Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what intelligence did she receive from UK sources as to the build up of operations by the US ahead of their operation in Venezuela.

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

It has been the long-standing policy under successive governments not to comment on intelligence matters. But as the Foreign Secretary made clear in her statement to the House on 5 January, the UK Government had no advance knowledge of the operations to which she refers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions were held with the US Government on Venezuela ahead of their military operation.

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

It has been the long-standing policy under successive governments not to comment on intelligence matters. But as the Foreign Secretary made clear in her statement to the House on 5 January, the UK Government had no advance knowledge of the operations to which she refers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has held with her Israeli counterpart on the need for foreign nationals to provide health care services in Gaza from deregistered organisations.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the statement I made to the House on 5 January.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has she made of the effectiveness of the operation of the UN Security Council at being able to hold jurisdictions to account when they are involved in actions which fail to meet the standards set out in the UN Charter.

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

The UK keeps all such matters under regular review alongside our international partners.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions has she had with relevant stakeholders on the potential merits of reforming the operations of the UN Security Council when activities and operations concern a member of the Security Council.

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

The UK keeps all such matters under regular review alongside our international partners.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she is holding with international counterparts on processes to hold countries which are in breach of international humanitarian law to account.

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

The UK keeps all such matters under regular review alongside our international partners.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will (a) provide funding for and (b) accelerate upland management schemes to prevent flooding in lower catchment areas in York and North Yorkshire.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is providing funding for upland and catchment-based management measures that help reduce flood risk in downstream communities, including in York and North Yorkshire.

A new 3-year £4.2 billion Flood and Coastal Risk Management Investment Programme will start in April 2026, where new projects will align with the strategic objectives set out within the Government’s new funding rules announced in October 2025. This will mean investment goes where it is most needed.

Upstream management of water is necessary to enable downstream defences to continue to operate effectively. The Ousewem project, funded with £6 million from the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme, will enhance upstream land management in the Swale, Ure, Nidd and Ouse catchments.

The project, together with other work, such as the Environment Agency’s York Flood Alleviation Scheme long term plan, will help identify and shape future upstream investment, and support adaptation to climate change, in collaboration with partners and landowners.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of enabling directors of children's services to commission CAMHS on the holistic provision for (a) children and (b) children with neurodiversity.

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

No assessment has been made of the potential impact of enabling directors of children’s services to commission Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services on holistic provision for children, including those with neurodiversity.

The Government’s priority is to ensure that health and children’s social care work together effectively to provide timely, joined-up support for children and young people. This is being delivered through integrated care systems, which bring National Health Services and local authorities together to plan and deliver care collaboratively.

The Government recently announced a three-year pilot to improve mental health support for children in care by bringing together social workers and NHS professionals. Additionally, programmes such as ‘Early Language Support for Every Child’ and ‘Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools’ promote early intervention, alongside special educational needs and disabilities reforms in the forthcoming Schools White Paper.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy not to introduce ID cards.

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

On 26 September 2025, the Prime Minister announced plans for free digital ID to be available to all UK citizens and legal residents. This is not an ID card.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she is ensuring that Fire and Rescue services have a statutory duty to support flood events.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Protecting communities from flooding is a key priority for this Government. Fire and Rescue Authorities already have duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to prepare for emergencies, including major flooding. However, we recognise the interest in creating a statutory duty for flood response and officials are working with DEFRA, as lead government department for flooding, to consider the wider implications of this.

MHCLG supports Fire and Rescue Authorities in responding to flood incidents by providing national resilience High Volume Pump (HVP) capabilities. These are available to be used by Fire & Rescue Services across the country during major flood incidents. Additionally, DEFRA hold the Flood Rescue National Asset Register, a list of teams or assets that voluntarily join the register and maintain availability for national deployment in England.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to help prevent data breaches associated with the proposed digital ID cards.

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

The National Cyber Security Centre is advising the Government on how the new credential is built to the highest standard of security. This would operate a three lines of defence process - this helps ensure data is protected, fraud is deterred and detected, and threats are monitored and responded to.

