theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for the Midlands Rail Hub project; and what steps she is taking to ensure that the Hub supports rail travellers from (a) Leicestershire and (b) Hinckley and Bosworth consistency. \p Simon Lightwood: The Chancellor’s commitment to progress Midlands Rail Hub in the 2025 Spending Review follows the release of £123 million last year to design the first phase (with additional services in central Birmingham, to the South West and South Wales, and improved reliability of services through New Street), which could be delivered by the early 2030s. Network Rail is working on the case for later phases, which could include improved services between Birmingham and destinations in Leicestershire including Hinckley.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to roll out rail-5g. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department continues to work closely with Network Rail and industry to look at solutions to improve connectivity on trains, which includes rolling out rail 5G on the rail network.

Following the spending review, funding has been made available to invest in low earth orbit satellite connectivity, to improve passenger mobile connectivity. We also continue to work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to develop further interventions on the railway.

The department has been working with Network Rail to deliver improved connectivity on the rail corridor. Project Reach, which will renew fibre optic cables and address signals in mainline tunnels and stations was signed 26 June 2025 between Network Rail, and telecoms companies, Neos Networks and Freshwave.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the speed of the rollout of the Access for All scheme across (a) Stockport constituency and (b) Greater Manchester. \p Simon Lightwood: This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This included Bredbury, Flowery Field and Newton for Hyde stations in Greater Manchester. Those progressing to design phase will be announced shortly.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of available bus routes for residents accessing hospital appointments in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire. \p Simon Lightwood: The government recognises the importance of accessible, frequent and affordable bus services in keeping communities connected and ensuring access to vital services, including hospital appointments. Buses in England outside London were deregulated by the Transport Act 1985 and at present are largely run on a commercial basis where the operator decides on routes and provision.

The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them, including in Fylde, Lancashire and right across England.

In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country, of which Lancashire Council has been allocated £27 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to bus services in this Spending Review by confirming continued funding each year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve vital bus services, including taking forward bus franchising pilots in areas including York and North Yorkshire, and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) adequacy and (b) frequency of Northern Rail services in (i) Stockport constituency and (ii) across Greater Manchester on Sundays. \p Simon Lightwood: Northern has acknowledged to passengers and the Government that its current performance is not acceptable. The organisation has developed and is beginning to implement a performance improvement programme to create the modern, flexible organisation which can deliver reliable service and a customer-focussed seven-day railway.

Resolving Sunday working arrangements with RMT conductors is central to this. We are encouraging Northern and RMT to continue their discussions, so that passengers in the North can return to a reliable Sunday service. We are watching closely to make sure this work continues at pace.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Crosscountry trains on the performance of its services. \p Simon Lightwood: The Rail Minister met with the interim CrossCountry Managing Directors on 8 August 2024 and 28 March 2025 and the new Managing Director on 25 June 2025.

It has been made clear that CrossCountry need to deliver material improvements to their train services and for passengers. The operator is required to submit plans setting out how they will reduce the number of cancellations for which it is responsible.
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Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times their Department has accepted in full the position of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s (a) findings and (b) recommendations on (i) issuing an apology and (ii) other forms of redress in the last 10 years. \p Mike Kane: The Department does not readily hold this information in the format requested and therefore could only be provided at a disproportionate cost to the Department.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to merge highway records into a single digital record to simplify conveyancing highways searches. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport (DfT) recognises the value of improving access to highways information for the purposes of conveyancing.

For the Strategic Road Network, National Highways has taken significant steps to simplify its own land ownership records. Conveyancing highways searches are received through the National Highways Customer Contact Centre, before being directed to the relevant regional spatial planning team. To further support transparency, National Highways has created a spatial highway boundary dataset, updated weekly using data from HM Land Registry, Ordnance Survey, and its own asset data. This assured dataset is available to the public through the National Highways Open Data Portal and allows users to easily identify National Highways’ land ownership.

For local roads, the records most relevant to conveyancing searches are owned, maintained and published by local highway authorities. At present, DfT has no plans to consolidate this data into a single digital record.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of mandating three point seatbelts to be fitted on coaches in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) other rural areas. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport is committed to improving road safety and incidents involving buses and coaches are rare – national casualty statistics indicate that they are one of the safest forms of road transport.

