theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to allocate capital funding to improve stroke care infrastructure within the (a) Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire Integrated Care Board and (b) Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board areas. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to shifting the focus of the National Health Service out of hospitals and into the community through our 10-Year Health Plan, and recognises that delivering high-quality NHS healthcare services requires the right infrastructure in the right places.

The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been provisionally allocated £2.8 million from our Primary Care Utilisation fund for 2025/26 to upgrade existing buildings and space, boosting productivity and enabling practices to deliver more patient appointments. In addition, the ICB has been provisionally allocated £39.3 million from our Constitutional Standards Recovery fund to deliver new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners, and beds to increase capacity for elective and emergency care.

The Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB has been provisionally allocated £1.7 million from our Primary Care Utilisation fund and £32.5 million from our Constitutional Standards Recovery fund for 2025/26.

In addition to national programme allocations, the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire ICB and the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB have been provisionally allocated £123 million and £62 million respectively in operational capital for 2025/26, including primary care business-as-usual capital, which can be used to improve stroke care infrastructure where this is a local priority.
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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on partnerships with external healthcare organizations. \p Karin Smyth: Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.

We recognise the role that external healthcare organisations have across our healthcare system, and we will continue to work closely with these organisations throughout the transition.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking through (a) recruitment and (b) retention practices to ensure the diversity of the maternity healthcare professional workforce. \p Karin Smyth: Decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service employers. NHS England’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion plan, published in 2023, includes a commitment to embed fair and inclusive recruitment processes and talent management strategies that target under-representation and lack of diversity.

It is important that the NHS workforce feels valued and well supported. NHS England is leading on a range of initiatives to boost the retention of existing staff, including building a compassionate and inclusive culture.

Targeted retention work for midwives is being undertaken by NHS England and led by the Chief Nursing Officer. This includes a midwifery and nursing retention self-assessment tool, mentoring schemes, and targeted efforts to improve the diversity of the workforce through four nationally run programmes to develop staff from ethnic minority backgrounds.
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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to manage the redistribution of NHS England's (a) assets and (b) resources. \p Karin Smyth: Ministers and senior officials in Department will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. Work has begun immediately to start bringing teams in NHS England and the Department together, and over the next two years, NHS England and the Department will combine to form a new joint centre.

We are currently scoping the programme for this change, which will include an approach to the assets and resources of NHS England.

The abolition of NHS England will strip out the unnecessary bureaucracy and cut the duplication that comes from having two organisations doing the same job. We will empower staff to focus on delivering better care for patients, driving productivity up, and getting waiting times down. The expected millions of pounds savings made by this transformation will be reinvested in frontline services to deliver better care for patients.
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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS Integrated Care Boards provide community-based ear wax removal services. \p Karin Smyth: Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local population. This includes the arrangement of ear wax removal services.

Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so general practitioners (GPs) will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up.

However, in line with the NICE’s guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP could then consider referring the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.
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Melanie Ward:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to bring guidance on the sale of (a) paracetamol and (c) ibuprofen into law. \p Karin Smyth: Paracetamol and ibuprofen are well-known medicines for pain, which, when taken in line with the recommended posology, have well-established safety profiles. The vast majority of patients use paracetamol responsibly, as an effective pain-reliever. However, if taken in excess, it can cause serious physical harm.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) monitors the safety of medicines, including the sale of paracetamol and ibuprofen without a prescription. Paracetamol and ibuprofen may be obtained without a prescription, under the supervision of a pharmacist, or through general sales outlets. The Human Medicines Regulations 2012, Schedule 15, states that the maximum pack size for both paracetamol and ibuprofen that may be sold through general sales is 16 tablets. Larger packs, up to a maximum of 100 tablets, may be sold under the supervision of a pharmacist, where it becomes a prescription item.

The MHRA has recently updated the voluntary best practice guidance on the general sale of medicines for pain, to further highlight the risks of overdose, to address public concerns, and to recognise current sales techniques. Further risk mitigation measures are also being considered.

