Asked by: Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what volume of ferrous scrap was imported into the UK in each of the last three calendar years, broken down by country of origin and by grade or category of scrap.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The data on imports of ferrous scrap is given in table 1. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com ). | |||
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Table 1: UK import volumes (kg) of Ferrous Scrap |
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Country | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
Not Declared | 100,666,973 | 119,323,136 | 110,711,763 |
Ireland | 58,409,303 | 62,163,906 | 54,568,750 |
Belgium | 10,620,084 | 11,853,794 | 385,988 |
Germany | 6,447,914 | 11,121,900 | 392,921 |
Netherlands | 3,600,562 | 5,603,047 | 1,460,658 |
UK | 1,783,716 | 4,873,692 | 705,830 |
United States | 451 | 137,270 | 2,211,158 |
France | 128,252 | 375,242 | 107,888 |
Canada | 2,880 |
| 372,743 |
Costa Rica | 106,506 |
| 25,000 |
Iceland | 110,610 | 9,610 | 6,490 |
Panama | 44,000 | 40,000 | 20,000 |
Spain |
| 2,003 | 99,660 |
Italy | 12,133 | 41,211 | 41,752 |
Malta | 24,100 | 41,760 |
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Norway |
| 51,060 |
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Czechia | 14,272 | 11,114 | 25,097 |
Israel |
| 48,830 |
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Lithuania |
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| 48,711 |
Estonia |
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| 29,241 |
Latvia |
| 24,000 |
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Congo (Dem. Rep) | 15,000 |
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Switzerland | 7,120 | 5,530 | 331 |
China | 158 | 2,041 | 4,380 |
Slovakia |
| 52 | 2,971 |
Sweden |
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| 2,674 |
Falkland Islands | 2,540 |
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India | 869 | 582 | 209 |
Jamaica |
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| 637 |
Oman | 228 |
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Comoros |
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| 180 |
Singapore |
| 54 |
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Somalia |
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| 15 |
Taiwan | 3 |
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Hungary | 1 |
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Grand Total | 181,997,675 | 215,729,834 | 171,225,047 |
Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics / UK TradeInfo.com | |||
Notes |
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• Data for 2023-2025 are for calendar years | |||
• HS8 72044110, 72044191, 72043000, 72044199, 72044910, 72044930, 72044990, 72045000 | |||
• Import trade is on a country of origin basis | |||
• 2025 is an open year and is therefore provisional and is subject to change | |||
• Country of origin is not required on trade declared through the Intrastat system | |||
Asked by: Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what volume of iron ore imports into the UK there was in each of the last three calendar years, broken down by (1) fines, (2) pellets, (3) lump ore and (4) other iron-bearing feedstocks, and by country of origin.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The data on imports of ferrous scrap is given in table 1.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com ).
