Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that broadband infrastructure providers complete full fibre rollout in areas where initial deployment was incomplete; and what steps she is taking to ensure that residents in those areas have access to adequate broadband connectivity.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are committed to ensuring 99% of premises receive gigabit coverage by 2032. We will continue to work in partnership with industry to deliver the fibre rollout and will maintain a stable pro-competition regulatory environment to encourage private investment.
However, where network operators choose to deploy their services in commercially viable areas is a commercial matter, and the government will not intervene in private business decisions.
Through Project Gigabit, we are addressing gaps in coverage by delivering gigabit-capable connections to premises not included in suppliers’ plans. As of the end of September 2025, over 1.3 million premises in hard-to-reach communities across the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes.
Alongside this, over one million further premises have been included within contracts to provide access to gigabit-capable broadband, with funding of over £2.4 billion through Project Gigabit.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have considered any revised methods of allocation of the Charity Research Support Fund.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the Charity Research Support Fund as an important mechanism to help universities meet the indirect costs of charity-funded research. Its effectiveness is being assessed through Research England’s Strategic Institutional Research Funding (SIRF) review and the UKRI Transparency Programme. The review will explore the effectiveness, impact, allocation mechanisms and transparent uses of SIRF, and how it delivers on its aims and objectives. Findings from the SIRF review will be published alongside those from the Transparency Programme, with reporting expected soon after the end of academic year 2025-26. Any changes to the allocation methods will be considered following the publication of review findings.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria her Department plans to use to evaluate bids for funding under forthcoming peacebuilding programmes for Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has announced plans to host a key peacebuilding conference on 12 March next year, which will bring together international experts and civil society organisations from the Middle East, to map existing peace-building work and support the establishment of an International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine. All further details such as the staffing of this work, international partners attending the conference, and the evaluation of funding bids, will be set out in the usual way in due course.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his department is taking to prevent people from dying in poverty.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 December 2025 to Question UIN 96586.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce loneliness among (a) younger and (b) older demographics in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The most recent Community Life Survey, which also looks at data on a local authority level, shows that 7% of adults in England (over three million people) say they are lonely.
This Government is committed to supporting people to have the social connections they need across the nation, including in Surrey and Surrey Heath. This is a key part of achieving wider government priorities including a healthier, more connected society and ensuring opportunities for all. Rather than treating loneliness as a stand alone issue we are embedding this across wider government strategies, including the National Youth Strategy, the Pride in Place Strategy and the Men’s Health Strategy.
This government funds the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online community which enables over 1000 members to connect across sectors in England, share insights, and collaborate. My department is currently exploring how to make the Hub even more accessible to a broader range of people whose work can reduce loneliness and improve social connection.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential economic impact of the Information Commissioner's Office's proposed regulatory approach to online advertising on the publishing sector.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government recognises the importance of supporting the growth of the UK’s publishing sector - one of our most successful and long-standing creative industries.
We welcome the Information Commisisoner’s Office’s (ICO) work in this area. The ICO are currently examining whether additional exceptions to the cookies consent requirements in the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 could be made to support online advertising while maintaining users’ privacy standards. We will be considering the ICO’s recommendations, and their potential impact, carefully in due course.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Information Commissioner's Office's approach to regulation of online advertising on economic growth in creative industries.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government recognises the importance of supporting the growth of the UK’s publishing sector - one of our most successful and long-standing creative industries.
We welcome the Information Commisisoner’s Office’s (ICO) work in this area. The ICO are currently examining whether additional exceptions to the cookies consent requirements in the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 could be made to support online advertising while maintaining users’ privacy standards. We will be considering the ICO’s recommendations, and their potential impact, carefully in due course.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the (a) name, (b) job title, (c) annual remuneration, (d) time commitment and (e) expected end date is for each direct ministerial appointment in her Department.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
There are currently no direct ministerial appointments at the Wales Office.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accuracy of Home Office travel data used in determining immigration status; whether this has involved 24,000 families having their child benefit stopped; whether any failures in accurate determinations would breach the principles of accuracy, fairness and transparency set out in the UK General Data Protection Regulation; and whether they plan to cease the use of Home Office data in assessing immigration status.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC do not use Home Office international travel data to determine immigration status. HMRC uses the data as a starting point for identifying potential unreported absences from the UK. Undetected changes to an individual’s residency status are a leading cause of Child Benefit error and fraud.
HMRC’s Chief Executive wrote to the Treasury Select Committee on 14 November 2025 about this matter including the corrective action that HMRC is taking. This letter was subsequently published by the Committee on 18 November 2025.
It was understood from the outset and made clear by the Home Office that its international travel data could not be used in isolation to determine Child Benefit entitlement, therefore requiring HMRC to conduct its own checks and enquires with recipients to establish eligibility. The same data was used during a pilot in 2024 which allowed HMRC to focus their enquiries on less than 2% of recipients while preventing £17m in incorrect payments. This led to the expansion of the measure and investment in an additional 180 counter-fraud staff, announced at the Budget in 2024 and is expected to save around £350 million over the next five years.
When using international travel data complemented by a check of UK employment using the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system, HMRC will no longer suspend payments at the outset of its enquiries. Instead, recipients will be given at least one month to evidence their entitlement. HMRC will continue to iterate the process where its monitoring and learning suggests that it should make further changes.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the time taken for the Crown Prosecution Service to reach charging decisions in cases involving alleged breaches of Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 in (a) general and (b) the case of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Crown Prosecution Service has issued proceedings under Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023, in relation to one case, since it was commenced on 31 October 2024.
As a former Home Secretary, she will understand that the Government cannot comment on any live investigations or criminal proceedings.