theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

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Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is working with the Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority on a strategy to help tackle digital exclusion in financial services, particularly for older or disabled people who do not use mobile devices. \p Kanishka Narayan: Tackling digital exclusion, which disproportionately impacts certain demographics including older and disabled people, is a priority for Government. That’s why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, which sets out our immediate actions to boost digital inclusion.

Alongside this, DSIT is working closely with HM Treasury on the implementation of the Financial Inclusion Strategy to address the barriers consumers face in accessing the financial services products they need.

The Government is working closely with industry on the commitment to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK by the end of this Parliament, which will provide individuals and businesses across the country with cash and banking services. Over 240 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 190 are already open.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support fair competition in the broadband market between national ISPs and alternative network operators in rural areas. \p Kanishka Narayan: Under the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom’s principal duty is to further the interests of citizens and consumers, where appropriate by promoting competition.

In July, we published a consultation on a draft updated Statement of Strategic Priorities to Ofcom that sets out the government’s view on the importance of competition to promote investment in broadband deployment across the UK, including in rural areas. We are currently reviewing responses to the consultation and will publish our response in due course.

Ofcom has powers to identify markets, determine whether a firm has significant market power (SMP) on those markets, and impose remedies as appropriate. Ofcom has not found any internet service provider to have SMP in the retail broadband market. However, in the wholesale fixed telecoms market, BT was found to have SMP and a range of pricing and non-pricing remedies were imposed on the company in order to promote network competition.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

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Andrew George:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure that the proposed digital verification process for the Government’s One Login system is compliant with Article 9 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation in the context of the processing of biometric data. \p Ian Murray: GOV.UK One Login is fully compliant with all aspects of data protection law, including in relation to the processing of biometric data under the UK GDPR. DSIT relies on Article 9(2)(g) UK GDPR (substantial public interest) for the processing of biometric data. The appropriate safeguards and data minimisation procedures are applied throughout GOV.UK One Login’s biometric checks and special category data is processed only where lawful, necessary and proportionate. GOV.UK One Login provides an alternative route for individuals who do not wish to, or cannot, prove their identity using biometrics.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will commit to introducing Herbie's Law. \p Kanishka Narayan: The UK’s legal framework already requires that animals are only used in science where no validated alternatives exist, and we are accelerating efforts to develop and adopt these alternatives. The Government’s new strategy sets out a long-term vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated except in exceptional circumstances. This will be achieved by creating a research and innovation system that drives the development and validation of alternative methods.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she expects Ofcom to review Physical Infrastructure Access pricing in the Telecoms Access Review. \p Kanishka Narayan: As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product.

My officials are regularly engaging with Ofcom, including on PIA, to ensure that we have the right regulatory environment in place to promote competition and investment in the fibre roll-out across the UK, including in rural areas.

Ofcom is finalising its Telecoms Access Review that will set PIA rental charges from 1 April 2026. In the Review, they will set out whether they will introduce changes following their consultation on their proposed TAR decisions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what steps her Department is taking to expand Basket 3 to include additional animal tests for phase-out. \p Kanishka Narayan: The Government’s publication “Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods” sets out our long-term vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances. The Strategy uses a ‘baskets’ approach to group animal tests according to how ready they are for replacement, based on the maturity of potential alternative methods. These initial baskets are not exhaustive and will be reviewed and refined in consultation with the research community on a regular basis, and research and development priorities will be published biennially from 2026.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support investment in rural gigabit broadband networks in South Suffolk. \p Kanishka Narayan: Project Gigabit is the government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans.

As part of Project Gigabit, CityFibre is delivering a contract across Suffolk. This contract currently includes approximately 5,800 premises in the South Suffolk constituency, predominantly in rural areas.

We will aim to cover the remaining premises that are not currently included in Project Gigabit or suppliers’ commercial delivery plans as far as possible as funding becomes available, in line with the objective of achieving nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November to Question 92321 on Armed Forces: Training, if he will list all other definitions of training outside of Phase 1 and Phase 2. \p Al Carns: The British Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy conduct two categories of training. These are Collective Training, and Individual Training.

Collective Training is any training activity focussed on the collective performance of two or more people working together that improves the ability of a team, large or small, to work together in order to generate the forces required for operations, and is collective only when the team as a whole is assessed on its collective performance.