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Table 1: UK import volumes (kg) of Iron ore per year, from 2023 to 2025 | |||
Country | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
Sweden | 944,860,000 | 650,899,243 | 909,881,920 |
Brazil | 1,293,175,122 | 524,445,534 | 598,107,272 |
Canada | 1,290,465,000 | 496,900,000 | 565,870,677 |
Norway | 1,187,212,714 | 368,949,807 | 27,807,184 |
United States | 596,604,115 | 492,035,282 | 215,978,363 |
South Africa | 745,243,000 | 16,017,200 | 188,157,000 |
Mauritania | 315,269,000 | 248,684,000 | 356,403,000 |
Liberia | 379,172,000 | 243,407,200 |
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India | 127,150,000 | 71,500,000 |
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Vatican City | 158,257,000 |
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Egypt | 92,702,000 | 46,135,000 |
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Uruguay | 47,868,000 | 82,184,000 |
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Libya | 49,597,000 | 47,248,000 |
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Netherlands | 329,102 | 78,165,633 | 278,805 |
Trinidad:Tobago |
| 43,061,000 |
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Australia | 35,718,811 |
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Turkey | 117,089 | 258,720 | 282,240 |
France | 27,193 |
| 1,920 |
Germany | 23,086 |
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Spain |
| 3,018 | 6,178 |
UK | 2,397 | 3,560 | 1,550 |
Chile | 450 |
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Sierra Leone |
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| 233 |
Ukraine |
| 203 |
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Italy |
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| 95 |
Ireland | 14 |
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China |
| 2 |
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Grand Total | 7,263,793,093 | 3,409,897,402 | 2,862,776,437 |
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| Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics / UK TradeInfo.com |
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Notes |
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• Data for 2023-2025 are for calendar years |
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• HS8 26011100, 260112000, 26012000 |
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• Import trade is on a country of origin basis |
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• 2025 is an open year and is therefore provisional and is subject to change | |||
• Country of origin is not required on trade declared through the Intrastat system | |||
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many UK students have studied abroad under the Turing scheme by country in the most recent year for which figures are available; and at what cost.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The 2023/24 academic year is the most recent year for which data is published on placements completed using Turing Scheme funding and the associated costs. In 2023/2024, 32,714 UK students took part in international placements through the Turing Scheme, travelling to 153 countries. The most popular destinations were Spain (4,728), France (3,178), Italy (1,841), the United States (2,468), Australia (1,002) and Japan (750).
Across all sectors, the scheme spent £82.8 million of funding in that year on placements for students in higher education, further education and vocational training, and schools. The department does not hold information on the cost of placements by individual destination country.
A full breakdown of destinations and funding is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/turing-scheme-funding-outcomes-2023-to-2024.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Polish counterpart on joining the Global Combat Air Programme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with his international counterparts on a range of issues.
We have always maintained that we remain open to others joining GCAP, however, the UK and GCAP partners, Italy and Japan, are focused on delivering this vital military capability at pace.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NHS medicines and medical devices depend on overseas supply chains, and what action is being taken to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Given the complexity and global nature of medical supply chains, the Department does not collect definitive data on the proportions of products dependent on overseas supply chains.
Many products rely on components sourced from overseas. For example many active pharmaceutical ingredients, the biologically active components that produce the intended therapeutic effect in medicines, have a license for manufacturing in India, Germany, China, Italy and the United States of America, and many of our finished medicine products have a license for manufacturing in India, and Germany, as per Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency licensing data in 2022.
The Government is taking forward a package of measures to strengthen domestic life sciences manufacturing capacity and reduce reliance on overseas supply chains. This includes committing up to £520 million through the Life Sciences Innovation Manufacturing Fund to support capital investment in United Kingdom based manufacturing of human medicines, medical diagnostics, and medical technologies. Alongside this, the Life Sciences Transformational Research and Development Investment Fund supports large‑scale, innovative research and development projects that create new or expanded research and development capabilities and strengthen the UK’s research base.
This sits alongside the Life Sciences Sector Plan, a ten‑year mission led jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, which includes action to improve National Health Service innovation and adoption, clearer procurement routes into the NHS, reformed incentives to support innovation, and faster regulatory approval for new medicines and technologies. These measures are reinforced through the Government’s Industrial Strategy, which identifies life sciences as a priority growth sector and focuses on creating a pro‑business environment that supports investment and strengthens UK manufacturing capability.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will list the countries who have agreed to receive nationals who have been convicted of an offence in the UK; and what the arrangements are with each of those countries on prisoners serving the full term of the sentence handed down by the UK courts.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The removal of Foreign National Offenders with no right to stay in the UK to serve their sentences in their home countries is established Government policy. Prisoner transfers operate under binding legal multilateral or bilateral frameworks, known as Prisoner Transfer Agreements (PTAs), which set out robust obligations for recognising and enforcing UK sentences in accordance with the terms agreed. Of the countries the UK has a PTA with (listed in PQ tabled 3 March 2026 with Unique Identifying Number 117419), the UK has utilised the respective PTA arrangements to transfer individuals to the following countries:
Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, the United States of America, and Vietnam.