Ensuring that security arrangements for the proposed digital ID scheme keeps pace with the changing threat landscape will be central to its development.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether children and young people will be required to hold an ID card if they work.

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

On 26 September 2025, the Prime Minister announced plans for free digital ID to be available to all UK citizens and legal residents. This is not an ID card.

The scope of the digital ID scheme is still in development and we are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop an inclusive, secure, and useful system.

Employers already conduct right to work checks using proof of ID. The new credential will enable these to be fully digitised by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to help support people who are digitally excluded to work, in the context of the implementation of the proposed digital ID card.

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

The digital ID scheme will be underpinned by the principle that no one should be left behind. Making this system work for everyone will be a top priority, including those who do not have smartphones, are elderly, or are less digitally confident, so everyone will benefit from simpler, safer access to services.

To support those who are digitally excluded, including those from work, the Government will deliver an ambitious digital inclusion programme across the country to ensure they are able to access the new digital ID scheme, and use public services with ease.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the establishment of the UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the response provided on 4 March 2025 to Question 33140.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislation to ban grouse moor shooting practices on the moors to help protect against flooding and fire.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government has no plans to bring forward legislation to ban grouse shooting but it is vital that wildlife and habitats are protected and that the law is respected by those involved in the activity.

In September 2025, the Government amended the Heather and Grass etc Burning Regulations 2021 to enhance protection of upland peatlands by expanding restrictions on unnecessary burning practices and improving the resilience of our moorlands.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost of flood protection measures to businesses which regularly flood in (a) the King's Staith area in York and (b) all other areas.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The properties along the historic Kings Staith waterfront are the lowest lying properties in the city and have no permanent flood wall defences due to heritage, buildability and economic reasons. Many of these properties now benefit from individual property flood resilience measures, which are an important intervention to reduce the likelihood and implications of flooding, and aid recovery in line with National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy.

In the York Flood Alleviation Programme, the average installation cost of property level protection measures is £15,000.

The Government does not hold national data on the cost of flood protection measures specifically to businesses across all areas, as costs are determined on a property-by-property basis, through approved project business cases. Where Government funding is provided, costs and any business contributions are agreed locally as part of those schemes rather than through a single published estimate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to invest more in prevention and public health.

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

For 2025/26, the Government increased the Public Health Grant by £224 million to support local authorities to deliver public health services. The Government will continue to invest in local authorities' vital public health work, providing more than £13.4 billion over the next three years through a consolidated Public Health Grant and giving authorities certainty over their future funding with a three-year settlement.

Annual National Health Service spending will increase by £15 billion in real terms by 2028/29, taking the resource budget to £225 billion, and the health capital budget will increase to £15.2 billion by the end of the Spending Review period. This will support national public health services such as world-leading immunisation programmes, including new vaccinations for chickenpox, helping to prevent young children from getting seriously ill and raising a healthier generation, and screening programmes to detect, act, and in some cases to prevent serious diseases. It will enable investment in wider preventative services, including Neighbourhood Health which will focus resources on keeping people well and shifting activity out of hospital and into local communities, and will deliver 250 neighbourhood health centres, with the first 120 upgrades due to be operational by 2030.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that flood protection infrastructure, including the Foss Barrier in York, is regularly inspected and maintained.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency regularly inspects and reports on the condition of flood risk management assets across England.

Environment Agency assets are prioritised for funding as part of the annual allocation process. Where appropriate, third-party asset owners are advised on necessary remedial action. Whilst responsibility for third party assets remains with the asset owner, the Environment Agency may by exception use Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCRM) funding to carry out maintenance or repairs where it regards this is urgent to safeguard the public.

For 2025–26, £72 million has been reprioritised from the national flood risk investment programme to maintain flood assets, benefiting around an extra 14,500 properties.

The Foss Barrier is a complex asset with an extensive inspection and maintenance regime. Around 100 days of maintenance activity are carried out each year at the Foss Barrier to inspect its condition, optimise performance, prevent failure and inform maintenance.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, further to the commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan for England to expand the Start for Life/Healthy Babies programme to every local authority, when will York receive funding to provide these services for the 2,614 babies aged 0-2 in York Central constituency.

