theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-06-26 conversation_21
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Ms Polly Billington:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 56822 on Israel: Military Aid, how many Israel Defense Forces personnel have been trained by the UK armed forces in the last 12 months. \p Luke Pollard: The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world.

Fewer than ten IDF personnel have been trained in non-combat military courses in the UK in the last 12 months.

These are strictly academic, longstanding courses which are open to many countries around the world.

Personnel from almost 50 different countries around the world will attend non-combat military courses in the UK in 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59412 on Government Departments: Reviews, if his Department will publish the line by line review of its spending conducted for the Spending Review 2025. \p Luke Pollard: The Department is committed to meeting the 5% savings and efficiency target with Spending Review funding allocations agreed on this basis.

These funding allocations – informed by the findings of the zero-based review undertaken as part of the Spending Review – are the first step in a wider plan to finalise budgets for different projects and programmes, with any necessary savings decided through that process. The savings taken forward will be subject to the normal rigorous business planning processes, and in-year financial management.

The Defence Investment Plan will set out the details of the Department’s plans in the Autumn.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to encourage Commonwealth citizens to join the British Army. \p Luke Pollard: Commonwealth citizens have long made a valued contribution to the British Army and continue to be an important part of its structure and capability. There is always a strong interest in joining the Army. This can result in thousands of applications being received, which must be managed against the Army’s annual limit of 1,000 Basic Training starts for Commonwealth applicants and the 15% limit on the number of Commonwealth citizens who can serve in each cap badge.

In August 2024, the Army re-opened the recruitment window, accepting applications from Commonwealth citizens sponsored by Serving personnel under the Recruit Bounty Scheme. This was limited to specific roles, including Musician, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, Royal Engineer Technician and Tradesman, and the Parachute Regiment. This initiative generated a high volume of applications from across the Commonwealth.

The recruitment of Commonwealth citizens is subject to regular review by the Army to ensure it remains aligned with operational requirements. At present, the Commonwealth recruiting pipeline is forecast to remain closed in the medium term due to the sheer volume of applications during the 2024-25 recruitment window, which Capita continue to process.

The Ministry of Defence also works closely with the Home Office to ensure that Commonwealth personnel and their families benefit from specific immigration rules which enable them to enter, live, work and settle in the UK and become British citizens.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Susan Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions produced by the ceremonial activities associated with Trooping the Colour; and what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the environmental impact of state ceremonial events. \p Luke Pollard: The Ministry of Defence does not record the volume of carbon dioxide emissions for individual events. However, the Department is committed to reducing carbon emissions and operate sustainably where practical with no compromise to national security.

The troops involved in Trooping the Colour marched from barracks in the immediate vicinity of the parade.

For the aircraft participating in the King's Birthday Flypast the RAF continues to lead the way in operating more sustainably as part of Defence's commitment to reduce carbon emissions. For this flypast, jets from the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team were powered with a high-ratio blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is thought to be the first time anywhere in the world that a national aerobatic squadron has switched to both a SAF blend for propulsion and a renewable biofuel, known as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil to produce its trademark vapour trails.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there is CCTV coverage of the perimeter of RAF Brize Norton. \p Luke Pollard: RAF Brize Norton has CCTV in operation that enables remote coverage of base areas which is part of the multilayered approach to security on site.

The Defence Secretary has ordered that a full security review be conducted at pace, not only at Brize Norton, but across the defence estate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military support his Department provides to protect (a) buildings owned by and (b) personnel working for civilian defence contractors. \p Luke Pollard: Contractor buildings and personnel located within the Defence Estate are covered by the security arrangements of the site at which they are situated. Depending on the outputs of the site this may include the use of military support to provide the security arrangements. For those contractor buildings and personnel not based on the Defence Estate, the Minstry of Defence (MOD) do not provide military support. Defence has well established mandated security policies and processes to ensure Defence Industry security controls and measures meet with MODs risk appetite.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is taking steps to further develop the Trinity House Agreement. \p Luke Pollard: Since the signing of the landmark Trinity House Agreement, the Ministry of Defence has worked with our German counterparts to take the first steps towards turning the words of the text into real, practical co-operation. The Secretary of State met with Minister Pistorius on 15 May 2025 to hold the first Defence Ministerial Council under the agreement; detail on progress was set out in a Joint Statement, available on GOV.UK entitled ‘Joint statement on UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement progress - 15 May 2025’. My Right Hon Friend the Foreign Secretary is also driving forward a new bilateral Treaty with Germany, building on the success of the Trinity House Agreement. Due to be signed later this year, this new Treaty will underline the full breadth of the partnership between our countries.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Gavin Robinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with the families of people killed in the 1994 Chinook Helicopter Crash on the Mull of Kintyre. \p Al Carns: The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.

