Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many administrative letters to individuals under the on-the-runs scheme were issued broken down by year.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
This information is publicly available at Appendix 4: Chronology of The Report of the Hallet Review: An Independent Review into the On the Runs Administrative Scheme, which can be found here.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to counter engagement with extreme online political content by members of the armed forces.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence remains vigilant to the risks associated with Service personnel engaging with extremist or extreme online political content and treats such matters with the utmost seriousness. Such behaviour is wholly incompatible with the values and standards of the Armed Forces.
Defence maintains clear expectations of conduct, requiring all personnel to uphold the core values of respect, integrity and commitment, and to adhere to strict rules on political impartiality. It also voluntarily applies the Government’s Prevent Duty. Service regulations set out clear restrictions on online and public activity to ensure personnel do not engage in behaviour that could undermine the reputation, neutrality or operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces. Through a combination of clear behavioural standards, mandatory training, counter-terrorism intelligence, vetting and robust personnel policies, Defence works to reduce the risk of Armed Forces personnel engaging with extreme online political content.
Asked by: Lord Stirrup (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with technology companies regarding the use of platforms such as Telegram for foreign intelligence recruitment and sabotage planning.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
In her speech on 9 December 2025, to mark the centenary of the Locarno Treaty, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the significant security challenge Russian interference poses to the UK and our partners. Cdr Dominic Murphy, the Met's head of counter-terrorism, has been clear that we are seeing younger people drawn into conducting this activity on behalf of foreign states and has urged parents to pay attention to what their children are doing online. The successful prosecution in March 2024 under the National Security Act of two individuals responsible for an East London Arson incident on a London warehouse, storing supplies and technology destined for Ukraine, stands as stark warning to the consequences of this activity. The Government continues to support our world class law enforcement agencies in disrupting state threats including through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) who have constructive relationships with the major social media platforms which have significant reach in the UK. DSIT engages with them on issues, emerging online narratives, or events that may pose a risk to UK public safety or national security.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of Conflict Management Dogs as a less-lethal option for Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers; and what plans she has to ensure that capability is maintained.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Armed policing capabilities are built upon ongoing assessments of operational threat and risk and are used in threat to life situations. The use of firearms by the police should always be the last resort, considered only where there is a serious risk to public or responder safety. Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSFOs) receive the highest level of police firearms training and can provide a second-wave response to more complex or long running attacks.
The Home Office works closely with the police to ensure they have the necessary capabilities and their capacities to respond to a range of incidents across the policing and counter-terrorism landscape, while respecting their operational independence from Government.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the opening of criminal cases against 122 foreign mercenaries fighting with the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, what inquiries they have made to (1) ascertain whether any of them are British citizens or residents, and (2) explore whether they could be prosecuted in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is deeply concerned by the use of foreign mercenaries in the Sudan conflict, and we would urge anyone with information of UK nationals seeking to act as mercenaries or otherwise participate in the conflict to share that information with the police, who would then be able to make evidence-based and operationally-independent decisions about whether to investigate or charge any such individuals. There are a wide range of criminal and terrorism offences that can be used to prosecute returning foreign fighters, which carry the possibility of a sentence up to and including life imprisonment. Decisions on prosecutions are taken independently by the police and Crown Prosecution Service on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their current assessment of whether the (1) Provisional Irish Republican Army, (2) Ulster Defence Association, or (3) Ulster Volunteer Force are active.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The PSNI and UK security agencies continually assess the threat, risk and harm posed by paramilitary, terrorist and organised crime groups to inform the most appropriate operational response.
Rightly, any criminality or threats – by individuals or groups, loyalist or republican - will be investigated by the PSNI and those responsible will be brought before the courts.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the United Arab Emirates has restricted funding for its students permitted to study in the UK; and what assessment they have made of levels of support for the Muslim Brotherhood and wider Islamist extremism on UK university campuses.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The UK provides a world-leading education system, especially in teaching and research in high-growth sectors. We welcome high-quality students from across the world, including from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
We are committed to challenging extremist narratives, disrupting radicalising groups, and tackling the causes of radicalisation. We have some of the strongest laws in the world to protect citizens from hatred and terrorism. The ‘Prevent duty’ guidance, recently updated to address evolving threats, and the government’s consistent review and proscription of extremist organisations, demonstrates our commitment to student welfare and safety.
The education sector plays a vital role in safeguarding learners from radicalisation and remains the highest contributor of referrals to the Prevent programme. We provide resources through the ‘Educate Against Hate’ website, helping pupils and staff understand terrorism risks and challenge extremist views.
The UK and UAE have a long-standing relationship. We will continue to discuss this matter with their government.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 99931, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of illegal number plates on national security, serious organised crime, terrorism and the effectiveness of ANPR systems.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Vehicle registration marks are essential for identifying vehicles involved in crime. Individuals engaged in serious and organised crime, terrorism and other high‑harm offending often rely on the UK’s road network to facilitate their criminal activities.
We work closely with policing partners, the DVLA and other agencies to understand and mitigate risks posed by illegal or obscured number plates. The Home Office supports efforts to prevent their use and to strengthen ANPR effectiveness through investment and enforcement activity. ANPR remains a valuable tool to help the police tackle crime and keep the road safe. We keep the effectiveness of ANPR use under regular review, to ensure it remains a robust tool for identifying vehicles of interest and those engaged in criminal activities.
Comprehensive advice and guidance is available via the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), which includes signposting to a suite of Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) products and counter-measures. The specialist advice regarding HVM includes up-to-date technical resources and best practice advice regarding their deployment, and is available from these organisations.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the debate on the NI Remedial Order on 21 January 2026 and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s recital of 800 legacy civil cases, how many of these are against the Ministry of Defence.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
A total of 123 claims directed against the Ministry of Defence and other public bodies will be unfrozen under the Remedial Order. The Department is currently named as a defendant in 966 claims, including those restarting following the Remedial Order. However, itis not the primary or sole defendant in all of these cases.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a police hotline for reporting incidents of political intimidation towards (a) Hong Kongers and (b) others in the UK by the Chinese Communist Party.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated, irrespective of where the threat emanates.
The Defending Democracy Taskforce’s review of TNR, carried out with Counter Terrorism Policing, examined how best to encourage reporting and ensure cases are taken seriously and handled appropriately.
Existing reporting functions are efficient, effective, and well recognised, with trained officers and staff handling crime reports 24/7. This enables immediate police deployment in emergencies and provides clear routes to escalate potential state‑linked incidents to Counter Terrorism Policing for expert assessment and victim support.
State threats training is being rolled out across all 45 territorial forces, including upskilling 999 call handlers on TNR, to strengthen frontline identification and response.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of state‑directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station. Allegations of unlawful activity will be handled sensitively, treated seriously, and swiftly investigated in line with UK law.