theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Chris Coghlan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of revising the Infection Prevention Controls guidance in the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual and Health Technical Memoranda guidelines prior to 1 March 2025 to ensure (a) recognition of the role of airborne transmission of SARS-Cov-2 and (b) appropriate guidance on (i) the use of FFP3 masks, (ii) improved standards of ventilation and air filter devices in (A) clinical and (B) non-clinical healthcare settings and (iii) other measures to limit airborne transmission of (1) Covid-19 and (2) other respiratory viruses; and if he will take steps to ensure the distribution of those guidelines to all employers and providers of healthcare workers. \p Andrew Gwynne: The emerging evidence on airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses is continually reviewed by the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and the Department. Assessment of research on aerosol behaviour, Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs), and personal protective equipment, including FFP3 masks, ensures that the guidance reflects the latest science and best practice.

The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual offers practical guidance on respiratory transmission, including airborne pathways, with non-pathogen-specific standards providing a robust framework for diverse infection, prevention, and control challenges.

The updated acute respiratory virus guidance, published in March 2024, advises adult social care providers on precautions for preventing respiratory infection transmission, addressing masks, ventilation, and other measures based on current evidence. The acute respiratory virus guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infection-prevention-and-control-in-adult-social-care-acute-respiratory-infection/infection-prevention-and-control-ipc-in-adult-social-care-acute-respiratory-infection-ari
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of registration timeframes for new healthcare providers registering with the Care Quality Commission. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Department is aware of delays experienced by new healthcare providers registering with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and has increased its oversight of the CQC to ensure the backlog of applications that are over 10 weeks old, is reduced. The CQC is prioritising applications that increase the capacity to the health and social care system, and/or that help manage winter pressures in the National Health Service or social care.

The CQC is reviewing their IT systems to inform the changes it will need to implement to ensure the registration process is efficient.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help protect older people from health impacts of cold weather. \p Andrew Gwynne: The UK Health Security Agency publishes the Adverse Weather and Health Plan for England, which sets out a framework for action to protect the population, including the elderly, from harm to their health from adverse weather, including excess cold.

With hospitals facing record pressures this winter, we advise elderly and vulnerable people to be careful if heading out in the snow and ice, and to try and keep as warm as possible. We urge people to continue to use NHS 111 if they need advice and support for health conditions, and only use 999 or attend accident and emergency in life-threatening emergencies.

The Government is committed to a preventative approach to the public’s health. Keeping people warm and well at home, and improving the quality of new and existing homes, will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives, and thereby reduce pressure on the National Health Service.

The 2021 fuel poverty strategy is currently under review. In the meantime, the Government has kickstarted delivery of our Warm Homes Plan, including an initial £1.8 billion to support fuel poverty schemes over the next three years. Support is also available through the Warm Home Discount schemes which provide eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate off their winter energy bill.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (England and Wales) Regulations 2024 on the timely registration of deaths. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, including the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Regulations 2024, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. The median time taken to register a death since the introduction of the reforms in England and Wales has typically been eight days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days. It’s important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct before and after comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.

The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Department is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of extending the Start for Life programme to (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) other local authorities that do not receive funding through the programme. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Prime Minister’s Plan for Change outlined that there will be investment to continue to build up the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme. In 2025/26, this investment will fund the 75 local authorities in England with high levels of deprivation that are part of the existing programme.

Due to the challenging fiscal context, we have had to make difficult decisions for 2025/26, and only those areas currently in the scheme will receive Start for Life funding. We will continue to evaluate the programme and assess evidence to support wider rollout in future financial years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 19157 on Bowel Cancer: Health Services, what steps he has taken to support Bowel Cancer UK's Never Too Young campaign. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Department has not made a specific assessment of Bowel Cancer UK’s Never Too Young campaign. To improve awareness, NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them. The campaign encourages people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner, focusing on a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging ‘body awareness’ to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on abdominal symptoms which, among other abdominal cancers, can be indicative of bowel cancer.

