theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mr Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase biodiversity in the West Midlands. \p Mary Creagh: Improving biodiversity is a key objective for the Government, and we are taking action to deliver on our legally binding biodiversity targets on species abundance, species extinction, and habitat creation and restoration.

These targets, alongside other statutory targets on tree canopy and woodland cover, water and air quality, marine protected areas, and resource efficiency, will drive action for nature recovery.

The West Midlands Combined Authority is the responsible authority for preparing the West Midlands Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which will agree priorities for nature recovery in the area and identify and map the best locations for action to be taken to benefit nature and the wider environment. Defra has provided funding to responsible authorities to prepare their strategies, as well as dedicated advice and support from Natural England, the Environment Agency, and the Forestry Commission.
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Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department will publish the revised Environmental Improvement Plan for 2025. \p Mary Creagh: The Government has concluded a rapid review of the existing Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23). We published a statement of the rapid review’s key findings on 30 January 2025. Publication of the revised EIP will follow later this year.
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Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with farmers on ensuring that agricultural soil health adheres to recommended guidelines to mitigate flooding. \p Daniel Zeichner: Working with farmers and landowners is an important part of the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy Roadmap up to 2026. A priority is to support farmers and land managers adapt their land management practices to be more resilient to the changing climate. The National Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association are both represented on the Flood Resilience Taskforce.

The Rural Flood Resilience Partnership unites six organisations including the Environment Agency, to support agricultural businesses and rural communities. The Partnership and its workplan was launched on the 23 September 2024. This details shared actions to look at how farming practices can enhance flood resilience in rural areas, alongside sustainable food production.

In addition, the Government’s ongoing investment in the environment will also support natural flood management measures – including measures that support soil health.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 6928 on Fish Products: Faroe Islands, when his response to the public consultation on fairer food labelling will be published. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government is now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will publish a response to this consultation in due course.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to PQ 6928.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of (a) illegal and (b) banned products of animal origin (POAO) have been seized at the Port of Dover since September 2022. \p Daniel Zeichner: Please see the table below for total seizures of illegal meat year on year. The figures quoted are seizures from all ports who had returned seizure data to us from September 2022 onwards as part of Defra African Swine Fever programme. This does not reflect all illegal meat seizures.

We are unable to provide further levels of detail as we do not release details of the location of seizure; this information could risk undermining border security, by providing intelligence in our resource deployment and targeting

Total seizures for full year on year are as follows:

2022 (Sept-Dec)

3745kg

2023

44,482kg

2024

92,270kg
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help (a) mitigate the impact of and (b) reduce the quantity of microplastics released into the environment by domestic washing machines. \p Emma Hardy: The Government is concerned about the risks microplastics in our water environment may pose to public health and to the environment. Regulations for products and appliances are covered by the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations 2010 and are routinely reviewed by the Government, and previous collaborative work with the water industry found that microplastics from clothing and textiles make up a small proportion (around 1%) of the total microplastics found within wastewater treatment works. There is no work planned to amend the relevant regulation for this product at the present time. Defra is continuing to work with water companies to investigate microplastics detected during wastewater treatment and their potential to enter the receiving aquatic environment.
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Andrew Griffith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department offers paternity leave to its staff from their first working day. \p Daniel Zeichner: All staff working for the department and its arm’s length bodies are entitled to paternity leave, subject to qualifying service, which varies between organisations.

Some staff could qualify for statutory paternity leave on their first day of service with their department because they already have qualifying service with another Civil Service organisation, or because their organisation offers it on day 1.

As with any changes to employment legislation, internal policies and processes will be updated as appropriate in preparation for when the Employment Rights Bill 2024 comes into effect.
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Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to publish the results of the fairer food labelling consultation. \p Daniel Zeichner: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gareth Snell on 23 December 2024, PQ 20692.
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Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with representatives from the agricultural industry on (a) animal welfare and (b) ending the use of cages for farm animals; and if he will take steps to publish a strategy for animal protection until 2029. \p Daniel Zeichner: We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.