Vehicle construction regulations are applied nationally, rather than on a constituency or other geographic basis, and have required all buses and coaches to be fitted with seat belts since 2001, except for those designed and authorised to carry standing passengers.

In large vehicles where the deceleration forces of a collision are generally lower than for smaller vehicles, a lap belt only is permitted providing other design criteria are met to prevent or limit injury. In smaller vehicles, or where these other design criteria cannot be met, a three-point belt is required.

International vehicle construction requirements, including those covering seat belts, are developed through the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, where they are kept under review to ensure they evolve to continuously drive forward vehicle safety.
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in the bus fare cap on (a) small businesses and (b) workers in rural areas. \p Simon Lightwood: The government recognises the importance of affordable public transport in keeping people connected and ensuring they can access their local towns.

On 1 January, the government introduced a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London until 31 December 2025. As part of the Spending Review, the government announced further funding to extend the £3 cap to March 2027. This will ensure millions of people, including those in rural areas, can continue to access affordable bus fares and better opportunities all over the country.

If the government had not taken action, the bus fare cap would have ended and fares would have jumped back up to their previous levels on 1 January which could have meant fares soaring above £10 on the most expensive routes.

The final monitoring and evaluation report into the impact of the £2 bus fare cap was published on 12 February. An evaluation of the £3 fare cap is due to be commissioned shortly.
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Charlotte Nichols:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to ensure that (a) all cars sold in the UK must have had safety tests undertaken on them that include specifically-female crash dummies in both the driver and passenger seats and (b) data from such tests is (i) recorded and (ii) published. \p Lilian Greenwood: The latest international vehicle regulations covering frontal impact protection developed under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) currently use a crash test dummy representative of a female occupant in the front passenger seat. The Government is currently considering mandating this regulation in Great Britain as part of an extensive package of vehicle safety measures.

The UNECE has also established a group of experts, in which the Department for Transport is an active member, which is reviewing its Regulations to ensure all vehicle occupants benefit from comparable levels of protection irrespective of their sex, age or stature. This is likely to require testing with a greater number of female occupant locations.

The Department for Transport remains a member of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). This programme is complementary to regulation and includes impact tests using crash test dummies representative of a female occupant in the driver and opposite rear passenger seating positions.

Data from regulatory testing is recorded by the Type Approval Authority responsible for approval, but the data is highly technical and not routinely published. Summarised data from Euro NCAP testing is translated into easily understood safety information and is always published on its website - www.euroncap.com
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Sojan Joseph:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 June 2025 on Dart Charge, HCWS708, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Local Resident Discount Scheme for the Dartford Crossing for users of the Crossing living in Kent. \p Lilian Greenwood: The current approach of applying the local resident discount only to people who live within the boroughs where the Dartford Crossing is located (Dartford and Thurrock), recognises that it is the people living in those boroughs who are most affected by the heavy traffic using it.

Car drivers with a pre-paid account benefit from a 20 per cent discount for each crossing regardless of their place of residence, which offers good value for money for people who live beyond Dartford and Thurrock.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase funding for local policing forces. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The 2025-26 final police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement.

Total funding to police forces will be up to £17.6 billion, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding.

The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to effectively tackle crime. That is why we have committed £200 million to kickstart the recruitment of 13,000 additional neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs in communities across England and Wales.
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Juliet Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of simplifying the registration process for British National (Overseas) visa holders to register as British citizens. \p Seema Malhotra: Children who came to the UK with parents who are British National (Overseas) visa holders may apply for settlement after 5 years’ qualifying residence, followed by citizenship after a further twelve months.

Children born in the UK to a BN(O) visa holder will be able to apply for British citizenship immediately once the parent becomes settled in the UK. Children born in the UK to BN(O)s who have already become settled will become British citizens automatically.

