theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 28 January on United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy Programme, HCWS392, whether he plans to appoint any additional United Kingdom Trade Envoys. \p Gareth Thomas: There are no current plans to appoint any additional Trade Envoys beyond the 32 that were recently appointed.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 28 January on United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy Programme, HCWS392, what the terms of appointment are for United Kingdom Trade Envoys. \p Gareth Thomas: This is a voluntary and unpaid role, and no remuneration is paid to the Trade Envoy. Each role is tailored according to the requirements of the respective market/s and will align with the Departmental priorities identified for those markets.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 28 January on United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy Programme, HCWS392, what funding has been allocated to support the (a) work and (b) travel of the newly appointed trade envoys. \p Gareth Thomas: The Department will be allocating appropriate funding in the new financial year to meet the costs of travel and subsistence for the newly appointed Trade Envoys when they travel overseas and in the UK, as well as any other incidental costs to fulfil their role. All costs incurred are subject to Departmental guidelines which apply to the programme’s use of public funds.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will hold discussions with manufacturers on the potential merits of developing antifreeze products without ethylene glycol. \p Justin Madders: Products containing ethylene glycol can only be placed on the market if they are safe. This includes meeting any legal requirements on the concentration within that product so that it is at a level that is safe for both humans and the environment. I have not held, and do not plan to hold, specific discussions with manufacturers at this time.
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Alison Griffiths:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what meetings the Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets has had with Doug Gurr since 4 July 2024. \p Justin Madders: Details of ministerial meetings are routinely published on Gov.uk.
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Susan Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the bounce back loan scheme implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic; and what assessment he has made of trends in the level of repayment. \p Gareth Thomas: The British Business Bank is undertaking a multi-year evaluation of the Covid-19 loan schemes, looking at whether the schemes met their objectives. The Year 2 evaluation report was published in November 2023 and shows that the schemes met their primary objectives of unlocking credit for businesses at scale and speed, reaching just over a quarter of small businesses in the UK. Evaluation evidence to date suggest that the schemes have had a positive impact on business outcomes like survival, turnover and employment.

Covid loan guarantee scheme performance data is published on a quarterly basis. As at 30 September 2024, within the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, £6.61 billion had been fully repaid by borrowers and £12.10 billion was being repaid on schedule.
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what fiscal measures he is taking to support the hospitality sector in rural areas. \p Gareth Thomas: Pubs and hospitality businesses, including those in rural areas, are at the heart of our communities and are vital for economic growth. That is why the Government is creating a fairer business rate system by introducing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses from 2026-27 and extending the current relief for 1 year at 40%.

The Government is also reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products, representing an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year. This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper which will be published later this year.

Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will list the support offered to businesses in Northern Ireland by UK Export Finance in 2024. \p Gareth Thomas: UKEF offers its full range of products and services to exporters across the UK, including Northern Ireland. Full details of the UKEF’s product and support offering can be found online at: www.ukexportfinance.gov.uk/products-and-services/.

UKEF also has a network of Export Finance Managers across the UK who are valuable points of contact for local businesses and can provide information on the range of support available. Contact details for the EFMs can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-an-export-finance-manager.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the selection criteria is for membership to the Hospitality Sector Council. \p Gareth Thomas: The Hospitality Sector Council’s Terms of Reference is publicly available, outlining that membership is by invitation only and is subject to final agreement by DBT Ministers in consultation with the joint chairs. Members are selected to provide a breadth of knowledge and experience across the hospitality sector and Government. All members are selected in a personal capacity and will be expected to speak for their areas of expertise rather than the specific interests of their organisation.

Membership is reviewed by DBT, and it may be amended to take account of changing priorities in the sector to ensure appropriate representation and expertise is maintained.
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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department plans to take to strengthen the framework for holding large corporations accountable in their support for small businesses. \p Gareth Thomas: In September 2024 we announced a package of measures to help ensure small businesses are paid promptly by the large businesses they supply.

This included launching a new Fair Payment Code and a commitment to including payment performance information in large companies’ annual reports.