We are engaging with key stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare. We will be outlining more details on this in due course.
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Jade Botterill:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help farmers recruit people on Seasonal Worker visas. \p Daniel Zeichner: We know how important securing the right workforce is to the agri-food chain, for both skilled (such as butchers and vets) and temporary (such as seasonal horticulture harvesting) jobs.   The Government has confirmed the Seasonal Worker visa route for 2025, with a total of 43,000 Seasonal Worker visas available for horticulture and 2,000 for poultry. At the NFU conference, the Government announced a five-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route, until the end of 2030, giving farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually transitioning away from seasonal migrant labour. This will help secure the labour and skills needed to bring high quality British produce, such as strawberries, rhubarb and daffodils to market.
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Jade Botterill:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to help support farming businesses in West Yorkshire. \p Daniel Zeichner: This Government wants to improve profitability for farmers, including for those in West Yorkshire, to make their businesses viable for the future. That is why we were pleased to announce £5 billion for the farming budget over 2024/25 and 2025/26.

The farming budget will be £2.4 billion in 2025/26. This will include the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history: £1.8 billion for environmental land management schemes to boost Britain’s food security and accelerate the transition to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 35001 on Sewage: Cambridgeshire, what the eight internal drainage boards projects in Cambridgeshire are. \p Emma Hardy: The eight grants awarded to Cambridgeshire IDBs under the IDB Fund are supporting repairs and refurbishments to their assets, including pumping stations. The eight projects are:

Application ID

IDB Name

Project title

Total Grant Awarded - £

AT2-0058

Conington & Holme Internal Drainage Board

Conington Fen Pumping Station Improvement Scheme

130,000.00

AT2-0087

Middle Level Commissioners

Middle Level Commissioners Mobile Pumps

539,710.00

AT2-0088

Middle Level Commissioners

Bevill’s Leam Pumping Station Resilience Works Phase 1

254,596.00

AT2-0091

Middle Level Commissioners

Middle Level Commissioners Operational Depot Resilience

145,450.00

AT2-0098

Middle Level Commissioners

IDB Weedscreens Package 1

250,000.00

AT2-0100

Middle Level Commissioners

MLC IDBs Pumps & Channels Package

636,600.00

AT1-119

Curf & Wimblington Combined IDB

Curf & Wimblington combined IDB catchment

78,636.81

AT1-124

Middle Level Commissioners

Middle Level catchment

747,266.18

Total:

2,782,258.99

The fund, whilst allocated at the values shown, is subject to end review and the values may change based on completed scheme costs.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of (a) public and (b) civil society engagement on UK REACH testing proposal consultations since 2021. \p Emma Hardy: Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. The last resort principle underpins the REACH testing proposal procedure. This procedure already requires that HSE, as the UK REACH Agency, must publish all testing proposals to facilitate the submission of relevant information by third parties. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. The Environment Act 2021 includes powers to amend UK REACH and consultation is a legal requirement under those powers.

In 2024 the Government consulted on an Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm). The aim of the ATRm is to consider the information needs under UK REACH to provide substance hazard data in the registration dossier for UK REACH transitional registrations (for those substances previously registered on EU REACH), including the need to generate new data. The consultation also included proposals to introduce further protections against unnecessary animal testing as part of our ongoing project to improve UK REACH. We are currently considering our approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will provide a summary of the responses during 2025.

Both UK REACH and EU REACH recognise studies performed outside the UK or the EU. This means that there is no need to repeat a study because it was previously carried out elsewhere.
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Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the annual additional cost to households will be of each of Yorkshire Water’s four Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) schemes; and what the additional cost will be per household for each (a) DPC and (b) Specified Infrastructure Project (SIPR) scheme broken down by water company region. \p Emma Hardy: Yorkshire Water has four direct procurement schemes as listed in the table below with the estimated whole life totex (total expenditure) for each scheme as detailed in Ofwat's PR24 Final Determinations: Major Projects Development and Delivery.

These schemes will be mainly delivered in conjunction with other water companies or organisations as shown in the table below.

Ofwat’s final determinations provide Yorkshire Water with a major project development allowance of £97.16 million to fund pre-construction development, commercial and procurement strategies, land acquisition and enabling works. The allowances will be reflected in the wholesale revenue limits set for the 2025- 30 period. Delivery of projects through DPC or SIPR competitive models means that for each project, the level of bill impact cannot be confirmed until final bids are received and evaluated, and Ofwat have approved that it is in customers' best interests to proceed with the project.

Company(s)

Project Name

Project Type

Delivery Model

Whole life totex (£m)

Construction start date

Yorkshire Water / Northumbrian Water/UU

Kielder Transfer SRO

Transfer

In-House /DPC[1]

1,146

2032

Severn Trent, Yorkshire Water and the Coal Authority

Nottinghamshire Mine Water Treatment

Water treatment/ Transfer

DPC

755

2038

Yorkshire Water

West Yorkshire Water Treatment Works

Water Treatment works

DPC

310

2029-30

Severn Trent/ Yorkshire

South Yorkshire Sources[2]

Source and Transfer

DPC

419

2031

[1] This project has some components which qualify for DPC and some which don't and will need in-house delivery.