BN(O)s also have an entitlement to register as British citizens if they meet the requirements. This is a simpler process for becoming a citizen than naturalisation.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department monitors the number of (a) EEA and (b) non-EEA resident workers qualified in (i) construction, (ii) maintenance and (iii) seafaring roles who transit through the UK to work on offshore renewable energy projects licenced by the UK Government in waters over 12 nautical miles from the coastline. \p Seema Malhotra: The Frontier Worker Permit scheme implements our commitments under the Citizens’ Rights Agreements to protect the rights of EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens who were frontier working in the UK before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 for as long as they continue to be frontier workers.

It is not possible to extract data from Home Office systems on Frontier Worker permits by occupation. Accordingly, there have been no discussions with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero about Frontier Worker permit holders employed in the offshore renewable energy sector.
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Tony Vaughan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to implement stalking protection notices that would be issued by police officers pending a full application to court. \p Jess Phillips: Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) are civil orders which can be imposed on anyone who has carried out acts associated with stalking and who poses a risk. They are available to the police on application to the court and can impose restrictions considered necessary. The police may also apply for an interim SPO, for example, if there is an immediate risk of harm but further investigation is required to meet the criteria for a full SPO, or when the court is unable to provide the full order in time.

We are legislating through the Crime and Policing Bill to enable the courts to impose SPOs on conviction and acquittal of their own volition.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many non-crime hate incidents have been investigated by police forces in England and Wales in each of the last two years. \p Dame Diana Johnson: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 18 February 2025 to his Question UIN 30042.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps is she taking to help reduce the number of GPS thefts from tractors on farms. \p Dame Diana Johnson: This Government is committed to tackling rural crime, safeguarding rural areas through stronger measures to prevent equipment theft and strengthened neighbourhood policing.

We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting. We hope to introduce the necessary secondary legislation later this year.

This financial year we are providing the first Home Office funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit, a national policing unit which help forces tackle rural crime priorities and is a great example of farmers and police working together at national and local level including tackling equipment theft.

Additionally, the Crime and Policing Bill will introduce a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically tracked by GPS or other means, where the items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and are on those premises, and where it has not been reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of freedom of information requests made to her Department have exceeded the statutory deadline in the past year. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office’s Freedom of Information (FOI) performance data, including request volumes and timeliness, is published quarterly and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps is she taking to proscribe the IRGC. \p Dan Jarvis: I refer the Hon Member for Huntingdon to the answer I gave on 10 June in response to Question 57784.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle paramilitarism. \p Dan Jarvis: The work to tackle paramilitarism in Northern Ireland is led by the Northern Ireland Executive and delivered through the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime.

The UK Government provides 50% of the funding for the cross-Executive Programme: currently £8m per year. As announced in the Spending Review, a further £8m has been secured for the period from April 2026 to March 2027. The allocation of funding across the Programme is a matter for the Executive and the Programme Sponsor Group.
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Susan Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with (a) the Scottish Government (b) Police Scotland on the findings of the Casey Review. \p Jess Phillips: Whilst child protection is fully devolved in the UK and policing devolved except for Wales, all parts of the UK must work together to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice. We regularly engage with devolved administrations on a full range of issues, including on the matters covered in Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation in England and Wales and the recommendations it made.

We expect any relevant activity and findings from the National Inquiry and Police Investigation to be shared with devolved administrations and agencies, including the Scottish Government and Police Scotland, to support a comprehensive approach across the UK.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who have been victims of fraud in the last 12 months. \p Dan Jarvis: The latest Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) release in April 2025 estimated that there were 3.4 million victims of fraud in the year ending December 2024 in England and Wales.

Further information for Year Ending December 2024 Edition can be found here (Worksheet A4):

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesappendixtables
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Polish counterpart on threats to European security from Russia. \p Stephen Doughty: Poland is one of our closest partners and we consult frequently on countering the Russian threat. The Foreign Secretary met his Polish counterpart on 7 May while in Warsaw to join an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, and at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Foreign Ministers meeting on 3 April, and in London on 20 March where they discussed the threat to European security from Russia and our commitment to work together for the security of our continent.