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

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to how we will improve the nation’s health by creating a new model of care that is fit for the future.

We recognise that local authorities such as City of York Council are ambitious, seeking to deliver universal support to families and prevent escalating need. We are committed to delivering the 10-Year Health Plan ambition to match Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, to Best Start Family Hubs over the next decade.

Healthy Babies is one element of our broader commitment to supporting babies, children, and families. From April 2026, Best Start Family Hubs will expand to every single local authority, including City of York Council, backed by over £500 million to reach up to half a million more children and families. This funding will help all local authorities to integrate a range of statutory and non-statutory health and family services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of Botham Park Hospital being used as an asset for community use.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The former Bootham Park Hospital site was declared surplus to National Health Service requirements in 2016 and has been vacant since 2018. Returning the property to any operational use is considered unviable, with previous estimates indicating that approximately £75 million would be required to bring it back into economic use.

NHS Property Services, who own the site, invited bids from public bodies and other interested parties in October 2023, but none were received. Separately, a potential purchaser withdrew their interest after securing planning permission for redevelopment that included significant public benefits alongside a commitment that 50% of sale proceeds will be reinvested into the local health system. Since its closure, combined holding costs for security, maintenance, and upkeep have totalled approximately £5.5 million, reflecting the management of a Grade I heritage asset in line with Historic England and Cabinet Office guidance.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much has been spent on Bootham Park Hospital (a) security and (b) maintenance and upkeep since its closure as an NHS facility.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The former Bootham Park Hospital site was declared surplus to National Health Service requirements in 2016 and has been vacant since 2018. Returning the property to any operational use is considered unviable, with previous estimates indicating that approximately £75 million would be required to bring it back into economic use.

NHS Property Services, who own the site, invited bids from public bodies and other interested parties in October 2023, but none were received. Separately, a potential purchaser withdrew their interest after securing planning permission for redevelopment that included significant public benefits alongside a commitment that 50% of sale proceeds will be reinvested into the local health system. Since its closure, combined holding costs for security, maintenance, and upkeep have totalled approximately £5.5 million, reflecting the management of a Grade I heritage asset in line with Historic England and Cabinet Office guidance.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is she taking to reduce drought in York and North Yorkshire over the summer season.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Yorkshire's water resources have fully recovered after a notably wet autumn and early winter. The likelihood of a return to drought conditions in 2026 are now the same as they are in the late winter of any recent year. The Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water, and other organisations are reviewing their drought response plans. This will include exploring all options for balancing the need for security of drinking water, for water needed by industry and agriculture, and to maintain the significant leisure industry in a region with two national parks. These needs for water resources must always balance with protecting the valuable habitats and environment of Yorkshire.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is she taking to encourage planting to manage water in the upper catchments.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra promotes tree planting in upper catchments to enhance the water environment, supported by a suite of targeted grants including the England Woodland Creation Offer, the Environment Agency’s (EA) Natural Flood Management Programme, and wider Environmental Land Management schemes such as Landscape Recovery and Countryside Stewardship. Defra is also supporting delivery of the Water Environment Improvement Fund, Water Restoration Fund and Local Nature Recovery Strategies to ensure action is directed where it delivers the greatest water quality, flood resilience, and biodiversity benefits.

Looking ahead, the EA will be scaling up investment in natural flood management interventions, including tree planting, through the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management investment programme that starts in April. This has been enabled by the Government’s updated flood funding rules with a commitment to direct at least 3% of the FCERM programme spend to standalone NFM in the first four years and 4% over a ten-year period.

Together, these initiatives contribute directly to the Environmental Improvement Plan’s commitments on increasing tree cover, improving water quality, and strengthening flood mitigation.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made with Ofwat on helping to ensure that Yorkshire Water provides value to its customers through how it prioritises resources.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ofwat, the economic regulator, sets specific performance targets for companies including Yorkshire Water in the five-yearly price review. Where companies fail to meet these targets, they must reimburse customers through lower water bills.

As a result, Ofwat's Water Company Performance Report 2024-25 shows that Yorkshire Water's Outcome Delivery Incentive (ODI) underperformance payment was £46.302m. This is available on the Ofwat website: Water Company Performance Report 2024-25 - Ofwat.