The update to the best practice guidance forms part of the suicide prevention strategy that is currently being developed, Suicide prevention strategy for England: 2023 to 2028, which includes a reference to paracetamol, and which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/suicide-prevention-strategy-for-england-2023-to-2028
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that ethnic minority women are adequately represented in the development of national maternity care (a) policies and (b) guidelines. \p Karin Smyth: It is unacceptable that there are stark inequalities for women and babies. It is a priority for the Government to make sure that all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.

We recognise the importance of ethnic minority women being adequately represented within the development of policies and guidelines. Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships are one such forum in place that ensures these voices are at the heart of the decisions made in maternity and neonatal services. These partnerships listen to the experiences of women and families, and bring together service users, staff, and other stakeholders to plan, review, and improve maternity and neonatal care. At a local level, 27% of Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships leads are from ethnic minority groups. NHS England has provided support to improve the ethnic diversity of Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships.

NHS England also has in place a National Service User Voice Group, which informs the development of national maternity care policies and guidelines. 35% of NHS England’s National Service User Voice Group leads for maternity and neonatal care are from an ethnic minority group.
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Mr James Frith:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on the Women's Health Strategy in relation to (a) healthy lifestyle choices, (b) breast cancer and (c) women's health generally. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future.

The Government and the NHS provide a range of services to support people, including women, to make healthy lifestyle choices. For example, through stop smoking services, sexual health services, and weight management services. The National Smoke-free Pregnancy Incentives Scheme is also supporting pregnant women to quit smoking.

Reducing unwarranted variation in cancer treatment is a strategic priority for the NHS. On World Cancer Day this year, the Department announced a major world-leading artificial intelligence trial to transform cancer care, helping radiologists catch breast cancer earlier. Also, in February 2025 NHS England launched its first-ever awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of breast screening and encourage more women to participate. Further information about this campaign is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/02/nhs-launches-first-ever-breast-screening-campaign-to-help-detect-thousands-of-cancers-earlier/

We are continuing to improve the health of women and girls, for example by supporting those who have experienced pregnancy loss through a full rollout of baby loss certificates, through menopause support in the workplace, access to emergency hormonal contraception, and by boosting women’s participation in research and clinical trials.
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Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support integrated care boards to offer ear wax removal services for patients when the ear wax is contributing to (a) hearing loss and (b) other symptoms. \p Karin Smyth: Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local population. This includes the arrangement of services for ear wax removal.

Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so general practitioners (GPs) will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up.

However, in line with the NICE’s guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP could then consider referring the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.

ICBs should therefore arrange for the provision of ear wax removal services when a patient has a clinical need for ear wax removal beyond home treatments.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that the private sector is used to help reduce NHS waiting lists for the (a) most urgent procedures and (b) patients with the greatest clinical need. \p Karin Smyth: We have committed to tackling waiting lists and getting back to the National Health Service constitutional standard, that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029. We will use every lever to do this, and independent sector providers have a key role to play.

A new partnership agreement between the NHS and the independent sector was published in January 2025, the first of its kind for 25 years. The aim of this agreement is to ensure that private providers and the NHS work closely together to tackle waiting lists and improve elective services, providing NHS patients with the ability to choose to be treated privately where there is capacity, at no cost to them. The independent sector committed to reviewing their clinical exclusion criteria to ensure that they allow the choice of an independent provider to as broad a cohort of patients as possible. The agreement also set a shared goal to improve access to treatment in the independent sector for the most challenged specialties.

Local systems are best placed to commission activity, considering the patients and providers in their area, and ensuring assets are utilised effectively, and that patients requiring urgent procedures are treated quickly. All patients should be offered a choice of provider at the point of referral, including independent providers where clinically appropriate, and should be provided with information on waiting times to inform their decision.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the requirement for opportunity cost neutrality in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence severity modifier. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for developing the methods and processes that its independent committees use in their evaluations, independently and in consultation with stakeholders. The severity modifier is based on evidence of societal preferences and was introduced in 2022 as part of a comprehensive review of the NICE’s methods and processes, following extensive public and stakeholder engagement.

