theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of consignments of (a) beef, (b) salmon, (c) dairy products, (d) apples and (e) cheese were subject to SPS sampling requirements since 2024. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra does not hold that information. This because rates of sampling will vary according to the type of commodity, the country of export or origin of the goods, the disease status in that country or place of origin, and any treatments or processing that may have been applied to the products.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that less potable water is used for non-potable purposes. \p Emma Hardy: This Government recognises the importance of water re-use systems to alleviate pressure off the potable water system by moving to non-potable supplies and are taking forward measures to support this.

We have a consultation on amending the Building Regulations (2010) and a Call for Evidence on reuse in homes live for responses. Alongside this, we are considering the recommendations set out in the Independent Water Commission including the ask for Government to work with regulators to develop a new policy and regulatory framework to drive the adoption of water re-use infrastructure in the household and non-household commercial market.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many SPS-related (a) documentary checks, (b) identity checks and (c) physical inspections are carried out on UK agri-food consignments entering the EU each day. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra does not hold the data for controls undertaken by European Union Border Control Posts. Such information is held by EU Central Competent Authorities.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 91862 on the Marine Environment, what is the scope of the Sustainable Ocean Plan; what is the (a) process and (b) timetable for consultation with stakeholders; and whether blue finance will be incorporated. \p Emma Hardy: The Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP) will set out a framework to achieve 100% sustainable use of UK waters, supporting long-term growth in the ocean economy. We are currently in the scoping phase, which includes looking at areas such blue finance. As we develop the plan, we will provide further information on stakeholder consultation.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of regulatory measures to prevent repeated water supply failures during winter in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency. \p Emma Hardy: Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a supply of wholesome water under the Water Industry Act 1991 and associated water quality regulations. Additionally, the Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency.

Water companies are also Category Two Responders under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and have duties to plan for emergencies. Water companies also engage with their Local Resilience Forums in understanding risk, planning and exercising.

This Government has been clear there is no excuse for poor performance, and that water companies must take seriously their role in meeting the public and regulators’ expectations. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) regulates water company performance against SEMD requirements. The DWI has a range of tools to hold companies to account, including serving companies with enforcement orders.

The Independent Water Commission made several recommendations on increasing resilience across the water sector and on strengthening the enforcement powers available to the regulator for SEMD. The Government is preparing to respond to these recommendations and our White Paper will set out more detail on our approach.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with water companies on contingency planning for (a) prolonged water loss or (b) low pressure during winter in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency. \p Emma Hardy: The Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires water companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency. Companies are required under the SEMD framework to plan for a wide range of disruptive scenarios, including continuous monitoring of risks such as severe winter weather. In addition to SEMD requirements, companies are also incentivised under Ofwat’s performance targets regime to minimise supply interruptions and resulting customer impacts. The Drinking Water Inspectorate regulates water company performance on SEMD performance. Water companies are also Category Two Responders under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and have duties to plan for emergencies.

Defra maintains regular strategic engagement with water companies on resilience planning – including South East Water and Thames Water – throughout the winter. This includes preparedness in advance of forecast periods of severe weather. Water companies also engage with their Local Resilience Forums in understanding risk, planning and exercising.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025, to Question 76604, on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, whether individual households can opt-out of water companies’ charging trials, or otherwise refuse consent to participate. \p Emma Hardy: Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways. Ofwat regulates charging trials by requiring companies to set fair charges for all customers, and ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025, to Question 76604, on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, what is the estimated cost to other customers, (a) in aggregate and (b) cross-subsidy per non-qualifying average household, of the price of social tariffs in each year of the 2025-30 period, (1) across England and (2) across each water company, according information held by (i) his department and (ii) Ofwat. \p Emma Hardy: Companies decide, in consultation with their customers and organisations representing customers, which household customers fund social tariffs and how much they pay.

Several companies have committed to using funds from their own investors, shareholders or parent companies for their social tariffs and other financial support schemes (United Utilities, Dŵr Cymru, Yorkshire Water and SES Water).
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to assist landowners in coordinating and accessing relevant grants and schemes for the long-term moorland restoration required following the Fylingdales Moor fire. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Farming Advice Service (FAS) helps farmers navigate the range of grants and schemes to support increased productivity and managing land to benefit the environment and rural areas. Specifically, actions to support moorland restoration sit within the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Natural England and Forestry Commission are providing pre-application advice and supporting customers with applications for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier. Where there has been an impact on an existing agreement, then we would advise agreement holders to contact the RPA or Natural England in the first instance.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, further to her answer to Q92990 if she can break down the annual expenditure and the total £4.2 billion into capital and revenue. \p Emma Hardy: As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, we are investing £4.2 billion over three years (2026/27 to 2028/29) to construct new flood and coastal erosion schemes and maintain and repair existing defences across the country.