We will improve National Health Service cancer waiting time performance so patients, including those with bowel cancer, are diagnosed and treated faster. The NHS is prioritising the roll-out of additional diagnostic capacity, delivering the final year of the three-year investment plan for establishing community diagnostic centres, with capacity prioritised for cancer diagnostics.

NHS England is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients are offered Holistic Needs Assessment and Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring care is focused on what matters most to each person. As well as this, all patients, including those with secondary cancers, will have access to the right expertise and support, including a Clinical Nurse Specialist or other support worker. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been clear in his view that there should be a National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes, including for bowel cancer. We are currently in discussions about what form a potential National Cancer Plan for England should take, including its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission, and will provide updates in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on how many abattoirs there were in (a) England and (b) the UK in (i) 2023 and (ii) 2024. \p Andrew Gwynne: On 1 April 2023, there were 207 approved abattoirs in England, and a further 42 in Wales and Northern Ireland. On 1 April 2024, there were 200 approved abattoirs in England, and a further 41 in Wales and Northern Ireland. The Food Standards Agency does not hold information on the number of abattoirs in Scotland, as the competent authority is Food Standards Scotland.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Sir Julian Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to allow children who are (a) out of school and (b) in alternative provision to receive seasonal vaccinations that are otherwise provided on school premises. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Government is committed to protecting those most at risk from vaccine preventable diseases through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. This includes the offer of a seasonal flu vaccine to children aged two or three years old, primary school aged children, from Reception to Year 6, secondary school aged children, from Year 7 to Year 11, and children in clinical risk groups aged from six months old to less than 18 years old.

NHS England is responsible for the commissioning of school age immunisation programmes that are delivered as part of the routine vaccination schedule. NHS England has confirmed that dedicated Immunisation Team providers are commissioned to deliver a 100% offer to all eligible school aged children, from Reception to Year 11, to get their flu vaccine at school. This is a mainly school-based model, with additional opportunities offered in community clinics for those who miss the school opportunity or who are not in mainstream education, for instance if they are home schooled. General practices are also commissioned by NHS England to deliver catchups for school aged children and young people on an opportunistic basis to maximise uptake. This information can be found at the National Health Service website, and is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 22602 on Coronavirus: Vaccination, for what reason the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency does not intend to publish this information. \p Andrew Gwynne: It is routine practice for regulatory authorities to ask developers of new medicines and vaccines technical questions based on their data submissions. These technical questions can cover a range of issues, including commercially confidential issues such as manufacturing methods, and they are not published.

The final outcome of the assessment, including the comprehensive summary of the evidence for quality, safety and efficacy, is published in the form of a Public Assessment Report, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-for-covid-19/summary-public-assessment-report-for-pfizerbiontech-covid-19-vaccine
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities, collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, which includes increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals. We remain committed to delivering under the framework, and will publish an annual England action plan in 2025, which will report on progress.

The NHS England Genomics Education Programme (GEP) has continued to develop the GeNotes digital educational resource aimed at healthcare professionals, and has launched several specialities, including in neurology. Through the education and training of the workforce, the GEP will support earlier recognition, timely diagnosis, and healthcare professionals’ understanding of the genomic testing available for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with women experiencing (a) pain and (b) complications from transvaginal mesh implants. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report. The report sets out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. The Government will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s Report at the earliest opportunity.

As part of this work, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health had an introductory meeting with individuals and stakeholders representing those harmed by Pelvic mesh on 17 December 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of the length of waiting lists for a lifesaving organ in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) England. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Elective Reform Plan, published in early January, sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target, in order to tackle the approximate 6.3 million patients on the waiting list. As of 31 December 2024, there were 6,858 people on the transplant waiting list in England, and 405 people in Greater Manchester, excluding temporarily suspended patients.

In July 2021, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care established the Organ Utilisation Group (OUG) to provide recommendations to maximise the potential for organ transplantation in England, and save more lives of those on the waiting list.

