Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of capacity pressures in secondary care, particularly at hospital front doors, including staffing levels and bed availability.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much additional funding has been allocated in the current financial year to expand secondary care capacity, including staffing and bed numbers.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what methodology is used by HMRC to determine a “low”, “medium” or “high” probity risk rating in the honours vetting process.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC’s role in the honours system is advisory and not decision making – it provides an advisory low, medium or high risk rating which is considered by the Honours Committees, alongside information from other departments, in their decision making.
The probity risk rating is based on information held at the time of the check. HMRC does not disclose taxpayer details. The legal basis for disclosure of the rating is set out in published Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with other government departments (see https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-awards-and-appointments) and the criteria for determining ratings are set out at Annex C of the MOUs. Senior HMRC officials receive reports of nominee’s tax behaviour and apply the published Risk Rating Matrix in the MoU to arrive at a rating. HMRC has been providing advisory risk ratings under this framework since 2023.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many prosecutions have there been for illegal lending in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Illegal money lenders, commonly known as loan sharks, are dangerous criminals who inflict serious harm on their victims. The Government funds specialist Illegal Money Lending Teams (IMLTs) operating across the UK to tackle their crimes. These teams investigate and prosecute illegal lenders while providing crucial support to victims. Details of the teams’ work and case studies are available at the Stop Loan Sharks website: https://www.stoploansharks.co.uk/.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made in meeting the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard in Washington and Gateshead South constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses have applications pending for banking licences.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Treasury does not hold this information. This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), which are operationally independent from government and responsible for authorising firms seeking to offer banking services. These organisations will each respond to the Honourable Member by letter, and a copy of the letters will be placed in the Library of the House of Commons.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the letter of 14 January 2025 from the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the Planning Inspectorate on the Chinese Embassy planning application, whether she had seen plans for the basement before sending that letter.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
An independent planning decision has been made by the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government. I can assure the Rt Hon Member that both the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have considered the full breadth of national security issues in relation to the proposed new Embassy.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on humanitarian access to detainees from El Fasher, Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November 2025, and to the most recent Urgent Question debate on 15 December 2025. The UK Government is working intensively with our international partners in an effort to end the violence in Sudan, secure humanitarian relief for the millions in need, and deliver justice for the victims of atrocities committed in this conflict. We will continue to keep the House updated on the latest developments, as we have done in recent months, including on critical issues such as the protection of civilians that the Rt Hon Member has raised.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help protect civilians in Geizira state in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November 2025, and to the most recent Urgent Question debate on 15 December 2025. The UK Government is working intensively with our international partners in an effort to end the violence in Sudan, secure humanitarian relief for the millions in need, and deliver justice for the victims of atrocities committed in this conflict. We will continue to keep the House updated on the latest developments, as we have done in recent months, including on critical issues such as the protection of civilians that the Rt Hon Member has raised.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's consultation entitled Make Work Pay: Right of Trade Unions to Access Workplaces, published on 23 October 2025, what discussions he has had with business organisations about the raising of the threshold to exempt SMEs with a headcount less than 250 employees.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As part of the consultation process, we engaged with business organisations and unions on proposals put forward in the public consultation, including the proposed exemption from statutory access provisions for employers of a certain size. We are carefully reviewing all responses to this consultation and will publish a formal response in due course.