This is £1.4 billion on average each year – a 5% increase on the current average of £1.33 billion over 2024/25 and 2025/26.

Further details will be published in due course, including the split between capital and revenue funding.
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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the effectiveness of the ban on disposable vapes on the outbreak of fires. \p Mary Creagh: Selling single-use vapes has been banned since 1st June 2025 due to the harm that they cause to the environment, with over 5 million of these products being thrown away each week in 2023. This will help to prevent the environmental harms caused by vapes, including the risk of fires. We will continue to monitor the impact and remain engaged with industry to ensure that they have the desired positive environmental impact and will not hesitate to act further to tackle the environmental impact of vapes if needed.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce levels of food waste in Lincolnshire. \p Mary Creagh: Defra funds the groundbreaking UK Food and Drink Pact, a voluntary agreement with industry to tackle food waste in the supply chain. We also fund a programme of action delivered by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to tackle household food waste and help people buy what they need and use what they buy. Through our Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate fund, we have allocated £13.5 million to food redistribution charities in England to ensure more surplus fresh produce is redistributed to those who need it most. By 31 March 2026, local authorities will be required to collect the core recyclable waste streams from all households in England. This includes introducing weekly food waste collections for all homes, unless a transitional arrangement applies.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to extend the Fruit and Vegetable Growers Scheme beyond December 31st 2025. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Legislation introduced in July 2023 permanently closes the legacy EU Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme in England at the end of December 2025, The scheme was designed to help fresh fruit and vegetable growers increase their power in the supply chain, but it was only available to Producer Organisations, with around just over 20% of the sector accessing it and the vast majority not benefitting.

Future support for the sector is being considered alongside Defra’s work to simplify and rationalise agricultural grant funding, ensuring that grants deliver the most benefit for food security and value for money for the taxpayer.

The Government is committed to our excellent horticulture sector and the vital role that it plays in strengthening food security by ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of fresh home-grown produce. Of at least £200 million allocated to The Farming Innovation Programme through to 2030, to date nearly £40 million—representing 26% of total awards—has been granted to research projects benefiting the horticulture sector offering targeted opportunities for fruit and vegetable businesses to become more profitable, resilient, and sustainable. Wider Government support that we are providing for horticulture includes: our five-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route, providing much needed stability and certainty to businesses; as well as extending the easement on import checks on medium risk fruit and vegetables ahead of the new SPS agreement deal with the EU.
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Chris Hinchliff:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2025 to 94315, whether planned changes to the Protection of Badgers Act would permit the killing of badgers solely for development purposes. \p Mary Creagh: The changes to the Protection of Badgers Act (PoBA) effected by the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would permit licences for the purpose of preserving public health or safety or for reasons of overriding public interest, to kill or take badgers, or to interfere with a badger sett, within an area specified in the licence. This purpose is derived from the list of eligible purposes for an exemption under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, with which any species mitigation licence must comply. It is also consistent with similar provisions for other protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

Overriding public interest can be used to mean development and infrastructure activities but can accommodate other activities such as maintenance or repair work.

Licences that permit the killing of badgers are already available for other purposes, such as scientific or educational purposes, preventing the spread of disease, or preventing serious damage to land, crops, poultry or other form of property.

This provision will be subject to strict safeguards, as the Government is also legislating that any licence issued under the PoBA must meet the strict tests required by the Bern Convention: that there is no other satisfactory solution and that the grant of the licence is not detrimental to the survival of any population of badgers. Killing badgers would therefore remain exceptional, only permissible under strict conditions, and would not become routine for development purposes.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the Environment and Climate Change Committee's recommendations published in its policy letter to her, dated 28 October 2025, on Waste Crime. \p Mary Creagh: The Department is considering the Environment and Climate Change Committee's recommendations on waste crime and will respond in due course.
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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November to Question 92922 on Fly-tipping, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a single responsible body to receive and investigate incidents of fly-tipping, as called for by the Hon. Member for St Albans and Hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted in their letter dated 19 September 2025. \p Mary Creagh: We have not made an assessment of the potential merits of a single responsible body to receive and investigate incidents of fly-tipping.

