theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what differentiating powers she plans to provide to (a) unitary authorities and (b) mayors in (i) considering individual planning applications and (ii) developing local and spatial plans. \p Matthew Pennycook: The English Devolution Bill will create in law the concept of a strategic authority, which will include all combined authorities and combined county authorities, both mayoral and non-mayoral, as well as the Greater London Authority.

The Bill will place a duty on all strategic authorities to produce a spatial development strategy. Strategic authorities with mayors will also receive development management powers like those enjoyed by the Mayor of London. This will include powers to ‘call in’ and determine applications of potential strategic importance and make Mayoral Development Orders.

Local authorities, including unitary authorities, will remain the local planning authorities for their areas and will continue to have a duty to produce a local plan and to determine planning applications.

The establishment of strategic authorities across England will be a gradual process. Our aim is to have a universal system of strategic planning in place by 2030, so the Planning & Infrastructure Bill will place a duty on all combined authorities and combined county authorities, both mayoral and non-mayoral, to produce a spatial development strategy.

Outside of these areas county councils and unitary authorities will also be required to produce a spatial development strategy, either individually or in defined groupings. In some instances, they may also be grouped with a non-mayoral combined authority or combined county authority. The Mayor of London will continue to produce a spatial development strategy for the capital.

The precise geographical extent of these groupings is yet to be determined, but the government believes that they should be based on the sensible geography criteria set out for agreeing devolution deals in the English Devolution White Paper, in anticipation of these groupings forming the basis for future strategic authorities.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has contributed to the extremism review. \p Alex Norris: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 15694 on 2 December 2024. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has supported the rapid review ordered by the Home Secretary, and the government will set out its approach to countering extremism in due course.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had recent discussions with the Migration Advisory Committee on (a) population growth projections and (b) her Department's housebuilding targets. \p Matthew Pennycook: MHCLG ministers have had no recent discussions with the Migration Advisory Committee about the government’s ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England this parliament.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of houses planned to be built during this Parliament that will home new arrivals to this country. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department does not collect data on the nationalities of people buying homes for private sale on the open market.

Eligibility for social housing is already tightly controlled. If a person’s visa means that they cannot access state benefits or local authority housing assistance, they are not eligible for an allocation of social housing. Migrants arriving in the UK on student or work visas are not eligible and nor are those who arrive in the country illegally with no leave to remain.
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Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to allow elected Mayors outside London to appoint Deputies in the same way as the Mayor of London. \p Jim McMahon: The English Devolution White Paper sets out that the government will legislate so that Mayors are able to appoint and remunerate ‘Commissioners’ who would be able to support the delivery of key functions with portfolios to be determined by Mayors.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2024 to Question 16736 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Expenditure, if she will list the activities previously undertaken by her Department that have been (a) curtailed, (b) suspended and (c) discontinued, in the context of the efficiency savings of £5 million. \p Alex Norris: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 16736 on 6 December 2024. Departmental budgets are currently under review and will be announced by His Majesty’s Treasury in due course.
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of funding provided by her Department to Steps to Work in Walsall through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. \p Alex Norris: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is committed to evaluating the impacts and effectiveness of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UKSPF evaluation strategy sets out the approach to evaluation. The department has committed to publish evaluation findings on an ongoing basis as they are available.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will require schools to have adrenaline auto-injectors on site to treat anaphylaxis. \p Catherine McKinnell: Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The accompanying statutory guidance, ‘Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school’, makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions, including allergies. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

The guidance is clear that policy should include how it will be implemented, what should happen in an emergency situation and the role individual healthcare plans play in supporting pupils. The policy should set out how staff will be supported in carrying out their role to support pupils, including how training needs are assessed and how training is commissioned and provided. Any member of school staff providing support to a pupil with medical needs should have received suitable training.

Regarding equipment, in 2017 the Department of Health published non-statutory guidance to accompany a legislative change to allow schools to purchase spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) from a pharmacy without a prescription and for use in an emergency situation. This guidance is kept under review and gives clear advice to schools on the recognition and management of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis, and outlines when and how an AAI should be administered for pupils in schools.
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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her plans are for higher education reform; and what the role is of innovation in that process. \p Janet Daby: The government is committed to setting out a plan for reform of the higher education (HE) sector by the summer, focused on five priorities. We will expect our HE providers to:

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, is working closely with Lord Vallance to build on HE providers’ already significant contribution to innovation, increasing their contribution to the UK economy.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of financial education on young people at (a) primary and (b) secondary school level. \p Catherine McKinnell: Financial education is currently taught through the national curriculum for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4 and citizenship at key stages 3 and 4, which together cover personal budgeting, saving for the future, managing credit and debt and calculating interest.