Individual Training is training designed to develop a mix of Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Behaviours of individuals. Individual Training can take multiple forms and, excluding Phases 1 & 2, is set out below:

Joint Service Publication 822 provides additional information on training and can be found on the gov.uk website.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Underwater robot could improve pipeline and cable security, published on 9 June 2025, which contracts his Department has placed with Alford Technologies since 5 July 2024. \p Luke Pollard: The Department has placed two contracts with Alford Technologies since 5 July 2024.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on developing StormShroud. \p Luke Pollard: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on 1 September 2025 to Question 68745.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Autonomous Collaborative Platforms are currently in development. \p Luke Pollard: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty) on 19 September 2025 to Question 76688.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has a target date for spending 10% of the MOD equipment budget on novel technologies. \p Luke Pollard: It is vital we utilise defence as an engine for innovation and growth, investing in novel technologies where it is possible to do so. We are committed to spend 10% of our equipment budget on novel technologies, such as autonomous, uncrewed and AI-assisted systems. What is in scope of this commitment and the pathway to achieving it are under consideration as part of the Defence Investment Plan, as such detail on what is included will be published in due course. Spending will be prioritised appropriately as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan to be published this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with references to the Written Statement on the Armoured Cavalry Programme (HCWS1099), published on 26th November 2025, by when does he intend to complete the safety investigation into Ajax. \p Luke Pollard: The safety of our personnel is paramount. The Defence Accident Investigation Board are conducting an investigation into the incident at pace with support from the Army Safety Investigation Team and General Dynamics.

While the relevant investigations take place the Ministerial team have directed a pause on the use of Ajax for training and exercising. It is currently anticipated that the investigation will take at least two weeks.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of unoccupied MoD housing stock on local communities. \p Luke Pollard: No assessment has been made regarding the impact of unoccupied Ministry of Defence (MOD) housing on local communities. However, the MOD remains committed to fostering strong relationships with these communities.

We maintain a certain number of defence housing as vacant to allow for personnel to be rotated, and others are empty awaiting upgrade, repair or disposal. We are aware that communities purge homes that are lived in - whatever their type - and our new housing offer to our people will see modernisation of more defence homes and expanded eligibility meaning more defence homes being used.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ministry of Defence homes in Scotland have been unoccupied for (a) up to 3 months, (b) up to 6 months and (c) over a year. \p Luke Pollard: The table below provides details on the number of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties in Scotland that were occupied or void during the requested time periods.

At of 27 November 2025:

Time Period

Unoccupied SFA in Scotland

(a) up to three months

156

(b) between three and six months

90

(c) between six and twelve months

98

(d) over twelve months

357

To effectively manage the SFA across the estate, the MOD maintains a management margin. This means that a percentage of the Department’s housing stock must remain void (unoccupied) to allow for periods between occupants moving out and new occupants moving in, to facilitate essential maintenance and repair, and to ensure that the Armed Forces have the flexibility to relocate units and individuals across the country as operational requirements dictate.

As of 27 November 2025, there are 3,078 SFA properties in Scotland, of these 2,377 are let and 701 are void (unoccupied).
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK jobs and air defences boost with purchase of new missile launchers, published on 22 August 2025, when will the Land Ceptor missile systems reach minimum deployable capability. \p Luke Pollard: The press release of 22 August 2025 refers to an additional purchase of Land Ceptor launchers and support vehicles known as Medium Range Air Defence Capability Uplift Package one.

This is currently working towards reaching Initial Operating Capability, which is scheduled for Q4 2026.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK jobs and air defences boost with purchase of new missile launchers, published on 22 August 2025, what is the in service date for the Land Ceptor missile systems. \p Luke Pollard: The Sky Sabre air defence missile system – which includes Land Ceptor – has been in service with the British Army since 2022.

