Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps they are taking to increase the amount of UK made steel used in procurement contracts overseen by their Department.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department strongly supports the UK’s Industrial Strategy, fostering a resilient economy that supports British businesses and creates good jobs in communities across the country. UK-produced steel has a significant role to play in construction and education projects. Our procurements are undertaken in accordance with Procurement Policy Note 022 “Procuring Steel in Government contracts”.
From this financial year, contractors on the department’s construction frameworks will be required to report whether they have consulted the UK Steel’s Steel Catalogue. Contractors will need to confirm whether they are using UK steel and if not, explain why not.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set out if a Civil Service Pension Scheme recipient is liable for the repayment of overpayments, including where the the recipient has queried the payment with the scheme administrator, and is repeatedly advised by the scheme administrator that the level of the payment is correct.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The government has a duty to recover overpaid public money to ensure the scheme remains fair and sustainable for all taxpayers. The scheme follows the HM Treasury guidance on “Managing Public Money” which requires the scheme, where possible, to recover any money that a member is not entitled to.
The Civil Service Pension Scheme pays out 732,000 pensions per month. Any potential recovery is carefully considered, including the cost effectiveness of doing so (e.g. the relative costs of recovering very small amounts). Members have the opportunity to submit evidence should they believe that either recovery should not take place or where they might require a longer repayment plan.
We recognise that being asked to repay funds can be stressful. To manage the impact on retired civil servants, the scheme administrator works individually with those affected to create manageable recovery plans. These plans focus on the member's specific ability to pay, often spreading repayments over a long period to ensure that no undue financial hardship is caused.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has considered lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic on (a) preparedness, (b) risk mitigation and (c) public communication in the context of its response to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and other events, such as the preparations for Brexit, have played a significant role in the way in which the UK prepares for and responds to crises. The influence of these events can be seen in the revisions to guidance, such as the Amber Book, which provides a framework for how the UK central government collectively responds to crises. The Resilience Action Plan, published in July 2025 following a review into the UK government's resilience, sets out the steps we are taking to make the UK more resilient to a wide range of risks, including international events.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment has been made of the availability of mental health support to parents affected by baby loss in Slough.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of funding available for research into ovarian cancer in order to improve (a) detection and (b) treatment.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department invests in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is a major area of NIHR spending at £141.6 million in 2024/25, reflecting its high priority. This includes research into ovarian cancer specifically, for example the £1.9 million PICCOS trial, which is testing whether Pressurised IntraPeritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy is better at managing cancer spread to the lining of the abdominal cavity than standard chemotherapy in several forms of cancer, including ovarian. In addition, NIHR funded research has demonstrated that the IOTA ADNEX ultrasound model can identify nine out of every 10 ovarian cancers and could offer a much more reliable method for finding ovarian cancer early in women who have not yet reached menopause.
As well as funding research itself, the Department invests significantly in research expertise and capacity, specialist facilities, support services, and collaborations to support and deliver research in England, known as NIHR infrastructure. NIHR infrastructure underpins research.
It is not the usual process of the NIHR to allocate funds for research into specific conditions. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ovarian cancer. Our approach to funding research is through open and fair competition and peer review to ensure that the highest-quality proposals, most likely to deliver real impact for patients, are funded without imposing financial targets or limits.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress has been made on negotiations for a Framework Participation Agreement with the EU.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not give a running commentary on the scope of discussions with the EU, or their progress, but we have made clear that the UK will continue to engage the EU where cooperation aligns with our shared interests, including in relation to security.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many major contracts which have been signed by his department since July 2024 were a) sustainment or refresh contracts or b) new procurement contracts.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department can confirm that, since July 2024, the department has signed a total of 1,398 major contracts. Ministry of Defence (MOD) contract records do not distinguish between sustainment or refresh (i.e. follow-on) contracts. Consequently, we can only provide the number of new contracts initiated since 5 July 2024.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to negotiate an administrative agreement with the European Defence Agency.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Security and Defence Partnership agreed with the European Union in May 2025 is an example of this Government delivering on its manifesto commitments to strengthen European security, support growth, and reinforce NATO.
We will continue to prioritise engagement and cooperation on the issues that are most important in helping to safeguard European security and prosperity – all in support of this government’s NATO First defence policy as set out in the Security and Defence Review.
The Security and Defence Partnership outlines the possibility for establishing an Administrative Arrangement between the UK and the European Defence Agency. Officials remain in discussions with the EU to explore this.
Any potential future UK commitment – financial or otherwise – will ensure value for taxpayers and support wider defence priorities.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to help ensure the protection of UK citizens who visit holy sites in Jerusalem.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 April in response to Question 124464.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the maternal mortality rate was in England in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Rt. Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 10th April is attached.