The NICE carried out a review of the severity modifier in 2024, and found that it is operating as intended. Since its introduction, the severity modifier has resulted in a higher approval rate for cancer medicines compared to the NICE’s previous methods, and has also allowed greater weight to be applied to non-cancer medicines that address a broader range of severe diseases, enabling the NICE to recommend medicines for conditions such as cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, childhood epilepsy, hepatitis D, and sickle cell disease. The NICE has commissioned research to gather further evidence on societal preferences that will inform future method reviews, but there is no prospect of any change until it concludes, and any future changes would need to be consistent with the principle of cost neutrality.
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Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to allow doctors to prescribe Abiraterone. \p Karin Smyth: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new, licenced medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by the NICE for eligible patients in line with its recommendations.

The NICE has published guidance recommending abiraterone for the treatment of metastatic hormone-relapsed prostate cancer before chemotherapy is indicated and for castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen. NHS England funds abiraterone for these indications of prostate cancer in line with the NICE’s recommendations, making it routinely available for clinicians to prescribe to eligible patients.

NHS England considered abiraterone as an off-label treatment for hormone sensitive, non-metastatic prostate cancer through its clinical policy development process in 2024/25. Through this process, NHS England confirmed that there was sufficient supporting evidence to support the routine commissioning of abiraterone in this indication and it was ranked in the highest priority level. However, NHS England could not identify the necessary recurrent funding to support commissioning of abiraterone, or any other treatments within the prioritisation round. Ministers are considering further advice on this issue.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of offering (a) guidance or (b) funding support for charities who are assisting refugees with medical qualifications into the NHS. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has made no assessment of the potential merits of offering guidance or funding support for charities who are assisting refugees with medical qualifications into the National Health Service.

Many regulators, royal colleges, and other organisations provide support or prioritise services for refugees, including some flexibility in the information that candidates need to provide for employment checks.
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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on (a) training and (b) development programmes for NHS staff. \p Karin Smyth: Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.

The abolition of NHS England will strip out the unnecessary bureaucracy and cut the duplication that comes from having two organisations doing the same job. We will empower staff to focus on delivering better care for patients, driving productivity up, and getting waiting times down.
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Markus Campbell-Savours:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to repeat the Reproductive Health Survey for England 2023; and whether he plans to take steps to record (a) the experiences of those with endometriosis and (b) diagnosis time for those with endometriosis. \p Karin Smyth: The Department recognises the importance of understanding the experiences of women living with endometriosis. In 2023, the Department commissioned the Women's Reproductive Health Survey to gather views on women’s experiences in all aspects of their reproductive health, including menstrual problems and endometriosis. A report on the initial findings has been published, and is available at the following link:

https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres-projects-groups/reproductive-health-survey-england#research

The Department will update plans to conduct the survey again in due course. The Department also commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has recently funded a qualitative study into patient and healthcare professionals' experiences of the management, diagnosis, and treatment of endometriosis. Further information is available at the following link:

https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR156216.

An ongoing Office for National Statistics study is investigating the impact of endometriosis on women's labour market outcomes. One component of this study is linking primary and secondary care data to better understand diagnosis times for endometriosis.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Solicitor General, what diversity, equality and inclusion targets her Department has for staff recruitment. \p Lucy Rigby: The Attorney General’s Office does not have a set target for diversity, equality and inclusion (EDI) for staff recruitment or representation. The AGO welcomes applications from those of all backgrounds.
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Anna Sabine:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to compel private creditors to participate in debt relief. \p Emma Reynolds: The UK, alongside the G20 and Paris Club, expects creditors, including private creditors, to participate in international debt restructurings on comparable terms.

At this stage, the government is not pursuing a legislative approach that would force private or other lenders to participate in debt restructurings.

Overall, we have seen evidence of private creditors’ willingness to engage and provide debt treatments where needed – though we continue to keep this under review.

