theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recent killing of Imam Muhsin Hendricks in South Africa; and whether he has had discussions with his international counterparts on the protection of (a) religious and (b) LGBTQ+ communities from targeted violence. \p Catherine West: The tragic murder of Imam Muhsin Hendricks on 15 February strengthens our resolve to continue implementing our policies on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and LGBT+ rights to protect, support and promote individual human rights for all. The UK has been, and will continue to be, a vocal and visible supporter of LGBT+ rights and FoRB in South Africa. The Minister for Africa expressed publicly the UK's sadness at the death of Imam Hendricks on 19 February and acknowledged his role as a courageous spokesperson for LGBT+ rights and gender equality in South Africa.

Globally, we remain firmly committed to working with our international partners to promote tolerance and mutual respect in relation to FoRB and LGBT+ rights through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding. For example, the joint Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and private philanthropy Equal, Safe and Free Fund is supporting grassroots LGBT+ organisations across Africa, and the UK Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, will attend the UN Human Rights Council 58th session in Geneva to discuss FoRB with international partners in the coming weeks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Shockat Adam:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to commemorate the anniversary of the 2003 Darfur genocide; and what steps he is taking to improve stop the humanitarian situation in Sudan. \p Catherine West: The UK's long-standing policy is that any determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court. There has been no such determination for Darfur. Irrespective of any such determination, it is clear that atrocities have been committed in this conflict, which the UK condemns. The UK is committed to securing accountability for those responsible. The UK is strongly supporting the humanitarian response in Sudan. The Foreign Secretary visited the Chad-Sudan border in January to see first-hand the impact the UK's recent £113 million aid uplift is making, including providing emergency food assistance to nearly 800,000 displaced people. The Foreign Secretary will soon be hosting a conference in London to mark the two-year point in the Sudan conflict, where we aim to make collective progress on improving the humanitarian response.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Stephen Gethins:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase accountability for crimes against children in Sudan. \p Catherine West: The UK plays a leading role in driving accountability efforts in Sudan and consistently calls out reported atrocities by both warring parties against women and children. At the UN Human Rights Council in October 2024, the UK led lobbying efforts to secure a mandate extension for the UN Fact Finding Mission which investigates human rights violations and abuses in Sudan, including crimes against children. The UK strongly supports the International Criminal Court's active investigation into the situation in Darfur, including allegations of crimes committed since April 2023. We are also providing nearly £1 million this year to support the Centre for Information Resilience, a research body gathering open-source evidence about the conflict in Sudan with a view to supporting future accountability. In September 2024, the Minister for Africa co-hosted an event at the UN General Assembly to draw attention to the plight of women and girls in Sudan. The UK co-led a protection of civilians UN Security Council resolution on Sudan which received unanimous support apart from Russia, who chose to veto it. We are working with Council members to explore a way forward.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, whether he has plans to ring fence spending on (a) international vaccine distribution and (b) disease prevention, in the context of the proposed decrease in official development assistance by 2027. \p Catherine West: The UK is one of the largest donors to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We have committed £1.65 billion to the current strategic period covering 2021-2025. This funding has enabled Gavi - in partnership with countries - to vaccinate over a billion children saving over 17 million lives. While we will of course face tough choices resulting from the reduced Official Development Assistance (ODA) available in the coming years, this government remains fully committed to a globally significant role on development. It is both in our national interest and in the interest of our partners across the globe. As part of the UK Spending Review, which will be completed in June, we are assessing how the UK can have the greatest impact with all of our global health investments in the round. Announcements will be made following the completion of the review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department. \p Hilary Benn: The Northern Ireland Office employs a desk booking system for its offices in London and Belfast. This must be used to book desks in advance of intended attendance, or on the same day. Information on desk booking services for arm’s length bodies, which are not co-located in the department's two main offices, is not centrally held.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Clive Jones:To ask the Leader of the House, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to ensure that written Parliamentary questions are answered on time. \p Lucy Powell: Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account. I have written to all members of Cabinet to remind Ministers of their responsibilities to provide helpful and timely responses to Members' PQs.