In the spring we will launch a public consultation on further measures to address late payments, including new powers for the Small Business Commissioner to tackle large businesses who pay late.
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to (a) protect and (b) enhance the Post Office network in rural areas. \p Gareth Thomas: Government recognises the key role that Post Offices play in their communities, and how branches in rural areas often act as community hubs, and so we are listening carefully to stakeholders to ensure the whole network, including these important rural branches, is sustainable.

Government protects the sustainability of the Post Office network – and the rural network in particular – by providing an annual subsidy on the basis that Post Office meets its minimum access criteria to ensure that, across the country, 99% of the population live within three miles of their nearest Post Office.
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Julia Buckley:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many sub-postmasters who were part of the Group Litigation Order Compensation Scheme have received their compensation payments in full. \p Gareth Thomas: Of the 555 postmasters who were part of the Group Litigation Order (GLO), 63 had convictions thus their route to redress is either through the Overturned Convictions Scheme or Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme. That leaves 492 postmasters eligible for the GLO scheme.

As of 3 January, the Department had received 370 completed claims from these individuals. It has made 346 offers, of which 243 have been accepted, with 237 claims paid in full. The Department expects to pay substantial redress to the great majority of GLO postmasters by 31 March.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on tackling the threat to underwater cables posed by foreign states; and what steps he is taking to ensure the protection of such cables. \p Stephen Doughty: The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and I have had a number of discussions with our European counterparts on threats to underwater infrastructure. The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs discussed this most recently at the UK-Netherlands Strategic Dialogue in December 2024. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office works closely on this issue with the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, which is the lead government department for telecommunications and is responsible for developing policies to help ensure the security and resilience of underwater telecommunications cables.
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Colum Eastwood:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories will meet with (a) Addameer, (b) Defence for Children International Palestine and (c) other Palestinian organisations representing (i) prisoners, (ii) detainees and (iii) abductees. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign Secretary's Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (FSRHA) regularly meets with NGOs, to discuss topics including prisoners and detainees. This has mostly been organised via the Palestine Platform and the BOND Israel-OPTs Working Group - both collectives of different NGOs that work on Israel and the OPTs. The Foreign Secretary, the Minister for Development and I regularly meet NGOs, including those which represent prisoners and detainees. This includes me and the Minister for Development meeting quarterly with international NGOs working on Israel and the OPTs, including discussions about prisoners and detainees. The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of the mistreatment of detainees. We continue to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities. We continue to raise this with the Israeli government as a priority, including during the Foreign Secretary's three visits to Israel and the OPTs since taking office.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on restructuring the repayment terms for British Council loans owed to the Government. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working closely with the British Council and HM Treasury on this issue.

The loan was made on commercial terms to ensure compliance with the UK subsidy control regime. The Government remains committed to recovering the loan when the British Council's finances allow.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the British Council (a) funding model and (b) loan repayment terms on the effectiveness of the British Council at promoting and supporting UK soft power. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has provided the British Council with £162.5 million Grant-in-Aid in 2024/25. The British Council's Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the British Council's financial sustainability. The Government is committed to working with the British Council to ensure its financial sustainability. The FCDO is exploring all options with the British Council and HM Treasury to ensure this.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 22284 on Development Aid: Nutrition, if he will provide a timeline for (a) reviewing and (b) finalising his Department’s approach to N4G 2025. \p Anneliese Dodds: The UK continues to look forward to the 2025 Nutrition for Growth summit. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials continue to work closely with French counterparts to build momentum in the lead up to the summit and will announce plans for events in Paris in due course in collaboration with French organisers. The UK continues to champion the integration of improved nutrition outcomes alongside successes in other sectors including health, agriculture, humanitarian, and climate, and intends to make commitments in March.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the cost of (a) military and (b) humanitarian aid for Ukraine in 2025 for each taxpayer. \p Stephen Doughty: Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine poses a serious threat to UK prosperity and security. We are proud to provide vital support to Ukraine. The UK will deliver £3 billion of military aid to Ukraine this year - our largest ever package - and every year until the end of the decade, or as long as it takes. The UK is also speeding up vital military support. The UK will provide £2.26 billion in additional support to Ukraine as part of the G7 loan scheme to be repaid from the windfall profits on immobilised Russian sovereign assets.

