Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that police forces in England remain independent from political agendas.

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

Operational independence is a fundamental principle of British policing, and this Government is committed to ensuring the police can perform their role without fear or favour. At the same time, being able to scrutinise police decisions, and Chief Constables being able to account for the decisions they make, are essential especially when it comes to issues with clear implications for public safety and confidence

The Government’s recently published White Paper ‘From Local to National: A New Model for Policing’ announced plans to fundamentally reform the Policing Protocol Order 2023 and clarify the boundaries of operational independence to provide policing with direction and support to drive improvement where necessary.

Police officers take an oath of attestation on appointment which underscores the importance of policing with impartiality. They are required to act with impartiality, in accordance with their statutory standards of professional behaviour. The College of Policing sets standards and provides guidance for policing, including an updated Code of Ethics published in 2024 to support everyone in policing to act in a professional manner, reiterating the need for fairness and impartiality. Failure to act in accordance with relevant standards and guidance could result in formal disciplinary action being taken.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to help ensure that NHS trusts assigned Advanced Foundation Trust status retain direct accountability and patient views are heard for Trusts where the requirement for a Council of Governors has been removed.

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

As part of NHS England’s assessment process, eligible National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts which apply for the Advanced Foundation Trust Programme will need to demonstrate effective mechanisms to engage meaningfully with patients, staff, and communities, and that involvement influences decisions.

The removal of councils of governors from NHS foundation trusts forms part of the wider aim of the 10-Year Health Plan to ensure that hospitals put patient experiences and outcomes at the heart of their decision-making. While governors have provided helpful advice and oversight for some foundation trusts, we now need to move to a more dynamic model of drawing on patient, staff, and stakeholder insight.

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 help uphold international law in the West Bank.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I provided on these issues at departmental oral questions on 20 January, and the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is the Government taking to help ensure that the ceasefire in Gaza is maintained.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I provided on these issues at departmental oral questions on 20 January, and the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when will her planned timetable and proposed transitional funding for changes to SEND be communicated to schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government set out its planned reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities system in the Schools White Paper published on 23 February 2026 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving.

Further details on the distribution of that funding will be published in the due course.

Closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan

Dual nationals and new UK entry documentation requirements

Found: question concerning Islamophobia Awareness Month from Labour MP for Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley Tahir Ali