The Procedure Committee monitors individual department’s PQ performance and it recently published a report into performance in the 2023–24 Session (available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8673/written-parliamentary-questions-departmental-performance-in-session-202324/publications/). I look forward to working with the Committee on this and other matters.

I encourage hon. Members to raise any specific issues they may have with myself and my office.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on releasing details of ministerial meetings with external organisations in response to (a) Parliamentary Questions and (b) the Freedom of Information Act 2000. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. All freedom of Information requests are considered on their individual merits and in accordance with the legislation in all circumstances. Section 9 of the Ministerial Code sets the standard of conduct expected of ministers in relation to Parliament and how they discharge their duties, including for government responses to written parliamentary questions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions his Department has had with trade unions on the digitalisation of Government. \p Georgia Gould: The Cabinet Office regularly discusses workforce matters with trade unions.
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Ian Lavery:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the life expectancy is for (a) women and (b) men in each local area in the UK. \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 25th February is attached.

Letter from the UK Statistics Authority (pdf, 107.8KB)
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Paula Barker:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the number of (a) pub and (b) restaurant closures in England in the latest period for which data is available. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon lady’s Parliamentary Question of 25th February is attached.

Letter from the UK Statistics Authority (pdf, 122.8KB)
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to prioritise businesses that have signed the Armed Forces Covenant when tendering public sector contracts. \p Georgia Gould: The Government encourages communities, charities and businesses to sign the Armed Forces Covenant. The Cabinet Office has published guidance on how departments can encourage suppliers to sign the Covenant and to raise awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant. This guidance is published on gov.uk and available here PPN 008: Armed Forces Covenant (HTML) - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Chris Bloore:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether her Department offers (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers. \p Georgia Gould: The Cabinet Office does not currently specifically offer (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers.

However, the Cabinet Office has other mechanisms in place to support employees who are kinship carers, in parity with other forms of care leave.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 27548 on Cabinet office: Public Appointments and with reference to the his Department's Non-Executive Board Member declaration of interests process, published on 28 November 2024, whether a required declaration of previous significant political activity under paragraph 9.2 of the Governance Code on Public Appointments in the last five years prior to taking up a public appointment is deemed to be a (a) declarable interest and (b) an interest which must be published under the Non-Executive Board Member declaration of interests regime; and for what period of time a declaration of pre-appointment political activity would be retained on the bi-annual NED declaration record. \p Georgia Gould: With reference to the guidance on declarations of interests published on 28 November 2024, political activity is a declarable interest, and any current political activity declared by a Non-Executive Board Member will be published on the online register of interests. This is consistent with paragraphs 3.11 – 3.15 of the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.

The Governance Code on Public Appointments is separate guidance and its scope is limited to the appointments process. Paragraph 9.2 applies to political activity of candidates which may be explored further by the Advisory Assessment Panel, and if successful will be made public as part of the appointments process. As this is a separate process to the management of Non-Executive Board Members’ interests outlined above, previous political activity is not retained on the departmental register of interests.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether 10 Downing Street has had communications with the company Lowick on the proposed new Chinese Embassy. \p Georgia Gould: The decision to call in the planning application for the proposed Chinese Embassy was made by the Deputy Prime Minister, in line with current policy on call-in. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk, and relevant meetings are declared in the Special Advisor transparency publications in line with longstanding process.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether 10 Downing Street has a list of organisations or groups that it does not engage with. \p Georgia Gould: 10 Downing Street does not hold a list of this nature.
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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will launch a consultation on extending the eligibility for the Elizabeth Emblem medal to people who are left severely injured and medically retired in the course of undertaking eligible public service. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The government recognises the invaluable contribution of emergency service workers to the people of the United Kingdom. Those that lose their lives as a result of their duties are now rightly honoured with the award of the Elizabeth Emblem.