We are also providing at least £120 million in humanitarian assistance through to the end of financial year 2024 to 2025. The UK's military and humanitarian support to Ukraine is delivered through a coordinated system to provide the most value for both the Ukrainian people and the British taxpayer.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help improve sea access infrastructure on St Helena. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provided approximately £4.79 million in funding through the St Helena Economic Development and Investment Programme for the construction of a new port and cargo handling facilities at Rupert's Bay. The FCDO has also funded two new roads better connecting Rupert's Bay to Jamestown. The new facilities will allow for cargo operations to be moved from the current port at Jamestown, opening the waterfront for tourism purposes.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help improve sea access infrastructure on Tristan da Cunha. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funds maintenance and upgrades to Tristan da Cunha's harbour through its provision of Technical Assistance and Essential Infrastructure programme. The programme has provided over £35,000 of funding towards the harbour in the current financial year. The FCDO will continue to ensure that access to Tristan da Cunha is maintained.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with US counterparts on the (i) the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory and (ii) the military base at Diego Garcia since 20 January 2025. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary spoke with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 27 January. The Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State discussed how long-term protection of the base on Diego Garcia is a shared UK and US priority. Ministers and officials will continue to engage closely with US counterparts as they consider the details of the proposed Treaty between the UK and Mauritius on the sovereignty of the Territory.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the conditions that Jimmy Lai is being held by Chinese authorities. \p Catherine West: Jimmy Lai's case is a priority for the Government. We continue to press for consular access, which the Hong Kong Prison Authorities have refused. The Government takes all allegations of mistreatment very seriously and will follow up with action appropriate to the circumstances of the case. The Government has consistently raised our concerns around Mr Lai's case with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities: for example, the Prime Minister raised his case with President Xi in November, and I raised Mr Lai's case in my meetings during my November visit to Hong Kong.
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Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of recent alleged instances of persecution against Christians in Iran. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We condemn Iran's restrictions against Freedom of Religion or Belief. Christians, particularly converts from Islam, and other minority religions, continue to face severe repression in Iran. We were proud to help deliver the Iran Human Rights resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2024, which called on Iran to cease monitoring individuals on account of their religious identity and to ensure rights are upheld. We will continue to hold Iran accountable for its repression of religious minorities.
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Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure humanitarian aid continues to reach Gaza throughout the ceasefire; and what diplomatic steps he is taking to encourage a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: A ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. Crucially, we need to see a sustained surge of aid into Gaza, and we will work with Israel, the UN and all partners to facilitate that. We have provided £112 million this financial year to the Occupied Palestinian territories, including £41 million for United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The UK is ready to play a leading role with international and regional partners, in securing a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people, based on tangible progress towards a Palestinian state, with Gaza and the West Bank united under one government. Palestinians must be given a credible route to a Palestinian state, which is the right of the Palestinian people. We will continue working with partners to support a path to long term peace and stability with a two-state solution: a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
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Calum Miller:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he made to his Egyptian counterpart to allow access to Alaa Abdel El-Fattah on 23 January 2025. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. We continue to prioritise Mr El-Fattah's case in our engagement with the Egyptian government. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly raised this case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, including most recently on 23 January in Cairo. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, also raised this case with the Foreign Minister on 2 January during his visit to Cairo. The Foreign Secretary met Mrs Laila Soueif on 27 November 2024, and the Minister for the Middle East spoke with Mrs Laila Soueif on 24 December 2024 by telephone. FCDO officials remain in regular contact with the family to check on their welfare.
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David Reed:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with UNRWA on ensuring that educational materials used in UNRWA-run schools in the West Bank and Gaza do not incite violence and hatred. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Education is an essential component of the humanitarian response in Gaza, and critical to building the foundations for a sustainable and lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people, grounded in a two-state solution. It is therefore essential that partners delivering education services across the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), not least the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), uphold the highest standards of neutrality. £1 million of the UK's funding support for UNRWA has been earmarked to implement the recommendations of Catherine Colonna's Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality. On 28 January, the Minister for Development informed the House that she had discussed the issue of neutrality with UNRWA's leadership, including directly with Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. She also spoke to UNRWA staff members on their work to implement the recommendations of the Colonna report during her visit to the region on 3-5 December. We welcome the initiatives launched by UNRWA to ensure neutrality of its educational material and teaching, in addition to its longstanding work with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Palestinian Authority to reform curricula and educational materials.
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Calum Miller:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to introduce a right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Government is committed to strengthening consular services, including introducing a right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development is considering a package of measures to achieve this, which we will announce in due course.
