Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Regulation (EU) 2023/956 on Northern Ireland in the context of the terms of the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government plans to apply the UK CBAM across the whole UK, including Northern Ireland, from 2027. The UK will continue to work with international partners, including the EU, to ensure our approach is implemented in a way that works for businesses.
The EU's CBAM could only apply in Northern Ireland with the agreement of the UK and in line with the democratic safeguards of the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the (a) reliability, (b) accuracy and (c) consistency of personal identity data on sex held by (i) HM Passport Office, (ii) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and (iii) the NHS in the context of the digital verification services framework.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The digital verification services (DVS) framework seeks to create rules for how those services operate. The DVS framework doesn’t create new ways to determine a person’s sex or gender. Nor does it intervene with how government departments record and store this and other identity data. Under data protection law, personal data which is processed must be accurate.
Government believes processing accurate data is essential to deliver services meeting citizens’ needs. Public sector data about sex and gender is collected based on user and departmental needs and in compliance with any applicable legislation.
The Government Statistical Service published a work plan for updated, harmonised standards and guidance on sex and gender in December 2024. This will align with the Office for Statistics Regulation guidance on collecting and reporting data about sex and gender identity, which was published in February 2024.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his Department's timetable is for publishing the independent Pornography Review led by Baroness Bertin.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Independent Pornography Review assesses the effectiveness of current pornography legislation, regulation, and enforcement. It is an important area of interest for this government.
The Review has now just concluded. The government is assessing its findings and the final report will be published in due course.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Science and Technology on publication of the independent Pornography Review.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
I met with Baroness Bertin, Chair of the Independent Pornography Review, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Minister Davies-Jones, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice to discuss the Pornography Review on 8 October 2024.
In the meeting, Baroness Bertin, shared her initial findings and direction of travel for the Review's recommendations. The Review's final report will be published in due course.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board on the England Cricket team's participation in the championship trophy match with Afghanistan.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The UK Government condemns the appalling erosion of women and girls’ rights in Afghanistan. Sport operates independently of government, and participation in the ICC Champion’s Trophy match is a matter for the England and Wales Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council.
My officials are in contact with the England and Wales Cricket Board on the wider issue of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team. We welcome the fact that the ECB are making strong representations to the ICC on this issue and what support can be given.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent steps he has taken to support the expansion of university provision in Derry/Londonderry under the terms of the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As part of our mission-led approach, this Government is committed to working with the Northern Ireland Executive to address regional economic imbalances, including through good university provision in the North West.
The Derry & Strabane City and Region Deal was signed on 18 September 2024. This deal will help support university expansion in Derry/Londonderry through a £39 million investment into Ulster University’s Cognitive Analytics & Digital Robotics Innovation Centre. This is in addition to investment towards Phase 2 of the School of Medicine project, including a Medical Education Facility on the Altnagelvin Hospital site.
This Government will continue to work with the Executive to deliver high-quality university education in Derry/Londonderry, and deliver the City Deal programme to provide capital investment that supports expanded provision at Ulster University’s Magee Campus as set out in NDNA.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the ongoing closure of Holyhead Port on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ferry travel between Dublin and Holyhead continues to be severely affected by closure due to damage inflicted by Storm Darragh on Holyhead until it reopens early next year. The direct effect is on crossings between the UK and the Republic of Ireland though alternative routes from Liverpool and Cairnryan to Belfast and Larne are available and capacity is being reinforced. There are onward effects on UK services, but these are manageable. Government is concerned about the impact on local businesses and communities and are in close contact with the Welsh Government, who lead, together with port and ferry operators.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Afghan counterpart on the treatment of women and girls in that country.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have repeatedly condemned Taliban restrictions on women and girls' rights, both bilaterally and internationally. As the Foreign Secretary has said, exclusion of women from all aspects of public life is a tragic setback for Afghanistan.
Officials from the Doha-based UK Mission to Afghanistan continue to press Taliban acting ministers and Afghan officials on human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Officials visit Kabul regularly, raising issues directly with senior members of the Taliban, including the unacceptable violations of the rights of women and girls. Since 4 December officials have been raising the issue of the Taliban ban on women accessing medical education and training in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Taliban's decision to (a) ban women from medical training and (b) prohibit male medics from treating female patients.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned at reports of a ban on women accessing medical training in Afghanistan. We strongly condemn this and urge the Taliban to reverse this decision. Female health workers are critical to treating women-focused health issues such as reproductive health. These decisions are yet another affront to girls' right to education and will threaten the lives of countless women and girls who will be denied critical medical care, as well as their future children. Our ongoing support to those Afghans most in need is more essential than ever, and we remain committed that at least 50% of those reached by UK aid are women and girls.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the replacement of the term females with the term individuals with child-bearing potential in Schedule 2 of the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 on (a) clinical staff and patients’ understanding of those Regulations and (b) patient care in sex-specific healthcare settings.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A review of the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R) 2017 concluded in 2023. Following consultation with expert groups, including the UK Health Security Agency, United Kingdom medical regulators, and professional bodies, the review found that there was no evidence that use of the term ‘individuals with child-bearing potential’ in the regulations was leading to misinterpretation. The Government is clear that it expects all health services, including medical exposure procedures, to be delivered in line with the Equality Act 2010.