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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will (a) digitise and (b) publish historic Northern Ireland command papers from 1921 onwards.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Northern Ireland Command Papers are a matter for the Parliamentary Archives.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's recommendation of relugolix-estradiol-norethisterone for routine NHS use to treat endometriosis will extend to Northern Ireland.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England. NICE published final draft guidance on 13 March 2025 that recommends relugolix-estadiol-norethisterone as an option for treating symptoms of endometriosis in adults of reproductive age who have had medical or surgical treatment for endometriosis. NICE currently expects to publish final guidance in April 2025. Health is a devolved matter and decisions on the availability of medicines in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/topics/national-institute-health-and-care-excellence-nice

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policy of pausing indefinite Leave to Remain applications for Syrian families in the UK recent reports of sectarian and revenge violence in Syria.

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

Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office withdrew the Country Policy Information Notes and guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions. However, we continue to register new claims from Syrians in the UK who wish to claim asylum.

The Country Policy and Information Team (CPIT) are continuing to monitor and review the situation in Syria. CPIT are gathering evidence 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.

The pause is being kept under constant review and when there is a clear basis upon which to make decisions, we will resume the processing of them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to engage with (a) Kidney Care UK and (b) other patient representative organisations ahead of the World Health Assembly's debate on kidney health.

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

The Department has met with Kidney Care UK and will be arranging further meetings with civil society organisations on the full range of health topics to be discussed in advance of the World Health Assembly in May 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will support the ratification of the World Health Organisation Resolution to include chronic kidney disease in its priority list of non-communicable diseases.

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

The United Kingdom actively engaged in negotiations on the World Health Organization (WHO) resolution, Reducing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through the Promotion of Kidney Health and Strengthening Prevention and Control of Kidney Disease, in advance of the 156th WHO Executive Board in February 2025. The Executive Board recommended adoption of all resolutions considered to the World Health Assembly, including this one, subject to ongoing budget discussions. If adopted, the resolution will apply to the UK as a Member State of the WHO. We remain committed to tackling NCDs, including kidney disease, domestically and internationally.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VAT on hospitality.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

To support hospitality businesses, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with Rateable Values below £500,000, from 2026-27.

Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, the Government has prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.

VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £171 billion in 2024/25. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will consider reducing the rate of VAT on hospitality.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

To support hospitality businesses, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with Rateable Values below £500,000, from 2026-27.

Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, the Government has prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.

VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £171 billion in 2024/25. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he is taking steps to facilitate the construction of Casement Park.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

I have met with the GAA to discuss the redevelopment of Casement Park and look forward to meeting with the Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA. I will continue to engage with all involved in this Executive-led project, as all parties assess the options available.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on what evidential basis he said that Northern Ireland courts had determined that the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery independence has adequate (a) powers and (b) independence to undertake human rights compliant investigations.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Court of Appeal recognised the structural independence and wide powers of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). The Court was clear that ICRIR has the capability to replicate investigations that were previously with the police and the Ombudsman, and to fulfil human rights obligations in those cases.

The Government has committed to introducing legislation to further strengthen ICRIR’s independence and powers, and to ensure that ICRIR can discharge the State’s ECHR obligations in all cases where that is required, including cases that would otherwise be inquests, and to restore inquests that were previously halted.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Minister for Communities on the construction of Casement Park.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

I have met with the GAA to discuss the redevelopment of Casement Park and look forward to meeting with the Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA. I will continue to engage with all involved in this Executive-led project, as all parties assess the options available.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of progress made on the construction of Casement Park.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

I have met with the GAA to discuss the redevelopment of Casement Park and look forward to meeting with the Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA. I will continue to engage with all involved in this Executive-led project, as all parties assess the options available.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made recent progress on setting a date for the second meeting of the Motor Insurance Taskforce.

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

The Department will announce a date for the next meeting of the Motor Insurance Taskforce in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help support a transitional justice process in Syria.

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

Throughout our engagement with the interim authorities and our international partners, we have maintained that a clear path towards transitional justice will be an essential element for the success of a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition. Our programming directly supports grassroots organisations working on gender-sensitive and victim-centred approaches to transitional justice, as well as documenting crucial evidence. We also support the operations of United Nations bodies, such as the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, working with Syrians to achieve their aspirations for justice and accountability.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his expected timeline is for (a) receiving and (b) responding to the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Sir Wyn Williams is committed to progressing matters as swiftly as he can. Now that the final Phase of gathering oral evidence is complete, Sir Wyn will look to deliver his report on what happened, what went wrong and why. He said in December 2024 that publication would take “many months”. Once the report is published, the Government will respond in due course.

Lagan Valley’s Special Olympics gold medallists

Israel’s military presence in the West Bank

Renewal of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Fee waivers for ILR applications

100th anniversary of East Belfast District Scouts

Reductions in welfare spending

Injury on Duty Award Scheme

Provision of essential humanitarian supplies, electricity and water sanitation in Gaza

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