The government is focused on delivering a market-based (contractual) approach to private sector participation, including taking the lead in developing Majority Voting Provisions for private group lending, to bind the minority to the terms of a restructuring. These promote more efficient restructurings and reduce the ability for creditors to hold out.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of revoking the windfall tax on oil and gas companies on trends in the level of future renewable investment. \p James Murray: In its manifesto the Government committed to make changes to the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) to raise revenue towards clean energy goals, including raising the rate of the levy from 35% to 38% and extending the duration of the levy until 31 March 2030. Following confirmation of these changes at Autumn Budget 2024, the EPL is now due to end by 31 March 2030, or earlier if oil and gas prices fall consistently below the price thresholds set by the Energy Security Investment Mechanism. The OBR’s latest forecast published at Spring Statement 2025 indicates that the levy will generate £13.5 billion in receipts between 2024-25 and 2029-30, on top of £7.4bn already raised since the levy’s introduction.

Following a period of change and uncertainty, the government is committed to providing long-term certainty to the oil and gas sector over the future fiscal regime and published a consultation on 5 March exploring the design of a new permanent mechanism for responding to price shocks once the EPL ends.

Government is committed to delivering clean power by 2030 and will work in tandem with the private sector to unlock investment and deliver new clean infrastructure. Our Contracts for Difference scheme has driven significant investment in renewable energy generation. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out proposed reforms to ensure the scheme can support the volumes of capacity needed whilst minimising costs to consumers.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-Switzerland Financial Services Mutual Recognition Agreement on cross-border financial services trade. \p Emma Reynolds: The Berne Financial Services Agreement is a ground-breaking mutual recognition agreement which enables financial services firms to provide certain services on a cross-border basis to wholesale and sophisticated clients. It is rooted in the high quality of each country’s regulation.

The Agreement will enhance an already thriving financial services trade relationship with Switzerland. Between 2016 and 2023, UK trade in financial and insurance services with Switzerland grew by 85%. The ease of doing business under the agreement combined with the unprecedented new market access it opens will boost client choice and drive efficiencies in the financial sector – delivering growth in the UK economy and bolstering job opportunities in the sector. A document outlining the benefits for the UK can be found on the Berne Financial Services Agreement gov.uk page alongside the text of the Agreement.

The Government’s priority is to implement the Agreement as soon as possible, by the end of 2025 at the latest, and enter the Agreement into force shortly thereafter

The Agreement includes a mechanism for the UK and Switzerland to expand in scope, including adding entirely new financial service sectors. The Agreement also commits the UK and Switzerland to enter into negotiations with a view to potentially expanding the Agreement to include sustainable finance at the appropriate time.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress her Department has made on UK-India cooperation to improve regulatory frameworks for (a) sustainable finance and (b) climate-related financial disclosures. \p Emma Reynolds: India is an important emerging market, and we maintain several collaboration vehicles for discussing regulatory and market access barriers in financial services. Most recently there was a UK-India Financial Markets Dialogue held in GIFT City in December 2024 and we are looking forward to the upcoming UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue in April 2025 which is jointly chaired by the Chancellor and the Indian Finance Minister. Both dialogues are an opportunity for both the UK and India’s finance ministries and regulators to table important FS issues for collaborative working.

Boosting trade abroad is essential to delivering growth at home. That is why the UK is committed to negotiating a trade deal with India – one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Officials are continuing to negotiate the UK-India FTA, which includes FS provisions that will not undermine our future relationship and support our continued cooperation. A trade deal could unlock new opportunities for businesses and consumers in all regions and nations of the UK.

Fintech is an important sector for both the UK and India, we engage closely with the Indian Finance Ministry through an annual Joint Fintech Working Group. We also welcome advice from industry through the India-UK Financial Partnership (IUKFP), including through their recent 2023 report ‘Harnessing the power of FinTech and data’.

We welcome the progress of the UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) led by the City of London Corporation and the National Institute for the Transformation of India (NITI Aayog) in its first year, and we look forward to supporting the second year of the UKIIFB and any new areas of focus.