The press release of 22 August 2025 refers to an additional purchase of Land Ceptor launchers and support vehicles known as Medium Range Air Defence (MRAD) Capability Uplift Package one. Initial Operating Capability for MRAD is scheduled for Q4 2026.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the press release entitled £4bn maritime deal with Indonesia set to boost British jobs and support Indo-Pacific security, published on 21 November 2025, how many of the 1,000 jobs in the UK will be created as a result of the (a) jointly developed maritime capability developed for Indonesia's navy and (b) 1,000 vessels for the Indonesian fishing fleet. \p Luke Pollard: The Partnership will enhance our shared commitment to stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, upholding freedom of navigation and supporting a rules-based international order. It will also pave the way for greater interoperability and joint training between both navies. Due to commercial sensitivities, at this stage we are unable to release further information beyond what was shared in the press release of 21 November 2025.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has held a trilateral meeting with his US and Australian counterpart since 5 July 2024. \p Luke Pollard: The Secretary of State for Defence hosted the first UK-hosted AUKUS Defence Ministers' meeting on 26 September 2024 with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, and the then United States Secretary of Defense, The Honourable Lloyd J. Austin III, to review progress and discuss priorities for delivering across Pillars 1 and 2.

The Defence Secretary has regular engagements with the US Secretary of War and the Australian Deputy Prime Minister, where they discuss a range of matters, including AUKUS. The UK continues to work closely with the US and Australia at all levels to maximise the benefits and opportunities that AUKUS presents for our three nations.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how regularly he meets with the Special Representative on AUKUS. \p Luke Pollard: The Prime Minister's Special Representative, Sir Stephen Lovegrove regularly meets with the Defence Secretary to discuss key priorities for the AUKUS partnership. These discussions help ensure AUKUS is being pursued as a whole-of-Government effort in line with the Prime Minister's direction. I met him last week to discuss AUKUS also.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has placed an order for any Extra-Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicles since 5 July 2024. \p Luke Pollard: The Ministry of Defence has not placed any orders for Extra-Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (XL-UUV) since 5 July 2024. The Royal Navy has an experimental XL-UUV, known as Excalibur, which was delivered this year and is currently undergoing trials and experimentation. Investment decisions will be in the Defence Investment Plan.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 18th March 2025 to question 37371 on F-35 Aircraft: Procurement, what progress has he made on securing delivery of the remaining F-35B aircraft from the first tranche. \p Luke Pollard: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for East Londonderry (Mr Gregory Campbell) on 19 November 2025 to Question 91099.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-11-14/91099
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to purchase new housing stock in communities where Ministry of Defence housing stock is unused. \p Luke Pollard: On 3 November 2025, we announced our Defence Housing Strategy (DHS). It’s the most significant change for Armed Forces housing in more than 50 years and kickstarts one of Britain’s most ambitious building programmes in decades – delivering new homes for military and civilian families and driving economic growth.

As part of the DHS, a new demand and supply forecasting model will ensure that the future housing needs of the Armed Forces are more accurately planned for, enabling us to deliver housing in the right places to support military operations and reducing the number of homes that lie empty.

This model, together with improvements in data management on the condition and status of our homes and a comprehensive examination of demand, supply and estate laydown by area, will ensure that housing is provided in the locations it is required and that the number of empty homes is reduced.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take take steps to ensure effective allocation of Ministry of Defence housing stock. \p Luke Pollard: The Defence Housing Strategy will deliver a new demand and supply forecasting model that will ensure the future needs of the Armed Forces are more accurately planned for, enabling us to deliver housing in the right places to support military operations and reducing the number of homes that lie empty.

Currently around 70% of total Defence homes are occupied by Service personnel. Going forward, over 90% of Defence homes will be required for Service personnel. This will include many Serving families who will be able to access family housing on a widened eligibility basis over time. Steps to widen access cannot be taken sufficiently quickly or cost-effectively without focusing Defence family homes on core occupants.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the total number of occupied and unoccupied Ministry of Defence homes in Moray. \p Luke Pollard: There are currently 911 Ministry of Defence Service Family Accommodation properties in Moray.