Local councils are responsible for tackling fly-tipping in their area and have a range of enforcement powers to help them do so. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution action. We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers and are taking steps to develop statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers.  We are also conducting a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of fly-tippers, to identify how we could help them make better use of this tool.

In our manifesto we committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess that they have created. We will provide further details on this commitment in due course.

In the meantime, Defra continues to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), through which we work with a wide range of interested parties such as local councils, the Environment Agency, National Farmers Union and National Police Chiefs Council, to promote and disseminate good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many confirmed cases of avian flu has there been in the last 12 months. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Between 5 December 2024 and 4 December 2025, there were 143 confirmed cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in poultry or other captive birds in the UK.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many confirmed cases of blue tongue there has been in the last 24 months. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The first cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) of the current outbreak (2025/2026 vector season) were confirmed on the 11 July 2025. As of 5 December 2025, there have been 238 cases of bluetongue in GB since July 2025, with 223 cases in England and 15 cases in Wales.

Prior to this, Defra confirmed 160 BTV-3 cases in England and 2 in Wales between 26 August 2024 and 31 May 2025. One case of bluetongue virus serotype 12 (BTV-12) was confirmed in England on 7 February 2025.

Between November 2023 and March 2024 Defra confirmed 126 BTV-3 cases in England.
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Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to align the UK with EU Directives 2024/1781/EU, 2024/1799/EU and 2024/825/EU. \p Mary Creagh: The Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy and is actively looking for opportunities to learn from and build on international best practices to explore what levers and interventions could work domestically.
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Chris Vince:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce inequalities experienced by children in poverty. \p Bridget Phillipson: Tackling child poverty is a moral mission for this Government. Your background should not determine what you can go onto achieve in life

Our recently published landmark Child Poverty Strategy sets out the steps we are taking to reduce child poverty in the short term, as well as putting in place the building blocks we need to change the course we’re on and create long-term change

The Government is investing in the future of our children and introducing a fundamental change by removing the two child limit on Universal Credit. This will lift 450,000 children out of poverty, rising to around 550,000 alongside other measures set out in our Strategy, such as the expansion of free school meals. These interventions will lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.
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Gill Furniss:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to help tackle unequal access to medical treatment. \p Karin Smyth: Our 10 Year Health Plan outlines a long-term vision to reform the NHS and make it fit for the future. Addressing healthcare inequity is a core focus, to ensure the NHS is there for anyone who needs it whenever they need it. The Government has published league tables which increase transparency and accountability enabling the NHS to tackle the postcode lottery and deliver better care for patients.
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Bob Blackman:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the potential equality impacts of the PATHWAYS puberty blocker trial. \p Karin Smyth: The government is committed to supporting research that delivers robust, evidence-based understanding of gender incongruence issues, especially for children and young people.

The PATHWAYS trial research protocol has rightly undergone a thorough independent review and has received all regulatory and ethical approvals.

The published protocol sets out how the researchers will collect relevant demographic information, including sex at birth, ethnicity, and country of birth.
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Charlie Maynard:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department has taken with the Secretary of State for Defence to help tackle LGBTQ+ discrimination in the armed forces. \p Olivia Bailey: The Government is committed to supporting LGBT personnel in the Armed Forces, including through engagement with our LGBT networks, same-sex marriages in military chapels and involvement with major Pride events.

We are also implementing all 49 of Lord Etherton’s recommendations to right the historic wrong of LGBT people being banned from service in the armed forces.
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Samantha Niblett:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the value achieved through recent contract negotiations with Microsoft; and what assurances are in place regarding future pricing. \p Ian Murray: The government holds a number of contracts with resellers of Microsoft products, which includes Office tools, Copilot and Azure.

