Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 88125, what current through-ticketed rail-sail routes are available through (a) train operators and (b) ferry operators for (i) domestic travel and (ii) international travel.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The current through-ticketed rail-sail routes available through train operators and ferry operators for domestic travel is to Northern Ireland (Cairnryan or Holyhead to Belfast), the Isle of Wight (Portsmouth-Ryde, Southampton to Cowes, Lymington to Yarmouth), and the Isle of Man (Liverpool and Heysham to Douglas). For international travel it is to Ireland via Fishguard (currently Pembroke) to Rosslare, Holyhead to Dublin and Harwich to Hook of Holland.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to question 86550 answered on 7 November 2025, whether he will publish the dates of meetings that took place between his Department and the Home Office to enable the establishment of MILLWEC as an alternative to SACMILL.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Surgeon General advised the Executive Committee of the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons (SACMILL) which includes Home Office representation, of the Public Bodies Review at a meeting in December 2024. A series of meetings were held between Ministry of Defence and Home Office officials between January 2025 and October 2025. This included representatives from Public Bodies teams and the Cabinet Office and enabled the establishment of an alternative mechanism within the Home Office.

As outlined in the previous response, the closure of SACMILL is an important step in Defence’s Arm’s length Body reform journey and the closure and standing up of MILLWEC was agreed by Ministerial write round.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answers to question 87756 on 14 November 2025 and question 87421 on 11 November 2025, what consideration has she made of the value for money of (a) continuing to leave current railway rolling stock leasing arrangements in the private sector, and (b) bringing future procurement of railway rolling stock into the public sector.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Rolling Stock Leasing Companies (ROSCOs) play an important role in the industry, bringing benefits to both taxpayers and passengers. Since 1995 there has been significant private sector investment in rolling stock totalling over £20 billion.

The Government is now working to develop a long-term strategy for rolling stock and associated infrastructure, which will consider how the public sector can secure best value from the rolling stock market in future, but we expect Great British Railways to continue to lease rolling stock from ROSCOs where they can offer value for money terms.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will support making the agent of change principle statutory to safeguard grassroots music venues from the impact of new residential developments and ensure that developers take full responsibility for mitigating noise and other environmental conflicts at the planning stage.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Grassroots music venues are vital to the UK’s music culture, offering emerging artists a platform and supporting local economies and creative jobs.

This Government wants to enable new developments such as housing to co-exist with cultural infrastructure, including music venues. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that new development should be integrated effectively with existing businesses and community facilities, such as music venues. Existing businesses and facilities should not have unreasonable restrictions placed on them as a result of development permitted after they were established.

MHCLG intends to consult on the National Planning Policy Framework, including the agent of change principle, this year. DCMS are working with MHCLG to consider how the agent of change can be implemented as effectively as possible as part of this review, to ensure the principle works well for music venues.

In August 2025, the joint industry and HM government licensing policy sprint taskforce recommended stronger guidance or a mandatory requirement for licensing authorities to ensure that the agent of change principle is considered when making licensing decisions. The Government is reviewing the findings of the taskforce and the recent call for evidence on licensing, to inform how the agent of change principle could be considered in licensing.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, excluding umbrella groups, how many meetings in total have ministers in his department held during (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 with community energy organisations.

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

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the human rights situation in Iraq, in particular in relation to the rights of Kurdish people; and what action she is taking.

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

The UK remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Iraq, including restrictions on free expression and barriers to women's political participation. We continue to urge the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to uphold constitutional rights and international obligations.

The UK, working with international partners, will continue to press for accountability and reform and support civil society groups advocating for minority and women's rights.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the human rights situation in Turkiye, in particular in relation to politically motivated prosecutions and judgments in the European Court of Human Rights; and what action she is taking to help improve the situation inside that country for opposition politicians.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government maintains a regular dialogue with Turkey, a key North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally and strategic partner. The UK expects Turkey to uphold the rule of law, to live up to its international obligations as a founding member of the Council of Europe and act in line with the European Convention on Human Rights. As staunch supporters of democracy and human rights we will always support the fundamental rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and media freedom. We regularly discuss these issues with our Turkish counterparts at ministerial and official levels.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Egyptian authorities on allowing Alaa Abd el-Fattah to travel to the UK.