The UK supported the establishment and development of the ISSB as a global standard setter for sustainability reporting at COP26. The government have also supported world-leading work on transition plan disclosures by co-chairing the Transition Plan Taskforce. We will be taking a pro-growth, pragmatic approach to sustainable finance, combining support for international and interoperable standards like ISSB with an openness to feedback about what policies we should be pursuing. The upcoming UK-India EFD will present a renewed opportunity to engage with India on our shared areas of interest in sustainable finance.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what munitions the UK sources (a) directly and (b) via supply chains from the United States. \p Maria Eagle: The UK’s munitions stockpile is maintained through the procurement of new rounds and the refurbishment or upgrading of existing munitions. Many types of in-service munitions are from UK suppliers, and many components of systems procured from overseas are manufactured in the UK.

Munitions procured directly through the United States through Foreign Military Sale include complex weapons such as cruise missiles, anti-armour and anti-air weaponry.

Munitions procured by the Ministry of Defence from the United States via supply chains through other contractual arrangements include Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rounds, an Extended Range variant of GMLRS rounds, a range of small arms ammunition and explosive charges, and the Trident nuclear deterrent.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the US Air Force European Infrastructure Consolidation (EIC) works at RAF Molesworth. \p Maria Eagle: The estimated cost to the UK public purse to deliver the European Infrastructure Consolidation construction works at RAF Molesworth is £51 million.
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Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) domestic and (b) foreign sources of high-grade steel on which his Department will rely for the manufacture of (i) warships, (ii) armoured vehicles and (iii) jet aircraft (A) for the remainder of the parliament and (B) subsequently. \p Maria Eagle: The Defence Industrial Strategy will carefully consider the Ministry of Defence’s approach to steel, as a sub-sector within Defence and a critical element of the UK’s Defence industrial base. This will include consideration of the MOD’s use of specialist steel and the potential for Defence procurements to support the steel sector, noting capability and value for money considerations. The Defence Industrial Strategy will have a remit extending to 2035.

The Government will also bring forward a Steel Strategy that will ensure a sustainable future for UK steelmaking. The Steel Strategy will establish a long-term vision for the industry, promoting long-term growth, that aligns with wider priorities including Invest 2035, the upcoming Industrial Strategy.

Defence programmes have some requirements for specialist steel which cannot currently be sourced from UK manufacturers. Steel therefore sometimes needs to be sourced from overseas suppliers. UK steel is utilised where feasible including in both shipbuilding and armoured vehicles manufacture.

As part of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT)’s Steel Procurement Pipeline, the MOD publishes information on the steel required for current Defence projects such as shipbuilding and armoured vehicles. As part of the Department for Business and Trade’s Steel Public Procurement release the MOD also provides details on the country of origin for steel used in various Defence projects:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/steel-public-procurement
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 2.8 of the Spring Statement, 26 March 2025, what his Department's definition of novel technology is. \p Maria Eagle: At the Chancellor’s Spring Statement the Ministry of Defence (MOD) committed to establishing UK Defence Innovation (UKDI). This new body will simplify and consolidate the current MOD structures for innovation.

The Spring Statement also confirmed that from next year the MOD will spend at least 10% of its equipment procurement budget on novel technology. Novel technology investments include dual-use technologies such as uncrewed and autonomous systems and AI-enabled capabilities. This list is not exhaustive, and work is ongoing to establish a formal definition of novel technology that UKDI and the wider Department will work against.

The creation of UKDI underlines this Government's commitment to exploiting new ideas and technologies to equip our Armed Forces with cutting edge tech and grow high tech businesses across the UK.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 2.8 of the Spring Statement, 26 March 2025, what his planned timetable is to achieve his target for rapid commercial exploitation to have a three-months cycle. \p Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Defence is reforming its acquisition system to deliver defence capabilities at greater pace, drive productivity and secure the best possible value for money, under the leadership of a new National Armaments Director.