Under a PTA, the receiving State is required to recognise the sentence imposed by the UK courts and to enforce the full sentence, in line with the terms of the agreement and with its own domestic legal framework.
Generally, the receiving State would only adapt the sentence if it is more than the maximum sentence in that State. As part of the transfer application process, partner countries provide details of their proposed release arrangements, which are assessed carefully before approval. The UK only agrees to a transfer when satisfied that the receiving State will enforce the sentence appropriately.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what forecast they have made of the UK tax-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio in (1) 2025–26, (2) 2026–27, (3) 2027–28, (4) 2028–29, and (5) 2029–30; and what comparative assessment they have made of the tax-to-GDP ratio of each of the G7 countries in each of those years.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published the latest Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) in March 2026[1]. This forecasts the tax-to-GDP ratio to change as follows: 2025-26 – 36.3%; 2026-27 – 37.0%; 2027-28 – 37.7%; 2028-29 – 37.8%; 2029-30 – 38.3%[2].
The UK’s current tax-to-GDP ratio is in the middle of the pack within the G7; lower than Italy (42.8%), France (43.5%) and Germany (38.0%), but above Japan (33.7%), Canada (34.9%) and the US (25.6%) based on the latest available OECD data. [3]
[1] https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2026/#
[2] https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2026/#, page 42
[3] Latest OECD data 2024, except Japan, which is from 2023.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which countries the UK has prisoner transfer agreements with.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Enhancing our bilateral prisoner transfer capability is a government priority. We remain fully committed to transferring eligible foreign national offenders from the UK so they can serve the remainder of their sentences in their home country, and to repatriating British nationals imprisoned overseas.
Compulsory bilateral agreements
The UK has compulsory bilateral prisoner transfer agreements (PTAs) with Albania, Ghana, Libya, Nigeria and Rwanda. These agreements state that the consent of the prisoner is not required for transfer, although both States must agree to the transfer. The UK has also recently signed a compulsory bilateral PTA with Italy, which is currently undergoing parliamentary scrutiny and has not yet been ratified.
Voluntary bilateral agreements
The UK also has voluntary bilateral PTAs, where the consent of the prisoner to transfer is required in addition to the agreement of both States, with the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Cuba, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, India, Iraq, Laos, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Thailand and Vietnam.
Multilateral arrangements
The UK has multilateral prisoner transfer arrangements with all States that are party to the 1983 Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. This includes:
All 27 European Union Member States.
NonEU Council of Europe members: Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Türkiye and Ukraine.
Non‑Council of Europe States (as the Convention is also open to non‑Council of Europe members): Australia, the Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ghana, Honduras, India, Israel, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Panama, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States of America and Venezuela.
The UK also participates in the Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted Offenders within the Commonwealth, which provides prisoner transfer arrangements with: Kenya, Malawi, Maldives, Botswana, Tonga and Uganda.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with international partners to help tackle organised immigration crime.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Immigration crime is an international problem, and it can only be solved through international cooperation.
That is why we have worked to develop agreements with France, Germany and Italy and others to break the business model of the criminal gangs, and why we are working upstream in Iraq, the Balkans, Ethiopia and elsewhere to disrupt smuggling supply chains, and reduce the drivers of illegal migration.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2026 to Question 107755 on Hospitality Industry VAT, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of lessons learned from (a) France, (b) Germany, (c) Italy and (d) the Republic of Ireland on introducing hospitality VAT rates.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is aware that some European countries apply reduced VAT rates to hospitality, reflecting different tax systems, policy choices and wider fiscal contexts.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Reduced rates of VAT come at a significant cost to the Exchequer, reduce the revenue available for vital public services, and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.
The Government keeps all taxes under review, with decisions on VAT rates taken by the Chancellor at fiscal events.