[2] Now includes York Water Treatment Works which was included in draft determinations as a project in its own right.

The full programme of all 30 major projects is listed in PR24 Final Determinations: Major Projects Development and Delivery but we will not know the bill impacts until companies have finished the procurement process and final bids are received and approved.
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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of climate change on water security. \p Emma Hardy: Water companies are required by law to publish a water resources management plan (WRMP) that sets out how they will provide secure public water supplies for a 25-year period (as a minimum). This includes a detailed assessment of the effect of climate change on water supply (and demand). Water companies have just published the latest WRMPs, and this assessment shows that, in England, the quantity of water needed to replace water that will be lost due to the impacts of climate change on water supplies by 2050 is 642 million litres per day. Water companies outline in WRMPs how they plan to manage water supplies to ensure that they are resilient to climate change and other factors such as improving resilience to droughts, population growth, business growth needs and protecting and improving the water environment. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provides permission to publish the WRMPs, once he is satisfied the plans produced by water companies demonstrate a secure supply of water.

In addition, the Environment Agency’s National Framework for Water Resources published in March 2020, set out the strategic water needs for England up to 2050 and beyond. This included an assessment of the likely effect of climate change on water availability. The Framework sets out how water security will be maintained through actions such as halving leakage, reducing demand and developing new water supply infrastructure. A new framework will be released in late spring/early summer.

The most recent WRMPs (WRMP24) have been assessed by the Environment Agency and a summary published (A summary of England’s revised draft regional and water resources management plans - GOV.UK).
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission research into the (a) role of (i) Russia (ii) Belarus (iii) Iran (iv) China and (v) Yemen in the migration of people and (b) potential impact of that migration on national security. \p Seema Malhotra: Tackling irregular migration is a key focus for this government and we regularly research and review the drivers behind it to inform our response. National security, including security at our border, is of the highest importance which is why the Border Security Command was launched and works with colleagues across government and with a range of international partners to disrupt the activity of criminal smuggling gangs.
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Wendy Chamberlain:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications were rejected under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (a) Pathway 1, (b) Pathway 2 and (c) Pathway 3 in each month since August 2021. \p Seema Malhotra: The Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) brings together existing Afghan resettlement schemes into a single, efficient pipeline. Further information about this is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-resettlement-programme.

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) is not application based. Eligible people are prioritised and referred for resettlement under its 3 pathways, and further information about the scheme can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme.

Whilst the Home Office has not published the specific information requested, our latest Afghan resettlement operational data publication (found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-resettlement-programme-operational-data/afghan-resettlement-programme-operational-data) shows that since the end of Op Pitting (in August 2021) up until the end of December 2024 we have welcomed around 34,940 people to safety from Afghanistan and the region. This includes 31,944 individuals who have been resettled under the ARP.*

The operational data publication also shows that we have so far granted Indefinite Leave to Remain to:

Further statistics on individuals resettled or relocated under the Afghan schemes are available in the latest Immigration System Statistics release published on 27 February 2025. This can be accessed on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to restore public confidence in the police in the context of reports of (a) officer and (b) staff involvement in cybercrimes. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The commission of any criminal offence by police officers or staff is unacceptable and can seriously damage vital public trust and confidence in the police service

That is why the Home Secretary announced a series of reforms in October last year to raise standards in policing. These changes will strengthen the police misconduct system by introducing a presumption of dismissal for proven gross misconduct and mandating that conviction of certain criminal offences will automatically amount to gross misconduct.

Police officers have a statutory duty to report any wrongdoing under their Standards of Professional Behaviour and it is vital that they are supported in doing so. There are a number of routes, both internal and external, to raise such concerns, including through the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) Reporting Line, which enables police officers and staff to report concerns of wrongdoing that a criminal offence has been committed, or where there is evidence of conduct that would justify disciplinary proceedings.
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Maya Ellis:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to permit settled status to Ukrainian refugees who entered the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. \p Seema Malhotra: The Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme opened to applications on 4 February 2025, which enables Ukrainians in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes to apply for a further 18 months’ temporary permission to remain in the UK.

We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine to assist in the rebuilding of the country. It is important our approach respects these wishes.