A timescale for practical application of a segmented approach to procurement will be developed in consultation with industry and closely integrated with implementation of wider defence reforms, the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 34360 on Defence Equipment: Procurement, what discussions he has had with his (a) Italian and (b) Japanese counterpart on the inclusion of the Aermacchi M-346 fast jet trainer in the Global Combat Air Programme. \p Maria Eagle: The Royal Air Force continuously researches and assesses options for the sustainment, enhancement and development of hardware and systems to maintain competitive advantage within the flying training system. The Aermacchi M346 fast jet trainer is one of several market options available but no formal market engagement has been conducted.

No formal discussions have been held on training aircraft in the Global Combat Air Programme and for the UK no decisions have been taken on the replacement for the Hawk T2 aircraft which has a planned Out of Service date of 2040.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_137

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to replenish the artillery ammunition given to Ukraine. \p Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continually manages and analyses its stocks of weapons and munitions against commitments and threats, while also reviewing industrial capacity and supply chains, both domestically and internationally. The MOD is also fully engaged with industry, allies and partners to ensure both the continuation of supply to Ukraine, and that all of the equipment and munitions granted in kind from UK stocks are replaced as rapidly as possible.

To replenish weapons granted to Ukraine, we have rapidly and effectively adapted our procurement processes in a way that reflects that urgency of the situation, and have prioritised a more holistic munitions mix over a determination to always replace like for like. Stockpile details are highly classified for operational reasons, so I am unable to provide further detail.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_138

Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) troops, (b) tanks and (c) other military vehicles the United Kingdom had in Estonia on 27 March (i) 2025 and (ii) 2021. \p Luke Pollard: Since 2017, the UK has been the Framework Nation to Estonia as part of the NATO construct, enhanced Force Presence (eFP). This construct provides members of the Alliance positioned along the Eastern Flank of NATO (Host Nations) with bilateral guarantees from other NATO members.

The UK’s presence in Estonia has been centred on an Armoured Battle Group, based in Tapa and comprising up to 1,300 Service personnel and high end warfighting capabilities. These capabilities included the Challenger 2 Armoured Tank, numerous Anti-Tank capabilities, armoured infantry and artillery. In addition the Battle Group is supported by Divisional level assets such as Short Range Air Defence and long range strike artillery.

Following the Madrid NATO summit in 2022 and the full invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the Alliance increased the level of support to Host Nations, with Framework Nations agreeing to reinforce with up to a Brigade in times of crisis. This was termed Forward Land Forces (FLF). To date, the UK has achieved this through the allocation of 12 Armoured Bde and associated capability. Bilaterally, the UK will reinforce Estonia with the balance of a Brigade. This year, 12 Bde are being replaced by 4 Bde, reinforced with an Aviation Task Force. This transition will be showcased on Ex HEDGEHOG, a Baltic wide demonstration of the FLF construct.

Both 2021 and 2025 saw UK personnel numbers remain stable at around 700 personnel in country.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_139

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish a summary of his discussions with his Estonian counterpart that took place on 26 March 2025. \p Luke Pollard: As I am sure the hon. Gentleman will understand, we do not routinely publish readouts after individual bilateral meetings. The Secretary of State had productive discussions with his Estonian counterpart about our bilateral cooperation with Estonia and our cooperation through the JEF and NATO.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_140

Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the United Kingdom is contributing to the NATO Hedgehog Exercises. \p Luke Pollard: The UK has endorsed the deployment of 4 Brigade and four Typhoons to Exercise HEDGEHOG. The UK will provide roughly 2,500 Service personnel towards the exercise, in addition to the Forward Land Forces armoured battle group already deployed in Estonia, comprising circa 800 soldiers. France will also provide support, alongside Finland and the US. This is an excellent demonstration of close cooperation in the name of European security.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_141

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what Rules of Engagement British Forces would be under as part of Multinational Force Ukraine. \p Luke Pollard: The UK is playing a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. Operational planning continues but it is long-standing Government policy not to comment on Rules of Engagement. The only person who would benefit from that is Putin.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_142

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing applicants to apply for lasting power of attorney without a (a) passport (b) driving license or (c) blue badge. \p Sarah Sackman: The current lasting power of attorney (LPA) system has significant safeguards but does not require identity verification. The Government plans to modernise the system and will introduce additional safeguards which include enabling the Office of the Public Guardian to carry out identity checks for the person making the LPA and their certificate provider. This aims to reduce the risk that an unknown party could obtain an LPA in another person’s name without their knowledge.