Value for money is typically assessed through the Department’s internal governance processes for awarding a new contract. The Department utilises the Strategic Partnership Arrangement 2024 (SPA24) MOU which was negotiated between Crown Commercial Services (CCS) and Microsoft. SPA24 provides discounts and favourable terms to UK public sector customers.
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Fleur Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department has taken under the Replacing Animals in Science strategy to establish a clear timeline for phasing out all animal experiments. \p Kanishka Narayan: I refer the hon. Member for Putney to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Question UIN 92600.
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Chris Hinchliff:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans the Government has to help ensure that local communities receive long-term economic benefits from new AI and data centre developments. \p Kanishka Narayan: TechUK estimate that the gross value added of data centres is currently £4.7bn in the UK. This government encourages data centre developers to consider the local benefits that data centre build can bring, especially in areas with favourable conditions for heat offtake, or where skills and training can be provided. Last year, the government reformed the National Planning Policy framework to ensure that local planning authorities integrate data centres into an area’s local plan, ensuring alignment with local and national long-term economic goals.

Through the AI Growth Zones initiative, we aim to crowd-in tens of billions of pounds in private investment and drive growth through job creation and by creating opportunities such as creating skills and apprenticeships pathways, R&D partnerships with local universities and creating investment opportunities for British businesses to participate in major AI projects.

We are ensuring that local communities benefit by providing £5m for each AI Growth Zone to support skills and adoption in the area, and by ensuring that local authorities keep 100% of all business rates generated by sites where pre-existing arrangements do not exist.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to bring forward proposals to require VPN providers to undertake age verification checks on UK users. \p Kanishka Narayan: The government continues to monitor the impact of circumvention techniques such as VPNs on the Act and will ensure that any future interventions are proportionate and evidence based.

There is limited evidence on how many children use VPNs and why they use them. The government is addressing this gap.

The Online Safety Act requires Ofcom to publish a report by July 2026 assessing how effective the use of age assurance has been and whether there are factors, including circumvention techniques, that have prevented or hindered its use.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many visas a) his Department, b) the Information Commissioners Office, c) the Intellectual Property Office, d) the Met Office, e) the UK Space Agency, f) the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, g) UK Research and Innovation, h) Ordnance Survey and i) Ofcom have sponsored since 4 July 2024. \p Ian Murray: The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of animal-free tests such as the AcutoX for phasing out the LD50 test. \p Kanishka Narayan: The strategy uses ‘baskets’ to group animal tests according to their readiness for replacement, based on maturity of potential alternative methods. These initial baskets will be refined in consultation with stakeholders, noting that two LD/LC50 tests are already in baskets 1 and 2 (botulinum potency and fish acute toxicity tests respectively) so are among the first targeted for phase-out. The Acutox test is a non-regulatory test and not yet validated for use in safety assessments. We will establish a new UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (UKCVAM) to accelerate alternative method validation and uptake for regulatory decision making.
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Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department expects all eligible retired members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme to receive their McCloud remedy payments; and what steps she is taking to expedite payments to retired teachers impacted by the McCloud pension remedy. \p Georgia Gould: Capita, as administrator of the teachers’ pension scheme, is processing Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) for retired members affected by the McCloud remedy as quickly as possible. As of 15 October 2025, 69,798 RSSs have been issued to retired members.

Payments are made as soon as possible following the return of completed RSSs. To speed up delivery, the department is working with Capita to increase staffing, automate processes, improve IT systems, and prioritise complex cases. Members will continue receiving their original pension until remedy choices are implemented, and any backdated payments will include interest to ensure no financial disadvantage.

This is a high priority for the department and we are committed to resolving this with Capita and ensuring retired members receive their RSSs as quickly as possible.
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Shockat Adam:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether declarations of interest were made by (a) Ruth Miskin, (b) Read Write Inc and (c) other (i) individuals and (ii) organisations involved in (A) drafting and (B) advising on the new Writing Framework. \p Georgia Gould: The writing framework is the department’s initial step in a broader, long-term strategy aimed at enhancing the teaching of writing and raising attainment in schools. It was developed with input from an expert panel, all of whom had to declare any potential conflicts of interest, and with support from a wider group of other experts and organisations, including a range of commercial programme providers, academics and leading practitioners, to ensure a diverse and valuable range of perspectives.

The writing framework does not support or promote any specific individual or organisation. The framework also makes it clear that there is no requirement for schools to adopt commercially produced programmes. However, the framework offers guidance to help schools evaluate their options and ensure any programme they choose is underpinned by a strong, evidence-based rationale.
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Damien Egan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to address gaps in Post-16 education and skills training provision in Bristol North East. \p Josh MacAlister: The Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system which breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs; widens access to high-quality education and training; supports innovation, research, and development; and improves people’s lives.