This is why the temporary sanctuary Ukraine visa Schemes do not lead to settlement in the UK.  We continue to keep the Ukraine Schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.

There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has reviewed international evidence on the impact of legal cannabis markets on (a) healthcare costs and (b) service demand. \p Dame Diana Johnson: This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.

Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
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Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the new guidance on the good character requirement for British citizenship complies with the UK’s obligations under Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention. \p Seema Malhotra: We take our international obligations very seriously, including those under the Refugee Convention 1951. The good character policy is compliant with those obligations.

Each citizenship application will continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis considering all positive and negative factors. The Secretary of State may choose to apply discretion to grant citizenship on an exceptional basis where there are particularly exceptional, compelling, or mitigating circumstances.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential (a) implications for his policies of international examples of state-run cannabis markets and (b) impact of those markets on (i) economic growth and (ii) public health. \p Dame Diana Johnson: This Government has no plans to legalise cannabis.

Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The maximum penalty for possession of a Class B drug is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

The maximum penalty for supply and production of a Class B drug is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men, (b) women, (c) male children and (d) female children have come to the UK via the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme since 6 January 2022. \p Seema Malhotra: Statistics on individuals resettled or relocated under the Afghan schemes are available in the Immigration System Statistics release. These statistics provide a breakdown by age and gender. For a summary of the data, see the resettlement section of the ‘How many people come to the UK via safe and legal (humanitarian) routes?’ chapter; for detailed data, see table Asy_D02 of the asylum and resettlement datasets.

Afghan Operational Data is published quarterly and is viewable at: Afghan Resettlement Programme: operational data - GOV.UK.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the proposed Chinese embassy on (a) national security and (b) the risk of transnational repression of diasporic (i) Hong Kong, (ii) Uyghur, (iii) Tibetan and (iv) other communities in the UK. \p Dan Jarvis: The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government.

We are clear that national security is the first duty of Government. The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary submitted written representations to the Planning Inspector on 14 January. That letter is clear that the Home Office has considered the breadth of national security issues.

We have a broad suite of powers to counter foreign interference, including those actions which amount to transnational repression. We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to keep people safe.
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Zarah Sultana:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of predictive policing methods on freedom of association. \p Dame Diana Johnson: AI, and other technologies, can provide a wide range of benefits to improve efficiency and productivity in policing, as well as boosting public confidence by improving the prevention, detection and investigation of crime. However, the procurement and deployment of AI technology to assist with forecasting potential areas of crime or disorder, commonly known as 'predictive policing', must always be subject to strong safeguards.

The AI Covenant for Policing was agreed at National Police Chiefs Council in September 2023. This provides practical high-level principles that, if followed, will ensure that the police develop and use AI tools that are lawful, transparent, explainable, responsible, accountable and robust.

The Home Office has provided funding to support the National Police Chiefs Council AI Portfolio to drive consistency and create guidance for forces to develop and deploy AI tools, and we are undertaking further detailed work in this area. There are a number of essential wider protections in place, including the Public Sector Equality Duty, to ensure that all Government policies take account of the human rights impacts on individuals.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 34055 on Emergency Services: Domestic Abuse, when she expects the first phase of embedded external domestic abuse specialists in police force control rooms to be completed in (a) Northumbria, (b) Northamptonshire, (c) Bedfordshire, (d) Humberside and (e) West Midlands police forces. \p Jess Phillips: Raneem's Law is the first time the Government is delivering a national, coordinated approach to embedding specialism into 999 control rooms. We intend to use learning from Phase One of Raneem's Law to inform plans for further national rollout across all 43 forces in England and Wales, as soon as possible. Exact timings for this will be announced in due course.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on supporting research into women’s health. \p Dame Nia Griffith: We are a mission-led Government and women’s equality is at the heart of all of our missions. As part of that work Equalities Ministers have regular conversations with colleagues on a range of women’s health issues, including on the implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy which covers musculoskeletal conditions.

Women’s health is a fundamental part of our 10-year plan to Build an NHS Fit for the Future, which is why on 4th February 2025, DHSC announced details of the Early Detection using Information Technology in Health (EDITH) Trial, backed by £11 million of government support via the NIHR. Through this research, almost 700,000 women from across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.
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Joe Morris:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to improve LGBT+ support in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England. \p Dame Nia Griffith: It is crucial that LGBT+ people in all areas of Britain are safe, included and protected from discrimination. To achieve this we must end the recent politics of division. Work is already underway to fulfil the commitments set out in the new Government’s manifesto, advancing the rights and protections afforded to LGBT+ people.   These include:

In addition to this, Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary is now taking part in one of our biggest successes, the HIV opt out testing in emergency departments. During the last 27 months over 2 million HIV tests have been conducted through the programme, indicatively finding over 800 new HIV diagnoses and 540 people previously diagnosed with HIV but not in care.