There are no current plans to alter the eligibility criteria for the Elizabeth Emblem along the lines suggested. The Government is happy to consider the case for any new medal or award, subject to comprehensive assessment across relevant departments. We continue to recognise the outstanding achievements of emergency service colleagues through both our existing honours and gallantry systems, and we would encourage people to make nominations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will review the inclusion of international students in net migration figures. \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 24th February is attached.

Letter from the UK Statistics Authority (pdf, 115.3KB)
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24244 on Government Departments: Sanitation, what steps her Department is taking to review the toilet policy; and with reference to the Government Property Strategy, published on 31 August 2022, whether it remains the policy of the Government Property Agency to adopt the proposed guidance on appropriate toilet provision for both men and women by 2025. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the hon. member to the answer given in response to PQ24244 on 23 January.
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John Glen:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14946 on Government departments: communications and consultations, if he will list each of the programmes that have been cancelled or reduced to deliver £85 million of savings from the £449 million baseline. \p Georgia Gould: I refer to the Rt Hon member to the answer given to PQ25685 on 30 January 2025.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26555, on Households: English Language, what his planned timetable is for the substantive response and deposit. \p Georgia Gould: The substantive response and deposit have now been published.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many public procurement contracts issued by the Crown Commercial Service have included mandatory commitments to trade union recognition since July 2024. \p Georgia Gould: Individual contracting authorities are responsible for defining their relationships with trade unions.
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Andrew Griffith:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many public contracts awarded by the Crown Commercial Service since 5 July 2024 have included mandatory commitments to publish suppliers’ (a) gender and (b) ethnicity pay gaps. \p Georgia Gould: Contracts are established between the supplier and the individual contracting authority.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made of the potential implications for his policies of the decision by the Australian government to ban DeepSeek from all government devices and systems. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: The UK government keeps new technologies under review to ensure that our existing policies and guidance are appropriate to mitigate any emerging risks. In the case of new Artificial Intelligence tools, we have a robust set of security policies in place to manage how information is handled.

The recently updated Artificial Intelligence Playbook for the UK Government outlines that only corporately assured Generative AI tools should be used to process government information. The Mobile Device Management policy mandates that any application downloaded onto government devices must first be approved by security and technology teams. Everyone who works in government is also made aware of their responsibility to safeguard any government information or data that they process, access or share.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials from his Department attended the World Economic Forum 2025. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: No Cabinet Office officials attended the World Economic Forum 2025.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate the UK Statistics Authority has made of the number of small businesses in Wokingham constituency in January (a) 2021, (b) 2022, (c) 2023, (d) 2024 and (e) 2025. \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 21st February is attached.

Letter from the National Statistician (pdf, 116.2KB)
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Andrew Griffith:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of procurement training for staff in his Department since 5 July 2024 has been delivered by organisations affiliated with trade unions. \p Georgia Gould: Information on supplier organisations’ affiliation with trade unions is not held.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department will (a) collate and (b) release figures on the numbers of (i) suicides and (ii) overall deaths due to consumption of sodium nitrate. \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 21st February is attached.

Letter from the National Statistician (pdf, 107.3KB)
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data entitled Cabinet Office: The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP Hospitality - 5 July to 31 October 2024, published on 30 January 2025, which representatives of (a) UEFA and (b) the Football Association of Ireland the Prime Minister met with when receiving hospitality from those organisations. \p Georgia Gould: Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk as part of the government’s transparency agenda.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to establish an Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 19 November 2024, Official Report, PQ 11597.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when his Department plans to acknowledge the Freedom of Information Act request made by the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton, contained in the letter to the Prime Minister of 26 January 2025. \p Georgia Gould: The referenced Freedom of Information request has been received, and a response will be issued in line with the Freedom of Information Act in due course.
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Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department. \p Georgia Gould: Cabinet Office staff are encouraged to book desks, but it is not mandatory.