The Chinook Justice Campaign, who represent many of the families of the Mull of Kintyre accident, have indicated their intention to bring legal proceedings against the Ministry of Defence. Given this ongoing situation, I am unable to comment further.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Gavin Robinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of supporting a public inquiry into the 1994 Chinook Helicopter Crash on the Mull of Kintyre. \p Al Carns: I want to extend my sympathies to the families of those killed in this tragic accident. Having lost personnel on operations myself, I know the pain that they feel.

We have received a pre-action protocol letter from the Chinook Justice Campaign and are considering our response. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when did the Armed Forces cease to offer gap year commissions. \p Luke Pollard: I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 3 April 2025 to Question 41496 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge).

Army: Recruitment (docx, 17.2KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of banning of weapons exports to Israel on the training of Israeli Defense Forces personnel in the UK. \p Maria Eagle: Whilst both take into account international humanitarian law considerations, decisions to suspend certain export licences to Israel and the provision of UK training courses to Israel Defence Forces personnel are not directly linked.

There are fewer than five members of the IDF currently enrolled on non-combat academic courses in the UK.

The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields. The Ministry of Defence’s provision of such assistance is currently considered on a case-by-case basis. UK training courses promote British values, including human rights, democracy and compliance with international humanitarian law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 60125 on Armed Forces: Buildings, how many of those properties are in Fylde. \p Al Carns: The information is not held in the format requested and could only be provided by retrieving and interrogating large amounts of data which could only be completed at disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 60125 on Armed Forces: Buildings, whether there is a standard process for vetting (a) tenants or (b) leaseholders of Ministry of Defence properties. \p Al Carns: Before a lease is granted to a third party, their financial and general reliability is investigated by Ministry of Defence (MOD) Officials, via references from banks and, where possible, from a previous landlord, solicitors, or via a professional background checking service.

In addition, as part of the vetting process for civilian sublet tenancies, the following checks are completed by a third party, Let Alliance, on behalf of MOD’s contractor, Pinnacle: the undertaking of an income, credit, a Right to Rent and Sanctions check and obtaining work references.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to answer Question (a) 59988 on Grumman E-2 Hawkeye: Procurement, (b) 59989 on Boeing E-7: Procurement, (c) 59990 on Boeing E-7: Procurement and (d) 59991 on Boeing E-7: Cost Effectiveness, tabled on 16 June 2025. \p Maria Eagle: I responded to the right hon. Member’s Questions 59990 and 59991 on 26 June 2025 and I will respond to Questions 59988 and 59989 shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 16 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, who will command the Defence Research and Evaluation organisation. \p Maria Eagle: In response to the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations, and as part of Defence Reform, the department is currently making substantive changes to the end-to-end process for Science, Technology, Innovation, Integration, Acquisition and Support. These changes will ensure Defence: better adopts leading edge research from academia, allies and wider government; works more closely with UK based industry especially SMEs to mature leading edge technology; better leverages the UK’s leading financial sector for the benefit of defence; and catalyses UK based industry to execute differentiating innovation; all at a pace to enable us to react to the threats faced by the nation.

The DRE will be formed by an evolution of Dstl and Defence Science and Technology. There is still design work to be completed and will be announced in due course. The intention remains to focus the organisation on that work that must be done in Government for UK defence and security, including: early-stage research that must be led by officials; maintaining critical national capabilities in essential areas such as chemical and biological defence, novel and unconventional weapons, explosives and energetics and counter-terrorism technology where the market cannot sustain; and ensure Ministry of Defence is an intelligent customer for Science and Technology.