High and rising school standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. That is why the government announced a Curriculum and Assessment Review on 19 July 2024, which is being chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE.

Following the independent review, the government will, through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, legislate to require all state schools to teach the reformed national curriculum. This will give parents certainty over the core of their children’s education.

The review group will publish an interim report early in 2025, setting out their interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work. The final report, with recommendations, will be published in autumn 2025.

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has a statutory role to coordinate the UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing, which is underpinned by their robust data collection, including the impact of financial education on young people. The department works closely with MaPS to monitor the evidence for financial education. MaPS’s published research can be found here: https://maps.org.uk/en/publications/research.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commission research on the potential impact of room temperature during examinations on student performance. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department is not currently considering commissioning research on the effect of room temperature during examinations on student performance, although we continue to keep abreast of research in this area. The department has provided advice for schools about how they can manage the learning environment during hot weather.
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Valerie Vaz:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 17058 on Holiday Activities and Food Programme, whether she plans to make a statement on continued funding of the Holidays Activities and Food Programme before March 2025. \p Stephen Morgan: The department’s budgets for 2025/26 will be confirmed in due course, including the exact funding available for this type of support for children, young people and families during the holidays.
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Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that women's rights are protected in Syria. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: In the UK's engagement with international partners and Syrian contacts, we have stressed the importance of inclusivity and respect for human rights, including for women.

Senior FCDO officials recently travelled to Damascus, where they discussed the importance of an inclusive transitional political process, protecting the rights of all Syrians. The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners, during which we collectively underlined the importance of respect for human rights, including for women.

Support to women and girls is at the heart of the UK's policy and programmes in Syria, including through active engagement with women's rights activists, women-led organisations and women involved in the political process.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) promote stability and (b) safeguard institutions of governance in Syria in preparation for a transition to democratic elections. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK has been at the forefront of the response to fast moving events in Syria. The UK Special Envoy for Syria and I are speaking regularly to regional and other partners about the situation. The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners during which we collectively expressed commitment to supporting a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We also advocated for preserving state institutions that serve the interests of, and provide critical services to, the people of Syria.
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Zarah Sultana:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Pakistani counterpart for an independent investigation into the deaths of civilians in Islamabad on 26 and 27 November 2024. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK strongly supports individuals' rights to expression without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to respect these fundamental freedoms, underlining that any human rights violations should be fully investigated in line with international human rights law. I raised the importance of upholding civil and political rights with senior Ministers, including the Minister for Human Rights and Interior Minister, on my visit to Pakistan last month. The British High Commission also regularly raises these issues with the Pakistani authorities at a senior level.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to help ensure a United Nations led process that restores democratic institutions of governance in Syria. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK has been at the forefront of the response to fast moving events in Syria. The UK Special Envoy for Syria and I are speaking regularly to regional and other partners, including the UN Special Envoy for Syria, about the situation. The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners during which we collectively expressed commitment to supporting a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support (a) humanitarian aid efforts and (b) rescue efforts for Syrians still trapped in prisons. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK is working closely with humanitarian and other partners to monitor the humanitarian situation, assess impacts and needs, and determine how best to respond. We continue to support those in need across Syria, where it is safe to do so. Through NGOs and UN organisations, we are providing food, healthcare and other life-saving assistance. The UK has announced an additional £61 million in funding since 27 November 2024 to support vulnerable Syrians in Syria and the region.

Following the regime's retreat from Aleppo in early December, I announced an additional £300,000 to the White Helmets to expand their operations into areas formerly controlled by the regime. The White Helmets play a key role in search and rescue operations, including in prisons.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2254. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners during which we collectively expressed commitment to supporting a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with the new government of Syria on including women in senior roles in the (a) government, (b) judiciary, (c) peace and reconciliation dialogue, (d) inter-faith dialogue and (e) Syrian business and industry associations. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: In the UK's engagement with international partners and Syrian contacts, we have stressed the importance of inclusivity and respect for human rights, including for women and minorities.

Senior FCDO officials recently travelled to Damascus, where they discussed the importance of an inclusive transitional political process, protecting the rights of all Syrians. The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners, during which we collectively underlined the importance of respect for human rights, including for women.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with the new government of Syria on protecting the human rights of (a) Muslim minorities and (b) Christian minorities. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The FCDO has consistently underlined the importance of protecting all civilians, including religious and ethnic minorities, publicly and in our engagement with regional and international partners. The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners during which we collectively expressed commitment to supporting a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, and leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We also underlined the importance of respect for human rights, including for minorities.