The OUG’s recommendations address barriers to transplantation and best practice. The Department established the Implementation Steering Group for Organ Utilisation in April 2023, bringing together key organisations involved in delivering the transplant service, to oversee and coordinate the recommendations’ implementation. Once fully implemented, the aim is to utilise more donor organs for transplant to save and improve the lives of those on the waiting list.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase the five-year survival rate of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, from 22% to 44%. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Department is committed to improving survival rates for all blood cancers, including acute myeloid leukaemia. Raising awareness, delivering more research, including into new treatments, and improving early diagnosis of cancers, which includes blood related cancers such as leukaemia, are crucial for improving cancer survival.

NHS England has implemented non symptom specific pathways for patients who present with non-specific symptoms or combinations thereof that can indicate several different cancers. This includes leukaemia, which can present non-specific symptoms, such as unexpected weight loss and night sweats. The national evaluation showed that blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with acute myeloid leukaemia and other cancers with lower survival rates. We are now in discussions about what form that plan should take, and what its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission should be, and will provide updates in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, and these include better coordination of care, and improving access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs. We remain committed to delivering under the framework, and will publish an annual England action plan in 2025 which will report on progress.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by the NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. The NICE has recently published guidance recommending vamorolone as an option for treating DMD in people four years old and over, and is currently developing recommendations on the use of givinostat, which was granted a conditional marketing authorisation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for the treatment of DMD in patients aged six years old and over in December 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the timely publication of the final results of the Mirocals trial for motor neurone disease; and what steps his Department plans to take to ensure rapid access to Proleukin for patients through NHS pathways if the trial outcomes are positive. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Department funds research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not a direct funder of the Modifying Immune Response and Outcomes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (MIROCALS) trial. It was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the Association Francaise contre les Myopathies, MND Scotland, and the Association pour la recherche sur la SLA.

The UK’s Health Research Authority recommends that summary results from clinical trials of investigational medicinal products, such as the MIROCALS study, are made available within a year of the study being complete. However, it is the study sponsor’s responsibility, in this case the University Hospital Nimes, to publish the results. Both the Department and the NIHR are committed to publishing the results from research with full transparency and in a timely manner. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not publish data from clinical trials.

It is critical that medicines used in the United Kingdom are safe and effective and as such, medicines cannot be marketed in the UK without a marketing authorisation. These are granted by the MHRA, which assesses all medicines with regard to their quality, safety, and efficacy. Proleukin (interleukin-2, Aldesleukin) has not been licensed by the MHRA as a treatment for motor neurone disease. It is the responsibility of the company to apply to the MHRA for a relevant marketing authorisation. Should an application for it be received, the MHRA will consider this accordingly.

In England, newly licensed medicines are also appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to determine whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. If the manufacturer of Proleukin seeks a licence from the MHRA for the treatment of motor neurone disease, then the NICE will consider it through its topic selection process. If selected for evaluation, the NICE aims to issue recommendations close to the point of licensing wherever possible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department is providing to people affected by seasonal flu in Romford constituency. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Government is committed to protecting those at greatest risk from seasonal flu through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

The flu vaccination programme continues until 31 March 2025, so there continues to be the opportunity for eligible people in Romford to come forward for vaccination, and NHS England London is continuing with the autumn and winter communications campaign to encourage those who are eligible and at-risk to receive vaccination. For school-aged children, the school-aged immunisation providers are currently running mop-up community clinics where children who missed the offer of vaccination at school can still be vaccinated. There are also opportunistic vaccinations of two- to three-year-olds via these clinics, as well as the offer of vaccination via general practice.

NHS England has confirmed that all care homes in the London region have been visited to ensure they receive the offer of vaccination, and there has been a programme in place in each integrated care board to support housebound visits for those who cannot leave their own home.