The government has established Skills England to ensure we have the highly trained workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs of the next decade.

Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) are employer-led strategies designed to ensure post-16 technical education and vocational training align with local labour market needs. Business West is leading the development of the local LSIP working with the West of England Combined Authority, local businesses and delivery partners. The plan will be published in Summer 2026. Businesses are supported to partner with colleges and training providers to deliver vocational programmes, apprenticeships, and national initiatives such as Skills Bootcamps and T Levels.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of profit per placement for private children’s homes in England. \p Josh MacAlister: The Competition and Markets Authority’s 2022 report on the children’s social care market found that the 15 largest providers of placements for looked-after children were making an average profit of 22.6% on children’s homes.

In addition, reports from Revolution Consulting found that aggregate profits among the top 20 children’s homes providers, measured using the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) method, increased from 18.8% to 19.8% between 2021 and 2022. In 2023, the average EBITDA margin was 19%, although this figure excludes Caretech, the largest provider.

The department’s work to improve the data that both we and local authorities have access to on the children’s social care placement market, and the financial oversight scheme we are legislating for through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, will enable greater central government oversight. This work will help us to keep the market under close review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, to what extent young people with long-term health conditions such as epilepsy have been included in the Department’s co-creation process for the forthcoming Schools White Paper. \p Georgia Gould: The government understands the impact of epilepsy and other long-term medical conditions on the way pupils feel included and supported in school life. The statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate. The government has committed to reviewing the statutory guidance, and we intend to consult on revised guidance. The current guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

Our aim is to ensure that schools are better equipped to support all pupils with medical conditions, including those with epilepsy, as part of our wider ambition to create more inclusive schools through the forthcoming Schools White Paper.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_241

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making it a statutory requirement for police officers to record how many suicides they attend. \p Sarah Jones: The Home Office does not collect data from police about suicides they have attended and has no current plans to do so.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_242

David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support the freedom to pray silently in public places. \p Sarah Jones: Freedom of religion or belief, and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights. The government is committed to ensuring that individuals are protected from discrimination on the basis of religion or belief, and that they are able to hold and manifest their beliefs in a reasonable and lawful manner.

Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 introduced safe access zones of 150 metres around all abortion clinics in England and Wales. Within these zones, it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly influence someone’s decision to use or provide abortion services, obstruct them, or cause harassment or distress.

The legislation on safe access zones does not specify behaviours; it is for the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and courts, who are operationally independent, to determine whether an act meets the threshold. CPS guidance confirms that vigils or silent prayer could fall within scope depending on intent and circumstances (in annex A): https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/offences-during-protests-demonstrations-or-campaigns.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_243

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to reduce the time taken for decisions to be made on applications for the (a) Protective Security for Mosques Scheme and (b) Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme. \p Dan Jarvis: This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer.

Global and domestic events have heightened security concerns within faith communities, which has led to a significant increase in demand for protective security schemes offered by the Home Office. Additionally, following the violent disorder last year, the Home Office set up rapid security services to safeguard mosques and other places of worship. Delivering this support to a large number of places of worship has unfortunately also contributed to delays in processing applications for longer-term security measures.

I can assure you the Home Office is working as quickly as it can to process applications.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_244

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) investigated and (b) prosecuted for attempting to impersonate someone else on a Secure English language test in each of the last five years. \p Mike Tapp: The cost of providing the information requested would result in disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_245

Mr Paul Kohler:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to address cases where DWP staff meet the annual Skilled Worker Visa salary threshold but are affected by the method used to calculate hourly pay. \p Mike Tapp: When assessing salaries for visa purposes, our approach is consistent with that taken in national minimum wage guidance, which states:

‘If you pay a salaried worker their normal salary while they are absent from work and this forms a part of their employment contract, the time of the absence counts towards the worker’s time worked for minimum wage purposes. For example, during rest breaks, lunch breaks, holidays, sickness absence or maternity / paternity / adoption leave.’

We do not plan to change our approach, as it could open up inconsistencies with wider employment regulation.