During a meeting with the new interim Syrian authorities earlier this week in Damascus, senior FCDO officials underlined the importance of an inclusive transitional political process which protects the rights of all Syrians.

We will continue to advocate for the right of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Syria and for an inclusive political transition.
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Phil Brickell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to use UK-based assets that were expropriated by the Assad regime for (a) aid and (b) re-development projects to help the Syrian people. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: UK-based assets expropriated by the Assad regime remain frozen. As with all our sanctions, we keep our approach under review.

We do not comment on future designations as to do so lessens their potential impact.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has plans to re-open the British Embassy in Syria. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Currently, there are no plans to reopen our embassy in Damascus. We will keep this under review.
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Zarah Sultana:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Pakistani government to secure the safe release of Imran Khan. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign Secretary met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on 24 October to discuss a range of key issues, including Pakistan's domestic political situation and Imran Khan's detention. I also raised this on my recent visit to Pakistan. While Pakistan's judicial processes are a domestic matter, we have been very clear that the Pakistani authorities need to respect fundamental freedoms, including the right to a fair trial, due process and humane detention. This applies to Imran Khan as it does to all Pakistan's citizens.
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Chris Hinchliff:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on hostages in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Securing an immediate ceasefire and the safe release of all hostages, including Emily Damari and three other hostages with strong UK links, remains the UK's top priority. We have continuously supported hostage talks, and continue to work alongside our allies and partners in the region, exercising every possible diplomatic lever to see the hostages immediately released. On 8 December, the Foreign Secretary spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa'ar, and stressed the importance of securing a ceasefire to enable the safe return of Emily Damari and the three other UK-linked hostages and see an end to the war in Gaza.
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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to push for greater humanitarian access to Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: As the Prime Minister has said, the world will not tolerate any more excuses on humanitarian assistance. We continue to press Israel to end its aid restrictions and ensure that the UN and humanitarian partners can work safely and effectively. The Foreign Secretary recently wrote to Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar, alongside French and German counterparts, calling on Israel to urgently increase aid, and implement the UN's plan to prepare the civilian population for winter. I raised these issues with Deputy Foreign Minister Haskel on 5 December and the Foreign Secretary raised this again with Foreign Minister Sa'ar in their call on 8 December. We continue to work alongside our international partners to press for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of the hostages, better protection of civilians and a significant increase in aid to Gaza. At a UN Security Council meeting on 18 November, the Foreign Secretary reiterated that there is no excuse for Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid and that they must be lifted.
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Brian Leishman:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza on 1 April 2024 was (a) reviewed as and (b) found to be a potential violation of International Humanitarian Law by his Department. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including three British nationals, in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on 1 April was appalling. We continue to press the Government of Israel to improve the safety environment for aid workers in Gaza, which is the deadliest in the world. Over 320 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began on October 7. I most recently raised this with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharron Haskel on Friday 29 November. We continue to keep Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Gaza under review through regular assessments.
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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the rights of women in Afghanistan. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We have repeatedly condemned Taliban restrictions on women and girls' rights, including through UN Security Council and Human Rights Council resolutions. As the Foreign Secretary has said, exclusion of women from all aspects of public life is a tragic setback for Afghanistan. Officials from the Doha-based UK Mission to Afghanistan continue to press Taliban acting ministers and Afghan officials on human rights abuses in Afghanistan, including the most recent ban on female medical education. Our current £161 million aid programme provides vital life-saving support to the country's most vulnerable people, including access to healthcare and education. We are committed that at least 50 percent of people reached with UK aid in Afghanistan will be women and girls.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Syrian counterpart on the (a) humanitarian situation in that country, (b) treatment of religious minorities in that country and (c) stability of the region. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign Secretary does not have an official counterpart in Syria. He has not had discussions with the interim authorities.

The UK has been at the forefront of the response to fast moving events in Syria. The UK Special Envoy for Syria and I are speaking regularly to regional and other partners about the situation. The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners during which we collectively expressed commitment to supporting a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.

The FCDO has consistently underlined the importance of protecting all civilians, including religious and ethnic minorities, publicly and in our engagement with regional and international partners. During a meeting with the new interim Syrian authorities earlier this week in Damascus, senior FCDO officials underlined the importance of an inclusive transitional political process which protects the rights of all Syrians. We will continue to advocate for the right of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Syria and for an inclusive political transition.