752 of these properties are occupied and 159 properties are unoccupied.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the average number of Ministry of Defence housing stock in Scotland. \p Luke Pollard: As of 27 November 2025, there are 3,078 Ministry of Defence Service Family Accommodation properties in Scotland.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average time is for Ministry of Defence housing stock to be let (a) in the UK, (b) in Scotland and (c) Moray. \p Luke Pollard: This information is not held centrally. In order to answer the hon. Member's Question, the Ministry of Defence's Industry Partner would be required to review every record, which could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to promote UK Type 31 frigates to NATO allies considering funding for their fleets. \p Luke Pollard: We are fully supporting industry by promoting the benefits of the Type 31 frigate to our NATO partners and allies whilst being sympathetic to their own capability and indigenous industrial requirements.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential economic impact of foreign government subsidies on the competitiveness of UK natural stone producers; and whether the Government plans to introduce targeted support for UK SMEs in the sector. \p Chris Bryant: The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) is the UK’s investigatory body that exists to defend the UK against unfair international trade practices, including foreign government subsidies.

I encourage UK industry to engage directly with the TRA if they believe they are being injured by unfair trading practices as it will be for the TRA to decide whether evidentiary thresholds to initiate a trade remedies investigation are met.

The Department remains vigilant to any reports of potential injury to industries from unfair trading practices and regularly engages with the natural stone sector.

We have no specific plans to introduce the specific kind of support he refers to.
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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the likely costs of defending the arbitration being brought against the Government by Mikhail Fridman. \p Chris Bryant: The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
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John McDonnell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the level of the risk that UK-supplied equipment could contribute to human rights violations in Balochistan. \p Chris Bryant: The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of human rights abuses in Pakistan, including in Balochistan. Advocating for civil and political rights is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement with Pakistan. To that end, the Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan has raised human rights issues on several occasions with Ministers in Pakistan. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in Pakistan in accordance with its constitution and international standards.

All export licences for military and dual-use equipment are assessed on a case-by-case basis against our Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. Once granted, all our licences are kept under close and continual review and can be revoked or suspended if necessary.

As our most recent data on export licences show, last year licences have been refused to Pakistan both where there has been a risk of diversion for an undesirable end use, and due to concerns the items may be used to commit or facilitate internal repression.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to introduce a North West Living Wage, similar to the London Living Wage premium. \p Kate Dearden: This government is committed to building an economy that delivers for working people. It sets the statutory minimum National Living Wage (NLW) which applies to all employers. When recommending rates for the NLW, the Low Pay Commission considers a range of factors, including the cost of living.

Defining multiple regional economies presents significant challenges and the complexities of enforcing multiple rates would likely impact upon unintentional non-compliance. Furthermore, businesses highlight a strength of the NLW is the simplicity of its administration, with the same rates applying across the country.

The Living Wage Foundation set voluntary London and National Living Wages, but we have not considered implementing a statutory regionally adjusted NLW in the Northwest or any other region in the UK, including London.
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Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the minimum wage increase on the number of entry level positions that could be replaced by artificial intelligence and automation systems. \p Kate Dearden: The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out how we will address key labour market challenges and spread opportunity in order to fix the foundations of our economy so we can make the most of the opportunities AI presents. The Government is supporting workforce readiness for AI through a range of initiatives.

When recommending National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates, the Low Pay Commission considers a range of factors influencing the labour market. These include the cost of living, inflation forecasts for April 2026 to April 2027, and the broader economic impact on employment, business competitiveness, and overall market conditions-including developments in technology and artificial intelligence. We are confident that the minimum wage rates will not have a significant impact on employment levels.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of unpredictable firework noise on people with autism, sensory processing conditions, and other neurodivergent conditions; and whether he has held discussions with Cabinet colleagues on mitigating those impacts. \p Kate Dearden: There has been no recent assessment or discussion with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of unpredictable firework noise on people with autism, sensory processing conditions, and other neurodivergent conditions. Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on fireworks-related issues and inform future action.

I launched a public campaign for this year's fireworks season. The campaign features guidance for those running events to reduce the impact on the community, and social media materials that emphasise the risks from misuse, and the promotion of low noise fireworks.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information his Department holds on the assessed domestic (a) brick (b) roof tile (c) steel (d) aggregate (e) plasterboard (f) construction grade timber production capacity for each year from 2015 to date. \p Chris McDonald: The Department does not hold data on assessed domestic production capacity for bricks, roof tiles, steel, aggregates, plasterboard or construction-grade timber. Information on building materials is published in our official statistics - Building material and components: monthly statistics – GOV.UK, UK Manufacturers’ sale by product – Office for National Statistics, World Steel in Figures and 2025 - 2: UK-Grown Timber - Forest Research.
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Martin Rhodes:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has the Government made of its overall exposure to further potential Investor-State Dispute Settlement cases over sanctions policy on Russia. \p Chris Bryant: Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation.

