theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Football Association's decision to scrap FA cup replays on the financial sustainability of (a) EFL teams and (b) non-league football teams. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government recognises the emotive and financial significance of the FA Cup, especially for smaller clubs.

The matter of FA Cup scheduling, including replays, is ultimately a matter for the football authorities. We expect the FA and Premier League to consult with the EFL and other leagues further down the pyramid on moves such as this and reach agreements collectively.
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Dr Ben Spencer:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Government Office for Technology Transfer on their approach to supporting market innovation into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024. \p Feryal Clark: The Secretary of State has not had any conversations with the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) on this topic. GOTT helps to accelerate government’s innovations towards the market to impact growth and deliver new products and services for citizens.

Government, however, welcomes research on this important topic and has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of harmful and illegal generative AI content and to identify future research priorities.
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Dr Ben Spencer:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Research England on their approach to supporting research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing child sexual abuse images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024. \p Feryal Clark: The government has regular meetings with research and business organisations on matters relating to online safety and AI. The Online Safety Act places duties on platforms to proactively detect, prevent and remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including CSAM content created using AI technology. Ofcom has set out steps providers can take for these duties in draft codes of practice and will develop these iteratively. These steps include measures to detect, prevent and remove CSAM. The Act requires Ofcom to consult extensively when drafting its codes and Ofcom has an ongoing programme of research. The first code is due to come into force in Spring 2025.
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Dr Ben Spencer:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to regulate the (a) detection, (b) prevention and (c) removal of deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence. \p Feryal Clark: Government made a clear manifesto commitment to ban the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images and we are bringing forward legislation to honour that commitment in the Crime and Policing Bill.

Under the Online Safety Act, it is already a criminal offence to share or threaten to share a sexually explicit deepfake.

We have designated the most harmful forms of deepfakes as priority illegal content, including child sexual exploitation and abuse and intimate image abuse. Services in scope will need to take proactive steps to prevent priority illegal content from appearing on their service and remove it quickly when it does.
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Dr Ben Spencer:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Regulatory Innovation Office on UK research into (a) detecting, (b) preventing and (c) removing deepfake images created by generative Artificial Intelligence since July 2024. \p Feryal Clark: AI-generated content is captured by the Online Safety Act where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children on an in-scope service. We will also criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes through the Crime and Policing Bill.

We welcome research on this important topic. DSIT co-led the Deepfake Detection Challenge with the Home Office to assess existing capabilities and identify innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of deepfakes. In addition, we have engaged with a range of stakeholders across industry, academia and civil society to understand the potential for further detection, prevention and removal of deepfake content and identify future research priorities.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether Slack is permitted as an (a) corporate and (b) non-corporate communication channel in Government. \p Feryal Clark: There is no specific policy on use of Slack across Government.

Slack is used by Digital, Data and Technology Professionals in Departments for cross Government communication.

The Central Digital and Data Office have set out the Technology Code of Practice
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Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of an opt-out for AI and copyright on digital competition. \p Feryal Clark: The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

This consultation seeks views on a number of issues relating to copyright and AI, including on how to give rights holders of creative works greater control over use of their material.

Information and evidence on the impact of a rights-reservation (or “opt-out”), including the impact on digital competition, is welcomed to help shape Government’s thinking.

The consultation closes on 25 February.
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Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that local magazine publishers (a) nationally and (b) in Southampton Test constituency can access licensing deals with AI developers. \p Feryal Clark: Copying protected material will infringe copyright unless it is licensed, or an exception to copyright applies.

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

The consultation seeks views on how to give rights holders of creative works greater control over use of their material. Where rights holders reserve their rights, they can license their works for AI training, if they wish. The consultation seeks views on whether more should be done to support good licensing practice.

The consultation closes on 25 February.
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Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of an opt-out for AI and copyright on smaller and medium-sized publishing businesses. \p Feryal Clark: The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

One of the proposals in the consultation is for a rights-reservation, or “opt-out”, approach to the use of copyright material for AI training. The government wants to ensure that any measures are practical and effective for businesses of all sizes.

Information and evidence is welcomed from all sizes of business, to help shape the Government’s thinking.

The consultation closes on 25 February.
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Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local magazine publishers (a) nationally and (b) in Southampton Test constituency are protected against copyright infringement from AI developers. \p Feryal Clark: Copying protected material in the UK will infringe copyright unless it is licensed, or an exception to copyright applies.