Similarly, of the Cabinet Office's arm's length bodies that directly employ their own staff, none mandate booking a desk in order to attend the office in person.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25696 on Public Appointments: Political Activities, at what point in the appointment process should the public disclosure on political activity be made for a regulated public appointment. \p Georgia Gould: The Governance Code on Public Appointments requires that any political activity, as defined within the Code, by successful candidates should be publicly disclosed. Generally, this is done within the wider declarations of interest process for Non-Executive Board Members, published guidance for which is set out on Gov.uk,https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-executive-board-member-declaration-of-interests-process/non-executive-board-member-declaration-of-interests-process.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued to political (a) parties, (b) agents and (c) candidates on the (i) use of battlebuses in regulated election period and (ii) circumstances in which their use should be declared as a local candidate expense. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Commission has published guidance for parties and candidates and agents on spending by the party to promote a candidate during the candidate regulated period.

The guidance sets out how to identify whether an activity promotes a candidate, and if so, how this should be reported. In most cases, activity promoting a candidate must be reported on the candidate return, either as notional spending or as spending authorised by the candidate. In the case of a battlebus visit, this will depend on the content of the event and the role of the candidate or agent in directing, encouraging, or authorising the spending.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many times the Parliamentary Parties Panel has met since February 2024. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Westminster Parliamentary Parties Panel meets four times a year, but it can meet more or less often if it needs to. It met in February, September and December 2024, and again in February 2025.

The scheduled June 2024 meeting was cancelled due to the UK parliamentary general election.

The minutes from previous meetings are available to view on the Committee's website.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the Electoral Commission's timetable is for the publication of the spending returns for the 2024 General Election by (a) major and (b) minor political parties. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: On 13 February, the Commission published the 2024 general election spending returns from political parties and campaigners that spent less the £250,000. The data can be viewed on the Commission's website.

The Commission will publish data relating to parties and campaigners that spent over £250,000 in the coming months.

This is an important part of its work to provide transparency for voters over the money spent and received at the election.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, for what reason Policy Development Grants will be linked to candidacy from 2025-26; and which political parties responded to the Electoral Commission’s consultation. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Commission recently consulted Westminster political parties on its proposals to amend the Policy Development Grants Scheme, following eligibility changes after the 2024 UK parliamentary general election.

Parties with at least two sitting members in the House of Commons who have taken the oath of allegiance, are eligible to receive a share of the total available £2m grant. All nine parties are eligible for the grant responded consultation. These were: the Conservative and Unionist Party, Demcratic Unionist Party, Green Party of England and Wales, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, Reform UK, Scottish National Party, and Social Democratic and Labour Party.

The Commission recommended that the second £1m of the £2m total available grant should continue to be divided into pots for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, based on the proportion of the UK electorate living in each nation. Following consultation and the testing of different thresholds, the Commission also recommended that each nation's pot should then be split equally between the eligible parties that stood candidates in at least 50% of the constituencies in the relevent nation at the most recent UK parliamentary general election. It recommended no change to the existing method of allocating the first £1m of the available grant.

The Commission's reasoning was that a 50% threshold would give greater assurance that eligible parties have demonstrated a sufficient connection and commitment to the relevent nation's electorate and a presence within that part of the UK.

The Commission wrote to the parties in November to let them know the outcome of the consultation.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 28045 on Local Government Boundary Commission for England, whether additional resources will be provided to the Local Boundary Commission for England in the context of the Government’s plans for local government restructuring in England. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Speaker’s Committee has a statutory role to review the annual estimates of resources of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). It also considers the organisation’s five-year plan at the start of a Parliament.

As part of the process, the LGBCE submits a draft estimate and five-year plan to the Committee for consideration. In turn the Committee consults the Treasury on these and has regard to any advice the Treasury gives.

Ahead of the new financial year, the Committee is holding a public session with the LGBCE to consider its position. The Committee will then decide whether it is satisfied that the estimated level of income and expenditure requested is consistent with the economical, efficient and effective discharge by the Commission of its functions. If the Committee were not so satisfied, it would make modifications to the estimate as it considers appropriate for the purpose of achieving such consistency.

As part of this year’s review the Committee will need to assess whether the LGBCE has the appropriate level of provision to ensure it has the capacity and expertise to respond to requests for assistance in the context of the Government’s plans for local government restructuring in England.