The SDR stated that the department may wish to keep the Dstl brand. Dstl is a widely respected brand internationally and nationally.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2025 to Question 55079 on Armed Forces: Firearms, whether the provision of a replacement rifle-mounted grenade launcher is within the scope of Project Grayburn. \p Maria Eagle: The L123A3 Underslung Grenade Launcher (UGL) remains in-service and compatible with the L85 rifle family. There is currently not a programme of record to replace the UGL, and it is outside the boundaries for Project GRAYBURN. Analysis into optimum levels of lethality in small teams is being conducted, ensuring we continue to deliver highly lethal effects across Defence.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 58340 on Land Rover: Armed Forces, whether all 5,674 Land Rovers in service across Defence are due to be withdrawn from service by 2030. \p Maria Eagle: Yes, all in-service Land Rovers have a current out of service date of 2030.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the (a) financial accountability and (b) value for money of the E-7 Wedgetail programme; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of launching an independent review of the programme’s (i) management and (ii) expenditure. \p Maria Eagle: Identified as part of the Government Major Project Portfolio (GMPP), the Wedgetail programme is subject to regular reviews by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority who undertake regular assessment of the E-7 programme and report their findings at regular intervals through the GMPP.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with his US counterpart on the (a) future of the E7 Wedgetail programme and (b) interoperability between both nations. \p Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Defence have continual engagement with the US regarding the E-7 programme, specifically through the trilateral agreement and working groups established in 2022. These focus on collaboration and interoperability as directed in a Joint Vison Statement signed in 2023.

As highlighted in the recent Strategic Defence Review, the E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft provide significant advantages in warfighting, such as more persistent deep strike options. Growth of the Royal Air Force Airborne Early Warning and Control capability was identified in the recent Strategic Defence Review, as advantageous to the UK and NATO.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help support the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. \p Al Carns: As set out in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Royal Charter, the six member countries contribute to the funding of the Commission in proportion to the number of graves maintained for each nation’s Armed Forces. The United Kingdom is the largest contributor, paying 79% of the Commission’s budget via quarterly payments. For this year, that equates to a UK contribution of £59 million.

Given the scale of the UK contribution, the Secretary of State for Defence is the Chair of the CWGC. Additionally, the Defence Services Secretary represents Defence at the quarterly CWGC Commissioners’ meetings and the regular finance meetings where budgets are agreed and expenditure monitored.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) also work closely with the CWGC on selected commemorative events. Alongside this year’s landmark VE Day 80 and VJ Day 80 anniversaries, DCMS are leading Government assistance to the CWGC’s delivery of the ‘For Evermore Tour’, a programme of over 250 mobile exhibitions and events across the UK and at key global commemorative sites, to honour and share the stories of those who served in the Second World War. Questions related to that specific assistance should be addressed to DCMS.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel are eligible for service in the strategic reserve in each of the armed forces. \p Al Carns: The Strategic Reserve comprises two distinct elements: those former Service personnel with an ongoing legal liability to train and to be called out if needed (the Regular Reserve) and those with a legal liability to be recalled in the direst of situations (the Recall Reserve).

Numbers within the Regular Reserve are routinely published within the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-index). In table 8a of the Excel spreadsheet with the latest April 2025 figures, the Tri-Service UK Regular Reserve forces totalled 36,398 of which:

Reserve Naval and Marine Forces Regular Reserve: 6,774

Reserve Land Forces Regular Reserve: 22,897

Reserve Air Forces Regular Reserve: 6,727

Defence does not currently publish Recall Reserve statistics but as part of the Strategic Defence Review, we are working to step up engagement with the Strategic Reserve and establish a digitised approach to Reserves management.

We will reinvigorate our relationship with the Strategic Reserve to ensure the UK is ready to respond at scale to global insecurity. It is also a chance to renew the bond between society and those who’ve served, and to unlock the unique expertise gained through military Service and deploying it when it matters most.
wrans/answers2025-06-26 conversation_42
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ministry of Defence managed properties are currently leased to third parties; and what criteria are used to determine leasing arrangements. \p Al Carns: The number of properties which are currently leased to third parties is not held in the format requested and could only be provided by retrieving and interrogating large amounts of data which could only be completed at disproportionate cost.

There is no set criteria used by MOD to determine leasing arrangements.

Leasing arrangements are dependent on various factors including the type of lease, the use of the property, its location, proximity to military infrastructure, the condition of the property and the proposed length of the agreement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 20 June 2025 entitled Fair Funding Review 2.0 and Modernising and Improving the Administration of Council Tax, HCWS724, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that West Northamptonshire Council is adequately supported to implement the modernised council tax administration system. \p Jim McMahon: The Government has been clear in its council tax administration consultation, that it aims to strike a balance between delivering a fairer system for taxpayers and giving councils the tools to collect the council tax they require to deliver public services. The Government will engage directly with councils on how best to implement any changes in relation to council tax administration.