I attended the Belvedere Forum in Warsaw on 16 June where I met several Polish Ministers to discuss continuing cooperation with Poland in tackling the Russian threat and supporting Ukraine. I met Foreign Minister Sikorsky in Rome at the Weimar+ meeting on 12 June where we discussed Euro-Atlantic security and Russian aggression in Ukraine.
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Mr Joshua Reynolds:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with (a) EU member states and (b) (i) VFS Global and (ii) other third-party visa service providers on improving the (A) accessibility, (B) transparency and (C) efficiency of the Schengen visa application process for UK residents; and whether his Department is taking steps with relevant stakeholders to help ensure that applicants receive (1) timely communication and (2) clear recourse when experiencing (a) delays and (b) lack of response. \p Stephen Doughty: The Government regularly uses its diplomatic channels to facilitate conversations between the UK, the EU and EU Member States on issues impacting British Citizens overseas.

Non-British Citizens experiencing difficulties applying for EU entry visas should approach the relevant Embassy or High Commission for advice on what assistance their governments can provide.

More information on Schengen visa processes can be found on the website of the country to which an application is being made.
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James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the political situation in Georgia on (a) UK-Georgia bilateral relations and (b) UK support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration. \p Stephen Doughty: I am seriously concerned by the recent sentences imposed on several prominent Georgian opposition figures including Mr Japaridze, Mr Khazaradze and Mr Vashadze. These were blatantly politically-motivated, and aimed at blocking political opposition from future elections. On 23 June I called on Georgian Dream to end its misuse of the courts to silence dissent, and free all political prisoners. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) summoned the Georgian Chargé d'Affaires on 30 June, to make clear the UK's firm opposition to Georgia's increasingly harmful trajectory. We continue to keep the worsening situation under close review, and on 1 July I spoke with a number of European partners to discuss our collective concerns.

I have consistently expressed my serious concerns about Georgia's deteriorating democratic trajectory, which has adversely affected UK-Georgia bilateral relations. Any assessment of the current situation must also take into account Mr Ivanishvili's and his affiliates' influence on Georgia's political landscape. The UK's support for the Georgian people's Euro-Atlantic aspirations remains steadfast, and we stand ready to assist in any return to a trajectory towards European values and democratic norms.

We do not comment on or speculate about future sanctions designations in any context, as to do so could reduce their effectiveness.
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Christine Jardine:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Royal Medical Colleges on child (a) health and (b) rights in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Government remains deeply concerned about the impact of the conflict on children. While there have been no formal meetings with the Royal Medical Colleges on these issues, Ministers regularly engage with medical and humanitarian organisations and continue monitoring their assessments closely. In January 2025, the UK announced £17 million to support the delivery of food, healthcare and shelter via the United Nations Children's Fund, UK-Med and the World Health Organization. This included support for 14,000 children with education and welfare, and over 465,000 medical consultations, many involving paediatric care. We continue pressing for full humanitarian access, the protection of aid workers and remain committed to upholding children's rights in Gaza.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many British nationals are in Iran; and whether they will be evacuated. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We do not register numbers of British nationals (BN) overseas. We have long advised against all travel to Iran. The UK Government will not be able to evacuate or provide face-to-face assistance to BNs in Iran. If BNs intend to depart Iran across a land border and consider it safe to do so, we advise them to check the travel advice of the country they intend to enter before travelling to the border, including visa requirements. BNs requiring assistance can contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 24/7.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Houthi rebels in Yemen on the interests of (a) the UK and (b) UK allies. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Over the last 19 months, the Houthis have conducted attacks against international commercial shipping, as well as British and American warships. This has violated the principle of freedom of navigation, further destabilised the region, and caused the peace process in Yemen to stall. In addition, the Houthis have waged economic warfare against the Government of Yemen and obstructed humanitarian aid from reaching Yemenis in need.

The UK has underlined these concerns at the UN Security Council alongside our international partners.

The best route towards a secure, stable and prosperous future for Yemen is through an inclusive peace process, under the auspices of the UN Special Envoy, and negotiated political settlement.

