Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have received from the Farmers' Union of Wales in the past nine months regarding the impact of their policy of inheritance taxation for agricultural land.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has received representations about inheritance tax from several agricultural organisations in the past nine months, including from the Farmers' Union of Wales. The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and other Ministers have also participated in several meetings with agricultural organisations, including with the Farmers’ Union of Wales, since the Budget in October 2024 to listen to their views.

After listening, the Government continues to believe its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances in a fair way. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have taken steps, in negotiating a trade agreement with the United State of America, to ensure that food standards will not be reduced in the UK.

Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We have had constructive discussions with the US on an economic deal, and we remain committed to these talks. But, as we have made clear, we will only ever sign trade agreements which align with the UK’s national interests. Our manifesto was also clear that we will always uphold our high food standards.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many inmate deaths have occurred in HMP Parc in the last two years; and what steps they are taking to ensure the safety of inmates in the prison.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Every death in custody is a tragedy and my thoughts are with the families and friends of the prisoners who have died at Parc.

There were 25 prisoner deaths at HMP Parc between January 2023 and December 2024. This includes 14 deaths by natural causes, 3 that were apparently self-inflicted and 8 other deaths (a category which includes those that were apparently drug-related and those that are currently unexplained)[1].

We are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible. At HMP Parc, we have taken a number of measures to improve safety, including:

• Increased intelligence gathering.

• Additional lock down searches and staff training.

• Making changes to leadership and senior staffing structures.

• Collaborating with colleagues in the Local Health Board, to provide additional mental health and substance misuse support.

HMP Parc remains focused on improving safety, and this is reflected in the action plan developed in response to the recent report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons which will be published in the coming months.

[1] These figures are derived from the HMPPS Deaths in Prison Custody database. Deaths in prison custody figures include all deaths of prisoners arising from incidents during prison custody. They include deaths of prisoners while released on temporary license (ROTL) for medical reasons, but exclude other types of ROTL where the state has less direct responsibility.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what volume of freight entered Britain from (1) Northern Ireland, and (2) the Republic of Ireland, in (a) the most recent year for which figures are available, (b) 2020, and (c) 2015; and what proportion of each of those figures was goods for onward transport to countries within the European Union.

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

The Department for Transport publishes Port Freight Statistics annually where the statistics are broken down by route. They show that in 2023 (latest data available), Great Britain imported 19.2m tonnes of goods from Northern Ireland through its maritime ports, and Great Britain imported 6.8m tonnes goods from the Republic of Ireland through its maritime ports.

The maritime freight from Northern Ireland to Great Britain and, from Republic of Ireland to Great Britain for 2020 and 2015 can be seen in table 1.

Table 1: Maritime freight from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain in the years 2015, 2020 and 2023. (Source: Department for Transport)

For the time series back to 2000, please see the Department for Transport’s published tables, PORT0707 for Northern Ireland - Great Britain and PORT0499 for Republic of Ireland - Great Britain.

The Department for Transport (DfT) also publishes road freight statistics, which provides information about the domestic and international activity of British-registered and Northern Ireland-registered heavy good vehicles (HGVs). This excludes activity by foreign-registered HGVs and light good vehicles. This is collected by DfT road freight haulage surveys. Due to a methodology change in the data collection, domestic road freight statistics data before and after 2021 should not be compared.

For 2023 (latest figures), 2.2 million tonnes of goods were lifted by UK-registered vehicles between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and 0.5 million tonnes of goods were lifted by UK-registered vehicles between Great Britain and the Republican of Ireland. This is published in the domestic road freight statistics table RFS0130 and RFS0131. Please note, this refers to the volume lifted from and to, not just entering Great Britain.

The Department for Transport has not included aviation freight because these volumes are significantly lower than maritime and road freight (of the order of a few thousand tonnes).

The Department for Transport does not hold information on the proportion of the goods that were subsequently moved onwards to countries within the European Union.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what, in the most recent year for which figures are available, was the total financial provision allocated by the Treasury under the Barnett formula to (1) Wales, (2) Scotland, and (3) Northern Ireland; and what sum per capita of those nations each figure represents.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

In 2025-26, the devolved governments are receiving over £86 billion, including an additional £6.6 billion through the operation of the Barnett formula.

The Scottish Government is receiving £47.7 billion including an additional £3.4bn through the operation of the Barnett formula. The Welsh Government is receiving £21 billion including an additional £1.7 billion through the operation of the Barnett formula. The Northern Ireland Executive is receiving £18.2 billion including an additional £1.5 billion through the operation of the Barnett formula.

This funding is made up of each devolved government’s baseline, reflecting all previous funding allocations, excluding those which were one-off or time-limited, and uplifts due to the operation of the Barnett formula for 2025-26 at Autumn Budget 2024.