One element of supporting councils is changes to funding: At the 2025 Spending Review, the government committed a further £3.4 billion of grant funding to local government over the Spending Review period (2026-27 to 2028-29). Furthermore, the government’s Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation includes proposals which target funding where it’s needed most, this can be found here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed consolidation of small grants into larger funding pots on West Northamptonshire Council. \p Jim McMahon: The Government is delivering its commitment to simplify the local government funding landscape by consolidating as much revenue funding as possible across departments into the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS). This will significantly streamline and rationalise local government funding, giving local authorities much greater certainty about their budgets in the coming years, allowing them to make more effective financial decisions.

The consolidation of grants will also reduce the resources that local authorities spend monitoring and reporting on grant conditions. This will free-up resources for public services and enable local authorities to decide the most effective way to spend money in their communities.

Further detail will be published at the provisional LGFS later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to enable upper-tier councils to increase council tax bills by a set amount rather than a fixed percentage through future reviews of local government funding. \p Jim McMahon: As an important part of local democracy and accountability, it is for individual councils to set their own level of council tax. The Spending Review assumed 5% council tax increases over the period made up of a 3% core referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept. The final set of referendum principles will be set out each year as part of the local government final settlement in the usual way.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether district councils with borough status that are abolished will be able to maintain their borough status through Charter Trustees under her local government restructuring plans. \p Jim McMahon: The Government will ensure that the ceremonial rights and privileges of an area will be maintained after any reorganisation of local government and will work with local leaders to ensure that areas retain these, following the submission of proposals from local councils, and a decision on which proposal, if any, to implement.

Where specific provision is needed in legislation to maintain ceremonial privileges, such as the establishment of Charter Trustees, then this will be considered, as necessary, reflecting the circumstances in each area, as has previously been done for other areas undergoing local government reorganisation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether future local government finance settlements will increase grants to fire and rescue services in line with inflation. \p Jim McMahon: This Spending Review provides £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settlement within financial years 2026-27 to 2028-29.

Decisions on how this funding is allocated are a matter for the upcoming multi-year Settlement and further detail will be published at the provisional Settlement later this year. The provisional Settlement will be subject to consultation, as in previous years.

The Government has recently published The Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation document setting out detailed proposals to update and reform the local government funding system through the 2026–27 Local Government Finance Settlement. As part of this, the Government is proposing to update the Fire and Rescue Relative Needs Formula using the most up-to-date data in the fire and rescue relative needs formula.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of Class E to the Use Classes Order on the variety of businesses on high streets. \p Alex Norris: Class E of the Use Classes Order enables flexibility to change between uses commonly found on the High Street. No recent assessment has been made of the impact of the introduction of Class E on the variety of businesses on the high street.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 53914 on Islam, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of Islamist sectarianism in England since 4 July 2024. \p Alex Norris: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 53914 on 5 June 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to commence the provisions in the Building Safety Act 2022 on the (a) New Homes Ombudsman service and (b) single code of practice for developers. \p Alex Norris: The government believes that existing redress mechanisms for those buying a new home are inadequate. We are therefore working with the devolved administrations to implement the statutory UK-wide New Homes Ombudsman (NHO) scheme and an accompanying Code to investigate and resolve complaints and will bring forward the necessary secondary legislation in due course. Once enacted all developers will be required to be a member of the statutory NHO.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help maintain the number of community allotments. \p Alex Norris: We recognise the importance of community allotments and the immense contribution they make to the health, wellbeing and spirit of communities.

Local Authorities have a duty to provide allotments if there is sufficient demand for allotments.

The responsibility for the running, management, and organisation of these allotments falls entirely on the Local Authority. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government does not provide any specific guidance or regulations on how these allotments should be managed.

However, through the Government’s Green Flag Award scheme, allotments (if entered as a community garden) can be awarded for its quality standards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, if he will list the suppliers and the individual amounts of expenditure that related to the £4,853 of expenditure on (a) Black History Month events and (b) Inclusion Allies event. \p Alex Norris: Expenditure of £4,853 was approved by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 29 October 2024 in line with Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance.

A sum of £4,184 was paid to Inclusive Employers Ltd for the training of Inclusion Allies.