We are also pleased that a number of primary care service providers in the North-East, particularly in South Shields and Jarrow, are part of the Pride in Practice scheme that is run by the LGBT Foundation. This scheme aims to improve the experiences of LGBT+ people when accessing primary care services. We would encourage primary care providers in the North-East to consider joining this scheme.

Finally, we recognise that LGBT+ people in rural communities have not always had access to the services they need. That is why we are working on ensuring that rural LGBT+ communities can access the support, healthcare and sense of community that larger cities enjoy. For example, our Conversion Practices Victim Support Service is a national service that anyone can access wherever they are in the country.
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Kanishka Narayan:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government’s gender equality strategy will include measures to tackle discrimination against women in (a) healthcare, (b) work and (c) financial security. \p Seema Malhotra: We are a mission-led government and women’s equality is at the heart of all our missions.

On health, we are continuing to work with NHS England and the Women’s Health Ambassador to implement the Women's Health Strategy. Our priorities for delivering the strategy will be aligned with the 10 Year Plan and the government's Missions. The 10 Year Plan will set out how we tackle the inequities that lead to poor health, including those for women.

Women’s equality in the workplace and their financial security go hand in hand. As part of our mission to Make Work Pay we will move further and faster to tackle the gender pay gap, provide high-quality, accessible early years education and improve access to flexible working.

Discrimination has no place in society and we will continue to tackle it in every setting through the protections offered in the Equality Act.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_314

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Solicitor General, how many prosecutions for child-trafficking there have been in Cambridgeshire since 2010. \p Lucy Rigby: This Government is committed to tackling the scourge of child trafficking. Children who are exploited by gangs for criminal purposes will now receive greater protection under the Government’s flagship Crime and Policing Bill, with the introduction of a new offence of child criminal exploitation. The Bill represents the biggest package of measures on crime and policing for decades, with new measures to cut crime and make our streets safer.

From January 2010 to September 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecuted 56 cases flagged for modern slavery in the Cambridge Police Force Area.

Data is recorded by defendant, rather than victim, and therefore modern slavery flagged cases may involve adult or child victims. Of these 56 cases, 11 cases also had a case monitoring flag applied for child abuse, which covers several different offences, including child trafficking.

The CPS is working closely with law enforcement via the Modern Slavery Criminal Justice Action Group – a joint working group led by CPS National Lead for Human Trafficking and the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime – to identify areas of improvement to promote early advice and increase referrals and prosecutions of modern slavery cases.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_315

David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent estimate she has made of the total cost of the electrification of the remainder of the South Wales mainline to be. \p Jo Stevens: This Government acknowledges that its predecessors have short-changed Wales for years on rail investment, including because of HS2. The South East Wales Transport Commission and North Wales Transport Commission provide the government with key recommendations for rail enhancements in these regions that will boost economic growth and provide good jobs and housing.

The UK and Welsh governments have agreed a prioritisation of rail improvement projects developed by the Wales Rail Board which will inform work in the run up to the Spring Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_316

David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent estimate she has made of the total cost of the electrification of the North Wales mainline. \p Jo Stevens: The previous Government made a series of unfunded commitments in its Network North plan, including the proposed electrification of the North Wales Main Line.

The Government recognises the case for enhancing levels of service on the North Wales Main Line and is prioritising increasing capacity alongside improving connectivity. In August, Network Rail and Transport for Wales announced that it is undertaking local consultation, planning and development work to close four level crossings along the North Wales Main Line. This has the potential to increase rail capacity by 40%, with 50% more timetabled services on the North Wales Main Line.

This government acknowledges that its predecessors have short-changed Wales for years on rail investment, including because of HS2. The North Wales Transport Commission and South East Wales Transport Commission provide the Government with key recommendations for rail enhancements in these regions that will boost economic growth and provide good jobs and housing.

