Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of failed asylum seekers scheduled for deportation are known to have mental health issues.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

There is no specific figure available of the type described in these questions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reporting rate is of failed asylum seekers to her Department.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

There is no specific figure available of the type described in these questions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deportations have taken place to Somalia since 8 July 2024.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Statistics on returns from the UK by nationality and destination are published on a quarterly basis. These returns are published in the Returns Detailed Datasets, and are currently available to the end of March 2025, available at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers still in the UK hold criminal records.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 19 June to Question 58400.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has undertaken a risk assessment on solar radiation modification.

Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is not in favour of using Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). Given the significant uncertainty around the possible risks and impacts of deployment on the climate and environment, the Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so.

The Department works closely with the research community to evaluate the latest research on the potential risks and impacts of solar radiation modification.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the UKRI on its funded research projects on solar radiation modification.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department engages regularly with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and its constituent Councils, on a range of research and innovation priorities.

In April 2025, UKRI’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) invested £10 million in four research projects on solar radiation modification (SRM). These projects cover stratospheric aerosol intervention; marine cloud brightening; the environment’s response to SRM; and the cooling potential of lesser-known SRM approaches. These projects will not involve outdoor experiments.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the proportion of children aged 12-16 who are vaping.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England publishes estimates of the prevalence of vaping in children in the Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England Survey. This survey covers children in years 7 to 11 in secondary school, the majority of whom will be aged 12 to 16 years old, although some 11 year olds will also be included.

The latest figures for England are from the 2023 survey, which showed that 5% of children were regular vapers, 4% were occasional vapers, and 25% reported having ever tried vaping. The report is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/smoking-drinking-and-drug-use-among-young-people-in-england/2023

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of children aged between 12 and 16 years inclusive that have taken illegal drugs.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are two official national surveys on illicit drug use among children. NHS England’s Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People surveys pupils aged between 11 and 15 years old in England. In 2023, 13% of pupils reported that they had taken drugs.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales, published by the Office for National Statistics, reported that in the year ending March 2024, 15% of young people aged 16 to 19 years old reported using any drugs in the past 12 months.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has issued to (a) schools and (b) teaching bodies on using vapes in school settings.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In the UK, it is against the law to sell nicotine vaping products to under 18s or for adults to buy them on their behalf. Young people should not have these products in schools.

Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including which items are banned from school premises. School staff can search pupils for banned items as outlined in the department’s Searching, Screening and Confiscation guidance.

Schools have an important role in educating pupils about the dangers of harmful substances. Primary pupils should be taught about legal and illegal harmful substances while secondary pupils are also taught about the associated legal and psychological risks. The relationships, sex and health education curriculum is currently being reviewed and will consider vaping as part of the review of the statutory guidance.

FRANK, the government-funded national drug and alcohol advisory service, has also been updated with relevant information on vapes, including the risks, physical effects and addictiveness of nicotine vapes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of schools reported finding students in possession of illegal drugs.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department does not collect such information centrally.

The Searching, Screening and Confiscation guidance emphasises the importance of the school’s duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils. Searching can play a critical role in ensuring that schools are safe environments. Authorised members of school staff have the statutory power to search a pupil when they have reasonable grounds to suspect them to be in possession of prohibited items, such as illegal drugs. At all times, schools must ensure they continue to adhere to their statutory safeguarding duties as outlined in the Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance documents.

The relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance states that, in both primary and secondary school, pupils should be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including drug-taking. To support schools to deliver this content, the department has published a suite of teacher training modules, including one on drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with schools on the potential impact of (a) children buying vapes from their peers and (b) preventing the use of vapes in schools on levels of (i) behaviour and (ii) teacher morale.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The sale of vapes to under 18s is illegal, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of all consumer nicotine products to anyone under 18.

Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from school premises. The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour and the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour, including vaping anywhere in school.

The relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance states that, in both primary and secondary school, pupils should be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks. This includes smoking, alcohol use, and drug taking.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing legally-binding poverty reduction targets.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

This Government is committed to tackling Child Poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious child poverty strategy which we will publish in the autumn. The Taskforce will continue to explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term action across government to reduce child poverty.

The Taskforce will be guided by the leading, internationally-recognised measure of poverty - Relative Poverty After Housing Costs (the proportion of families with below 60% of the median income, after deducting housing costs).

We will also measure the experience of children in the most severe and acute forms of poverty, which we are considering how best to measure as we develop the strategy.

These headline metrics will be supported by a range of other metrics as part of a monitoring framework to ensure the Strategy is on track to meet its aims.

The strategy is focused on metrics related to child poverty, but we are working closely with colleagues on complementary metrics across government. An example is the Plan for Change measure on the percentage of five-year-olds reaching a good level of development in the early years foundation stage assessment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the average weekly cost of (a) student accommodation, (b) food and (c) living for university students in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The latest Student Income and Expenditure Survey for 2021/22 collects data on income and expenditure across the academic year, assumed to be 39 weeks.

In the 2021/22 academic year, full-time undergraduate students’ total median living costs were £5,841 including spending on food, entertainment, personal items and other spending not directly related to students’ courses.

Full-time undergraduate students had a median spend of £1,814 on food in the 2021/22 academic year.

