Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's news story entitled UK Chair statement: Ministerial Roundtable on Sudan, published on 20 February 2025, whether he plans to convene a follow-up meeting.

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

We do not plan to re-convene another Development Minister meeting in the immediate future. The Foreign Secretary recently hosted the London Sudan Conference in April alongside France, Germany, the Africa Union and EU which brought together senior figures from the international community to discuss the conflict in Sudan. UK Ministers remain engaged on the crisis with the Minister for Development visiting Chad in May which included a focus on Sudan.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help improve access for humanitarian (a) workers and (b) supplies into Sudan.

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

The UK is playing a leading role in response to the crisis in Sudan, including efforts to facilitate more consistent humanitarian access to help facilitate the delivery of lifesaving supplies and the provision of critical services. At the April London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the importance of humanitarian access. The co-chairs' statement from the Conference called on the warring parties to facilitate rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access in accordance with commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration, and in adherence with their obligations under international humanitarian law. He also announced £120 million which will deliver lifesaving support to more than 650,000 people.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to protect leaseholders from paying for heat network remediation costs.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The rules of the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) are still under development. They are designed to be proportionate, deliver better quality of service and to reduce consumer costs in the longer term. We plan to publish a consultation on HNTAS this summer. We are exploring options to support the sector, including leaseholders. Recognising that the availability of support will have a significant bearing on the sector’s ability to fund and achieve proposed HNTAS requirements, we encourage stakeholders to respond to the consultation once published.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) per dwelling building remediation costs associated with the proposed Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The rules of the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) are still under development, and it would be inappropriate to pre-emptively set out potential costs ahead of publishing our technical standards consultation and options assessment this summer.

To support the sector with remediation costs arising due to HNTAS, the Heat Networks Efficiency Scheme will deploy up to £75 million of capital grants and £2 million of revenue grants between 2023 and 2028.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 52505 on Sri Lanka: War Crimes, for what reason his Department provided legal representation to the freedom of information tribunal against the application for Major David Walker to be summoned to give evidence.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) takes seriously its statutory obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and has complied with all relevant directions issued by the Tribunal. The FCDO accepts the Tribunal's decision of March 2024 not to call Mr Walker as a witness in the case. It would be inappropriate for the FCDO to comment any further on ongoing legal proceedings.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of adopting new digital tools on public sector efficiency.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has assessed the potential impact of adopting digital tools on public sector efficiency through detailed analysis.

This work identified up to £45 billion in potential annual benefits from digital transformation, including through automation of routine tasks, migrating services to lower-cost online channels, and reducing fraud via digital compliance tools.

Government continues to evaluate the effectiveness of these tools, recently publishing a study on Microsoft CoPilot across 20,000 Civil Servants. The Incubator for AI also deploys bespoke tools to unlock mission delivery. For example, the PM recently announced the rollout of Extract, an AI planning tool, to all local authorities in England by Spring next year.

These initiatives will enhance efficiency and reduce duplication, ensuring we can deliver public services which are fit for the future, while also making it easier for people to interact with their government’s digital services.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that accommodation for housing asylum seekers (a) meets adequate minimum standards and (b) protects residents against (i) mistreatment, (ii) exploitation, (iii) sexual abuse and (iv) other abuse.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information about how to obtain further support.

The Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC) Statement of Requirements gives a detailed breakdown of all of the services to be undertaken by our accommodation providers and the standards we expect.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve its capabilities to negotiate humanitarian access to conflict areas.

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

The UK uses its diplomatic reach and political influence in support of access negotiations by impartial humanitarian actors.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is finalising an internal humanitarian diplomacy training module focused on access and protection, in partnership with the British Red Cross, to bolster capability across the FCDO. The UK also recently published the Conflict, Hunger and International Humanitarian Law: A Practitioner's Legal Handbook, which sets out rules relevant to addressing conflict-induced hunger, including rules on humanitarian access. This is a free resource, available online and intended to support understanding of these issues at a global level. The FCDO regularly briefs UK Defence Attachés on humanitarian access and protection. The UK is also working with partners and allies to maximise collective impact on humanitarian access and protection in crises. This includes partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who lead access negotiations, and an Australian-led partnership with other states to develop a political declaration to protect humanitarian personnel.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the reduction in Official Development Assistance, whether her Department plans to maintain its full pledge to the 21st replenishment of the International Development Association.

