Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support women and girls in states affected by conflict.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Empowering women and girls is a UK Government priority. The UK will take a leading role on the global stage, building partnerships, particularly in the Global South, to promote greater gender equality that strengthens whole societies and economies. Having led on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, the UK is resolute in its commitment to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, and intends to build on the ambition displayed in the UK's 5th WPS National Action Plan during this anniversary year. At the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March 2025, I, alongside Lord Collins, will promote women's economic empowerment, galvanise funding for the global grassroots women's rights movement, support women and girls in Afghanistan, and strengthen global action on conflict-related sexual violence.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on long-term funding for active travel.

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

The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions by helping to revitalise high streets; enabling people to live longer, healthier lives; and helping to reduce transport emissions. The Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6 on 12 February.

The Department’s Ministers will be having regular discussions with their Treasury counterparts as part of the ongoing Spending Review which will conclude later this Spring.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Greater Manchester Active Travel Commissioner on encouraging (a) walking and (b) cycling across the Greater Manchester region.

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

Active Travel England (part of the Department for Transport) has engaged regularly with Greater Manchester’s Active Travel Commissioner over the last year, including on the role active travel can play in supporting the development of the Bee Network. This is supported by Active Travel England’s ongoing discussions with officials at Transport for Greater Manchester.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage active travel in Bolton West constituency.

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

Bolton West is part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) area. GMCA was awarded over £5 million through the fifth round of the Active Travel Fund in 2024 to 2025 and will receive over £15 million as part of the integrated settlements for 2025 to 2026. The funding can be used to develop new walking and cycling routes and for behaviour change initiatives, such as cycle training. Decisions on priorities for the funding, including locations in the Greater Manchester area, are matters for the combined authority.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to harmonise the licensing requirements for private hire vehicles for every local authority in England.

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

The Government is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which licensing authorities in England administer the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime. Under this system licensing authorities have the flexibility to set the standards they consider appropriate to demonstrate that a private hire vehicle driver or operator are fit to hold a licence and that vehicles are safe.

The Department for Transport has however issued statutory and best practice guidance to assist licensing authorities. These aim to promote a consistency in licensing requirements and polices for both taxis and private hire vehicles by setting high but proportionate requirements to enable the sector to provide safe and accessible services that meet a wide range of passenger needs.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve partnerships with major humanitarian relief donors, in the context of the recent USAID funding freeze announcement.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are currently working to assess the implications of the US funding pause across development sectors, geographic regions and multilateral organisations. We are gathering information and working with other donor partners to share analysis of the pause before making any decisions.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to update whistleblowing laws.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is updating whistleblowing laws through the Employment Rights Bill which will strengthen the protections for whistleblowers, by making it explicit that sexual harassment can be the basis for a protected disclosure.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support the outdoor education industry.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department believes all children and young people should have access to outdoor learning and the opportunity to learn about and connect with nature. Access to green space has been shown to have positive impacts on the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of young people. The National Education Nature Park, a key initiative of our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, provides the opportunities for children and young people to benefit from spending time in nature.

The department is also working to make sure that all children and young people have access to a variety of enrichment opportunities at school, including outdoor learning, as an important part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity. We recognise that these activities are a vital way for children and young people to gain skills, supporting them to achieve and thrive. Outdoor education specifically is linked to improved motivation, social capital and sense of belonging in school.

Beyond outdoor education through schools, many outdoor education organisations could be considered out-of-school settings. The government recognises that out-of-school settings can supplement schools’ learning and enriching activities for children, with significant educational benefits for children’s mental health, wellbeing, and social development.

The Foreign Affairs Committee is conducting an inquiry into the Government’s proposed reset of the UK-EU relationship. The inquiry will consider all facets of the reset, across the three “pillars” articulated by the Government (security, safety and prosperity) with a particular focus on how the reset process can be engaged to ensure the UK-EU partnership is able to respond to the challenging international context and the shared strategic challenges that the UK and EU face. The Committee will also consider the role of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in shaping and managing that relationship.

Submit Evidence (by 18 Apr 2025)

This inquiry considers how effectively the UK uses its position at the UNSC (United Nations Security Council) to influence and bring about an end to global conflict, whilst advancing its goals for a rules-based international order. It will focus on countries for which the UK is a ‘Penholder’ at the UN. This includes (but is not limited to) Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The inquiry asks how the UK, as Penholder for these countries, has sought to reduce conflict and instability, and considers practices that have brought about previous successes, drawing upon lessons learned. It also asks how this position may be used more effectively. In its assessment of the UNSC, this inquiry examines the extent to which the Security Council is an effective tool to further conflict resolution, and considers how increasing polarisation on the Security Council may hinder this objective. Finally, this inquiry assesses the relationship between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the UK’s representation at the UN.