The Committee is planning to meet the LGBCE next on 19 March 2025 and it will then take a decision on whether to lay the main estimate for financial year 2025/26 before the House of Commons for approval.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission had discussions with Leicestershire Police on (a) electoral fraud and (b) the issuing of unauthorised and anonymous literature during the 2024 General Election. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: As part of its work to support the police, the Commission has provided advice to Leicestershire Police in relation to its enquiries into complaints about campaign literature distributed without an imprint at the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election.

The police are responsible for enforcing imprints laws on candidate literature.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what plans the Electoral Commission has to provide a substantive response to the Freedom of Information Act request, reference FOI 137-24, submitted in September 2024. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Commission responded to the request on 27 February 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_642

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 24503 on Political Parties: Finance, whether the Electoral Commission has issued guidance on the permissibility of donations from UK subsidiaries acting as agents for overseas parent companies. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: Under electoral law, while most UK companies are permissible donors, if a UK company acted as an agent for a donation by a foreign company, this donation would be impermissible. If a person or organisation makes a donation on behalf of another without disclosing this, they would be committing an offence.

The Commission has published guidance on permissable sources and on donations made on behalf of another person or organisation. This states that recipients must take all reasonable steps to identify the true donor and ensure that they are a permissable source.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_643
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_643

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answers of 23 January 2025, to Questions 25270 and 25269, on Candidates: Expenditure, whether the Electoral Committee has had discussions with (a) the Cabinet Office and (b) the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the issue of (i) notional invoices and (ii) declarations of value of notional spending. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Commission is not currently discussing notional spending laws with either the Cabinet Office of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

In recent years, the Commission has discussed notional spending with the Cabinet Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the UK Government introduced changes to the notional expenditure regime in the Elections Act 2022.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_644
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_644

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 24499 on Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission: Social Media, whether the Electoral Commission plans to issue guidance to (a) political parties and (b) non-party campaigners on this matter. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Commission does not currently have plans to publish specific guidance on the manipulation of social media algorithms.

Its guidance on donations and on non-party campaigning may be applicable to situations where a party or candidate is intentionally favoured by a social media platform's algorithm. The Commission is currently doing more work in this area to identify any key considerations for how the law is applied in practice.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_645
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_645

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what information the Electoral Commission holds on official photographic identification for voting held by 16 and 17 year olds. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Commission does not hold information on photo ID ownership among 16- and 17-year-olds in England. If Parliament changes the franchise to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote, the Commission would expect to carry out further research to understand current levels and types of ID ownership in this group, to inform its work to support newly enfranchised voters to understand the ID requirement.

The Commission's estimates of photo ID ownership are based on public opinion surveys, based on samples of adults aged 18+. Its latest research following the UK general election found that 95% of 18-24-year-olds have an accepted form of ID for voting. The Commission has called on the UK government to review the list of accepted forms of ID to identify any additional IDs that could be included to improve accessibility for voters, particularly focusing on forms of ID that would support people who are least likely to have documents on the current list.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_646
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_646

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the status is of the Electoral Commission's investigation into the donation from the Foundation for European Progressive Studies to the Fabian Society; and what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued on the permissibility of donations through the European Parliament's programme for European political parties and European political foundations for UK (a) political parties, (b) regulated donees and (c) member associations. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission is currently considering the matter in line with its regulatory remit. It does not have an investigation open.

The Commission has not published specific guidance on the permissibility of the programme mentioned. The Commission's guidance for political parties and regulated donees, including members associations, provides a list of permissible sources for donations.

Its guidance states that donations towards members association's political activities within their party can only come from permissible sources. These activities include promoting or developing policies with a view to their adoption by the party.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_647
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_647

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with Lancashire Police on electoral law matters relating to Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency during the 2024 General Election campaign. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: Lancashire Police have confirmed they are investigating a complaint regarding a candidate's election expenses. As part of its work to support the police, the Commission has respondeded to requests for advice from Lancashire Police in relation to this matter.