We are exploring a range of identity verification options to ensure access to LPAs for everyone eligible to make one. A passport or driving licence are examples of the documentation we are considering. Blue Badges are issued by Local Authorities and the lack of a central database of verified data means they are not appropriate for use as a means to prove identity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_143

James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to promote the Advance into Justice scheme; and whether she plans to take steps to establish continuity of service between the armed forces and civil service pension schemes. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: ‘Advance into Justice’ is a Ministry of Justice recruitment initiative aimed at providing a direct recruitment channel for Armed Forces Service Leavers, Veterans and Veterans Spouses into key operational roles across HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).

The Ministry of Justice recognises that Armed forces personnel have a wide range of transferable skills that are aligned with many HMPPS roles, allowing them to form a second career whilst continuing to protect the public.

Ahead of the launch of the next Advance into Justice campaign in May 2025, the Ministry of Justice is working on a marketing and communication strategy to promote the scheme externally using various media approaches.

The Ministry of Justice attends regular Armed Forces Recruitment events across the country managed by the Career Transition Partnership, the official resettlement provider for the Ministry of Defence and British Forces Resettlement Services.

The Department does not hold information on any plans to establish continuity of service between the armed forces and the Civil Service pension schemes as this is the remit of Cabinet Office.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_144

Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether it is her policy that pre-sentence reports to inform judges prior to passing sentences on offenders should be requested in light of (a) their individual circumstances only and (b) any specific groups to which they belong. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Pre-sentence reports can be vital tools for judges and for all offenders, regardless of their membership of a certain cohort. Courts are required to obtain and consider them unless, in the circumstances of the case they consider them unnecessary.

We are clear that decisions relating to sentencing of individuals are a matter for the independent judiciary.

Equality before the law is a guiding principle of our justice system. It is this Government’s policy to protect this and to ensure that there is no differential treatment on the basis of race or ethnicity in our courts. That is why, on 01 April, we introduced legislation which has the effect of removing the specific reference to cohorts in the Imposition guidelines - and the Sentencing Council has agreed to pause the guidelines while we do so.

The Bill does not prevent the guidelines from advising that pre-sentence reports are sought in cases where the court would benefit from an assessment of an offender’s personal circumstances, such as pregnancy, if someone is a young offender, or a victim of domestic abuse.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_145

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to support prisoners leaving prisons with drug addiction. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The Ministry of Justice works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England to ensure that people leaving prison with a drug or alcohol problem stay in treatment and can get the support they need to recover from addiction.

To support prison leavers to continue their recovery journey in the community, we have Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators nationwide, who strengthen links between prisons, probation and treatment providers. We also have secure laptops across the prison estate to enable prisoners to meet with community treatment providers virtually, prior to release, and the Probation Notification Actioning Project makes probation aware of prison leavers who have been referred to community treatment, so they can support them to engage with treatment.

We have also established the new Drug and Alcohol Recovery Expert Panel, where panel members with wide-ranging expertise will help to identify ways to strengthen our approach.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the potential savings to the public purse of abolishing the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The budget allocated to the Sentencing Council for 2024/25 is £1.92 million. The savings of abolishing any public body would though depend on a number of factors e.g. wind-up costs, and we do not have a detailed assessment of these factors in relation to the Sentencing Council.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-04 conversation_147

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many ministerial visits he has made to Suffolk since 4 July 2025; and where those visits took place. \p Michael Shanks: The Secretary of State and the Ministerial team conduct visits across the UK on a regular basis including in Suffolk. A central list of every visit conducted is not publicly available.