The UK is working closely with humanitarian and other partners to monitor the humanitarian situation, assess impacts and needs, and determine how best to respond. We continue to support those in need across Syria, where it is safe to do so. Through NGOs and UN organisations, we are providing food, healthcare and other life-saving assistance. The UK has announced an additional £61 million in funding since 27 November 2024 to support vulnerable Syrians in Syria and the region.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to raise the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention's ruling that the United Arab Emirates has unlawfully detained Ryan Cornelius with the government of that country. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The FCDO takes the opinions of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention seriously. We continue to provide consular assistance to Mr Cornelius and his case has been raised at senior levels, highlighting the Government's support for his appeal for clemency.
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Carla Denyer:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to sanction UK based insurance firms providing insurance to tankers engaged in shipping Russian Liquified Natural Gas. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK has taken extensive action to limit energy revenues that fund Russia's war. UK persons are prohibited from importing Russian Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and acquiring Russian LNG with the intention of entering the UK. This prohibition also covers the provision of certain services relating to the import or acquisition of goods with the intention of entering the UK. The categories of services include financial services and funds which includes insurance-related services, brokering services and technical assistance.
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Carla Denyer:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to sanction the shipping of Russian Liquified Natural Gas by UK-based businesses to (a) the EU and (b) other third countries. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK has taken extensive action to limit energy revenues that fund Russia's war in Ukraine. This includes Russian Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). UK persons are prohibited from importing Russian LNG and acquiring Russian LNG with the intention of entering the UK. This prohibition also covers the provision of certain services relating to the import or acquisition of LNG with the intention of entering the UK. In September 2024 we used new powers to specify carriers transporting Russian LNG, followed by a second set of vessels in October. It would not be appropriate to speculate about potential future sanctions.
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Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Turkish counterpart on upholding the human rights of members and those associated with the Gulen Movement. \p Stephen Doughty: We fully recognise how seriously the Turkish Government takes the Gülen movement which they proscribe as a terrorist organisation. We consistently encourage Turkey to uphold the rule of law. The UK Government believes that all legal cases should be treated in accordance with international human rights standards, including the right to a fair trial and access to lawyers. Our Embassy in Ankara regularly engages with political parties, civil society organisations and diplomatic counterparts on this issue.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13746 on FCDO: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, for what reason the Cabinet Office postponed the September 2024 transparency publication. \p Catherine West: The data relating to Government Procurement Card (GPC) covering June 2022 - October 2024 was published on 28 November and is available here. The FCDO interpreted the communication regarding the postponement to also apply to GPC spend, as the FCDO's general approach is to link GPC publications with wider transparency returns.
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Emily Thornberry:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many government procurement cards were held by staff within (a) his core Department and (b) executive agencies of his Department at the end of calendar years (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023. \p Catherine West: We are unable to provide data as at the end of the calendar years requested, but in mid-January 2023 and 2024 respectively:

Government Procurement Cards provide an efficient route to enable key staff to procure goods and services, necessary to the promotion of British interests overseas and the maintenance of our embassies and high commissions. All purchases are subject to authorisation by managers and audit checks.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question xx-xxxx-xxxx on China: Mauritius, whether he plans to monitor the (a) implementation and (b) potential implications for his policies of paragraph 3.4.4.2 of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan 2025-27; and what information his Department holds on the commitment of the government of Mauritius to these aims for Diego Garcia. \p Stephen Doughty: As with previous FOCAC commitments we will monitor their implementation and implications for UK policy. The UK will take a consistent and pragmatic approach to China's role in Africa - we will cooperate where we can, compete where we have different interests, and challenge where we must.

The UK continues to support the principle and practice of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones as a way to build confidence between regional states, and as a successful tool of non-proliferation. This includes the Pelindaba Treaty, of which we have signed and ratified the first and second Protocols, giving legally binding Negative Security Assurances to all signatory states in the region.

It is for Mauritius to comment on its own national approach.

The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) agreement between the UK and Mauritius protects the long-term secure operation of the UK-US base that plays a vital role in regional and international security.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_108

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2024 to Question 17516 on Royal Mint: Fraud, whether any of the fraudulent transactions were traceable to (a) people and (b) agencies based outside the United Kingdom. \p Tulip Siddiq: The Royal Mint engaged the relevant law enforcement agencies as part of the fraud incident detailed in their Annual Report and Accounts for 2022-23. These investigations are confidential and as such, we cannot comment on whether the transactions were traceable or the location of the perpetrators of the fraud.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_109

John Glen:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish a list of the number of hereditaments in each local authority in Greater London categorised by Special Category Code (a) 303 Bars (Valued on Floor Space), (b) 199 Night Clubs and Discotheques and (c) 226 Public Houses/Pub Restaurants (National Scheme) in each of the last 10 years. \p James Murray: As part of its official statistics, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) publishes the number of hereditaments by Special Category Code and local authority. This is published for England and Wales between 2020 and 2024 within the stock of non-domestic properties collection: www.gov.uk/government/collections/non-domestic-rating-stock-of-properties-collection.