For those who have contracted flu or who are at high-risk of severe illness and/or complications if they were to contract flu, there is scope for general practices to prescribe anti-virals, based on a clinical assessment regarding need.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on which (a) straight-to-test pathways Community Diagnostic Centres and (b) hospital-based diagnostic services will be used to (i) develop and (ii) deliver its plan to reform elective care. \p Karin Smyth: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide an update on negotiations with NHS England on the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2025 to Question 22100 on Genetics: Diseases, how many additional (a) midwives and (b) close relative neonatal nurses were provided for the Genetic Risk Equity project; and what proportion of funding that represented. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish (a) the business case for and (b) analysis held of the Genetic Risk Equity project. \p Andrew Gwynne: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Derek Twigg:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) number of and (b) requirement for medical service personnel was on 1 April 2024. \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 (2025-01-20)

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Mr Calvin Bailey:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of participants in university Officer Training Corps complete the (a) Army Reserve Commissioning Course and (b) Commissioning Course for Regular Officers. \p Al Carns: The information requested is provided below.

Population

FR20 Reserve Officer

Regular Officer

As a Proportion of Yearly UOTC intake

6% (440)

15% (1,180)

Notes/Caveats:
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken with international partners to dispose of legacy marine mines. \p Luke Pollard: The Secretary of State for Defence has no direct responsibility for munitions in the marine environment, except for those associated with Ministry of Defence (MOD) wrecks. Environmental stewardship is important to the MOD and we continue to work closely with our international partners and allies to ensure the safety of personnel and the marine environment.

Most legacy naval mines remain in situ in the marine environment, due to non-recovery following deployment during World Wars I and II. In the UK the current position for naval mines is that they are to be left undisturbed unless they become a hazard to public safety and shipping. If they remain undisturbed, they do not pose significant harm to human health or the marine environment. Where mines are identified as a hazard around the UK the MOD provides support to civil authorities to assist with disposal, should they request it.

We work actively within NATO’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Working Group and other allied partnerships on opportunities to improve understanding, methods, and techniques for the management and disposal of naval mines. In April 2024 the MOD supported maritime historic disposal operations through Operation Open Spirit in the Baltic Sea. The purpose of this annual operation is to reduce the risk of mines to civilians through the detection and disposal of World War I and II historic ordnance, much of which is naval mines.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Derek Twigg:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Navy training budget was in each year since 2010. \p Luke Pollard: The below table highlights the Royal Navy’s budget for training between financial years (FY) 202018-19 and 2023-24. This includes Phase 1 (basic training) and Phase 2 (initial training) costs. In accordance with standard financial practice in all public and private organisations, it is not possible to provide figures for the entire period requested.

Year

FY2018-19

FY2019-20

FY2020-21

FY2021-22

FY2022-23

FY2023-24

Total

£23.783 million

£21.989 million

£25.198 million

£64.984 million

£101.330 million

£112.128 million
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

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Derek Twigg:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the RAF training budget was in each year since 2010. \p Luke Pollard: The below table provides the Royal Air Force budget for training between financial years (FY)2018-19 and 2023-24. This includes Phase 1 (basic training) and Phase 2 (initial training) costs. It is not possible to provide figures for the entire period requested.

Year

FY2018-19

FY2019-20

FY2020-21

FY2021-22

FY202-23

FY2023-24

Total

£55.482 million

£73.274 million

£65.237 million

£70.998 million

£66.007 million

£86.206 million
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Derek Twigg:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Army training budget was in each year since 2010. \p Luke Pollard: The Department has interpreted training to mean the budget for direct training exercises only. This includes Phase 1 (basic training) and Phase 2 (initial training) costs.

The below table highlights the Army’s budget for training between financial years (FY)2018-19 and 2023-24. As a result of changes in accounting practices, it is not possible to provide figures for the entire period requested.

Year

FY2018-19

FY2019-20

FY2020-21

FY2021-22

FY2022-23

FY2023-24

Total

£90.998 million

£95.057 million

£93.499 million

£91.225 million

£98.883 million

£104.749 million
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Derek Twigg:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many engineers there were in the Army on 1 April 2024; and what the requirement was. \p Luke Pollard: As of 1 April 2024, there were 26,030 Army Trade Trained Regular, Gurkha and Trained Reserve Engineers.