The UK and Welsh governments have agreed a prioritisation of rail improvement projects developed by the Wales Rail Board which will inform work in the run up to the Spring Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff their Department has seconded from Hakluyt since July 2024. \p Jo Stevens: No staff in my Department have been seconded from Hakluyt since July 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many of their Department's officials have been seconded from (a) the Institute for Economic Affairs, (b) the Policy Exchange, (c) the Adam Smith Institute and (d) Labour Together since July 2024. \p Jo Stevens: No officials from my Department have been seconded from the Institute for Economic Affairs, the Policy Exchange, the Adam Smith Institute or Labour Together since July 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what criteria was used to select the five areas in Wales set to receive funding through the Plan for Neighbourhoods. \p Jo Stevens: These areas were identified based on a clear and transparent methodology, which considered a range of socio-economic factors, including:

A detailed methodology note outlining the selection criteria is publicly available on the GOV.UK website.

The long-term Plan for Towns programme was not fully funded by the previous government. As part of its Plan for Neighbourhoods, this Government is committed to ensuring that each of the five selected towns in Wales will receive up to £20 million in funding and support over the next decade.

We will work in partnership with the Welsh Government on the Plan for Neighbourhoods to make sure it aligns with the Welsh Governments work to regenerate neighbourhoods. This funding will be used to revitalise high streets, enhance local parks, support libraries, cultural venues, and youth clubs, and invest in essential community services to create thriving, well-connected neighbourhoods.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he has taken since 5 July 2024 to ensure that NHS IT systems in England and Wales are fully compatible. \p Jo Stevens: I regularly meet with Cabinet colleagues and with the First Minister to discuss a range of matters, including the NHS. Our two governments are working in close partnership to deliver for the people of Wales.

I acknowledge the complex challenge of integrating IT systems across England and Wales and I know that both the NHS in Wales and in England are aware of the issue. I am pleased that Digital Health and Care Wales is working closely with the NHS in England to identify ways of addressing this.

We are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration to do everything possible to cut waiting lists and build an NHS fit for the future. Our two Governments are already learning from best practice in areas such as the Welsh Government’s work on dentistry and GP practices, and in the UK Government’s plans to roll out extra elective capacity, including through new surgical hubs. There is also a Statement of Values and Principles that underpins the arrangements for treatment of patients living on the Wales-England border. We will continue to explore cross-border health arrangements where capacity allows.

In the Autumn Budget, we provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding has now been announced by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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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 3 March 2025 to Question 31951 on Local Government Boundary Commission for England, whether the Local Government Boundary Commission for England has told the Speaker's Committee that it requires resources for formal structural reviews of local authority (i) wards and (ii) boundaries. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Speaker's Committee plans to hold a public evidence session with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) on 19 March 2025 to consider its draft supply estimate for 2025/26. This session will be made available on Parliament Live.

Following the meeting, the Speaker's Committee is expected to publish the explanatory memorandum produced by the Commission explaining the content of its Estimate and justifying proposed funding requests. The Committee is also expected to consider the Commission's new five year corporate plan which outlines the LGBCE's objectives and expenditure plans over the next five years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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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 issues fines to political parties that narrowly miss a reporting deadline. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission takes enforcement action, including using investigatory powers and sanctions, where it is satisfied that it is necessary and proportionate to do so. Where it is satisfied it can resolve a matter without enforcement action, it will do so. It issues fines for missed reporting deadlines where it is not satisfied it can achieve its regulatory aims though other means.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_323

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, for what reason the Electoral Commission briefing entitled Parliamentary briefing: Political finance rules, sent to hon. Members on 4 March 2025, states that unincorporated associations are not required to check that those who donate to them are permissible. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Political Parties, Election and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) sets out the permissibility rules for political donations.

Unincorporated associations who donate to political parties are required to be permissable donors. However, those who give money to an unincorporated association are not required to be. Unincorporated associations are therefore not required to check that those who donate to them are permissable.

The Commission has recommended a change to the law to require unincorporated associations to ensure that any political donations come from permissable donors. This would strengthen the political finance system and provide transparency for voters.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_324

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to section 94 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, whether the Electoral Commission has been granted enhanced powers to access Companies House information. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House has powers to share information with individuals and public authorities, including the Electoral Commission, as long as the disclosure aligns with the functions of the receiving public authority and is not in breach of data protection legislation.

The Commission has not received information using these powers since the law received Royal Assent in 2023.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what proportion of food procured by his Department is sourced in (a) the UK and (b) Northern Ireland. \p Hilary Benn: The Northern Ireland Office does not operate any catering outlets, cafes or cafeterias within our office estate. Documentation provided by suppliers who cater official functions and events does not typically feature a proportional breakdown of food items per country of production.