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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he had discussions with (a) the Iraqi Prime Minister and (b) his Iraqi counterpart on Elizabeth Tsurkov on 14 January 2025. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK remains concerned over the kidnapping of Israeli-Russian dual national Elizabeth Tsurkov. The Government of Iraq's investigation into her kidnapping is ongoing, and we await the findings. Recent reports that Prime Minister al-Sudani is making great efforts to secure Elizabeth Tsurkov's release are encouraging. Those suspected of criminal responsibility of her kidnapping should be brought to justice in fair trials. The Government has not had any discussion with the Government of Iraq regarding the kidnapping.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the lifting of sanctions on Israeli settlers by the US government. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We are deeply concerned by recent events in the West Bank. The Foreign Secretary has been clear with Israeli Ministers that the Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and end settlement expansion. Sanctions are an important tool the UK, our allies and the wider international community can use to respond. Our carefully deployed sanctions are designed to address malign activity and demonstrate the UK's commitment to fundamental human rights. We will continue to work together with the new US administration to ensure regional security and stability, including ensuring lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
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James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to ensure the (a) fair treatment and (b) legal representation of British citizens detained abroad. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: In cases where a British national is detained overseas, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) can provide information about the local legal system to help individuals understand what to expect and their rights, including any right to a state-appointed lawyer. Consular staff can also provide a list of local English-speaking lawyers. If fair trial concerns are raised, wherever possible, FCDO consular staff will discuss with the individual and their legal representative and agree appropriate action. This can include raising concerns with local authorities. Consular support in arrest and detention cases is set out online: [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/arrested-or-detained-abroad]
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Bob Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of (a) abduction, forced conversion, and marriage of minor Hindu girls and (b) systemic discrimination against Hindu minorities in Pakistan. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK is committed to tackling the forced marriage and conversion of women and girls in Pakistan, including Hindu women and girls. I raised this issue with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister in November, and the British High Commission continues to advocate for new laws to end child and forced marriage and forced conversion. Through supporting policy reform and community empowerment, UK programming is also helping to tackle the discrimination faced by marginalised communities. The Aawaz II programme convenes influential community and faith leaders and minority representatives, including from Hindu communities, to change social behaviours and promote interfaith harmony, and works directly with communities to raise awareness of the harms of early and forced marriages.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what consents are required from US Government to appoint the new UK ambassador to that country. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK follows the universal diplomatic process of agrément, as set out in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total cost of (a) travel and (b) accommodation was for the Special Envoy for the Chagos negotiations during those negotiations. \p Stephen Doughty: It remains our intention to decide on publication of costs associated with Jonathan Powell's role as the Prime Minister's BIOT Envoy at a later date.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help improve sea access infrastructure on Montserrat. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the development of the port in Montserrat by providing a grant of £28.3 million from the UK's Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF), which is delivered in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank. The project also includes £7 million funding from the EU. The new pier will supplement the existing pier that was constructed after the volcanic eruptions. Additionally, the FCDO's has funded the acquisition of new dual-view scanners and explosion detection scanners for the seaport (and airport). The new scanners are to ensure Montserrat can meet the minimum standards for border controls. It also includes training of officials and decommissioning of the old equipment.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, What steps he is taking to help improve (a) healthcare infrastructure and (b) provision within Montserrat. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to supporting the healthcare infrastructure and provision in Montserrat. It has continued its commitment to the building of the new hospital in Montserrat by providing up to £39.9 million through the Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth. The new hospital will have a dedicated acute mental health room, plus two operating theatres including endoscopy and full diagnostic suite. The FCDO is also funding two ambulances for Montserrat which will arrive in the next few months and, working with the UK Health Security Agency, we are providing an epidemiologist from March.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Iraqi counterpart on the recent memorandum of understanding between BP and the Iraqi government on Iraqi oil fields. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign Secretary met with Prime Minister Sudani and Foreign Minister Hussein during their Guest of Government visit to the UK. The BP deal was not raised during these engagements. This was a commercial agreement between the Government of Iraq and BP. The Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in Syria, development of the UK-Iraq security partnership, expanding trade (including £12.3 billion of export wins for UK companies announced during the visit) and cooperation on irregular migration. During their engagement, the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Hussein signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on Climate Change.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what contracts (a) BFS Group Limited and (b) subsidiary companies of BFS Group Limited hold with (i) his Department and (ii) agencies of his Department. \p Catherine West: Based on review of available data held centrally, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not have any contracts with the company 'BFS Group Limited' or any of its subsidiaries. There have only been a handful of low-value transitions with the vendor across the FCDO network: totalling less than £15,000 from April 2023 onwards. The FCDO does not hold data on behalf of our agencies and so the member will need to engage with them directly for confirmation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_216