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

The government welcomes Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release from prison on 23 September 2025, following a Presidential pardon. We continue to press at the highest levels with the Egyptian government for his urgent return to the UK, including in a call between the Prime Minister and President Sisi on 18 November, and between the Foreign Secretary and the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 20 November.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure that diesel vehicle manufacturers responsible for illegal emissions practices contribute to environmental remediation or compensation schemes.

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

The Government takes illegal emissions practices extremely seriously. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s Market Surveillance Unit (MSU) is investigating cases of possible non-compliant diesel emissions in cars and vans. The investigations aim to ensure any non-compliance found is fixed as soon as reasonably possible, working together with manufacturers to achieve real-world impacts on air quality.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of amending (a) visa and (b) asylum routes for people fleeing conflict in Sudan with British national immediate family members in the UK by (i) waiving income rules, (ii) allowing asylum applications to be made in third party countries and (c) bringing forward other measures to help reunite families separated by conflict.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Sudanese nationals who wish to come to the UK to join a family member here need a family visa. Applications can be made for a family visa to live with a spouse or partner; fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner; parent; child; relative who is providing care.

The financial requirements form part of the ‘core’ requirements of the Family Immigration Rules. Expecting family migrants and their sponsors to be financially independent is reasonable, both to them and the taxpayer.

However, where someone cannot meet the core requirements, including those relating to finances, permission will still be granted where refusal would breach Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

As part of the Immigration White Paper reforms, the government intends to set out a new family policy that will cover all UK residents, including those who are British, settled, on work routes or refugees seeking to bring family members to the UK.

The UK has a proud history of providing protection and we continue to welcome refugees and people in need through our safe and legal routes. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.

Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, including the current situation in Sudan, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might wish to come here. It is important that safe and legal routes are sustainable, well managed and in line with the UK’s capacity to welcome, accommodate and integrate refugees. We do not currently have any plans to open a specific route for people affected by the conflict in Sudan.

Additionally, the recently announced Asylum Policy Statement set out a new model for refugee resettlement. We will give greater say to communities and support refugees as they settle, become self-sufficient, and contribute to their local areas. This new model will be based on local capacity to support refugees, and arrival numbers will be tightly controlled by the government.

To achieve this, we will:

• Reform refugee sponsorship to give voluntary and community sector organisations a greater role in resettlement through named sponsorship, within caps set by government.
• Introduce a capped route for refugee and displaced students to study in the UK, helping talented refugees to continue their studies, realise their potential and be able to return to their country and help rebuild it as soon as circumstances allow.
• Establish a capped route for skilled refugees and displaced people to come to the UK for work, building on the experience of the Displaced Talent Mobility Pilot.

Our intention is that those arriving on the reformed resettlement routes will be on the ten-year route to settlement. However, this will be subject to wider consultation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer to question 88126 on 17 November 2025, whether the environmental impact assessment for the review of the Airports National Policy Statement will include Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions specifically.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As part of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) review, the Secretary of State will carry out an Appraisal of Sustainability which will include a Strategic Environmental Assessment, which will consider greenhouse gas emissions.

As per the Appraisal of Sustainability for the existing ANPS, this will include consideration of emissions from the way people travel to and from the airport, as well as aircraft movements. It will be for individual promoters to submit Environmental Impact Assessments as part of any Development Consent Application in relation to Heathrow expansion.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what response she has to the recommendation of the October 2025 final report of the Poverty Strategy Commission that parents with No Recourse to Public Funds conditions who have children who are British citizens should have access to child-related public funds, including Child Benefit and access to support for childcare.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Child Benefit is a payment made to individuals who are responsible for a child or children irrespective of the child’s nationality. No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) is a standard condition applied to most categories of temporary immigration permission. Those with NRPF do not generally have access to public funds, including Child Benefit. The expectation of the Government is that in general migrants coming into the UK should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and their dependents without recourse to public funds.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will (a) review and (b) update Ukraine-related immigration (i) policies and (ii) guidance (A) in general and (B) on the application of protection principles depending on immigration route; what evidential criteria are used to justify refusal based on internal relocation; and if she will suspend removals to Ukraine during that review.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our assessment of the situation in Ukraine is set out in the relevant Country Policy and Information Notes (CPINs), which are available on the Gov.UK website.

