Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the UK fashion industry’s contribution to (a) economic growth and (b) employment in the UK.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The department engages with key businesses and trade associations across the UK to support the fashion and textiles industry’s resilience and growth, including export support. The department has strong relationships with the British Fashion Council and the UK Fashion and Textiles Association (UKFT). The latest report from the UKFT estimates the industry contributed around £62 billion to UK GDP in 2021, supporting 1.3 million jobs across the country.
Our Industrial Strategy will support fashion and the whole economy through an improved operating environment, long-term stability and greater dynamism for new entrants to emerge.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that experienced non-medical aesthetic practitioners are included in (a) consultations and (b) policy development on the regulation of cosmetic procedures.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In exploring options for the regulation of cosmetic procedures, the Department has engaged with a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives from the British Beauty Council and the Beauty Industry Group. The Department will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders in addressing concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector, and will notify them of any upcoming consultations on this area to which they can contribute.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with representative bodies of non-medical aesthetic practitioners on regulatory proposals for that sector.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In exploring options for the regulation of cosmetic procedures, the Department has engaged with a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives from the British Beauty Council and the Beauty Industry Group. The Department will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders in addressing concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector, and will notify them of any upcoming consultations on this area to which they can contribute.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's policies on maintaining the defibrillator network.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not maintain the automated external defibrillator (AED) network.
The Circuit is the independently operated national AED database, developed by a partnership of the British Heart Foundation, the National Health Service, the Resuscitation Council UK, and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives. The Circuit provides a national database of where defibrillators can be found so that ambulance services can quickly identify the nearest defibrillator. There are now over 100,000 defibrillators in the United Kingdom registered on The Circuit.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the human rights impact of the conflict in Myanmar on the indigenous people of Nagaland; and when Government representatives last visited Naga territories in (1) India, and (2) Myanmar.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK remains deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in Myanmar and its impact on all communities, including those in border regions. We are aware of reports that the violence and instability have affected indigenous populations in neighbouring areas, including the Naga people. We condemn all human rights atrocities committed in Myanmar, notably by the military regime. In April, we co-sponsored the UN Human Rights Council resolution on Myanmar calling for the military regime to fully respect and protect the human rights of all persons in Myanmar, including ethnic and religious minorities. British Officials have not recently visited the Naga territories in India, and have not been able to visit Naga territories in Myanmar since the coup in February 2021.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraphs 2.48 and 2.56 of the Spending Review Departmental Efficiency Plans 2025, what operational reforms will be delivered by the British Council; and what the cost of those reforms will be.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No decisions have been taken for the British Council's Grant-in-Aid funding for the next three years (2026/27 and beyond). This was not settled in the Spending Review and will be determined in the round, alongside our other Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Non-ODA allocations, in the autumn.
In the Spending Review, the Treasury asked the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) (along with most departments) to identify efficiency savings and model certain budget scenarios. The request we made of the British Council, to model scenarios equivalent to flat cash and a 2 per cent per year budget reduction, was in line with that Treasury request. No decisions on the British Council's global footprint have been taken.
The FCDO is supporting the British Council to deliver a financial turnaround plan to ensure the British Council's finances are returned to a stable footing.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to provide funding for public transport in Leicestershire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government is committed to supporting public transport across the country. That is why we have confirmed £955 million for 2025/26 to support and improve bus services in England outside London. On our trains, the planned Great British Railways will have a relentless focus on driving up standards for passengers, including simpler fares and ticketing.
The Government is providing £8.1 million to Leicestershire County Council in 2025/26 that the council can use to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities. We are also providing Leicestershire County Council with £12.3 million for 2025/26, and a total of £73.9 million from 2026/27 to 2029/30, in Local Transport Grant, which the council can use for maintenance and enhancements of its local transport network.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36916 on British Overseas Territories: Companies, what discussions he has had with the British Virgin Islands government on the reasons why it did not implement a register of beneficial ownership by the end of June 2025.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) committed to implement a register of beneficial ownership accessible to those with a legitimate interest offering the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst containing the necessary safeguards to protect the right to privacy in line with its constitution, by June 2025.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have been in regular contact with the BVI to press for improvements to its register and to ensure that it meets its JMC commitment. The BVI published an updated policy on its register on 23 June. In my discussions with Premier Wheatley, I will continue to make clear the importance of further improvements in the BVI's proposal, as well as timely delivery of the register. My Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July provides further details of the next steps.
I have raised this issue on a number of occasions recently with the Premier both bilaterally and in the context of wider meetings with OT leaders. I look forward to meeting him again in person soon to raise this and other matters. Our expectations remain the same.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 60563 on Livestock: Death, how many breaches of animal welfare regulations during periods of extreme weather have been recorded by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in each of the last five years.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was made aware that the meat chicken sector experienced high mortality during the heat spell in July 2022. when an estimate of four million meat chickens died of heat stroke during two days of extreme heat. APHA inspectors visited 31 affected premises; in addition to the required regulatory actions, APHA has been liaising with the British Poultry council to raise awareness on the most common findings to allow appropriate contingency actions to be promptly implemented. Inspectors from APHA have been conducting follow-up inspections to monitor compliance on seven premises in 2023 (one disclosed as non-compliant) and ten premises in 2024 (with no non-compliances disclosed).
In addition to that, the Agency continue investigating allegations of potential animal welfare breaches however no specific figures are collected to identify the non-compliances specifically related to extreme weather conditions. Where incidents of unnecessary suffering caused on farm or by transporting animals in extreme weather are identified, APHA will take appropriate regulatory action which may include the suspension of transporter authorisations. The Local Authority is notified and supported by APHA in any investigation carried out including those where enforcement actions are deemed necessary.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Houthi rebels in Yemen on the interests of (a) the UK and (b) UK allies.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Over the last 19 months, the Houthis have conducted attacks against international commercial shipping, as well as British and American warships. This has violated the principle of freedom of navigation, further destabilised the region, and caused the peace process in Yemen to stall. In addition, the Houthis have waged economic warfare against the Government of Yemen and obstructed humanitarian aid from reaching Yemenis in need.
The UK has underlined these concerns at the UN Security Council alongside our international partners.
The best route towards a secure, stable and prosperous future for Yemen is through an inclusive peace process, under the auspices of the UN Special Envoy, and negotiated political settlement.
Furthermore, the UK continues to call for de-escalation within the region. We have long been clear about our concerns over Iran's political, financial and military support to militant and proscribed groups, including the Houthis.