A sum of £669 was paid to Diversify World Ltd for delivering of a training seminar and support materials.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much will be allocated to London from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in each year of the Spending Review period; and what the outturn allocation was in each year since the creation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. \p Alex Norris: The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will not continue beyond the 2025-26 transition year. As announced at the recent Spending Review, the government is introducing a new, targeted approach to support growth, tackle deprivation, and restore pride to communities.

UKSPF allocations for local authorities are published on gov.uk here. An annual breakdown of 2022-25 allocations are also published on gov.uk here.

The Greater London Authority spent its entire UKSPF allocation of £144,444,970 for the 2022-25 period, and has been allocated £62,981,782 for 2025-26.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.39 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, if she will set out the methodology used to select the 350 deprived communities for intervention funding. \p Alex Norris: The government has announced communities funding for up to 350 places, including the 75 places named in the Plan for Neighbourhoods in March 2025 and the 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods that will receive up to £20 million over the next decade. We will share further details on the methodology for how places were selected in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025, published on 28 April 2025, what the specific goods or services commissioned from MANNING GOTTLIEB OMD were entitled (a) Social housing- Traditional broadcast ra and (b) StreetLink Rough sleeping campaign. \p Alex Norris: The Department engages Manning Gottlieb OMD as the government's mandated media buying agency in line with Crown Commercial Service agreements.

The 'Social housing- Traditional broadcast ra' expenditure covered commercial radio advertisements on stations including Capital FM and Kiss. These advertisements were part of our Make Things Right campaign, which encourages social housing tenants experiencing issues with their accommodation to engage effectively with the complaints process. Radio advertising effectively reaches tenants at scale and directs them to our campaign website for comprehensive support on gov.uk here.

The 'StreetLink Rough sleeping campaign' expenditure funded print advertisements in the Metro newspaper alongside digital advertising across multiple social media platforms including Meta, Reddit, WeAre8 and LinkedIn. This campaign promoted the StreetLink service and educated the public about essential information needed when reporting people sleeping rough, to improve the quality of referrals through the service.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, which local authorities will be allocated additional funding for the Affordable Homes Programme; and how much each of those local authorities will receive. \p Matthew Pennycook: As under the existing Affordable Homes Programme, registered providers will need to bid for the grant funding announced at the Spending Review. The government will confirm further details, including the timing and process for bids to the new fund, in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of rehabilitation practices used at HMP Latchmere House on reducing reoffending. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 31 March 2025 to Question 42652.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times an interpreter was requested in criminal cases in magistrates’ courts since July 2024; and in how many of those cases the interpreter did not attend. \p Sarah Sackman: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) staffing shortages and (b) interpreter availability on delays in magistrates’ courts. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice does not collect data on ineffective trials specifically caused by staffing shortages within HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). However, we monitor staffing levels closely and do not assess them to be a significant driver of ineffective trials in magistrates’ courts.

Staffing levels across HMCTS have remained broadly stable, with administrative staffing at junior grades (AA–EO) holding steady, and staffing at more senior grades (HEO–G6), including legal and administrative roles, showing an upward trend. These patterns reflect continued investment in workforce capacity and ongoing recruitment activity.

We recognise the importance of a reliable and efficient court system, and the impact on victims when trials do not proceed as planned. That is why the Lord Chancellor has appointed Sir Brian Leveson to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Phase 2 of the review will consider the efficiency and timeliness of processes of the criminal courts through charge to conviction/acquittal.

The Ministry of Justice regularly monitors the impact of interpreter availability on court proceedings. According to the latest data published in the “Trial effectiveness in the courts” tool (covering up to December 2024), there were 364 ineffective trials in magistrates’ courts between July and December 2024 due to the unavailability of an interpreter. This represents 4% of all ineffective trials and less than 1% of all listed trials during that period.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the proportion of magistrates’ court trials listed that did not go ahead on the scheduled day since July 2024; and what the primary recorded reasons were for such delays. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of ineffective trials at the magistrates’ courts across England and Wales in the “Trial effective in the courts” data tool (latest to December 2024). This can be downloaded from the Criminal Court Statistics landing page here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Sarah Champion:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Victims' Code is enforceable; and what mechanisms are available to victims to ensure that criminal justice agencies comply with that code. \p Alex Davies-Jones: We are committed to ensuring that victims receive the service they deserve under the Code. This is why earlier this year we commenced the new statutory obligation from the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, which requires those who provide Code services to comply with the Code unless there is a good reason not to. We have also commenced other measures from the 2024 Act that will help the Victims’ Commissioner to hold bodies to account for how they are delivering for victims, including by placing a duty on certain authorities to respond to the Commissioner’s recommendations and to cooperate with reasonable requests from the Commissioner.