The Government expects companies to provide high levels of service for customers and believes customers should be at heart of challenging companies on performance. We ensured companies updated their Articles of Association, the rules governing each company, to make the interests of customers a primary objective and took powers in the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 to allow the Consumer Council for Water introduce new customer panels to hold companies to account.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of an international treaty on the provision of humanitarian aid in conflict zones.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government works closely with international partners in support of efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts, and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in conflict zones.

This includes discussing with states and organisations active in mediation how best to coordinate efforts to ensure their effectiveness, and using the existing international treaties that govern the provision of humanitarian assistance during conflict, principally the Geneva Conventions, to demand that warring parties facilitate safe access and prevent interference with humanitarian activities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she is taking steps to review mechanisms to (a) de-escalate conflict and (b) provide for international mediation.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government works closely with international partners in support of efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts, and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in conflict zones.

This includes discussing with states and organisations active in mediation how best to coordinate efforts to ensure their effectiveness, and using the existing international treaties that govern the provision of humanitarian assistance during conflict, principally the Geneva Conventions, to demand that warring parties facilitate safe access and prevent interference with humanitarian activities.

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 10 December 2025 to Question 95676, whether his Department has conducted any evaluation of patient safety risks affecting people with severe and very severe ME/CFS, including malnutrition.

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

Patient safety risks affecting people with severe and very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), including malnutrition, have been considered during the development of the final delivery plan (FDP) published in July this year, through engagement with stakeholders, including clinicians and patient groups.

To this end, the FDP includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made in developing a strategy for delivering Adult Social Care.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are progressing towards a National Care Service with around £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care by 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. We are already putting the core foundations of a National Care Service in place, aligned with the Government’s three objectives for adult social care:

• improving the quality of care by valuing and supporting our vital care workforce, legislating for a Fair Pay Agreement backed by £500 million of funding;
• strengthening join-up between health and social care services by developing neighbourhood health services and reforming the Better Care Fund; and
• enabling people to have more choice and control over their care, for instance by promoting greater use of direct payments.

In December 2025, the department launched a new publication 'Adult social care priorities for local authorities: 2026 to 2027', which sets out priority outcomes and expectations for local authority delivery of adult social care from 2026/27.

The Government recognises the vital importance of coproduction and is committed to working with people who draw on care and support, and those with professional experience of care to design and develop a National Care Service that is shaped by what matters most to people. But we know that meaningful, lasting reform of adult social care cannot be delivered overnight. Phase 1 of the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care will report this year, making recommendations to address immediate priorities for adult social care, laying the groundwork for long-term reform. We will consider and respond to the recommendations when Baroness Casey reports and work will then begin on implementing phase 1 recommendations, alongside ongoing reforms in the Department.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he is having with (a) local authorities and (b) independent sector agencies on the delivery of adult social care.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has met with sector representatives including the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors for Adult Social Services to discuss operational issues, emerging challenges, and opportunities to improve adult social care services.

Minister Kinnock and his officials maintain regular engagement with the adult social care sector, discussing policy and local delivery. For example, in December 2025, I attended the Fair Pay Agreement Working Group, comprised of trade unions, local government, employer representatives and wider social care partners. In November 2025, I gave a speech at the National Children and Adults Services Conference attended by local government and independent sector representatives. We are committed to working in genuine partnership with social care professionals, local authorities, policy makers, and crucially the people who draw on care and support.

Right To Food UK Commission

Essentials Guarantee

Short-term holiday let licensing with caps

Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce research funding

Centenary of the derailment of the Flying Scotsman

Food insecurity amongst workers in food processing, manufacturing and retail sectors

Less Survivable Cancers Week

Report on conditions and treatment at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre

Grok AI generation and dissemination of sexually explicit and non-consensual images of women and children on X

Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Week

US military attack on Venezuela

Marking the 60th anniversary of the University of the Air White Paper

International sport and alleged United States violations of international law

Situation in Iran

Newborn bloodspot screening for spinal muscular atrophy