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

The consultation seeks views on how to give rights holders of creative works greater control over use of their material, and greater transparency about when their material is used to train AI models, while supporting the development of world-leading AI models in the UK.

The consultation closes on 25 February.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require (a) Instagram and (b) other social media channels to add posting dates to all posts. \p Feryal Clark: The government is committed to making the internet safer. Media literacy can help users engage critically with online content, including contextual data and labelling. Since 2022, DSIT has provided £3 million in funding for media literacy projects that empower users to navigate the online world safely.

The Online Safety Act updated Ofcom’s statutory media literacy duty by placing targeted duties on the regulator to help the public assess the reliability, accuracy and authenticity of content on services. Ofcom has published a three-year media literacy strategy that emphasises collaboration with platforms. We look forward to working with them as they implement these strategies.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that generative AI does not undermine creative industries. \p Feryal Clark: The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024. It seeks views on how to create clarity in this area, to promote growth and investment in both the creative industries and AI sector.

Through this consultation, the Government aims to ensure that right holders in the creative industries can control and be remunerated for the use of their work, while supporting the development of world-leading AI models in the UK.

The Government recognises that this is a complex area and welcomes all views and evidence to help shape its thinking.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what transparency obligations his Department plans to introduce on generative AI developers. \p Feryal Clark: The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

This consultation seeks views on a number of issues relating to copyright and AI, including on how to achieve proportionate levels of transparency from AI developers over their training sources.

The success of any new approach to copyright and AI will depend on stronger trust between AI developers and rights holders. That is why transparency is one of the three primary objectives underpinning the Government’s approach to this work.

The consultation closes on 25 February.
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Mike Amesbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help reduce barriers to the roll-out of gigabit broadband to rural areas. \p Chris Bryant: We continue to work to remove barriers to the deployment of digital infrastructure, including working with Highways Authorities and operators to trial a more flexible street works permitting system and implementing the remaining provisions of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.

Earlier this month, we announced the signature of four new Project Gigabit contracts with Openreach, to roll out gigabit broadband to over 130,000 premises in rural and hard-to-reach areas. More than £2 billion of contracts have now been signed, that will bring fast, reliable broadband to over a million premises in predominantly rural areas.
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Tonia Antoniazzi:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the (a) reliability, (b) accuracy and (c) consistency of personal identity data on sex held by (i) HM Passport Office, (ii) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and (iii) the NHS in the context of the digital verification services framework. \p Feryal Clark: The digital verification services (DVS) framework seeks to create rules for how those services operate. The DVS framework doesn’t create new ways to determine a person’s sex or gender. Nor does it intervene with how government departments record and store this and other identity data. Under data protection law, personal data which is processed must be accurate.

Government believes processing accurate data is essential to deliver services meeting citizens’ needs. Public sector data about sex and gender is collected based on user and departmental needs and in compliance with any applicable legislation.

The Government Statistical Service published a work plan for updated, harmonised standards and guidance on sex and gender in December 2024. This will align with the Office for Statistics Regulation guidance on collecting and reporting data about sex and gender identity, which was published in February 2024.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled Appointment of Matt Clifford CBE as the AI Opportunities Adviser, published on 13 January 2025, whether the AI Opportunities Adviser is a (a) direct ministerial appointment and (b) unpaid special adviser; whether he has made a declaration of political activity; and what his financial interests are. \p Feryal Clark: Matt Clifford CBE, a leading tech entrepreneur and Chair of ARIA, was directly appointed as the Prime Minister’s AI Opportunities Adviser. This is an unpaid role where Matt will report directly to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for DSIT. As the PM’s AI Opportunities Adviser, he will bring together a team across No10 and DSIT to seize AI opportunities and build the UK’s AI capabilities, delivering on the Plan for Change.   Matt Clifford has declared his outside interests and agreed a series of mitigations, with DSIT’s Permanent Secretary, to address any potential conflicts of interest. These are published on gov.uk
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Dr Rupa Huq:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing introducing individual (a) licencing and (b) partnerships for AI companies. \p Feryal Clark: The Government’s consultation on AI and Copyright sets out its goal of strengthening right holders’ control of their material and ability to be renumerated for its use through licensing. This would help deliver a balanced copyright framework for AI, alongside increased transparency and enhanced access to material for AI training.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether it is Government policy to allow public servants time off to donate (a) blood and (b) plasma. \p Georgia Gould: There is no central policy, across the Civil Service, which provides time-off to donate (a) blood and (b) plasma.

