Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of India concerning the recent denial of burial rights to Christian families in the state of Chhattisgarh.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), including the ability to conduct burial rites with dignity, is a fundamental right. The UK is committed to promoting and defending FoRB as a core element of our foreign policy, and we encourage all governments - including India's - to ensure that individuals can practise their faith freely and without discrimination.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the protective measures for veterans proposed in the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill to distinguish between veterans and those responsible for terrorist violence.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

All of the protections that the Government has announced are being introduced in order to protect and ensure fair treatment of any veteran who is asked to engage with legacy mechanisms.

Measures set out in the legislation, including the right to give evidence remotely and having regard to the welfare of witnesses, will necessarily apply to others. This will ensure, for example, that former police officers are able to avail of these measures.

Some other non-legislative measures will apply only to veterans, including the protection from cold calling and the safeguard that ensures veterans do not have to give unnecessary evidence on historical context and general operational details.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what new measures they are proposing to effectively remove illegal immigrants as soon as they arrive in the UK

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK-France pilot has already been put into action meaning that anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained on arrival and returned to France.

On 17 November 2025 ‘Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy’ was published on .GOV.UK. This statement sets out that we will increase removals form the UK, impose visa penalties with countries who do not cooperate with us on returns, incentivise family returns, and sanctions for non-cooperation; consult on ending indefinite support for failed asylum seeking families; and explore safe third-country hubs for those who cannot quickly return to their country of origin.

We will also make changes to the appeal system to expedite returns and seek to reform the application of Articles 3 and 8 of the ECHR to remove barriers to return.

The Government is working at pace on the legislative and policy changes required and will set out timelines for implementation in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are considering to tackle littering on roads.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the responsibility for clearing highway litter lies with the relevant local authority or with National Highways (NH), depending on the type of road. In respect of local roads, litter collection is a matter for local highway authorities, and funding for this is provided as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. In respect of the strategic road network, the Government has set a performance indicator for NH in respect of litter on its roads, and NH’s compliance with this is assessed at regular meetings with the Department’s officials, as well as by the Office of Rail and Road.

National Highways undertakes regular litter collection on motorway verges, and delivers a range of interventions to deter littering on its roads. These include installing signage; providing litter bins at service areas suitable for use by drivers of different vehicle types; social media messaging; and undertaking trials of AI enforcement cameras.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the re-entry of Russia into the G8; and what assessment they have made of whether Russia should pay compensation for the damage caused since its invasion of Ukraine.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the statement the Prime Minister made in the House of Commons on 25 November 2025 [Columns 219] and to the answers provided by The Lord Privy Seal to the House of Lords on Ukraine on 26 November [Columns 1390 & 1392].

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the West Midlands Police relied on false intelligence when banning Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from an Aston Villa match.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

To ensure full independent scrutiny, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect how police forces in England and Wales provide risk assessment advice to local Safety Advisory Groups and other bodies responsible for licensing high-profile public events. HMICFRS has been asked to provide an initial response on the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match by 31 December.

Additionally, the Home Affairs Select Committee held an evidence session on 1 December to examine the decision-making process and intelligence assessments. The government awaits the Committee’s findings.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the estimated cost of strikes within the NHS in the past six months; and what new proposals are being considered to protect patient services during any further strikes.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The five-day resident doctor strike in July 2025 had an estimated cost to the National Health Service of approximately £240 million, and this is a starting estimate for the planned November strike. The costs were lower than in July 2024 as a result of lower turnout. We continue to update estimates as new data becomes available, in line with receiving business as usual financial data from NHS systems.

The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to minimise disruption and will work with partners to ensure that safe care for patients continues to be available and emergency services continue to operate. Data published on 23 November shows that the NHS met its ambitious goal to maintain 95% of planned care during the November round of strike action, surpassing the 93% protected during action in July, while still maintaining critical services, including maternity services and urgent cancer care.