The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party and has never faced a successful ISDS claim.

The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the capacity of police forces to enforce existing fireworks regulations; and what steps he is taking to improve enforcement where police resources are limited. \p Kate Dearden: There has been no recent assessment of the capacity of police forces to enforce existing fireworks regulations. The 2025-26 police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement. Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers, based on their specific circumstances.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_101

Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2025, to Question 88690, on Unite: Conference Centres and Hotels, what steps (a) BDO, (b) the inspector and (c) the Certification Officer taken to ensure that documents held by Unite, Unite members and its contractors or sub-contractors, are not lost or destroyed, and whether any formal notices have been served to this effect. \p Kate Dearden: As previously publicly notified, an inspector, duly appointed by the Certification Officer, is carrying out the inspection under statutory powers. Accordingly, the Certification Officer is allowing that process to proceed. No formal notices have been served by the Certification Officer.

Section 33(7) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 makes it an offence for any official or agent of a trade union to destroy, falsify or make false entries in documents relating to the union’s financial affairs.

BDO is a private entity, and the government cannot comment on its actions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_102

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the power, noise levels, and explosive force of consumer fireworks currently permitted for public sale compared with products available in previous decades. \p Kate Dearden: The Government published The Firework Noise testing report on 2 February 2023. The project measured the noise levels of fireworks commonly sold for public use in the UK. There has been no recent assessment of the power and explosive force of consumer fireworks. The Government is continuing to engage with stakeholders including consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues of fireworks to inform any future action.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_103

Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 88691 on Jeffrey Epstein, whether the records are searchable by keyword. \p Kate Dearden: Yes, digital records are searchable by keyword.
wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_104
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_104

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the hospitality sector in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Kate Dearden: The Government recognises the significant pressures facing pubs, including those in Surrey Heath, and the Government is providing support through various measures to help ease these pressures.

We’re investing £440,000 with Pub is The Hub to help rural pubs diversify, aiming to support rural communities, create new jobs and services.

The government is delivering its commitment to rebalance the business rates system in England by introducing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with a ratable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million a year, which will benefit over 750,000 RHL properties.

The Government is committed to reducing barriers to growth for hospitality businesses by rebalancing the licensing system. This is why the Chancellor announced a new National Licensing Policy Framework as part of her budget. This sets out a vision for a proportionate licensing system that supports good businesses while continuing to tackle bad operators.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_105

Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress his Department is making on negotiating free-trade agreements. \p Chris Bryant: The government has signed a trade deal with India, the fastest-growing economy in the G20. We have also agreed the General Terms for an Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) with the United States and agreed a new Strategic Partnership with the European Union.

We are continuing to make good progress in our negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Republic of Korea, Switzerland and Turkey. We will ensure that our trade deals are aligned with our Trade and Industrial Strategies, to bring prosperity to communities across the country, and fulfil our mission of securing the highest sustained growth in the G7.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_106

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with Royal Mail to ensure that (a) the NHS barcode system is fully operational and that (b) NHS bodies understand how to implement it effectively. \p Blair McDougall: The Government supports the measures being taken to ensure important communications from the NHS reach households on time and we encourage NHS bodies to make use of this service.

I recently met Alistair Cochrane, CEO of Royal Mail, and Martin Seidenberg, CEO of International Distribution Services, and raised concerns about Royal Mail’s performance with them. They reported continued targeted action to improve reliability and to deliver further sustained improvements. The government will continue to raise concerns with Royal Mail if the company’s quality of service does not improve.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s obligations and has told Royal Mail it must urgently publish and deliver a credible plan that delivers major and continuous improvement.
wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_107
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_107

Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he is taking steps to support the rebuilding of Ukraine through UK to Ukraine economic trade expansion. \p Chris Bryant: My department is working to match British business expertise with Ukraine’s reconstruction needs, including through commitments in the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership Agreement.