Departments can provide employees with time off to donate blood and plasma.
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Sir Gavin Williamson:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the mean age of death was of deaths related to volatile substances in England and Wales from 2021 to 2023. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

Letter from the National Statistician (pdf, 127.2KB)
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2024 to Question 10436 on Special Advisers: Training and with reference to the Freedom of Information Act request with reference FOI2024/14571, for what reason the requested information was released under the Freedom of Information Act; and if he will publish that response. \p Georgia Gould: All Freedom of Information requests are considered on their individual merits in accordance with the relevant legislation. A copy of the information released in the response will be deposited in the House Library.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to para 3.3 of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Cabinet Office and the UK Statistics Authority, published on 30 April 2020, and pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2025 to Question 21345 on Eurostat: Office for National Statistics, whether the Office for National Statistics plans to publish the agreement with Eurostat on statistical cooperation. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 14th January is attached.

Letter from the National Statistician (pdf, 103.7KB)
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Ben Lake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, of the deaths registered in Wales between 9 September 2024 and 31 December 2024 and which were not reported to the Coroner, how long on average did it take for a certificate for (a) burial or (b) cremation to be issued. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

Letter from the National Statistician (pdf, 114.1KB)
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish the revised Gender Reassignment policy. \p Georgia Gould: The current model Gender Reassignment HR policy and guidance was issued in 2019. A review to update it was started in 2023 under the previous administration and this is ongoing. A revised version will be shared with departments in due course.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 19 November 2024 to Question HL2339, on Cabinet Office: TikTok, how many staff are assigned to the New Media Unit; whether it includes special advisers; and whether it is based inside (a) 10 Downing Street and (b) the Cabinet Office. \p Georgia Gould: The New Media Unit will initially draw expertise through departmental staff loans and will sit within the Cabinet Office with oversight from the Prime Minister's Office.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to lay an Official Statistics Order to designate Skills England’s statistical outputs as official statistics. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 13th January is attached.

Letter from the National Statistician (pdf, 107.8KB)
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued recent guidance on the appointment of consultant lobbyists as non-executive directors of Government Departments. \p Georgia Gould: There has been no change to the guidance or rules relating to the appointment of non-executive directors of Government Departments since the General Election.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 December 2024 to Question 20828 on the National Security Adviser, whether the new National Security Adviser (a) attends, (b) chairs and (c) otherwise participates in any Cabinet (i) committees and (ii) subcommittees; whether he has any role in the (A) preparation, (B) drafting, (C) clearance and (D) approval of (1) agenda items, (2) minutes and (3) other documentation related to Cabinet (a) committee and (b) subcommittee meetings; and for what reason he was appointed as a special adviser rather than as a civil servant. \p Georgia Gould: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees, their attendance, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly. The appointment of special advisers is at the discretion of the Prime Minister in compliance with the relevant codes.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 10698 on Ministers: Official Residences, who was allocated Admiralty House on a time limited basis. \p Georgia Gould: Between 9 September 2024 and 4 November 2024 one of the flats in Admiralty House was allocated to the Secretary of State for Defence, on a limited time basis.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14712 on Honours: Public Appointments, if he will list the assessment panel members for each of those competitions (a) before they closed and (b) after they re-opened. \p Georgia Gould: Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14712 on Honours: Public Appointments, the assessment panel members for each of the competitions mentioned (a) before they closed and (b) after they re-opened are as follows:

(i) Community and Voluntary Service:

Panel before the advert closed: The Rt Hon Nick Hurd - Chair, Community and Voluntary Service Honours Committee; Meenal Sachdev - Co-Founder of Connect India (independent panel member); Alison Bennett - (then) Deputy Director, Honours and Appointments Secretariat, Cabinet Office.

Panel after advert re-opened: The Rt Hon Nick Hurd - Chair, Community and Voluntary Service Honours Committee; Vijay Krishnarayan - former Director, Commonwealth Foundation (independent panel member); Official from the Honours and Memorialisation Secretariats, Cabinet Office.