The CPINs for Ukraine are based on evidence taken from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The material drawn from those sources, including links to the original documents, are available in the published notes. This provides the evidence base for our assessment, which itself considers the situation in general, and regionally, against the relevant legal and policy framework for considering protection claims. Decision makers will consider how this applies in individual cases, including considerations such as internal relocation. The CPINs are kept under constant review and are updated periodically to ensure they remain accurate and reflect current country conditions.

Decisions on whether to remove individuals are made on a case-by-case basis depending on the situation at the time.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to (a) monitor and (b) mitigate the potential impact of the NHS England restructuring on the mental health of affected staff.

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

Safeguarding the mental health and wellbeing of colleagues while delivering the changes needed for the future of NHS England is a key priority for NHS England. NHS England has designed and implemented an equity-focused support package which has been shaped and informed jointly with staff networks, representative of the diversity of the organisation, trade unions, and health and safety representatives to meet the diverse needs of colleagues in the organisation. The support includes:

- dedicated mental health resources through the Employee Assistance Programme, with confidential counselling, and occupational health and wellbeing services available to all staff;

- inclusive guidance for line managers to help them identify and respond to wellbeing concerns in a way that is sensitive to individual circumstances, including those related to protected characteristics and personal responsibilities; and

- targeted support for staff networks and underrepresented groups, ensuring that voices from across NHS England’s organisation are heard and supported during this transition.

NHS England is actively monitoring the impact of change through multiple feedback channels, including the annual staff survey, engagement forums, Health and Safety Committee staff network, and recognised trade union forums, as well as through sickness absence, and direct feedback mechanisms.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish data, broken down by police service, of all offences by category associated with suspects or offenders who were detected using live facial recognition (LFR) technology during each calendar year since 2016, along with any other categories of people added to LFR watchlists, if these were not suspects or offenders.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to equipping police forces with the tools they need to tackle serious crimes, locate offenders and bring them to justice. As part of this commitment, the Home Office has funded the roll-out of ten live facial recognition (LFR) vans.

The National Audit Office reports on Home Office expenditure which is then independently scrutinised and reported on by the Public Accounts Committee.

Oversight of LFR is provided by a number of independent bodies including the Information Commissioner, Equality and Human Rights Commission and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire & Rescue Services.

However, oversight is fragmented and we want to improve it through the creation of a bespoke new legal framework. Subject to consultation, that framework will include specific oversight for the use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies.

The Home Office does not hold data on the number of arrests made following the police’s use of facial recognition technology, including the use of LFR, as specific LFR deployment decisions rest with individual police forces. The department is however funding national evaluation work to understand better the impact of facial recognition on police and crime outcomes.

Where police forces are using LFR, the number of arrests made following each deployment are published on their respective websites. Further, the Met Police have published these in their recent Live Facial Recognition Annual Report September 2025

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what independent scrutiny is being carried out on the use of the ten new live facial recognition systems provided to local police services by the Home Office, starting in November 2025, and when the conclusions of this scrutiny will be published.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to equipping police forces with the tools they need to tackle serious crimes, locate offenders and bring them to justice. As part of this commitment, the Home Office has funded the roll-out of ten live facial recognition (LFR) vans.

The National Audit Office reports on Home Office expenditure which is then independently scrutinised and reported on by the Public Accounts Committee.

Oversight of LFR is provided by a number of independent bodies including the Information Commissioner, Equality and Human Rights Commission and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire & Rescue Services.

However, oversight is fragmented and we want to improve it through the creation of a bespoke new legal framework. Subject to consultation, that framework will include specific oversight for the use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies.

The Home Office does not hold data on the number of arrests made following the police’s use of facial recognition technology, including the use of LFR, as specific LFR deployment decisions rest with individual police forces. The department is however funding national evaluation work to understand better the impact of facial recognition on police and crime outcomes.