Candidate election offences are enforced by the police, and the Commission has no powers to investigate in this area.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_648
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_648

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will list the enforcement cases in relation to foreign donors channelling funds through UK-registered corporate bodies on which the Electoral Commission has made a ruling in the last ten years. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: Information on all concluded investigations dating back to April 2020 is listed on the Commission's website. Information on investigations which concluded prior to April 2020 can be found using the National Archives website.

The Commission's guidance sets out which donors are permissible. If a company is registered at Companies House, incorporated in the UK, and 'carrying on business' in the UK, it can donate to a UK political party or campaigner.

However, it is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false declaration about the true origin of a donation. If a donor was to mislead a political party as to the true source of the donation to evade permissibility requirements then they could be committing an offence. Any investigation would fall within the remit of the police, not the Electoral Commission.

Companies do not currently need to show that they have made enough money in the UK to fund their donations. Since 2013, the Commission has recommended changes to ensure parties cannot accept money from companies that have not made enough in the UK to fund their donation or loan.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_649
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_649

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answers of 23 January 2025 to Questions 25270 and 25269 on Candidates: Expenditure, if he will publish any (a) guidance and (b) advice provided by the Electoral Commission on (i) notional invoices and (ii) declarations of value of notional spending. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: No invoice is required for notional spending; the legal requirement is to make a declaration of the value of the notional spending in the return. To avoid confusion, the Commission does not refer to "notional invoices" in its guidance , and this term does not appear in legislation.

The Commission has published guidance on valuing notional spending. This states that candidates should make an honest and reasonable assessment of the value of the goods or services they are receiving. In practice, most parties and candidates include additional information about the nature of the spending, in case it is queried following the election. The Commission offers advice to all parties and candidates in response to their queries, in line with its published guidance.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_650
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_650

Chris Bloore:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether their Department offers (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers. \p Ian Murray: The Scotland Office does not employ any staff directly. All staff that join, do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other government departments, principally the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government, who remain the employers.

They remain on the terms and conditions of their parent department and can access all schemes and assistance that are available through those departments.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_651
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_651

Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the use of Fenfluramine to treat Lennox Gastaut Syndrome; and what representations his Department has had from hospitals in Southampton on this matter. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops its guidance on new medicines independently and the Department has had no discussions with the NICE about its appraisal of fenfluramine for the treatment of Lennox Gastaut syndrome. Furthermore, I am not aware of any correspondence or representations from hospitals in Southampton on this matter.

The NICE recently published draft guidance that recommends fenfluramine for the treatment of patients meeting specific clinical criteria, and registered stakeholders now have an opportunity to appeal. The NICE currently expects to publish final guidance on 26 March 2025.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_652
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_652

Juliet Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of prescribing Androfeme for the menopause. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has no plans to discuss Androfeme with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and has made no assessment of the potential merits of prescribing Androfeme. Androfeme does not have a marketing authorisation for use in the United Kingdom.

Newly licensed medicines are appraised by the NICE, which is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on new medicines that represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. If Androfeme is granted a marketing authorisation in the future for this indication, the NICE will consider producing guidance under the appropriate programme, such as its technology appraisal programme.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_653
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_653

Andrew Griffith:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 22722 on Fertility: Medical Treatments, whether he will make it his policy to collect these data centrally. \p Karin Smyth: There are no current plans to collect these data.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_654
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_654

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Tumour-infiltrating Lymphocytes therapy has been licenced in the UK. \p Karin Smyth: The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has not licenced any medicines that can be described as tumour infiltrating lymphocyte therapy.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_655
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_655

Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making people with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome automatically eligible for IVF treatment. \p Karin Smyth: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) fertility guidelines set out the best practice for the National Health Service to follow for those suffering from clinical infertility. It is for integrated care boards to make local decisions about the services for their local population, taking account of NICE guidelines.

Individuals with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome do not have wombs but can form their families through surrogacy arrangements, which are not currently included in NICE fertility guidelines. The collection and storage of eggs is covered by NICE fertility guidelines but currently only for those being treated for cancer. The guidelines are currently under review and expected to be published later in 2025.