Asked by: Lord Allen of Kensington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to increase foreign direct investment into the UK.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
The Government has launched a modern Industrial Strategy, removing barriers to investment and improving access to finance to drive nationwide growth.
The expanded Office for Investment (OfI) offers enhanced commercial expertise and a broader regional presence, working closely with Mayors and Devolved Administrations to connect investors with high-potential opportunities across the UK.
The Government's commitment to wider regulatory reform will ensure that regulation proactively supports economic growth. This includes initiatives such as the Regulation Action Plan, which aims for a 25% reduction in business administration burdens, and embedding a growth duty for regulators. Through AI Growth Zones we will unlock large-scale compute capacity by creating locations where investment can happen quickly and confidently, driving investment and creating thousands of high-quality jobs.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposals in A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, published on 20 November, and Restoring Order and Control, updated on 21 November, on child poverty.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The earned settlement model, proposed in A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation. The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessment, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Our proposals in Restoring Order and Control are designed to encourage refugees to contribute and integrate into UK society and the economy. We will have due regard to our section 55 duties and consider the best interests of children as the policy is further developed.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government on what basis they have amended immigration rules in respect of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) to enable EUSS status holders to obtain an EUSS (Family) Travel permit from outside the United Kingdom without updating their UK Visas and Immigration account.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Changes to the EUSS travel permit (in Appendix EU (Family Permit)) were laid on 9 December and will come into force on 30 December. They enable all EUSS status holders to obtain an EUSS travel permit where they are unable to update their UK Visas and Immigration account, for example with the details of a new travel document, from outside the UK. This will help ensure EUSS status holders are not refused boarding by a carrier, or do not experience further difficulties when Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) are enforced from 25 February 2026.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the estimated total cost of the National Grid's Eryri Visual Impact Provision is; and by what date it will be completed.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold a specific estimate for the total cost or completion date of National Grid’s Eryri project. Responsibility for delivery and associated costs rests with National Grid under Ofgem’s regulatory framework.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the contribution by the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs of 23 October 2025, col 1111, on the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, whether her statement on promoting and supporting the seafood sector so that it can export across the world referred to the promotion of Scottish seafood by the Government.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the contribution by the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs of 23 October 2025, col 1111, on the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, whether the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund allocation for England will be used to promote the (a) UK or (b) English seafood sector.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the contribution by the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs of 23 October 2025, col 1111, on the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, which stakeholders informed the decision to devolve that funding; and what proportion of those were based in devolved countries.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to review the level of funding allocated to Scotland through the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been allocated to Scotland through the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 June 2025, Devolved Government Ministers set out their view that shares of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund (FCGF) should be devolved and administered by Devolved Governments.
On the 20 October 2025, it was announced that the FCGF would be devolved and delivered by Devolved Governments. Ahead of the announcement, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs confirmed allocations, using the Barnett formula in line with HM Treasury guidance for devolved policy areas such as fisheries, with Scotland expected to receive £28 million. The Government has no plans to review this level of funding.
This funding is in addition to the wider Spending Review settlements, which provide devolved governments with at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending.
Each administration has full discretion to target its share in line with local priorities, including seafood promotion and exports, and is responsible for engaging with its own industry. The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs continues to meet stakeholders across the UK and supports collaboration to maximise benefits for fishing and coastal communities.
The FCGF is being developed to support coastal communities. As part of this, officials are exploring how the fund might align with broader place-based approaches, including principles similar to those used in the Pride in Place programme.
We are working to finalise the necessary arrangements for the allocation of the FCGF and will provide an update on this to all Devolved Governments as soon as we are able to.
Asked by: Anneliese Midgley (Labour - Knowsley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that councils with above-average demand for children’s social care receive adequate resources under the revised needs-based formula.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The existing formula, last updated in 2013/14, is significantly outdated and no longer reflects current levels of need. Since then, many local authorities have experienced substantial changes in deprivation, child population density, and other factors that drive demand for services.
The Children and Young People’s Services formula provides a more accurate and robust assessment of each local authority’s relative need for children’s services. It does so by analysing a combination of child and neighbourhood characteristics that best predict whether a child will engage with social care. These include child‑level factors such as age, gender, and eligibility for free school meals, alongside neighbourhood indicators such as deprivation and poor health.
This approach ensures that councils with the greatest levels of relative need receive the largest shares of available funding, enabling them to effectively deliver vital services.