Furthermore, the UK continues to call for de-escalation within the region. We have long been clear about our concerns over Iran's political, financial and military support to militant and proscribed groups, including the Houthis.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his counterpart in the UAE on the detention of Ryan Cornelius. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers regularly raise consular cases with their foreign counterparts. The Foreign Secretary last discussed Ryan Cornelius' case with the UAE Foreign Minister in December 2024. The FCDO takes the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention's opinions seriously. While their recommendations are not legally binding, we will continue to highlight their concerns in discussions with UAE authorities. The FCDO are providing Mr Cornelius with consular assistance, and we take any reports of human rights violations, including coercion and poor prison conditions very seriously and, with the consent of Mr Cornelius, will raise any concerns with local authorities.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to make representations to Reza Pahlavi on the conflict between Iran and Israel. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Foreign Secretary has already spoken to his Israeli, American, and Iranian counterparts and will continue to call for restraint and for all parties to step back. Now is the time for restrain, calm and a return to diplomacy. Our priority is stability in the Middle East. We are clear that a widening of this conflict is in nobody's interests, and that immediate de-escalation is vital for both regional stability and global security.
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John Glen:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of (a) abductions, (b) forced marriages and (c) religious conversions of (i) Christian and (ii) other minority girls in Pakistan. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I am deeply concerned by reports of abductions, forced marriages and religious conversions of Christian and other minority girls. I raised the importance of protecting minority rights with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights during my visit in November 2024 and Lord Khan raised this in meetings with senior Government of Pakistan interlocutors during his visit in April 2025. Our High Commission in Islamabad continues to raise these issues at the highest levels and engages regularly with civil society to monitor the situation. We urge the Government of Pakistan to uphold its international human rights obligations and ensure that all citizens, regardless of faith, are protected from coercion and violence.
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Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of facilitating repatriation flights for UK nationals in Iran. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The safety and security of British nationals (BNs) is our top priority. We have long advised against all travel to Iran. We have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. The embassy will continue to operate remotely. The UK Government will not be able to evacuate or provide face-to-face assistance to BNs. If BNs intend to depart Iran across a land border and consider it safe, they should check the travel advice of the country they intend to enter before travelling to the border, including visa requirements. BNs requiring assistance can contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 24/7.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_238

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to adapt the Syria sanctions regime to enable (a) humanitarian access and (b) economic stabilisation while maintaining targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for human rights abuses. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: In April, the UK lifted sanctions on some sectors, including trade, energy production, transport (aircraft) and finance, to help facilitate essential investment into Syria and support the Syrian people to rebuild their country and economy. Sanctions imposed on 348 individuals and entities linked to the former regime remain in place, allowing the UK to continue to hold Assad and his associates to account. The UK's Syria sanctions regime does not impede delivery of humanitarian aid and will help ensure the Syrian Government has the resources and access necessary to provide for its people.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_239

Ruth Cadbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide consular support to (a) British citizens and (b) the family members of British citizens in Iran. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We have long advised against all travel to Iran. We have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. Our Embassy will continue to operate remotely, and we maintain the ability to message the Iranian system directly. The UK Government will not be able to evacuate or provide face-to-face assistance to British Nationals (BN) in Iran. If BNs intend to depart Iran across a land border and consider it safe, they should check the travel advice of the country they intend to enter before travelling to the border, including visa requirements. BNs requiring assistance can contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 24/7.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_240

Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) British and (b) British dual nationals are impacted by the closure of airspace in the Middle East by country; and what plans he has to support the repatriation of British nationals in the region. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: It is not mandatory for British nationals to report incidents to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, or one of its diplomatic missions. The data we provide only cover incidents where we have offered consular assistance. We therefore cannot provide accurate reporting on the number of British nationals affected by closure of airspace in the Middle East. Two charter flights for UK nationals wishing to leave Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories have departed from Tel Aviv and landed safely in the UK. Further flights are being considered, taking into account the demand from British nationals. We advise British Nationals in countries affected by airspace closures to check the travel advice of the country they are in as well as any countries they plan to cross the border into.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_241

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his (a) Israeli and (b) Maltese counterpart on the reported drone attack on the vessel Conscience in international waters. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: His Majesty's Government officials were in touch with the Maltese Authorities regarding the incident and understand there were no casualties and that no British nationals were aboard this vessel. We continue to discuss with Israeli counterparts the urgent need for the Israeli Government to permit the full and unhindered resumption of the flow of aid into Gaza. Israel has clear obligations under international humanitarian law to agree to and facilitate humanitarian aid. The unimpeded entry of assistance at scale to meet the enormous needs in Gaza must be restored immediately. As we've said, the most effective way to meet the desperate needs of the Gazan people at the speed and scale that is needed is via overland routes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_242

