Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer 108352 of 29 January 2026 on Child Benefit: Maladministration, if the erroneous suspension of child benefits through the data sharing agreement was raised as part of the weekly feedback sharing; and if she will publish the communication.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Mechanisms for sharing weekly management information and feedback from compliance teams were in place. HMRC do not routinely publish information of this nature.
HMRC use international travel data and other checks to help tackle Child Benefit error and fraud, which is expected to save around £350 million over the next five years.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of people who are victims of human trafficking.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office does not have an up-to-date estimate of the number of victims of human trafficking. Understanding the true scale of modern slavery is difficult due to a few factors, including the hidden nature of the crime.
We understand from recent estimates by NGOs that well over 100,000 individuals in the UK may be affected by this crime.
Data on the number of identified potential victims of modern slavery in the UK, as indicated through National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referrals, are published every quarter. In total, 19,125 potential victims of modern slavery were referred in 2024 (with latest 2025 annual figures to be published later this month). We continually look to improve the quality and provision of these statistics. The NRM statistics publications can be found here: National Referral Mechanism statistics - GOV.UK.
The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring that all victims of human trafficking and modern slavery are effectively identified and supported to rebuild their lives, while taking action to bring those who exploit vulnerable people to justice.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of amending NHS dental contracts so that they apply to armed forces personnel and their families.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence is committed to maintaining a dentally fit Armed Forces to ensure operational capability and force generation. The Defence Medical Services (DMS) deliver dental care for all our Armed Forces personnel, from routine checkups, hygiene appointments and general dental care, while also deploying dentists on operations. Given the nature of this occupationally focussed care, it could not be delivered by the NHS.
Defence does not routinely provide dental care to Armed Forces families; this care is delivered by the NHS or Private Dental Practice. It is however recognised that families can face challenges in accessing this care owing to regular geographical moves. To address this, DMS have established a ‘Tiger Team’ in conjunction with Family Federation representation, NHS England (NHSE) and the Devolved Administrations. This cross-departmental team has already developed and launched significant signposting on the ‘Discover My Benefits’ website, providing families with the most up to date information on dentistry provision in their local area.
Defence remains committed to collaborating cross-government to ensure those who support our Armed Forces personnel are treated fairly and face no disadvantage when accessing public services.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the adequacy of armed forces personnel and their families' access to dental services.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence is committed to maintaining a dentally fit Armed Forces to ensure operational capability and force generation. The Defence Medical Services (DMS) deliver dental care for all our Armed Forces personnel, from routine checkups, hygiene appointments and general dental care, while also deploying dentists on operations. Given the nature of this occupationally focussed care, it could not be delivered by the NHS.
Defence does not routinely provide dental care to Armed Forces families; this care is delivered by the NHS or Private Dental Practice. It is however recognised that families can face challenges in accessing this care owing to regular geographical moves. To address this, DMS have established a ‘Tiger Team’ in conjunction with Family Federation representation, NHS England (NHSE) and the Devolved Administrations. This cross-departmental team has already developed and launched significant signposting on the ‘Discover My Benefits’ website, providing families with the most up to date information on dentistry provision in their local area.
Defence remains committed to collaborating cross-government to ensure those who support our Armed Forces personnel are treated fairly and face no disadvantage when accessing public services.
Asked by: Kevin Bonavia (Labour - Stevenage)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of coral bleaching; and what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle coral bleaching.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The impact of climate change and marine heatwaves on coral reefs is increasingly concerning. A network of global coral reef scientists under the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) confirmed the 4th global coral bleaching event in 2024. While we cannot yet quantify the full impact to reefs, we do know this is the largest bleaching event ever recorded. UK Government is currently working with international partners at the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network to develop the Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2025 report, which will combine monitoring data from over 120 countries to provide a comprehensive view of the status and trends of the world’s reefs.
We have taken action both at home and abroad to support a resilience-based management approach in addressing the range of threats facing coral reefs. By tackling local and regional threats and combined with action on climate change, we are supporting coral reefs to resist and recover from coral bleaching and changing environmental conditions. This includes funding the Coral Conservation in UK Overseas Territories working group to share best practice on reef management and support partnership working between UK Overseas Territories, committing £40.25 million to the Global Fund for Coral Reefs between 2021 and 2026 through our International Official Development Assistance Marine Programming, and contributing our scientific technical expertise to international organisations like ICRI and the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle the decline in native wild birds in (a) Yeovil constituency (b) Somerset and (c) the British Isles.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are committed to delivering our statutory biodiversity targets which will support the recovery and conservation of native wild birds.
At a local level, Defra has supported Somerset Council in preparing its Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which also covers the Yeovil constituency. Publication is expected shortly. The strategy will set out priorities for nature recovery and map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will benefit many species including native wild birds.
Nationally, government action to restore and create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042, alongside projects funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, will further support the conservation and recovery of a wide range of bird species. Within the farmland environment, Environmental Land Management schemes include actions that provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for a range of bird species.
In addition, to support delivery of our statutory species targets, Defra is developing a detailed Threatened Bird Recovery Plan. This plan aims to improve coordination, and drive the effective delivery, of actions to recover our most threatened bird species.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they had with conservation groups that have financially supported the Chagos marine reserve during negotiations with the government of Mauritius about the future protection of the environment on and around the islands.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 21 November 2025 to Question 90684, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what reassurance they have had from the government of Mauritius in relation to its capabilities to prevent illegal fishing in the Chagos Islands marine protected area since July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 21 November 2025 to Question 90684, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what commitments they have had from the government of Mauritius since July 2024 in relation to the conservation of the marine environment of the Chagos Islands marine protected area.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 21 November 2025 to Question 90684, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Mauritius in relation to the conservation of the environment of the Chagos Islands since July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 21 November 2025 to Question 90684, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.