Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
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 protect British citizens abroad from (a) cybercrime and (b) digital asset theft.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides country specific travel advice and consular assistance to British nationals abroad. The FCDO also works in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and other agencies to raise public awareness through guidance and advice on global threats to help individuals, the public sector, and the Government to stay secure online. This guidance is applicable worldwide and addresses a range of cyber risks. If British nationals overseas are affected by cybercrime while overseas, they should contact the local police and, if necessary, seek consular support in line with our published services on gov.uk.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to recognise the State of Palestine following the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in Madrid.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. On the 25 May at the Madrid conference, I met with partners to discuss how to deliver a two-state solution with a reconstructed Gaza no longer run by Hamas. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact in achieving this reality and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace. We are clear that does not need to be at the end of a process. UK bilateral recognition is the single most important action the UK can take with regard to Palestinian statehood. That is why it is important to get the timing right so that it creates genuine momentum and is not simply a symbolic gesture. We are continuing to engage all partners on advancing a two-state solution and supporting the foundations of Palestinian statehood.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many sewage discharges there have been into the (a) River Bourne, (b) River Wey and (c) Hoe Stream in the last five years.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) has reviewed its records of sewage related pollution incidents in the Woking constituency in the last five years. This shows the Addlestone Bourne has had two incidents, the River Wey/Navigation has had one incident, and the Hoe Stream has had three incidents.
The EA continues to respond and investigate any significant pollution incidents.
The EA is currently transforming its regulatory approach including developing a larger specialised workforce and delivering a step change in inspections of Thames Water's permitted sites and associated enforcement.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered extending the remit of Woking Borough Council’s Commissioners to assist the new shadow unitary authority in Woking following local government reorganisation.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Commissioners were appointed to Woking Borough Council in 2023 to facilitate recovery and improvement, following historic commercial mismanagement and major governance failures, with the Council having accumulated an extraordinary level of debt, far exceeding usual levels of borrowing for a council of its size. Woking has required a significant programme of change to improve its financial position and ensure it is operating to the required standard; this work is ongoing.
I asked that Commissioner input be included in the development of robust unitarisation proposals for Surrey. I am currently considering the submissions for unitary local government that were received on 9 May. As I set out to the House on 3 June in the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS676, I will provide the House with a full update shortly. If there were a decision to implement a proposal for unitary local government in Surrey, I would expect that Commissioners’ input will continue to be important as part of the process of moving towards the establishment of unitary authorities.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a temporary Blue Badge scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Blue Badge scheme is primarily about helping people with a long-term disability that affects their capacity to access the goods and services they need to use. Anyone may be entitled to a badge if they meet the eligibility criteria.
The Department for Transport has previously issued local authorities with advice on how they could use existing powers to provide locally determined parking concessions within their areas. For example, some local authorities grant parking concessions to assist their elderly residents. The same powers could be used to help those with temporary disabilities.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many renewable energy projects are waiting to be connected to the National Grid.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Data from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) shows there were 1759 renewable energy projects in the transmission queue at the end of March 2025.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the length of time for which a driving theory test certificate is valid.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is important road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point a person drives unsupervised for the first time.
The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place to ensure a customer’s road safety knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards is current. This validity period is set in legislation, and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.
Ensuring learner drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the learning to drive process as new drivers are disproportionately casualties on our roads. Learners therefore need to pass another theory test if their two-year theory test certificate expires.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to prevent leaseholders from absorbing the cost of increases in insurance premiums for buildings undergoing remediation works for flammable cladding.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Leaseholders are usually responsible for paying for buildings insurance, according to the terms of their lease. Buildings insurance premiums for all buildings have risen considerably since the Grenfell tragedy; some leaseholders in buildings with fire safety defects are facing extremely high premiums. A Financial Conduct Authority report stated that premiums have risen by 94% for buildings without flammable cladding between 2016 and 2021, and by 187% for buildings with identified flammable cladding.
My officials are working with the insurance industry, as announced in the Remediation Acceleration Plan, to consider whether, for the duration of remediation programmes, government might support industry to reduce fire related liabilities, in order to reduce the high insurance bills some leaseholders are facing.
In addition to this, my Department has consulted on how to best ensure that landlords, freeholders and property managing agents do not receive excessive and opaque buildings insurance commissions at leaseholders’ expense as part of implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act. We will publish our response to this consultation in due course.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the use of block contracts for radiotherapy services, in the context of (a) recent trends in levels of patient numbers and (b) Lord Darzi's Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England, published in September 2024.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that the healthcare needs of local communities are met. These responsibilities include ensuring adequate healthcare provision, care, and wider support for local populations, including in remote and rural areas. This includes radiotherapy treatment. The Government will work to ensure that the best standard of healthcare is available no matter where people live.
Since April 2022, the responsibility for investing in new radiotherapy machines has been with local systems. However, the Government is investing £70 million of central funding to replace outdated radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to patients who need it. There are no current plans to review the use of block contracts for radiotherapy services.
All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26, including this one, will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process, which will conclude in June.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered providing dedicated capital funding for new (a) MRI and (b) CT scanners for radiotherapy departments.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the reforms needed to return to the 18-week Referral to Treatment (RTT) constitutional standard by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. This will include ensuring the diagnostic capacity, such as magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners, required to deliver on the standard.
As announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, capital spending is set to increase to £13.6 billion in 2025/26, representing record levels of capital investment into healthcare.
This settlement includes a £1.65 billion capital investment to fund new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners, and beds, supporting National Health Service performance across secondary and emergency care in 2025/26. Of this, £70 million will fund new radiotherapy machines to improve cancer treatment.
In addition, the Government is backing the NHS with over £4 billion in operational capital in 2025/26, enabling systems to allocate funding to local priorities such as replacement diagnostic and radiotherapy equipment.
All future spending commitments beyond 2025/26 will be determined through the next phase of the Spending Review process.