The median expenditure on housing costs across full-time undergraduate students who incurred those costs was £4,940.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to require companies with Government contracts to recognise trade unions.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This Government is committed to creating jobs that provide security, treat workers fairly, and pay a decent wage. The Government’s Social Value Model provides an opportunity to reward suppliers who provide good working conditions for staff working on public contracts. The Employment Rights Bill also supports workers’ rights to access a Trade Union.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 41589 on Rented Housing: Housing Improvement, whether (a) landlords who have received a Warm Homes local grant and (b) local authorities are required to notify tenants of a declaration not to raise rents following the improvements.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Warm Homes: Local Grant requires landlords to declare that they will not raise rents as a direct result of the upgrades being installed funded by government grants. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is monitoring the impact of the scheme, including on rents and may make changes if needed.

There is not a requirement on either landlords or local authorities to notify tenants of this declaration.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 41589 Rented Housing: Housing Improvement, whether the First-tier Tribunal takes account of a landlord’s declaration when determining a market rent assessment.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is important that means-tested energy efficiency grants schemes are used to benefit tenants. That is why, for example, we have set a clear expectation that landlords should declare that they do not intend to raise rents as a direct result of the upgrades funded by the Warm Homes: Local Grant that was launched in April.

When determining market rent, the First Tier-Tribunal disregards improvements made and funded by the tenant.

However, the Tribunal does not disregard measures funded by landlords, including instances where they may have been partially supported by specific government grants.

We strongly encourage landlords and tenants to communicate early about what adjustments to rent are sustainable for both parties.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of Capita's approach to industrial relations when administrating government contracts.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As with all strategic suppliers to the government, we continue to monitor Capita's conduct and commercial performance. The Supplier Code of Conduct expects suppliers to treat employees and service users fairly and in line with employment laws, including non-discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and human rights. It also requires adherence to ethical standards, counter-fraud policies, and whistleblowing procedures, promoting lawful and appropriate working practices throughout the supply chain. Suppliers are expected to communicate these standards internally and to their subcontractors.

As a strategic supplier to the Government, Capita has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which supports this framework through proactive risk management. It enables the Cabinet Office to monitor performance and financial health, identify breaches, and, where necessary, take action such as developing Improvement Plans to address any workplace conduct and governance issues.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help resolve the industrial dispute at pension administrator MyCSP.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government does not provide a running commentary on ongoing disputes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Yair Golan on Thursday 10 July 2025, whether he discussed the use of human shields in (a) war and (b) conflict.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are deeply disturbed by reports that soldiers of the Israel Defence Forces have used Palestinians as human shields in Gaza. Use of civilians as human shields is a breach of international humanitarian law. We call on the Government of Israel to fully investigate all such reports and ensure that anyone found responsible is held accountable. The Minister for the Middle East discussed the situation in Gaza with Yair Golan on 10 July, but did not discuss reports of the use of human shields.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to question 63076 on Deportation: Mental Health, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not recording (a) the number of failed asylum seekers with mental health issues and (b) the reporting rate to her Department of failed asylum seekers on national security.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Section 95 support is provided to failed asylum seekers who have dependants under the age of 18 in their household at the time their asylum claim and any appeal is finally rejected (for as long as the youngest child remains under 18).

Other failed asylum seekers are supported under section 4(2) of the 1999 Act if they would otherwise be destitute and meet conditions set out in the Immigration and Asylum (Provision of Accommodation to Failed Asylum-Seekers) Regulations 2005.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and the Leader of the Israeli Opposition on 10 July 2025, in what capacity Mr Golan was meeting with the Government; and which organisations facilitated his meeting at the FCDO.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers' continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures. As is usual with meetings with our international partners, we will not be releasing a transcript of this discussion.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Yair Golan on Thursday 10 July 2025, what the purpose of the meeting was; and if he will publish a transcript of the discussion.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers' continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures. As is usual with meetings with our international partners, we will not be releasing a transcript of this discussion.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and the Leader of the Israeli Opposition on 10 July 2025, whether the matter of Mr Golan's support for starving the Palestinian population of Gaza was raised.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures.

Retirement of Alyson Rigby

Birthday of James Furlong

Government policy on the Hillsborough Law

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Alberto Costa (Chair); Paula Barker; Gill Furniss; Mehmuda Mian;

Found: Current membership Alberto Costa (Conservative; South Leicestershire) (Chair) Paula Barker (Labour; Liverpool

Found: workers “deal with complex, challenging, and sometimes dark family dynamics on a daily basis”.92 Paula Barker

Found: workers “deal with complex, challenging, and sometimes dark family dynamics on a daily basis”.92 Paula Barker

Found: Presented by Ian Byrne supported by Kim Johnson, Paula Barker, Peter Dowd, Derek Twigg, Sorcha Eastwood

Found: Not called_2(a) Richard Burgon Andy McDonald Rachael Maskell Cat Eccles Neil Duncan-Jordan Paula Barker

Boxing APPG
Friday 18th July 2025

Found: Virtual meeting, Zoom In attendance: Name Organisation Chris Evans MP Chair of APPG Boxing Paula Barker

Boxing APPG
Friday 18th July 2025

Found: Meeting, Zoom In attendance: Name Organisation Chris Evans MP Chair of APPG Boxing Paula Barker

Maternity APPG
Thursday 10th July 2025

Found: attendance (45): Lewis Atkinson MP (Sunderland Central), Antonia Bance MP (Tipton and Wednesbury), Paula Barker