Calum Miller:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any intelligence shared with the Government of Israel (a) informed and (b) supported their attacks on Iran. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK did not participate in any element of Israel's strikes on Iran. We do not comment on intelligence matters. We are working closely with our allies to press for diplomacy and de-escalation, and urging all parties to show restraint.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_243

Calum Miller:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether representatives from the US government communicated to the UK Government that there were plans by the Government of Israel to attack Iran. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK did not participate in any element of Israel's strikes on Iran. We are working closely with our allies including the US to press for diplomacy and de-escalation, and urging all parties to show restraint. The Foreign Secretary has been engaging with Secretary of State Rubio on a regular basis, to discuss the need for Iran to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and to make progress on a lasting settlement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_244

Dr Rupa Huq:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will take steps to allow British nationals to register their presence in Iran. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We continue to advise against all travel to Iran and have long made it clear that UK Government support is extremely limited in country. British nationals already in Iran, either resident or visitor, should carefully consider their presence there and the risks they take by staying, with land borders potentially closing at short notice. Due to the current security situation, we have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. Our Embassy will continue to operate remotely.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_245

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on ensuring the safety of people retrieving aid in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK is appalled by reports of civilian fatalities at aid distribution sites in Gaza. This underscores the urgent need to protect civilians accessing humanitarian assistance. The Foreign Secretary raised the safety of aid workers with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on 15 April, and again on 22 June, where he expressed concerns about mass casualty incidents and stressed the need to deliver aid at scale. In our 13 May statement to the UN Security Council, we made clear the UK will not support any aid mechanism that compromises civilian safety or humanitarian neutrality. We continue pressing for safe, unimpeded aid delivery through all diplomatic channels, including with regional partners and at the UN.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_246

Tristan Osborne:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held recent discussions with his international counterparts on facilitating safe passage for Palestinians in Gaza with family in the UK. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Border crossings out of Gaza have been closed to civilians and general traffic since the Israeli military took control of the Rafah crossing on 6 May 2024. We are working with authorities in the region to help British nationals leave Gaza. We are also able to try to help Palestinian nationals to leave where they have a spouse or partner, or a child aged 17 or under currently living in the UK, and they hold valid permission to enter or remain in the UK for longer than 6 months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_247

Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his Israeli counterpart on (a) threats and (b) attempts by Israeli settlers to forcibly take over parcels of land in (i) Goverou Bardez and (ii) other parts of the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK recognises that Jerusalem holds particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It has been the position of the UK Government since 1967 that the Occupied Palestinian Territories (West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza) are not lawfully part of the State of Israel. In line with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, we regard East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Our officials at the British Consulate General in Jerusalem regularly meet with members of the Christian community and Churches in Jerusalem, including the Armenian Patriarchate, to understand the impact of issues affecting their community.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_248

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) his Israeli counterpart, (b) the United Nations and (c) humanitarian organisations on the availability of safe drinking water in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK works closely with partners to provide the delivery of vitally needed humanitarian aid to Gaza. Desalination plants must be able to operate and provide clean drinking water for civilians. In the last financial year, we provided a £2 million uplift, through a contribution to the World Bank, to increase the sustainable supply of water and energy in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including in Gaza. We are proud that UK support has meant over 430,000 people have received essential healthcare, more than 640,000 have received food, and 275,000 people have improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-01 conversation_249

Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies on the protection of religious minorities of the recent killing of Dr Sheikh Mahmood in Pakistan; and what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on encouraging transparent investigations into such incidents. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I discussed the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior in March 2025. In June 2025, ahead of Eid al-Adha, I raised the safety and dignity of Ahmadis with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister. Our High Commission in Islamabad has raised the tragic killing of Dr Sheikh Mahmood with the Human Rights Minister and the Chief Minister of Punjab. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to fully investigate incidents of violence, prosecute those responsible and provide justice to victims and their families.