We extended tariff-free trade under our bilateral Free Trade Agreement on most goods until 2029, offering the most generous tariff concessions of any country. The UK-Ukraine Digital Trade Agreement has updated our digital trading arrangements for the modern age to help Ukraine rebuild its economy. Additionally, we continue to work with the Government of Ukraine to address market access barriers and identify and address priority reconstruction needs through the UK-Ukraine Infrastructure Taskforce and our Project Development Programme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_108

Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 74665 on Civil Service: Workplace Pensions, whether civil servants who are members of Classic, Classic Plus and Premium are able to (a) claim those pensions at 60 and (b) accrue pensionable contributions from Alpha whilst they remain in Crown service; and whether Nuvos members can do the same at 65. \p Anna Turley: Members of Classic, Classic Plus, Premium and Nuvos can claim their pensions on partial retirement (subject to them reducing their pensionable earnings by 20% by working less hours or at a lower grade) and continue in service accruing Alpha benefits (on that new lower salary). The pension they claim will be reduced (abated) if, when added to their new salary, the total exceeds their pay before partial retirement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_109

Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2025, to Question 76829, on Arms Length Bodies: Equality, whether any assessment has been made of the level of compliance by Arms Length Bodies with the May 2024 EDI spending control guidance. \p Anna Turley: As part of the requirements of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Expenditure Guidance, external EDI expenditure must be reported to the Cabinet Office by departments and Arms Length Bodies who employ civil servants. There is no additional assessment on compliance by ALB’s and reported expenditure is published annually.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_110

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to publish data relating to carbon offsetting for all government flights. \p Chris Ward: The Government does not have a general policy of carbon offsetting flights.

Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible. The yearly payment to carbon offset flights using the G-GBNI aircraft is calculated at the end of each financial year based on the flights that have taken place to ensure accuracy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_111

Euan Stainbank:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of prioritising cyber security in public procurement contracts for national infrastructure projects. \p Chris Ward: This Government recognises that cyber crime is a significant threat to our economy, to our businesses, and to the livelihoods of our workers.

As set out in the National Procurement Policy Statement, contracting authorities are required to identify the cyber and other security risks associated with their procurements and take appropriate action to mitigate them.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_112

Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how he will ensure that the Timms Review adequately takes account of the needs of people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, to ensure that expertise from a wide range of perspectives is drawn upon.

On 30 October, I published the revised Terms of Reference on GOV.UK which set out further details about its scope. I also announced that I will co-chair the Review alongside Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. We will oversee a steering group responsible for leading the co-production process, setting the Review's strategic direction, priorities and workplan.

The group will be made up of a majority of disabled people or representatives of disabled people's organisations and is being recruited through an open and transparent Expression of Interest (EOI) process, which ran from 30 October to 30 November. We are now considering applications. We have worked closely with experts to ensure the EOI is accessible, inclusive and has a broad reach. The steering group will not work alone, it will oversee a programme of participation that brings together the full range of views and voices.
wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_113
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_113

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support people with a terminal illness who are in poverty. \p Sir Stephen Timms: This Government is committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it. Support is available through the welfare system to those who are unable to work, are on a low income or have additional costs as a consequence of a long-term health condition or disability but are not eligible to pensioner benefits because of their age.

For those nearing the end of their life, the Government’s priority is to provide people with financial support quickly and compassionately. The main way the Department does this is through the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) which enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to Personal Independence Payment, Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit and Attendance Allowance, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.

The Department is committed to ensure that eligible claimants at the end of life have their claims processed as quickly as possible. Latest figures show that In Great Britain, new claims to PIP under the Special Rules are being cleared in 3 working days on average.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_114

Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with Parkinson's Disease listed as their primary condition are in receipt of the Universal Credit health element. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The information requested is not held by the Department.

A defined ‘primary condition’ is not recorded at the Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment (WCA).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-05 conversation_115

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what are the current wait times for mandatory reconsideration claims over PIP decisions in Devon. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The median time taken for a Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) decision to be reached for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Devon is 70 calendar days.

The median time taken is measured from the date an MR is registered to the date an MR decision is reached. The 70 calendar days is for new claims and reassessments made under normal rules between August 2024 and July 2025.

Each PIP claim can have more than one MR registered against it over time. The above includes all MR decisions (excluding withdrawn and cancelled MRs).