We are building on these powers through the Victims and Courts Bill, which will provide the Victims’ Commissioner with new tools to drive systemic change. We will also consult on a new Code in due course to make sure we get the foundations for victims right.

If victims feel that they have not received the service they can expect as set out in the Victims’ Code, there are formal complaints processes that service providers are required to provide. If victims are not happy with a service provider’s complaint response, they can now complain directly to the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman without going through an MP.

The Government is committed to ensuring that victims can access the information and support they need. The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 created a framework to monitor criminal justice agencies' compliance with the Victims' Code, including legislative duties for agencies to collect and share information on Code compliance.

The framework has not yet been commenced - preparatory work is underway, for example actively engaging with criminal justice agencies on the underlying data that will support the development of the framework.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Apsana Begum:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of convictions of women for the offence of assault against an emergency worker in 2024 related to an incident where the victim was a police officer. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of prosecutions and convictions across England and Wales in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics. The data tool includes the number of convictions for an offence under section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 in 2024.

Information on the number of males and females who were proceeded against and convicted for these offences is available within the published data and can be accessed by filtering the ‘overall volumes’ dataset by sex. This data is held on a principal-offence basis and therefore reports information relating to the most serious offence that a defendant was dealt for.

The Ministry of Justice does not centrally record the specific occupation of the victim of an offence under section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 so it is not possible, without disproportionate cost, to state the proportion of emergency worker victims who were police officers, or the number or proportion of women convicted of an assault on a police officer under the 2018 Act offence.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will ensure that time spent in Gibraltar does not reduce the time British citizens can spend in Schengen countries. \p Stephen Doughty: To unlock the benefits of a fluid border, all individuals arriving at Gibraltar's airport will undergo dual immigration controls allowing them to move freely into the EU if they wish to. As visitors will be free to cross into Spain without checks, time spent in Gibraltar will count towards the EU's 90 in 180 requirement. This agreement provides a solution to the unique situation in Gibraltar, ensuring a fluid border and delivering certainty for Gibraltar's people and businesses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, whether he plans to incorporate the proposed security and defence partnership with the EU into the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on UK compliance with EU (a) foreign and (b) defence policy in the context of trade restrictions. \p Stephen Doughty: A broad and ambitious Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) was adopted at the UK - EU Summit on the 19 May, stemming from a shared commitment to safeguard European security and support Ukraine. There are no plans to bring the SDP under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether time spent in Gibraltar by UK citizens will count against the 90-day allowance for stays in Schengen countries. \p Stephen Doughty: Non-resident British nationals can currently visit Gibraltar for up to 90 days. The same will be the case under this agreement. As visitors will be free to cross into Spain without checks, time spent in Gibraltar will count towards the EU's 90 in 180 requirement. Immigration into Gibraltar is, and will remain, the responsibility of the Government of Gibraltar.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Uma Kumaran:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve its capabilities to negotiate humanitarian access to conflict areas. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK uses its diplomatic reach and political influence in support of access negotiations by impartial humanitarian actors.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is finalising an internal humanitarian diplomacy training module focused on access and protection, in partnership with the British Red Cross, to bolster capability across the FCDO. The UK also recently published the Conflict, Hunger and International Humanitarian Law: A Practitioner's Legal Handbook, which sets out rules relevant to addressing conflict-induced hunger, including rules on humanitarian access. This is a free resource, available online and intended to support understanding of these issues at a global level. The FCDO regularly briefs UK Defence Attachés on humanitarian access and protection. The UK is also working with partners and allies to maximise collective impact on humanitarian access and protection in crises. This includes partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who lead access negotiations, and an Australian-led partnership with other states to develop a political declaration to protect humanitarian personnel.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-26)

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Uma Kumaran:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the reduction in Official Development Assistance, whether her Department plans to maintain its full pledge to the 21st replenishment of the International Development Association. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK is strongly committed to the International Development Association, and we will prioritise spending our Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget through multilaterals. ODA allocations and the impact on programmes are currently being worked through and we will set out our spending plans following the completion of the resource allocation processes.