The devolved governments are receiving at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK. That translates into over £16 billion more in 2025-26: over £8.5 billion for Scottish Government, over £4 billion for Welsh Government and £2.5 billion the Northern Ireland Executive.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the value of the film industry to the UK economy, and what proportion of this figure can be attributed to companies that are headquartered in the USA.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

In 2023 the film, TV, video, radio and photography industry had a GVA of £21.2 billion.

In 2024 production spend on film and high-end TV reached £5.6 billion, of which £4.8 billion was inward investment, the majority of which came from US studios. The value and success of our film industry is owed to a collaborative mix of inward investment and our domestic industry. Inward investment projects stimulate growth, good jobs and training across our nations and regions.

The deep ties between the US and UK film industries provide mutual benefits to both countries. Productions are by their very nature international partnerships, which are often developed and created across different countries and locations. The UK and the US both benefit when the likes of Star Wars and Mission Impossible are partly filmed in the UK, just as we both benefit from the close working relationship between our producers, talent and crew.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many full-time police officers were employed in each of the four police authority areas in Wales in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what were the corresponding figures (1) 5, and (2) 10, years previously.

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

The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce on a biannual basis as at 31 March and 30 September each year in the 'Police Workforce, England and Wales' statistical bulletin.

Data on the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers employed in each police force as at 31 March is available in table H1 of the data tables accompanying the March publication and as at 30 September is available in Table 1 of the September publication data tables.

The most recently available figures are for as at 30 September 2024.

Table 1 below shows the number of FTE police officers employed in Dyfed-Powys, Gwent, North Wales and South Wales, as at March and September in 2014, 2019 and 2024. As at 30 September 2024 there were 8,093 FTE police officers employed in Wales, an increase of 1,158 FTE (16.7%) compared with 5 years prior (6,935 FTE as at 30 September 2019) and an increase of 1,295 FTE (19.0%) compared with 10 years prior (6,798 FTE as at 30 September 2014).

Table 1: FTE police officers, Wales, as at 31 March 2014, 30 September 2014, 31 March 2019, 30 September 2019, 31 March 2024, 30 September 2024

The next release of 'Police workforce, England and Wales' statistical bulletin which will cover information on the number of police officers as at 31 March 2025 is due to be published in July 2025.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Katz on 14 May (HL Deb col 2181), which powers the Welsh Government and Senedd Cymru have over the construction and extension of reservoirs in Wales for the supply of water to English conurbations.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Both the UK Government and Welsh Government’s should act in accordance with the Intergovernmental Protocol on Water Resources, Water Supply and Water Quality in having regard to the interests of water consumers on the other side of the border in the exercise of their functions.

Planning consents for water resources infrastructure projects in Wales, such as reservoirs, are devolved to the Welsh Government. Where project proposals may affect cross-border links, applicants should work with the relevant administrations and regulatory organisations.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the average temperature increase in the UK over the past 50 years; and what estimate have they made of further warming over the next 50 years.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Global average temperatures are now 1.3°C above preindustrial temperatures, based on a 20-year average, centred on present-day by including 10 years from the past and projections for 10 years into the future.

The UK Climate Projections, produced by the Met Office on behalf of government, provide information on future climate for a range of potential climate scenarios. These scenarios underpin the evidence used in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA).

The assessment of risks and opportunities in CCRA3 was based on global warming scenarios of 2ºC and 4ºC above preindustrial temperatures being reached by 2100. The Government’s climate adaptation plans, as set out in the third National Adaptation Programme, published in 2023, follow the advice of the Climate Change Committee to plan for 2ºC. The Government remains flexible and responsive in our approach, assessing for different scenarios.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of reactor-produced radioisotopes used for treatment of cancer in the UK are provided from (1) the European Union, (2) Australia, (3) Argentina, and (4) the rest of the world.

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

Medical radioisotopes can be produced in different ways and the cyclotrons used in the United Kingdom produce a small supply of medical radioisotopes, mainly for diagnostic use. This is because the cyclotrons used in the UK supply relatively low-level radioactive material which is best suited for imaging and diagnosis. For therapeutics, particle emitting radioisotopes tend to be used. For UK use, these are mainly manufactured in research reactors, and there are currently no reactors in the UK that manufacture these isotopes. Research reactors can also supply medical radioisotopes for imaging and diagnosis.

Medical radioisotopes are purchased from suppliers on trust and hospital levels, and the Department has not made a systematic review of the origin country for these products.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of medical radioisotopes used to treat cancer in the UK are produced by (1) a reactor-based method, and (2) close to hospital cyclotron manufacture.