Abtisam Mohamed:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in West Papua. \p Catherine West: The UK recognises there are significant challenges in the region, including human rights concerns, sporadic violence, and the security situation in some areas. The UK regularly raises our concerns, both with the Indonesian Embassy in London and directly with the government in Jakarta. Most recently, I visited Indonesia in January 2025 and raised the human rights situation in Papua with both the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigrations and corrections.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_217

Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what contracts (a) BFS Group Limited and (b) subsidiary companies of BFS Group Limited hold with (i) his Department and (ii) agencies of his Department. \p Kirsty McNeill: The Scotland Office has no contracts with BFS Group Limited or any subsidiary companies of BFS Group Limited.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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John Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much (a) his Department and (b) its Arm’s Length Body has spent on external public relations since 5 July 2024; and which firms that funding went to. \p Kirsty McNeill: The Scotland Office and associated Arm’s Length Bodies has a nil spend on external public relations since 5 July 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_219

Melanie Ward:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will hold discussions with the Manchester Breast Centre on the potential merits of providing additional support for their research into lobular breast cancer. \p Feryal Clark: Cancer research is a critical priority for the Government. The Government does not ringfence funding for specific cancer types but is committed to supporting cancer research such as that conducted at Manchester Breast Centre. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology invests approximately £200 million into cancer research annually via UK Research and Innovation, and The Department of Health and Social Care spent £121.8 million in 2022/23 on cancer research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The Department of Health and Social Care is currently engaging with the sector to develop a new National Cancer Plan which will outline the Government’s strategy to improve outcomes for cancer patients, including lobular breast cancer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_220

Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to establish regulations for AI companies which (a) guarantee ethical practices, (b) safeguard protections for workers and communities and (c) ensure accountability. \p Feryal Clark: The vast majority of AI systems are regulated at the point of use, and the UK's existing expert regulators are best placed to do this. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government has committed to supporting regulators in evaluating their AI capabilities and understanding how these can be strengthened.

The government is also developing legislative proposals which will allow the UK to safely realise the benefits of the most powerful AI systems. These proposals will be highly targeted, build on the voluntary commitments secured at the Seoul and Bletchley AI Summits, and be future-proofed against this fast-evolving technology.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_221

Laura Trott:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the savings to the public purse made by (a) cancelling computing hubs and (b) changes to language hubs. \p Catherine McKinnell: Funding for hubs has been part of wider funding for the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) and the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE). Funding for the NCCE and NCLE will continue in the 2025/26 financial year. It is not possible to quantify how much money will be saved through reshaping the programmes because no spending baselines for individual programmes for 2025/26 and beyond were set ahead of the spending review.