The requested information can be found under ‘Stock SCat Tables by region, county, local authority district and rateable value band’.

Prior to 2020, the official statistics did not separate the data at local authority level. There are no current plans to revisit previous publications of official statistics.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_110

James Wild:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help improve (a) public and (b) private sector productivity. \p James Murray: The government’s growth mission is dedicated to boosting productivity growth nationwide. After fourteen years of weak productivity growth, we are reforming the economy to increase productivity in both the public and private sectors.

Public sector productivity rates in June 2024 were 8.5% below pre-pandemic levels — this is not sustainable. We have taken decisive action in the Autumn Budget to address this issue. Government departments are now required to meet a 2% target for productivity, efficiency, and savings as part of Phase 1 of the Spending Review, covering 2025-26. For the NHS, our Autumn Budget included over £2 billion of investment in technology to improve productivity and patient access, alongside over £1 billion to tackle the maintenance backlog.

We have introduced significant to improve private sector productivity. As part of the Get Britain Working package, the government is integrating health, employment, and skills services in eight trailblazer areas to help out of work individuals to rejoin the workforce. The government will invest £40 million to transform the Apprenticeship Levy into a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy to deliver new foundation apprenticeships and shorter apprenticeships. Skills England will provide a comprehensive national overview of skills gaps and strategies to address them.

The government is also protecting record levels of R&D investment, committing over £20.4bn for R&D in 2025/26 to turn cutting-edge innovation into real-world productivity gains.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_111

James Wild:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax revenue the Digital Services Tax has raised since 2020. \p James Murray: The requested information is available in the statistics table published at the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk

The information can be found in column S of Table 2. For ease, the relevant data has been pasted below:

Tax year

Tax receipts, £m

2021/22

380

2022/23

567

2023/24

678
wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_112
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_112

Mrs Sharon Hodgson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the retrospective audit of all pelvic floor surgery completed between 2006 and 2011 to be published by NHS England. \p Karin Smyth: The Department accepted the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review’s recommendation to undertake a selective retrospective audit of a defined cohort of women who have undergone mesh procedures. NHS Digital, now NHS England, has audited all pelvic floor surgeries completed between 2006 and 2011 to generate a historical baseline of outcomes by procedure type, and to support further research and analysis. This audit was conducted using initial procedures, and re-operations and follow up procedures recorded within Hospital Episode Statistics data. The results are currently undergoing peer review and will be published by NHS England at the earliest opportunity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_113

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have presented at Accident and Emergency with respiratory concerns in the last six months. \p Karin Smyth: The following table shows the number of type 1 and 2 accident and emergency attendances, as well as the percentage and number of those with a chief complaint relating to airway and breathing, in each of the last six months:

Month

Number of type 1 and 2 attendances

Percentage of type 1 and 2 attendances with a chief complaint relating to airway and/or breathing

Calculated number of attendances with a chief complaint relating to airway and/or breathing

November 2024

1,409,807

10.7%

150,245

October 2024

1,473,046

9.4%

137,925

September 2024

1,379,834

8.1%

111,450

August 2024

1,334,803

6.1%

81,990

July 2024

1,453,043

7.2%

105,251

June 2024

1,444,539

7.5%

107,971

Total

8,495,072

8.2%

694,832

Source: data is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2024-25/ Note: the data for November 2024 is provisional.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_116

Emily Thornberry:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 9621 on Department of Health and Social Care: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in his Department between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent. \p Karin Smyth: The Department spent £140,000 in 2023 to remove a suite of individual ministerial offices and replace these with a flexible co-working space. The Department spent £321,000 between January and 4 July 2024 to build new ministerial offices.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_117

John Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has spent at total of £840 including VAT on media training for ministers, since 5 July 2024.
wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_118
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_118

Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to extend Start for Life and Family Hub funding to include Oxfordshire. \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.

Family Hubs funding is the responsibility of the Department for Education, with Start for Life funding sitting with the Department of Health and Social Care. 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 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 (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_119

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to expand the reach of Start for Life services to (a) Poole and (b) other local authorities. \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.

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 (2025-01-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-06 conversation_120

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what percentage of the increase in NHS England funding will be dedicated to staffing budgets. \p Karin Smyth: Decisions on the allocation of resources for 2025/26 have not yet been finalised. NHS England will continue to prioritise the allocation of funding to support frontline services.