A decision on whether to amend employment contracts, so that salaries reflect the actual hours worked, would be for an employer to make.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_246

Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of the recent visa reforms on workforce shortages in key sectors. \p Mike Tapp: The Government’s approach is to link migration policy and visa controls to skills and labour market policies, so that immigration is not used as an alternative to training or tackling workforce problems in the UK. This approach will be important to enabling delivery of the Government’s broader agenda.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_247

Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to disrupt organised criminal gangs involved in human trafficking. \p Jess Phillips: The Government is committed to tackling all forms of modern slavery, including human trafficking and ensuring that victims are identified and supported and offenders are brought to justice. The Modern Slavery Action Plan for 2025-2026 sets out the Government’s ambition to do this.

Under the Action Plan, we are working closely with law enforcement partners in the UK and internationally, to share intelligence to identify organised criminal gangs and tackle the enablers of human trafficking to disrupt offending. This includes implementing measures through the Online Safety Act; providing support through the Modern Slavery Fund to tackle modern slavery at source and reduce the threat both overseas and to the UK; and commissioning research to better under the nexus between organised immigration crime and modern slavery, to identify new ways to break criminals’ business models.

The National Police Chief Council Lead for Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime is also developing a new national framework for investigating modern slavery, which is designed to support police officers at every stage of the investigative process to secure better outcomes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_248

Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to increase support for victims of domestic abuse, including early intervention and safeguarding. \p Jess Phillips: This government recognises the devastating impact of domestic abuse on victims, which is why we have set the ambitious target to halve VAWG in a decade. Prevention and early intervention will sit at the heart of the forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, with a focus on addressing the root causes of VAWG including supporting our education system to teach children about respectful and healthy relationships and consent.

In May 2025 we announced a £19.9m investment to provide vital support to victims of VAWG, increase awareness of VAWG and actively prevent these horrific crimes. This includes over £6 million for national helplines supporting victims of domestic abuse, 'honour'-based abuse, revenge porn and stalking and £2.5m on prevention and early intervention.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_249

Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of technology-facilitated abuse incidents reported to the police in each of the last five years. \p Jess Phillips: The Home Office does not hold data on technology-facilitated abuse incidents recorded by police forces in England and Wales.

The rapid development of technology has provided additional spaces for technology facilitated abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG) to be perpetrated and has equipped perpetrators with new ways to harass, intimidate, stalk and coerce women and girls. We will set out plans to address technology-facilitated VAWG, in our forthcoming Strategy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_250

Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls strategy and its delivery plan will include (a) funding and (b) measures to address technology-facilitated domestic abuse. \p Jess Phillips: Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) in all of its forms, including abuse facilitated by technology, is a top priority for this government, with an unprecedented mission to halve it within a decade. The rapid development of technology has provided additional spaces for VAWG and equipped perpetrators with new ways to harass, intimidate, stalk and coerce women and girls. We will set out plans to address technology-facilitated VAWG in our forthcoming Strategy.

Following the Chancellor’s announcement on 11th June, we are working through the details of funding for tackling VAWG over the Spending Review period of 2026-2029. We will provide further details on funding when departmental budget allocations have been finalised.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_251

Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have undergone specialist technology-facilitated domestic abuse training in each of the last five years. \p Jess Phillips: The College of Policing is the responsible body for setting standards, developing curriculum and monitoring training delivery within policing, including the technology-facilitated domestic abuse training within Operation Modify.

In our manifesto, we committed to strengthening training on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) for policing to ensure that all officers have the right skills to investigate all VAWG offences, including technology-facilitated abuse.

In response to this, the Home Office has invested £13.1 million this year to launch the new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP). This funding includes an uplift of nearly £2 million to deliver a robust package of training improvements across public protection crime types, including technology-facilitated abuse.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-10 conversation_252

Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 60158 on Victim Support Schemes: Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences, whether the funding announced for the 2025-26 financial year to help prevent such crimes is ringfenced. \p Jess Phillips: Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), including domestic abuse and sexual violence, is a top priority for this Government with a manifesto mission to halve VAWG in a decade. We will deliver a cross-government transformative approach, underpinned by a new strategy which we aim to publish as soon as possible.

Ringfences are an important tool in supporting specific policy priorities. However, the use of ringfences must be balanced against the need for departments to retain sufficient flexibility to allocate funding within their settlements and respond effectively to emerging issues, ensuring the best use of public resources.

Home Office funding announced for VAWG in the financial year 2025-26 was not ring-fenced by HMT as part of phase one of the 2025 Spending Review settlement, and the Home Secretary retained discretion over budget allocations for VAWG funding.