(ii) Parliamentary and Political Service:

Panel before the advert closed: Lord Sherbourne - Chair, Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee; Natascha Engel - former MP (independent panel member); Alison Bennett - (then) Deputy Director, Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

Panel after advert re-opened: Lord Sherbourne - Chair, Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee; Natascha Engel - former MP (independent panel member); Clare Brunton OBE - Deputy Director, Honours and Memorialisation

Secretariats.

(iii) Diversity and Outreach (formerly called Representation and Outreach):

Panel before advert closed: Sir Chris Wormald KCB - (then) Chair, Main Honours Committee, Mary Mcleod - CEO, Business in the Community; Alison Bennett - (then) Deputy Director, Honours and Appointments Secretariat, Cabinet Office.

Panel after advert reopened: Sir Chris Wormald KCB - (then) Chair, Main Honours Committee (this was what was advertised - he will now be replaced by Dame Tamara Finkelstein as the new Chair, Main Honours Committee); Official from the Honours and Memorialisation Secretariats. The independent panel member has not yet been confirmed.

As is longstanding practice, officials in the delegated grades (i.e. who are not Senior Civil Servants) are not normally named publicly.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2025 to Question 21256 on Film: Marketing, where on gov.uk her Department plans to publish departmental spending on (a) branding and (b) official events. \p Georgia Gould: Departmental spending that meets the criteria are published in gov.uk transparency data publications, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce trade barriers with the EU. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The Government is committed to resetting our EU relationship, including by reducing barriers to trade. We will seek a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to reduce unnecessary border checks and mutual recognition for professional qualifications, as well as helping our touring artists. We look forward to exploring these issues with our partners in the EU.
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of a youth mobility system between the United Kingdom and European Union. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The Government set out clear priorities for the reset with the EU in the manifesto. There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to improve relations with the European Union. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The Government is resetting the relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties and tackle shared challenges. The Prime Minister and President of the European Commission have agreed to strengthen the relationship between the EU and UK, putting it on a more solid, positive and forward-looking relationship . I am taking forward discussions with my EU counterpart, Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have used AI in the last 12 months. \p Georgia Gould: As the Prime Minister made clear in his speech last week at the launch of the Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, AI can be used to radically improve public services, and we are determined to harness its potential.

Ministers and officials in the Cabinet Office have access to a range of technology solutions and platforms to undertake business activities, including AI tools, to improve efficiency and productivity. For example, the Cabinet Office uses an algorithm to automate the review of digital records in order to determine which records should be permanently preserved. The Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard entry can be found here.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, if he will commission a public review into the potential impact of the delivery of that Plan’s milestones on areas of public policy not covered in that Plan. \p Ellie Reeves: The Plan for Change sets out clear and transparent milestones, and our plan to achieve them. These milestones will allow the public to track our progress and hold the government to account for their delivery. We will deliver the government’s manifesto while relentlessly pursuing these milestones.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the document entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, what criteria his Department plans to use to assess the progress made on each of the Government's five key missions; and how frequently the Government plans to update Parliament on the status of each mission. \p Ellie Reeves: The Plan for Change sets out clear and transparent milestones, and our plan to achieve them. These milestones will allow the public to track our progress and hold the government to account for their delivery. Missions are data-driven; a range of published sources offer insights on progress.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Prime Minister will ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to return part of her salary. \p Georgia Gould: No. The Chancellor is paid according to the usual arrangements for ministerial salaries, which are unchanged since the previous government.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will issue new guidance to (a) the civil service and (b) public bodies to prevent practices which limit (i) recruitment and (ii) internships on the basis of protected characteristics. \p Georgia Gould: Individual departments are responsible for recruitment decisions and they are required to meet all obligations of relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010. If a department wants to restrict an internship programme to a specific group or groups, it would be expected to ensure on a case by case basis that it complies with the relevant legislation. As a result, as was the case under the previous administration, no central guidance is provided on this matter.
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Tonia Antoniazzi:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Regulation (EU) 2023/956 on Northern Ireland in the context of the terms of the Windsor Framework. \p Hilary Benn: The Government plans to apply the UK CBAM across the whole UK, including Northern Ireland, from 2027. The UK will continue to work with international partners, including the EU, to ensure our approach is implemented in a way that works for businesses.