NCCE and NCLE will continue to deliver high quality continuing professional development and teaching resources to support and enrich lessons which are expected to reach a greater number of teachers nationally compared to last year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the distribution is by (a) age and (b) length of service of teachers without qualified teacher status. \p Catherine McKinnell: Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england. The next publication in this series, regarding the 2024/25 academic year, will be released in June 2025.

Schools where qualified teacher status (QTS) is a legal requirement are referred to as maintained schools. In some schools in England, QTS is not a legal requirement. Within the English state school sector, academy schools and free schools can employ teachers without QTS.

Data showing the full time equivalent (FTE) of teachers with and without QTS, from 2010/11 to 2023/24, which is the earliest and latest year for which data is available, can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b524fbd3-401e-45e4-18af-08dd3ba4043a. Both the FTE of teachers and the proportion of FTE teachers, with and without QTS, is available in the attached table, which shows data from 2010/11 to 2023/24, the earliest and latest year for which data is available.

Data showing the FTE of teachers on a QTS route, and not on a QTS route, from 2010/11 to 2022/23, the earliest and latest year for which data is available, can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/9405c2fd-8b88-4150-18c1-08dd3ba4043a. Both the FTE of teachers and the proportion of FTE teachers, on and off a QTS route, is available in the attached table, showing data from 2010/11 to 2022/23, the earliest and latest year for which data is available.

The requested information on how many and what proportion of teachers without QTS were on recruitment programmes supported and procured by the department is not available.

The requested information on which subjects are most taught by teachers without QTS is not available.

In the top 3% of schools employing teachers without QTS, the average proportion of teachers without QTS within their school is 12.5%. The average proportion in the top 10% of schools is 8.5%.

The age group distribution of teachers without QTS can be seen in the attached table. The requested information on distribution by the length of service for teachers without QTS is not available.

QTS FTE Teachers (xls, 59.0KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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Laura Trott:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the savings to the public purse made by cancelling the Latin Excellence Programme from March 2025. \p Catherine McKinnell: The current contract for the Latin Excellence Programme, put in place by the previous government, is due to end on 28 February 2025. The Latin Excellence Programme has cost £2,071,000 to date since 2022. All schools on the programme will continue to have access to the programme’s curriculum resources and all students will sit their planned exams this summer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_225

Liam Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will set out planned funding allocations for (a) nurseries, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools in Birmingham and Solihull broken down by (i) local authority and (ii) parliamentary constituency for each year for which figures are available. \p Catherine McKinnell: Core funding allocations for nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools are distributed through the dedicated schools grant (DSG).

Annual DSG allocations are published at local authority level. Allocations are not available by constituency, since local authorities are responsible for distributing the funding they receive locally through their own local formulae.

For mainstream schools, the DSG allocations show the total amount of funding each local authority receives. This is also split down into its constituent parts: per pupil funding for primary and secondary pupils respectively, premises funding, and growth funding.

For early years, the DSG allocations show the total amount of funding each local authority receives through the early years block. The early years block comprises of funding for each of the early years entitlements, as well as additional funding for early years pupil premium, disability access fund and maintained nursery school supplementary funding. The early years block comprises of funding for each of the early years entitlements, as well as additional funding for early years pupil premium, disability access fund and maintained nursery school supplementary funding. Early years allocations for the government funded entitlements are based on an hourly rate and the number of children taking up the entitlements. The hourly rates each local authority receives are calculated using the early years national funding formulae and are published annually. Further details on early years funding rates for 2025/26 financial year can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-funding-2025-to-2026.

The early years budget is demand led, and the early years block allocations in the DSG are adjusted based on census and headcount data according to the take-up of the entitlement hours.

The DSG publications for each year going back to 2020 can be found at the following addresses:

2025/26:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2025-to-2026.

2024/25:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2024-to-2025.

2023/24:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2023-to-2024.

2022/23:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2022-to-2023.

2021/22:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2021-to-2022.

2020/21:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2020-to-2021.