We do not routinely release the workforce requirement figures of Army regiments for reasons of operational security.

The Trade Trained Regular Army only exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service, Mobilised Reserves, Army Reserve and all other Reserves, but includes those personnel that have transferred from Gurkha Trained Army Personnel (GURTAP) to UK Trained Army Personnel (UKTAP).

Reserve figures are for Trained Army Group A Reservists for Army. Group A includes Volunteer Reserves, Mobilised Volunteer Reserves, High Readiness Reserves and University Officer Training Course (OTC) Support & training staff.

The 'Engineering' trades listed above are defined in line with the agreed definition from the Defence Engineer Remuneration Review (DERR).
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many employee settlement agreements there were in his Department in each year since 2020; and what the total value of such agreements is. \p Al Carns: The below table details the number of employee settlement agreements and amounts for the years where data is available.

All information prior to 2023 has now been archived and would incur disproportionate cost to obtain.

Calendar Year

Number of settlement agreements

Total Value

2023

13

£357,366.32

2024

12

£822,729.11

The year in which a case is settled does not reflect the year in which the claim was made or proceedings on the case started.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_63
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_63

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the delay to the publication of his Department's annual statistics on armed forces equipment will impact the scheduling of other departmental (a) reports and (b) reviews. \p Maria Eagle: No. It is not anticipated that this delay will have any impact on the delivery of other departmental reports or reviews. All such reports or reviews would use the latest available published statistics.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_64
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_64

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve the UK's space-based (a) positioning, (b) navigation and (c) timing capabilities, in the context of encrypted and alerting services. \p Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not currently have any UK space-based position, navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities, nor any plans for a future space based PNT system. The MOD works closely with the National PNT Office, in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, to develop proposals for the UK Government’s PNT capabilities as part of the cross-Government initiative, concerning future space-based and non-space-based PNT solutions.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_65
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_65

Brian Leishman:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question xx-xxxx-xxxx on Israel: F-35 Aircraft, whether any F-35 components manufactured in Britain are designed specifically for the F-35I Adir variant of the F-35 fighter jet. \p Maria Eagle: F-35 components produced in the UK are crucial to the production and support of the global F-35 fleet and are present on all three variants of F-35 aircraft. Israel uses the F-35 A variant.

The F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, part of the US Department of Defense, manages the F-35 programme for all F-35 Partner Nations through its global industry supply chain.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_66
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_66

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what diversity and inclusion (a) days and (b) weeks (i) his Department and (ii) the Office for Equality and Opportunity plans to mark in 2025. \p Georgia Gould: In January, February and March the Carers’ networks are planning coffee drop-in sessions, but these are not linked to any particular days or weeks. We also expect to find appropriate ways to mark external events such as International Women’s Day on 8 March. We currently have no forward look of such events beyond the end of March.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_67
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_67

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Secretary Letter to UK Government Ministers of 3 October 2024 on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, for what reason Ministers were told not to take part in the public debate. \p Georgia Gould: The Cabinet Secretary’s letter set out for Ministers the Prime Minister’s decision on the government’s approach to legislation on assisted dying. As the letter said, collective responsibility on the merits of this Bill have been set aside and the Government will therefore continue to remain neutral on the passage of the Bill and on the matter of assisted dying. The letter was clear that the matter of assisted dying is one for Parliament and not Ministers to decide.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_68
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_68

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's policy document entitled Governance Code on Public Appointments, published on 8 February 2024, whether recruitment competitions for public appointments can be re-opened once closed. \p Georgia Gould: The Governance Code on Public Appointments, which has not changed since the General Election and is publicly available on gov.uk, advises that, as a recruitment competition closes, ministers should be consulted on the quality and diversity of the field and whether a competition should be extended. The Code also allows ministers to reject an Advisory Assessment Panel’s advice following the completion of a competition, and not appoint any candidates recommended to them, and if they desire to re-run a competition.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_69
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_69

