Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

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

The relevant departments are currently considering the committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.

The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the United Kingdom’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department's original budget for the construction of Hinkley Point C was; how much his Department has spent since that project started; and what the estimated final cost is in (a) real and (b) current terms.

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

Hinkley Point C is not a UK Government-funded project. The financing of Hinkley Point C is the responsibility of EDF (Électricité de France) and China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN). The latest update from EDF on costs of Hinkley Point C can be found here (on page 29):

https://www.edf.fr/sites/groupe/files/2025-03/annual-results-edf-2024-presentation-2025-03-07.pdf

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's original budget for HS2 Phase 2 was; how much her Department has spent since that project started; and what the estimated final cost is in (a) real and (b) current terms.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The original funding envelopes (in 2015 prices) for Phase 2a was £3.72bn and £24.8bn for Phase 2b. Spend on the HS2 project can be found in the latest Parliamentary Report here , which is updated and published at regular intervals. The project currently reports estimated final costs in 2019 prices.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's original budget for the Emergency Services Network programme was; how much her Department has spent since that programme started; and what the estimated final cost is in (a) real and (b) current terms.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

In July 2021 the Emergency Services Network (ESN) Full Business case was approved by HM Treasury with a whole life cost of £11.3bn through to 2036/37.

In October 2024, HM Treasury approved an updated version of the business case which reflected a change in planning assumptions and timescales through to 2043/44 with a revised whole life cost of £19.2bn.

For the period 2015/16 to 31 March 2024, ESN has spent £5.5bn.

The estimated future cost to be spent by 2043/44 is £9.5bn (real), or £13.7bn (current).

In December 2024, the Home Office procured a new supplier for mobile radio and data services and intends to release a revised Full Business Case in Autumn 2025, which will set out a new timetable and costs, taking into account the impact of the recent procurement activity and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Charge Control.

The Home Office’s priority is to deliver ESN as swiftly as possible and Airwave will be shut down only when it is safe to do so.

The Programme is under regular review by the IPA, NAO and engages regularly with PAC and HASC.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's original budget for the Great Western Railway modernisation project was; how much her Department has spent since that project started; and what the estimated final cost is in (a) real and (b) current terms.

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

The Great Western Route Modernisation Programme was estimated to cost £2,967m at the time of the 2015 Business Case. The outturn cost for the Programme in 2021/22 was £3,863m.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's original budget for the Ajax armoured fighting vehicle programme was; how much his Department has spent since that programme started; and what the estimated final cost is in (a) real and (b) current terms.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Approved Budget Level (ABL) for the Armoured Cavalry (Ajax) Programme is £6.3 billion. This has not changed since 2015.

As at 31 March 2025, spend against the Ajax programme is £5.0 billion.

The estimated cost of the programme against this approval is £6.2 billion. The programme cost is estimated in real terms with inflation factored in.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Government devices are used to post from the Government's TikTok account; how many other communication applications are used on those devices; how many officials have used this account; and whether he plans to increase the number of Government TikTok accounts.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As per the guidance in the Mobile Device Management policy, we take a careful controlled approach to TikTok usage on government devices to safeguard all government activity. Access is strictly limited to essential purposes only. The existing policy regarding TikTok on government devices remains unchanged.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Scottish Government's agriculture and rural economy directorates on the workforce needs of the (a) agriculture, (b) fishing and (c) rural economy sector and the skilled worker visa since 31 January 2020.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

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

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.

The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government is fully committed to human rights and to upholding the rule of law. We take our international obligations seriously and valued the opportunity for a dialogue with UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.

The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East sent on 3 February and 24 March 2025, reference SL01756/dw.

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

I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member’s correspondence about the oil and gas industry in Scotland, reference SL01756/dw. I issued a response to the hon. Member on 23 April.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to help increase the affordability of taxis for disabled people.

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

General policy on taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing is devolved in Scotland (where PHVs are known as private hire cars), Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, licensing authorities can set maximum taxi fares for journeys within their area to protect passengers hailing taxis in the street or at a rank where passengers have little choice over which vehicle they hire. The setting of fares by private hire vehicle operators is a commercial matter for the company in question; as such services must be pre-booked passengers can shop around, comparing factors such as price, reliability and availability.

Disabled people are particularly reliant on taxi and PHV services and, thus, can be especially sensitive to high fares. We encourage licensing authorities to use the government’s Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing best practice guidance for licensing authorities in England which emphasises the importance of licensing authorities continuing to improve the inclusivity of the taxi and PHV services they regulate to ensure services in their area are safe, available, affordable and accessible. The Equality Act 2010 is however clear that operators and drivers cannot charge disabled people, including wheelchair users and assistance dog owners, more for their carriage or for providing assistance required by law.

Local authorities in England can also choose to provide an additional scheme to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), whereby a person eligible for free bus travel under the ENCTS, may agree with the local authority to surrender their pass in return for alternative travel concessions, such as travel tokens (which may be used on taxi and PHV services) or a railcard.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to (a) introduce a common charger for electrical devices and (b) require producers to provide accessible user information for how the charger works that is suitable for disabled people.

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

The Government considers that it would potentially help businesses and deliver consumer and environmental benefits if we were to introduce standardised charger requirements for mobile phones and certain other portable electrical/electronic devices across the UK. Accordingly, we sought views through a Call for Evidence from manufacturers, importers, distributors, trade associations, and consumers as to whether it would be helpful to do so. This Call for Evidence closed in December 2024. The Government is considering the evidence received and will respond in due course.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.

The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had discussions with (a) NHS Scotland and (b) the Scottish Government's health and social care directorates on health and social care staffing needs in the context of the skilled worker visa since 31 January 2020.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had discussions with the Scottish government's economy directorates on the staffing needs of the (a) hospitality and (b) tourism sector in the context of the skilled worker visa since 31 January 2020.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

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