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

The UK is strongly committed to the International Development Association, and we will prioritise spending our Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget through multilaterals. ODA allocations and the impact on programmes are currently being worked through and we will set out our spending plans following the completion of the resource allocation processes.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Emily Thornberry (Chair); Alex Ballinger; Uma Kumaran; Blair McDougall

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Emily Thornberry (Chair); Alex Ballinger; Dan Carden; Uma Kumaran

Found: present: Emily Thornberry (Chair); Alex Ballinger; Aphra Brandreth; Phil Brickell; Richard Foord; Uma Kumaran

Found: Jogee Anna Dixon Sir Julian Smith Jonathan Davies Rachael Maskell Sean Woodcock Sojan Joseph Uma Kumaran

Found: Jogee Anna Dixon Sir Julian Smith Jonathan Davies Rachael Maskell Sean Woodcock Sojan Joseph Uma Kumaran

Found: Waugh Dame Meg Hillier Sarah Smith Daniel Francis Anna Dixon Antonia Bance Patricia Ferguson Uma Kumaran

Found: Entwistle Charlotte Nichols Juliet Campbell Anna Dixon Jess Asato Kim Johnson Ms Stella Creasy Uma Kumaran

Found: supported by Jess Asato, Emily Darlington, Catherine Fookes, Dr Allison Gardner, Tom Hayes, Uma Kumaran

Found: Entwistle Charlotte Nichols Juliet Campbell Anna Dixon Jess Asato Kim Johnson Ms Stella Creasy Uma Kumaran

Found: Phil Brickell Alex Brewer Alison Hume Christine Jardine Margaret Mullane Ms Stella Creasy Uma Kumaran

Found: Phil Brickell Alex Brewer Alison Hume Christine Jardine Margaret Mullane Ms Stella Creasy Uma Kumaran

Found: Phil Brickell Alex Brewer Alison Hume Christine Jardine Margaret Mullane Ms Stella Creasy Uma Kumaran

Found: Phil Brickell Alex Brewer Alison Hume Christine Jardine Margaret Mullane Ms Stella Creasy Uma Kumaran

Found: Jogee Anna Dixon Sir Julian Smith Jonathan Davies Rachael Maskell Sean Woodcock Sojan Joseph Uma Kumaran

Found: Yasmin Qureshi Rachael Maskell Antonia Bance Warinder Juss Margaret Mullane Ms Stella Creasy Uma Kumaran

Found: Dame Meg Hillier Sarah Smith Daniel Francis Anna Dixon Antonia Bance Patricia Ferguson Uma Kumaran

Found: Waugh Dame Meg Hillier Sarah Smith Daniel Francis Anna Dixon Antonia Bance Patricia Ferguson Uma Kumaran

Found: Waugh Dame Meg Hillier Sarah Smith Daniel Francis Anna Dixon Antonia Bance Patricia Ferguson Uma Kumaran

Found: Blundell Kirsteen Sullivan Dr Marie Tidball Yasmin Qureshi Margaret Mullane Ms Stella Creasy Uma Kumaran

Found: Waugh Dame Meg Hillier Sarah Smith Daniel Francis Anna Dixon Antonia Bance Patricia Ferguson Uma Kumaran

Found: REPORT STAGE Wednesday 11 June 2025 36 _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Lizzi Collinge Uma Kumaran

Found: MacDonald Adam Jogee Anna Dixon Sir Julian Smith Rachael Maskell Sean Woodcock Sojan Joseph Uma Kumaran

Found: New Amendments: 20 and NC42 to NC44 _NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Lizzi Collinge Uma Kumaran

Found: MacDonald Adam Jogee Anna Dixon Sir Julian Smith Rachael Maskell Sean Woodcock Sojan Joseph Uma Kumaran

International Conservation APPG
Tuesday 17th June 2025

Found: Those present included: • Uma Kumaran MP • Cameron Thomas MP • Lord Randall of Uxbridge • Ruth

Political and Media Literacy APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Monica Harding MP, Neil Duncan-Jordan MP, Phil Brickell MP, Ruth Jones MP, Uma Kumaran

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Staff; Damian Bailey (office of Paula Barker MP), Niamh O’Brien (office of Uma Kumaran MP), Alex Toal

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Staff; Damian Bailey (office of Paula Barker MP), Niamh O’Brien (office of Uma Kumaran MP), Alex Toal

Waterways APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Tuesday 21th January 2025 1pm Portcullis House Room U Officers Present: Lord Michael German, Uma Kumaran

Women in Parliament APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Scott, Baroness Stedman-Scott, Conservative, House of Lords Ellie Chowns MP, Green Uma Kumaran

Waterways APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Apologies for absence Apologies for absence had been received from Phil Brickell MP and Uma Kumaran

Climate Change APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Esterson MP, Abtisam Mohamed MP, Barry Gardiner MP, Deirdre Costigan MP, Uma Kumaran