Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Person At Risk of Violence fee on victims of domestic violence; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making all personal details on the Individual Insolvency Register private.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The fees applied for Persons at Risk of Violence (PARV) orders should never have the effect of denying access to the courts. The government is presently reviewing the fee framework for PARV orders.

The government is also undertaking a wider review of the personal insolvency framework, which includes whether the Individual Insolvency Register should be private.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that families in all forms of temporary accommodation have access to adequate cooking facilities.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Our Homelessness Code of Guidance provides a summary of the homelessness legislation duties, powers and obligations on local housing authorities, including the quality standards of temporary accommodation.

Legislation is clear that temporary accommodation must be suitable for the needs of the household and that suitability of accommodation should be kept under review. Households may ask for a review of their accommodation if they feel it is unsuitable.

The Government will consult this year on a reformed Decent Homes Standard for the social and private rented sectors. It is the government’s intention that the Decent Homes Standard should apply to as much of the temporary accommodation sector as possible. We will consult on the detail of the new standard in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the (a) quality, (b) suitability and (c) adequacy of the nutrition of food provided to (i) babies and (ii) children in contingency asylum accommodation.

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

The Home Office remains committed to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of those staying in asylum accommodation. There are mechanisms in place to allow asylum seekers to request assistance, provide feedback and/or report issues, including any related to the provision of food for themselves or their children.

Found: Resolved, That Aphra Brandreth, Dan Carden, Claire Hazelgrove, Uma Kumaran, Blair McDougall, Abtisam

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

Found: Mary Glindon Anna Dixon Melanie Ward Marsha De Cordova Laurence Turner Anneliese Midgley Uma Kumaran

Found: Scott Arthur Dame Meg Hillier Marsha De Cordova Kirsteen Sullivan Helen Hayes Maya Ellis Uma Kumaran

Found: Scott Arthur Dame Meg Hillier Marsha De Cordova Kirsteen Sullivan Helen Hayes Maya Ellis Uma Kumaran

Found: Scott Arthur Dame Meg Hillier Marsha De Cordova Kirsteen Sullivan Helen Hayes Maya Ellis Uma Kumaran

Found: Scott Arthur Dame Meg Hillier Marsha De Cordova Kirsteen Sullivan Helen Hayes Maya Ellis Uma Kumaran

Found: Scott Arthur Dame Meg Hillier Marsha De Cordova Kirsteen Sullivan Helen Hayes Maya Ellis Uma Kumaran

Found: Mary Glindon Anna Dixon Melanie Ward Marsha De Cordova Laurence Turner Anneliese Midgley Uma Kumaran

Found: Ferguson Daniel Francis Mary Glindon Mr James Frith Mary Kelly Foy Helen Hayes Blair McDougall Uma Kumaran

Found: Mary Glindon Anna Dixon Melanie Ward Marsha De Cordova Laurence Turner Anneliese Midgley Uma Kumaran

Found: James Asser Danny Beales Mr Jonathan Brash Marsha De Cordova Rachael Maskell Sarah Champion Uma Kumaran

Found: Ferguson Daniel Francis Mary Glindon Mr James Frith Mary Kelly Foy Helen Hayes Blair McDougall Uma Kumaran

Found: James Asser Danny Beales Mr Jonathan Brash Marsha De Cordova Rachael Maskell Sarah Champion Uma Kumaran

Found: James Asser Danny Beales Mr Jonathan Brash Marsha De Cordova Rachael Maskell Sarah Champion Uma Kumaran

Found: James Asser Danny Beales Mr Jonathan Brash Marsha De Cordova Rachael Maskell Sarah Champion Uma Kumaran

Found: Ferguson Daniel Francis Mary Glindon Mr James Frith Mary Kelly Foy Helen Hayes Blair McDougall Uma Kumaran

Found: Meg Hillier Danny Beales Mr Jonathan Brash Marsha De Cordova Rachael Maskell Sarah Champion Uma Kumaran

Found: Ferguson Daniel Francis Mary Glindon Mr James Frith Mary Kelly Foy Helen Hayes Blair McDougall Uma Kumaran

Found: Helen Hayes Danny Beales Mr Jonathan Brash Marsha De Cordova Rachael Maskell Sarah Champion Uma Kumaran

Found: Margaret Mullane Danny Beales Mr Jonathan Brash Marsha De Cordova Rachael Maskell Sarah Champion Uma Kumaran

Found: Mary Glindon Anna Dixon Melanie Ward Marsha De Cordova Laurence Turner Anneliese Midgley Uma Kumaran

Submit Evidence (by 5 May 2025)

Although China is the UK’s fifth largest trading partner, the UK Government has, in recent years, described China as an “epoch-defining and systemic challenge”. Last November, the Foreign Secretary told the Committee that we need a consistent approach to China.