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

Medical radioisotopes can be produced in different ways and the cyclotrons used in the United Kingdom produce a small supply of medical radioisotopes, mainly for diagnostic use. This is because the cyclotrons used in the UK supply relatively low-level radioactive material which is best suited for imaging and diagnosis. For therapeutics, particle emitting radioisotopes tend to be used. For UK use, these are mainly manufactured in research reactors, and there are currently no reactors in the UK that manufacture these isotopes. Research reactors can also supply medical radioisotopes for imaging and diagnosis.

Medical radioisotopes are purchased from suppliers on trust and hospital levels, and the Department has not made a systematic review of the origin country for these products.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the increase in volume of beef produced in the United States which will be sold in the UK as a result of the US–UK Economic Prosperity Deal.

Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The United States is the largest single country partner for both UK exports and imports into the UK.

On 8 May the UK government announced a landmark economic deal with the US. We agreed new reciprocal market access on beef – with UK farmers given a guaranteed quota for 13,000 metric tonnes of beef exports at a very low tariff rate. Imports of hormone treated beef will remain illegal. Our approach to this trade deal has ensured that agricultural imports coming into the UK meet the highest food standards.

This government will continue to act in Britain’s national interest – for workers, for business and for families.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to restore to their full value the pension entitlements of Allied Steel and Wire workers.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department recognises that the Allied Steel and Wire pension scheme was among the earliest of schemes to benefit from the Financial Assistance Scheme. The Minister for Pensions met with some Allied Steel and Wire workers and heard first-hand how members have been affected by aspects of the Financial Assistance Scheme, including the issue of the indexation of pre-1997 pension accruals.

The erosion of income due to the high inflation of recent years has led to this matter being considered by the Work and Pensions Select Committee (WPSC) in its recent inquiry into Defined Benefit pension schemes. On 30 April, the Government response to the recommendations in the WPSC’s report was published.

The government will consider and reflect on what we have heard on the issue of Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme rules on the indexation of pre-1997 pension accruals. Any change in this area has significant implications on public finances for both the taxpayer funded Financial Assistance Scheme and for the levy funded Pension Protection Fund. These are complex matters requiring a balanced approach for those receiving compensation, levy payers and taxpayers. This is an important issue and one where we will continue to work with the Pension Protection Fund.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to revise section 19 of the Transport Act 1985 to require those driving school minibuses to hold a professional driving qualification or equivalent.

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

The Transport Act 1985 permit system was designed to recognise the value of not-for profit organisations that provide services for community, social and charitable benefit including schools and the wider education sector.

Whilst there are no immediate plans to alter the section 19 and section 22 permit system, ensuring the arrangements work well and are safe is something that is regularly under consideration.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Welsh Government concerning the transfer of responsibility for the Crown Estate in Wales to the Welsh Government.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK Government has regular discussions with the Welsh Government at official and ministerial level. I met with Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, on 27th February, where we discussed the Welsh Government’s request that the UK Government considers devolution of the management of The Crown Estate in Wales.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will prohibit the export of arms to Israel until the government of Israel allows deliveries of food and medicines to Gaza.

Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In September, we suspended all licences for exports of items for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) that might be used in military operations in Gaza, subject to the specific measures announced in Parliament with respect to the global F-35 programme.

Of the remaining licences for Israel, the vast majority are either for civilian purposes, including scientific equipment and body armour for journalists or NGOs, or for components for products for re-export to other countries.

We have taken the same approach to new licence applications since September, refusing any licences for items that could be used in military operations in Gaza.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of replacing the English language test for potential immigrants from the Patagonian Welsh community with a Welsh language test.

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

The Government immigration white paper via proposed immigration rules set out requirements in respect of applicants' English language ability.

We are continuing to give consideration to the issue of Welsh language.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total electricity generation capacity by hydroelectric power plants in (1) England, (2) Scotland, and (3) Wales.

Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Electricity generation capacity for hydroelectric power plants is published in Energy Trends table 6.1, available on gov.uk.

At the end of 2024 the installed capacity for hydroelectric power plants was: (1) England 43 MW, (2) Scotland 1,668 MW and (3) Wales 168 MW.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the deportation of Afghan women back to Afghanistan.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has a longstanding and close relationship with Pakistan. We engage regularly with the Government of Pakistan to advance key priorities and interests, including on human rights and adherence to international law.  Whilst we respect Pakistan's sovereign right to control its borders, the UK, alongside the international and donor community, is urging Pakistan to do so in accordance with their international obligations. On 16 May, the UK's Special Representative for Afghanistan raised the need for safe and dignified returns of Afghans with Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan.

Found: Baroness Goudie; Baroness Hodgson of Abinger; Baroness Pitkeathley; Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick; Lord Wigley