The EU's CBAM could only apply in Northern Ireland with the agreement of the UK and in line with the democratic safeguards of the Windsor Framework.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_214

David Reed:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 17490 on Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence: Artificial Intelligence, what the breakdown is between (a) public and (b) private sector involvement in the (i) development and (ii) deployment of (A) machine learning and (B) artificial intelligence technologies within the Armed Forces. \p Maria Eagle: Many AI technologies, including machine learning, have dual uses and are developed across a broad technology ecosystem. Defence needs to leverage expertise from this ecosystem to solve critical military problems and maintain its edge. The Defence AI Centre (DAIC) and CommercialX are leading efforts to engage with technology suppliers through simplified processes and better cross-Ministry of Defence (MOD) coordination.

Most Defence AI and ML projects will use both in-house and external expertise. Differentiating between public and private sector involvement at a pan-Defence macro level is challenging and not currently tracked. AI deployments within the Department must follow MOD's Responsible AI policy, as outlined in Joint Services Publication 936 (Dependable AI).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_215

Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department, will take steps to ensure the workforce that produced the Eurofighter Typhoon is retained for future defence projects. \p Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) values the world class skills demonstrated by the Eurofighter consortium across partner nations in delivering the Typhoon aircraft. The MOD continues to invest in Typhoon to maintain the Royal Air Force's cutting edge military capability, as well as supporting our industry partners in pursuing export opportunities.

The Global Combat Air Programme, which is delivering the next generation combat air capability, is building on the Typhoon skills base. There are already over 3,500 skilled people working on the programme spread right across the UK, within the MOD and our industry partners.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_216

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential dangers posed by explosive ordnance on international exports and imports. \p Maria Eagle: The export of explosive ordnance would require a UK export licence. The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) are the UK's strategic licensing authority for such goods.

Imports of civil explosives are administered by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Authorisations are required to import, store, manufacture and transport explosives that are imported from outside the UK.

Imports and exports of such material handled by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) are subject to MOD Commercial policy which assures compliance with key UK and foreign customs legislation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_217

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funding he is providing for infrastructure projects in the marine protected area. \p Maria Eagle: The protection of Maritime ecosystems is devolved to the four UK nations. There are 178 Marine Protected Areas in English waters alone, covering 51% of inshore and 37% of offshore waters, and there are similar numbers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_218

Liz Saville Roberts:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to reduce noise pollution from Texan training aircraft in the UK. \p Maria Eagle: The Texan T1 aircraft complies fully with relevant international aviation noise standards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_219

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the Defence Medical Services cadre is operationally fit to deploy. \p Al Carns: I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Whilst a statistical release of overall Armed Forces strength is published annually, strength and capability statistics for certain specialisations are not released.

Releasing the current strength and requirement of medical service personnel, or indeed other specialised professions, could be exploited by our adversaries to target, disrupt and degrade an important element of Armed Forces capability.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

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Brian Leishman:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether UK forces (a) took part and (b) provided support to their Israeli counterparts in the airstrikes on Yemen on Friday 10 January 2025. \p Luke Pollard: The UK did not take part in, or provide support to, Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Friday 10 January 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_221

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military funding he plans to provide to Ukraine in 2025. \p Luke Pollard: The Government is committed to providing £3 billion of military support to Ukraine each financial year for as long as needed.

In addition, over the next two financial years this Government will provide a further £1.5 billion of support from the first part of a £2.26 billion loan through the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration scheme which will enable Ukraine to undertake major procurement projects. The loan will be repaid using the extraordinary profits on immobilised Russian sovereign assets.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to provide immediate mental support to veterans medically discharged from service. \p Al Carns: Structured Mental Health Assessments are conducted by Defence GPs as part of the medical discharge process to screen for mental health concerns and enable follow up in primary care or referral to specialist mental health services if required.

Where personnel leaving the Armed Forces have an enduring need for mental healthcare, Defence Medical Services work in partnership with the NHS to ensure continuation of care. Personnel who have been assessed and diagnosed with a mental health need are able to access Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) for up to six months after discharge to provide continuity of care during the transition period until appropriate handover to other services can be completed as required.

All patients who leave the Services through a medical discharge for mental health reasons or are under the care of a DCMH as they transition are offered an assessment with a DCMH Mental Health Social Worker (MHSW) to ascertain their mental healthcare transition needs.

The Veterans Welfare Service and Defence Transition Service deliver additional support to service leavers and their families who are most likely to face challenges as they leave the Armed Forces, including facilitating access to NHS services. Wherever they live in UK, veterans can access bespoke services, including Op COURAGE in England.

The Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland (VWS NI) provides professional help and advice to veterans to help them access specialist healthcare available to eligible veterans who are experiencing conditions related to their military Service.

The through life mental health support now provided to Service personnel will have a positive impact on the veterans of the future; the Ministry of Defence is ensuring that Armed Forces personnel have the psychological resilience training they need to recognise mental ill-health in themselves and those around them and know how to manage it.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_223

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on recruitment consultants in each year since 2016; and how many personnel have been recruited to the (a) RAF, (b) Army, (c) Navy and (d) Marines in each year since 2016. \p Luke Pollard: Since entering Government, we have taken immediate action to stop all non-essential Ministry of Defence consultancy spending. The information requested specifically on external recruitment consultants is not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The intake to the Armed Forces is published in the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics and can be found online.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) UK and (b) other personnel were in the Joint Expeditionary Force in each year since 2016; and how much the UK has contributed to the Joint Expeditionary Force in the same period. \p Luke Pollard: The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) HQ is operated through the UK Standing Joint Force Headquarters, which undertakes several commitments. Depending on the activity, the HQ can routinely provide up to 82 people from across 10 nations, with further augmentation from across the forces; for example, JOINT PROTECTOR in November 2024 saw an augmentation of a further 36 UK personnel. The advantage of the JEF is its ability to scale up dynamically in accordance with the requirement by generating forces from across 10 nations to meet the specific need encountered. An additional three personnel in the MOD are also permanently engaged managing the UK’s commitments to the JEF as the Framework Nation, with Participant Nation provided desk officers in each of their own Ministry of Defence (MOD) equivalent strategic HQs.

Numbers of personnel engaged in JEF activity since 2016 have not been overall recorded. However, approximate figures have been captured since 2021:

Year

JEF Activity

Total No of Personnel

UK Personnel

2021

Ex JOINT PROTECTOR 21

500

350

2022

Op MARZANNA 22 - Ex JOINT PROTECTOR 22

200 - 500

150 - 350

2023

ASGARD 23 - JEF WARRIOR JEF - Response Option 3.2

xx-xxxx-xxxx

200 - 20 - 350

2024

NORDIC WARDEN - Ex JOINT PROTECTOR

700 - 400

xx-xxxx-xxxx

2025 (to date)

NORDIC WARDEN

50

20

2,680

2,090

As for costs, the JEF provides a framework to pool sovereign resources and coordinate their effect but does not routinely retain or command these national assets from across the Participant Nations, therefore costs remain with the relevant Participant Nation providing them for that specific activity. The JEF Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in 2018, outlines the requirements and arrangements for nations contributing and participating in JEF activities, with all costs allocated on a case-by-case basis, with the general principle that costs fall where they lie.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_225

Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) internal policy reviews, (b) independent reviews, (c) external reviews, (d) taskforces, (e) public consultations, (f) investigations and (g) other reviews their Department launched between 5 July 2024 and 5 January 2025; what the titles were of those reviews; and how many of those reviews have been (i) completed and (ii) published. \p Luke Pollard: On 16 July 2024, the Strategic Defence Review was launched by the Prime Minister. This root and branch review - which will put personnel at the heart of our future defence, strengthen our homeland security, and ensure the UK continues to lead in NATO - will report in the spring.

In October 2024 the Defence Secretary launched Defence Reform, the biggest reform programme in defence for 50 years. It will create a stronger UK defence centre that will secure better value for money and better outcomes for our Armed Forces, and be better able to implement the Strategic Defence Review.

Ministers are also focussing on other key issues including the Defence Industrial Strategy, launched on 2 December 2024, which will help secure Britain's growth and create good jobs across the UK. Defence is also participating in a range of national security and other relevant reviews led by other Departments.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-21 conversation_226

Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many visits to Israel and (b) for what purpose the (i) Chief of the Defence Staff, (ii) Chief of the Air Staff and (iii) Commander of Strategic Command have made since 1 January 2024. \p Luke Pollard: Since 1 January 2024, the Chief of the Defence Staff has visited Israel twice and the Chief of the Air Staff has visited Israel once, to discuss the longstanding defence relationship, encourage de-escalation and compliance with international humanitarian law, and promote long-term peace in the region.

Commander Strategic Command has not visited Israel since 1 January 2024.