Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Houthi rebels in Yemen on the interests of (a) the UK and (b) UK allies.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Over the last 19 months, the Houthis have conducted attacks against international commercial shipping, as well as British and American warships. This has violated the principle of freedom of navigation, further destabilised the region, and caused the peace process in Yemen to stall. In addition, the Houthis have waged economic warfare against the Government of Yemen and obstructed humanitarian aid from reaching Yemenis in need.
The UK has underlined these concerns at the UN Security Council alongside our international partners.
The best route towards a secure, stable and prosperous future for Yemen is through an inclusive peace process, under the auspices of the UN Special Envoy, and negotiated political settlement.
Furthermore, the UK continues to call for de-escalation within the region. We have long been clear about our concerns over Iran's political, financial and military support to militant and proscribed groups, including the Houthis.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason betting companies operating primarily (a) over the phone and (b) by direct debit are included in the proposed single Remote Betting and Gaming Duty.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is consulting on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote gambling into one.
The definition of ‘remote gambling’ in the Gambling Act 2005 means gambling in which persons participate by the use of remote communication.
“In this Act “remote communication” means communication using —
a) the internet,
b) telephone,
c) television,
d) radio, or
e) any other kind of electronic or other technology for facilitating communication”
The consultation asks respondents to share views on whether this definition is appropriate for the proposed Remote Betting and Gaming duty (RBGD). As such, I would encourage interested parties to respond to it.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on issuing Armed Forces Pension Scheme Remediable Service Statements to all members who require one by 30 September 2025.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
There are 34,917 Immediate Choice members in scope to receive a Remediable Service Statement (RSS), of which 13,066 have been issued as of 31 May 2025.
Of the 60,813 Active Member RSSs, 43,977 have been issued. The remaining 16,836 (27 per cent) are complex cases requiring manual intervention.
For the Deferred Member cohort, no RSSs have been issued, however, these will begin to arrive with members by September 2025.
If an RSS cannot be issued by September 2025, affected members will be notified in writing with an explanation, revised timelines, and further details published on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans her Department has to prioritise Canada in future bilateral trade negotiations; and whether this will be reflected in the scope of the UK–Canada trade taskforce.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, with trade underpinned by our existing trade agreement worth around £28 billion in 2024.
As agreed between our Prime Ministers at the G7, the UK and Canada will establish a new structured Working Group to deepen the bilateral trading relationship further. This includes seeking to address existing market access barriers affecting bilateral UK-Canada trade and expanding existing arrangements.
The working group will report back to both Prime Ministers within six months.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to allow pets to travel in and out of the UK in the main cabin of aircraft.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All pets travelling into Great Britain are checked for compliance with the necessary health and documentary requirements prior to entry to safeguard our biosecurity. When travelling to Great Britain by air, pets travel as manifest cargo to facilitate these checks upon arrival. The only animals that are authorised to travel in the cabin of a commercial aircraft into Great Britian are Recognised Assistance Dogs.
We have no current plans to change the process by which pet cats, dogs and ferrets may enter Great Britain in aircraft.
When travelling with a pet abroad, pet owners and assistance dog users should seek guidance as to whether their pet is permitted to travel in the aircraft from the relevant competent authority and airline.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of green levies on business competitiveness.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect businesses permanently. Policy costs on energy bills are essential for funding key environmental policies which enable the UK to transition to a secure, low-carbon energy future. This shift to renewables is making energy cleaner, more stable, and cheaper in the long run.
The clean energy transition is the economic opportunity of the 21st century. It is our chance to build up the industries of the future right here at home. That is why we have announced that from 2027 a new Industrial Strategy Energy Support Scheme will help over 8,000 businesses see their electricity costs drop by around 20-25%.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the expiry of Country of Origin quotas under the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement will be considered by the UK-Canada trade taskforce; and what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Canada on the expiration of Country of Origin quotas.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As agreed between our Prime Ministers, the UK and Canada will establish a new structured Working Group to deepen the bilateral trading relationship further, including by building on existing arrangements and addressing bilateral market access barriers.
That will include looking at Rules of Origin arrangements under the Trade Continuity Agreement, and what can be done there to grow trade and make it easier for UK exporters to access the Canadian market.
The Business and Trade Secretary had a warm introductory conversation with his Canadian counterpart at the G7, where they agreed to work together on deepening and growing the bilateral trading relationship further.