Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the expected timetable is for the publication, parliamentary introduction, and enactment of a fully trans-inclusive ban on conversion therapy in England and Wales.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped.
We remain committed to bringing forward a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices as soon as possible.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to expand (a) early intervention and (b) targeted mental health support for women at risk of suicide in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country, including in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency, for both men and women. This includes transforming mental health services into 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, improving assertive outreach, expanding talking therapies, and giving patients better access to 24/7 support directly through the NHS App.
The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in 2023, identifies eight priority groups, including middle-aged men and pregnant women and new mothers, for targeted and tailored support at a national level. The strategy also identifies key risk factors for suicide, providing an opportunity for effective early intervention.
The purpose of the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England is to set out our aims to prevent suicide through action by working across the Government and other organisations. One of the key visions of the strategy is to reduce stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, so people feel able to seek help, including through the routes that work best for them. This includes raising awareness that no suicide is inevitable.
NHS England published Staying safe from suicide: Best practice guidance for safety assessment, formulation and management to support the Government’s work to reduce suicide and improve mental health services. The guidance requires all mental health practitioners to align their practice to the latest evidence in suicide prevention and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/staying-safe-from-suicide/
Through the Men’s Health Strategy, we are launching a groundbreaking partnership with the Premier League to tackle male suicide and improve mental health literacy, by embedding health messaging into the matchday experience.
We also announced the Suicide Prevention Support Pathfinders programme for middle-aged men. This program will invest up to £3.6 million over three years in areas of England where middle-aged men are at most risk taking their own lives and will tackle the barriers that they face in seeking support.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to expand (a) early intervention and (b) targeted mental health support for men at risk of suicide in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country, including in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency, for both men and women. This includes transforming mental health services into 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, improving assertive outreach, expanding talking therapies, and giving patients better access to 24/7 support directly through the NHS App.
The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in 2023, identifies eight priority groups, including middle-aged men and pregnant women and new mothers, for targeted and tailored support at a national level. The strategy also identifies key risk factors for suicide, providing an opportunity for effective early intervention.
The purpose of the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England is to set out our aims to prevent suicide through action by working across the Government and other organisations. One of the key visions of the strategy is to reduce stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, so people feel able to seek help, including through the routes that work best for them. This includes raising awareness that no suicide is inevitable.
NHS England published Staying safe from suicide: Best practice guidance for safety assessment, formulation and management to support the Government’s work to reduce suicide and improve mental health services. The guidance requires all mental health practitioners to align their practice to the latest evidence in suicide prevention and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/staying-safe-from-suicide/
Through the Men’s Health Strategy, we are launching a groundbreaking partnership with the Premier League to tackle male suicide and improve mental health literacy, by embedding health messaging into the matchday experience.
We also announced the Suicide Prevention Support Pathfinders programme for middle-aged men. This program will invest up to £3.6 million over three years in areas of England where middle-aged men are at most risk taking their own lives and will tackle the barriers that they face in seeking support.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they plan to have at the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and with the government of Saudi Arabia about the government of Saudi Arabia's refusal to ratify the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol on enrichment and reprocessing capabilities; and what assessment they have made of the government of Saudi Arabia's intentions regarding nuclear weapons.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Planning for the 2026 Review Conference is underway, including for outreach to a range of States' Parties, and our priority will be to ensure that the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains a vital pillar of international peace and security for decades to come. We will also use this Review Conference to underline UK support for the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards regime, including the universalisation of the Additional Protocol (AP). We routinely call on all states to abide by their NPT obligations and for states that have not yet done so to bring an AP into force as soon as possible, including - amongst others - the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 18 November (HL11601), whether they will now answer the question put: namely, what support, if any, they have offered or provided to the authorities of Israel through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative to strengthen prevention, documentation, and investigation of sexual violence in detention settings.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
In December 2024, a member of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Team of Experts was deployed to scope options on how the UK could best add value to the international response to conflict related sexual violence (CRSV) in Israel and Palestine, including support for the Israeli authorities, multilateral organisations and civil society, and survivors of CRSV.
Since that deployment, the UK has provided £3 million to the UN Population Fund to support the delivery of three new women and girls' safe spaces and shelters, the distribution of 50,000 dignity kits and 200,000 menstrual hygiene packs, and the strengthening of local capacity to support those affected by CRSV in Gaza.
Asked by: Lord Bradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) men, and (2) women, were detained in prisons as a place of safety in the last 12 months.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to question HL12779 to Baroness Chakrabarti on 16 December 2025.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to increase the number of women entering IT specialist fields.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government wants to unlock the full potential of the tech sector, and increasing women’s participation in IT is essential to achieving this. That’s why on Monday 15th December, we launched a Women in Tech Taskforce to identify and address the barriers that prevent women from entering and leading into tech careers.
The group is comprised of 14 prominent and diverse experts and industry leaders spanning technology, investment, entrepreneurship, and policy including BT’s first female chairman Allison Kirkby and Stemettes founder Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon. The taskforce will identify where interventions can have the biggest impact on increasing women’s participation in the sector and will develop practical recommendations for government.
In addition, programmes like the £187million TechFirst programme are helping build a more robust pipeline by providing training in AI and digital skills to support them into careers including cyber security, AI, quantum computing, software, data and more. Specific consideration is given to increasing participation among women and underrepresented groups.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 22 July (HL9363), what further steps they are taking, in coordination with international partners, to address ongoing gaps in support for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Tigray, including children; and what role they plan to play in leading efforts, through engagement with civil society actors, to ensure survivors receive sustained medical, psychological and legal assistance.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government monitors the environment for freedom of speech in Ethiopia, and has supported the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
We have also prioritised survivor-centred support for those affected by conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, and we engage with civil society actors to strengthen protection and accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and deliver child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
In addition, we are supporting efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of internally displaced people. On 12 December, the UK joined other nations in calling for a peaceful resolution of current disputes, and we will continue to work with international partners and the African Union to support stability and reconciliation across Ethiopia.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 1 April (HL5876), what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of these steps and of observing and monitoring the African Union on the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government monitors the environment for freedom of speech in Ethiopia, and has supported the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
We have also prioritised survivor-centred support for those affected by conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, and we engage with civil society actors to strengthen protection and accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and deliver child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
In addition, we are supporting efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of internally displaced people. On 12 December, the UK joined other nations in calling for a peaceful resolution of current disputes, and we will continue to work with international partners and the African Union to support stability and reconciliation across Ethiopia.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the needs of internally displaced persons in Ethiopia, and what discussions they are holding with the government of Ethiopia about the safe and voluntary return of displaced communities to their homes.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government monitors the environment for freedom of speech in Ethiopia, and has supported the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
We have also prioritised survivor-centred support for those affected by conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, and we engage with civil society actors to strengthen protection and accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and deliver child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
In addition, we are supporting efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of internally displaced people. On 12 December, the UK joined other nations in calling for a peaceful resolution of current disputes, and we will continue to work with international partners and the African Union to support stability and reconciliation across Ethiopia.