Where police forces are using LFR, the number of arrests made following each deployment are published on their respective websites. Further, the Met Police have published these in their recent Live Facial Recognition Annual Report September 2025

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure (a) transparency and (b) openness on the the decision-making processes of the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We recognise the high levels of interest in the Timms Review and are committed to continued transparency and evaluation, listening, learning and adapting as this work continues.

The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, to ensure that expertise from a wide range of perspectives is drawn upon. This means the Government will share ownership and responsibility for the Review and what it recommends.

On 30 October, I announced that the Review will be co-chaired by myself alongside Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. We will oversee a steering group responsible for leading the co-production process, setting the Review’s strategic direction, priorities and workplan. The group will be made up of a majority of disabled people or representatives of disabled people’s organisations and will be recruited through an open and transparent Expression of Interest (EOI) process. The EOI is now live and will run until 30 November. The group will consider how best to engage with the widespread interest in its work.

The Review will report to the Secretary of State for final decisions in autumn 2026, with an interim update expected ahead of that.

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 merits of making the NHS the preferred provider for commissioned healthcare services.

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

The Government’s ambition, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, is to increasingly put power into patients’ hands themselves so they can personalise their National Health Service care to their individual needs, choices, and preferences.

More broadly, the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 provide a proportionate framework under which NHS commissioners consider the most appropriate approach in awarding contracts to healthcare providers. The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 are available at the following link:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1348/contents/made

Further information on the selection processes is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/how-commissioning-is-changing/nhs-provider-selection-regime/

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of diesel vehicles equipped with defeat devices on levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in urban areas; and whether she plans to introduce (a) targeted air pollution mitigation and (b) vehicle retirement schemes in areas most affected by non-compliant diesel vehicle emissions.

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

The Government is committed to reducing air pollution from all forms of transport. Elevated NOx emissions from diesel vehicles contribute to poor air quality.

The Department has not produced a specific UK-only assessment of the potential impact of diesel vehicles equipped with defeat devices on NO₂ pollution in urban areas. However, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s Market Surveillance Unit (MSU) is investigating cases of possible non-compliant diesel emissions in cars and vans. The investigations aim to ensure any non-compliance found is fixed as soon as reasonably possible, working together with manufacturers to achieve real-world impacts on air quality.

Clean Air Zones have been implemented locally where evidence shows they are the quickest route to reduce NO₂ pollution, and where no equally effective alternatives can be identified. Local authorities are best placed to determine the most appropriate measures to meet legally binding air quality obligations.

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 the NHS England restructuring on (a) disabled, (b) neurodiverse, (c) female and (d) non-British staff.

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

NHS England has established processes and practices which will enable it to assess the impact of the proposed changes on disabled, neurodiverse, female, and non-British staff at a detailed level, at the appropriate stage of the transformation programme.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of (a) trends in the level of demand for and (b) the adequacy of older people’s housing, including sheltered housing and care homes, for older LGBTIQA+ people.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 74681 on 12 September 2025.

Right to trial by jury

Professional integrity of BBC journalists

Supporting shopworkers

Driver-only trains on East West Rail

Armed exports to the United Arab Emirates and the situation in Sudan

UK participation in Eurovision Song Contest 2026

Russian shadow fleet

Domestic Energy Efficiency (Call for Evidence) Bill

Thanking postal workers

Palestine Action hunger strike

Habitat regulations

Jury trial rights

Detention of Hassan Mushaima and Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace

Political prisoners in Bangladesh

Palestinian children in Israeli military detention

Local authority funding (No. 2)

25th Anniversary of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2025

Football Supporters’ Association’s Stop Exploiting Loyalty campaign

International Day of People with Disabilities

Repression following the Iran-Israel war

Bank closures, digital exclusion and cyber risks

Israel’s use of cluster munitions

Small Business Saturday and support for SME apprenticeships

Access to banks

Higher education funding

Reduction to UK Official Development Assistance

Funding for clean heat schemes

110 years of the Women's Institute

Scotland Men's national football team qualifies for 2026 World Cup

50th Anniversary of women’s right to independent mortgages

Road Safety Week 2025

UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement

Trial by jury

Found: stage and amendments New clause 29, and new schedule 1 New clause 29, and new schedule 1 from Siân Berry