised to handle international or Common Travel Area flights by 85%, and anyone who fails to submit the required information prior to flying faces civil penalties.

Border Force has implemented a range of initiatives to address vulnerabilities. These include:

• Substantially reducing the number of aerodromes permitted to handle flights to and from the UK.

• Introducing a civil penalties regime for non-compliance with airfield designation requirements.

• Person details checked on all notified GA flights.

• The General Aviation (Persons on Board, Flight Information and Civil Penalties Regulations), which came into force on 6 April 2024, require that specified information about General Aviation flights and persons onboard must be submitted online and in advance of departure to Home Office Systems. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in civil penalty.

• Working closely with the National Crime Agency and the police to counter threats such as smuggling, immigration crime and terrorism at UK airfields has resulted in seizures of Class A Drugs (in total approx 130kgs) at small airfields and identification of undocumented arrivals, leading to multiple criminal convictions and working with partners to identify non-compliant GA flights.

• Regular Home Office engagement with the GA community representatives and cross-government partners.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of statements by the President of the United States and senior US officials on the Republic of Cuba’s political future, in the context of recent US military actions in Venezuela.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement to the House made by the Foreign Secretary on 5 January, and her responses in that debate.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department's policy is on the sovereignty of the Republic of Cuba.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Consistent with the UN Charter, the UK recognises the principle of the sovereign equality of all UN Member States, including Cuba.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the conduct and outcome of the 29 October 2025 general election in the United Republic of Tanzania.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 November 2025 in response to Question 87702.

In addition, on 5 December, our High Commission in Dar es Salaam issued a statement alongside partners urging the Tanzanian government to address the shortcomings highlighted in the African Union and Southern African Development Community's preliminary election observation reports.

Found: meeting Members present: Nick Smith (Chair); Bambos Charalambous; Mary Glindon; Carolyn Harris; Navendu Mishra