Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Victory over Japan, and whether they will publicise those plans in good time before the events.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government announced the VE and VJ Day 80 programme with a statement to both Houses on 13 March. Debates were held on the same topic on 6 May in the House of Commons and on 9 May in the House of Lords.

On Friday 15 August, the Royal British Legion, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), will lead a service at the National Memorial Arboretum to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, honouring those who served in the War in the Far East.

DCMS is also supporting the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to run more than 250 mobile exhibitions across the UK and at key global commemorative sites to the Pacific, highlighting the stories of those who fought in the Second World War.

To recognise the war’s continuation beyond VE Day and the sacrifices made in the Far East, the Government’s National Engagement Programme runs throughout this 80th anniversary year to include both VE and VJ Day. More information is available at ve-vjday80.gov.uk.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that humanitarian organisations' operations are not inadvertently impacted by the National Security (State Threats) Bill; and whether they have considered a specific exemption for those organisations to provide legal certainty.

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

The National Security (State Threats) Bill will create a power for the Secretary of State to designate state and state-linked bodies involved in foreign power threat activity. The offences which follow aim to deter and disrupt those who support hostile activity.

It is neither the intention nor effect of the Bill to disrupt legitimate humanitarian activity, often carried out in difficult operating environments. There are safeguards and defences in the offences, as drafted, which prevent this from happening.

The Government has committed to working with humanitarian organisations to ensure the interpretation of the Bill is clear and does not impede their vital work. The Government accepted amendments in the House of Lords to address the humanitarian issue.

Israel APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: Jon Pearce MP , Matt Patrick MP , Luke Akehurst MP , Neil Coyle MP , Nigel Farage MP , Lord Richards of Herstmonceux