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister has met members of the 48 Group Club. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk as part of the government’s transparency agenda.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_70
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_70

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 16512 on Government Communication Service and his Department's statistical bulletin entitled Civil Service Statistics: 2024, last updated August 2024, for what reason the figure of Government communicators differs between the answer provided and the headcount of all civil servants working in the Communications profession listed in the statistical bulletin. \p Georgia Gould: The figures differ due to the different collection methodologies utilised, for example GCS’ data includes a greater number of organisations including public servants, public corporations and the NHS.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_71
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_71

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question HL2771 on Civil Servants: Recruitment, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of crown servant internships not being open those of white British backgrounds on community relations, in the context of Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. \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 that it complies with the relevant legislation. As each case will be unique, a generic assessment would not be appropriate. This approach has not changed since when the Rt Hon member was a minister in the department.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_72
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_72

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Register of Members' Financial Interests, on what dates he stayed in Lord Alli's accommodation since becoming Prime Minister. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Prime Minister's entry in the Register of Members' Financial Interests.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_73

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, what discussions he had with the Commissioner for Public Appointments on the closure and reopening of competitions for appointments to the (a) Community and Voluntary Service, (b) Parliamentary and Political Service and (c) Diversity and Outreach (formerly called Representation and Outreach) honours committees. \p Georgia Gould: The Commissioner for Public Appointment regulates appointments listed on the Order in Council. Honours Committee appointments are not listed on the Order in Council. The Order in Council was last updated in November 2023.

As appointments to the Honours Committee are not part of the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s regulatory remit, no discussions took place with the Commissioner regarding the campaigns listed in the question. Even for regulated roles, the decision to close or restart a competition lies with the relevant Minister, and would not require engagement with the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_74
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_74

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the guidance entitled Council of the Nations and Regions: Terms of Reference, published on 17 October 2024, in which Department is the (a) secretariat and (b) delivery group for that council based. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The Secretariat for the Council of the Nations and Regions is located in the Cabinet Office. The Secretariat’s responsibilities include organising meetings of the Delivery Group, which is comprised of representatives of Council attendees, to plan and deliver meetings, and track any agreed actions.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_75
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_75

Sarah Olney:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the security of domestic elections from foreign interference. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: Protecting the UK and our democratic processes from foreign interference is a priority for this Government and we have a number of mechanisms in place to do this.

The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt state threats.

The Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit (JESP) works between the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) to coordinate election security and preparedness activity within government and externally. This includes working with the devolved administrations, local authorities and the Electoral Commission.

The Government's Defending Democracy Taskforce, chaired by the Security Minister, is focused on safeguarding our democracy from the full range of threats including foreign interference.

The Government has also committed to enhancing the safeguards against foreign funding of election campaigns and will be bringing forward proposals in due course.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_76
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_76

Mark Pritchard:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make it a criminal offence to create fake online media accounts for public bodies and organisations where the communication of official and public information is necessary for civic order and resilience. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: I apologise to the Rt. Hon. Member for the delayed response to his question of 6 December.

The Online Safety Act, brought forward by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, introduced the false communications offence. This offence captures communications where the individual knows the information to be false and sends it intending to cause harm, without reasonable excuse.

Further legislative proposals on online media usage would fall within the remit of the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology.
wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_77
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-20 conversation_77

Sir Iain Duncan Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to commence the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. \p Justin Madders: On 1st January of this year, the government commenced Parts 1, 2 and 5 of the Act, which brought into force, among other reforms, the new pro-competition regime for digital markets. The government intends to commence the Act’s consumer enforcement reforms and updated provisions on unfair commercial practices in April. Reforms to subscriptions contracts and alternative dispute resolution will follow later, with subscriptions reforms not commencing before Spring 2026. New savings schemes rules are planned to commence in January 2026. The new foreign state intervention (FSI) regime for newspapers and periodical news magazines, for which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are the lead government department, commenced on 24 May 2024.