Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangement governs the use of UK-based US fighter jets for interception taskings.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Permissions to utilise UK military bases by foreign partners are considered on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations' military operations.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on representations made by the US Ambassador regarding the suitability of Wylfa for gigawatt-scale nuclear energy production.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The US is one of our most important and longstanding international partners on civil nuclear and we are regularly in contact on civil nuclear matters.
The government has selected Wylfa as the site to host Britain’s first Small Modular Reactors. Meanwhile, to pursue the option of further large-scale nuclear, we have tasked Great British Energy - Nuclear with identifying suitable sites that could host a potential large-scale project.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 79231 on Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, what her planned timetable is for determining whether to include China in the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme; and what factors have determined that timetable.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As set out in the National Security Act 2023, the Secretary of State may make a specification under the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) where they consider it is reasonably necessary to do so to protect the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.
We look very carefully at which countries should be on the enhanced tier of the scheme, factoring in a broad range of considerations.
As I set out in the House of Commons on 20 January 2026, any changes to the countries listed will be brought to Parliament in the usual way.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK nationals have received Pension Credit for the following financial years a) 2024/25 b) 2025/2026, and what was the total value of Pension Credit paid to those non-UK nationals in each of those financial years.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The requested statistics are not held by the Department.
Entitlement to Pension Credit depends on a person’s residence or immigration status, including the requirement to have the right to reside and to be able to be treated as factually habitually resident in Great Britain. Foreign nationals must also have an immigration status that gives access to public funds, which most will not have until they have lived in the UK for at least 5 years.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that the consultation process for the independent review into foreign interference in UK politics remains (i) transparent and (ii) accessible to people outside major political parties.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Decisions made about the Rycroft Review, within the scope of its terms of reference, are a matter for the independent reviewer and his team.
The review team’s email address is published online alongside the terms of reference here.
The review findings will be delivered to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Security Minister by the end of March 2026.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of publishing a call for evidence for the independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Decisions made about the Rycroft Review, within the scope of its terms of reference, are a matter for the independent reviewer and his team.
The review team’s email address is published online alongside the terms of reference here.
The review findings will be delivered to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Security Minister by the end of March 2026.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking to combat disinformation about the United Kingdom posted online from overseas.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
As set out by the Foreign Secretary in the Locarno Speech on 9 December 2025, we recognise the threat that malign information operations including disinformation pose to our national security and overseas interests. We are working to reduce threats to the UK and our interests by identifying and taking direct action against threat networks upstream including through sanctions. We have sanctioned 38 actors engaged in foreign information manipulation and interference since October 2024. Alongside this we are focused on strategic communication and promoting factual and truthful information, and supporting media freedom. Across these efforts, we are working closely with our allies, strengthening our partnerships to jointly tackle shared threats.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what engagement has she had with the a) Independent Commission for Aid Impact and b) recipients of UK overseas development assistance, on future funding for the ICAI.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Minister for International Development's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.
The Independent Commission for Aid Impact's (ICAI) budget allocation for 2025/26 is £3.97 million. Details of its past funding can be found in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) annual reports and accounts, and decisions on its future funding will be announced in due course when we publish our allocations of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget up to 2028/29. The FCDO remains committed to full transparency and scrutiny of our ODA spend.
Over the previous five financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), ICAI have published on average 5.6 reviews and 1.6 shorter information notes per year. This financial year, ICAI have published 2 reviews to date.
Ministers and FCDO officials continue to have regular engagement with ICAI.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is she taking to ensure future scrutiny and transparency of UK overseas development and assistance.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Minister for International Development's appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where she addressed these issues at length.
The Independent Commission for Aid Impact's (ICAI) budget allocation for 2025/26 is £3.97 million. Details of its past funding can be found in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) annual reports and accounts, and decisions on its future funding will be announced in due course when we publish our allocations of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget up to 2028/29. The FCDO remains committed to full transparency and scrutiny of our ODA spend.
Over the previous five financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), ICAI have published on average 5.6 reviews and 1.6 shorter information notes per year. This financial year, ICAI have published 2 reviews to date.
Ministers and FCDO officials continue to have regular engagement with ICAI.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Passport Office issues clear instructions for applying for a passport for an adopted foreign national.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
All His Majesty’s Passport Office customer guidance is published on GOV.UK. The published guidance includes clear instructions on applying for a passport for an adopted foreign national at the following page: Getting a passport for your child: adopted or fostered
A customer would in the first instance, read Get a passport for your child: Apply for a first child passport, which provides wider instructions on applying for a passport for a child.
HM Passport Office guidance is under continuous review in order to ensure it aligns with legislation and reflects the most up to date information.