Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to request the removal of Hungary from EUFOR following reports of the deployment of Hungarian paramilitary police to Bosnia and Herzegovnia.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Europe's security is critical to our own and we recognise the contribution of the European Union's (EU) military operations and missions to regional security. This includes the EU Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), which the UK recognises as vital for maintaining peace and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). We continue to support EUFOR's role in upholding the military aspects of the Dayton Agreement, and engage regularly with EUFOR and the EU Delegation in BiH. The composition of EUFOR and the nature of support provided in EU Common Security and Defence Policy missions remains a matter for the EU.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Hungarian counterpart on Hungarian government meetings with Milorad Dodik.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary met his Hungarian counterpart in January, and I most recently met Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar on 19 June. In both meetings, the Foreign Secretary and I raised wider European security and emphasised the importance of unity from all partners. Locally, our Embassy in Budapest has raised, with senior officials, the Hungarian government's engagement with the Republika Srpska entity's President Dodik. We encourage de-escalation, the need to uphold peace in accordance with the Dayton Agreement, and support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of the deployment of Hungarian paramilitary police to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains steadfast in our commitment to the stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Any security sector support to BiH should focus on upholding peace, stability and the rule of law across the whole of BiH. We engage with all regional partners, including Hungary, to work constructively to strengthen domestic institutions, to use their influence positively with BiH's leaders, and to uphold the constitutional framework in BiH. We urge all partners to refrain from any actions that could undermine sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing restrictions on recruitment to enable NHS Trusts to recruit more British doctors trained abroad.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No assessment has been made. British doctors who obtained their medical degree abroad need to meet the requirements of the General Medical Council, the independent professional regulator of the medical profession, to practise medicine in the United Kingdom.

British doctors who have obtained a medical degree abroad are then able to apply for jobs in the National Health Service on the same basis as UK medical graduates.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2024 to Question 4548 on Winter Fuel Payment: Rutland and Stamford, how many people will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payment in Rutland and Stamford constituency after proposed changes to the eligibility criteria.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

From this winter, individuals with an income of £35,000 or below, will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year will see any Winter Fuel Payment recouped via HMRC.

This means that the majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of appointing a Commissioner for Old People in England.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions has no current plans to appoint a Commissioner for Old People in England. Employment support, through the creation of our new Jobs and Careers Service, will enable everyone, including older people, to access good, meaningful work and support progression into work. More details are set out in our Get Britain Working White Paper published last year and additional employment support for eligible older jobseekers is already currently available through our UK network of Jobcentres.

To better hear the voices of older people and further develop the reforms set out in in our Pathways to Work Green Paper, we are committing to the establishment of ‘collaboration committees’. This will bring together groups of people, including older people, with civil servants to collaborate on discussions, challenges, and recommendations on specific areas of work.

Found: Conservative; North Dorset) Leigh Ingham (Labour; Stafford) Adam Jogee (Labour; Newcastle-under-Lyme) Alicia Kearns

Found: _NC128 Matt Vickers Harriet Cross Chris Philp Alicia Kearns Saqib Bhatti .

Found: _NC124 Matt Vickers Harriet Cross Chris Philp Alicia Kearns .

Found: _181 Matt Vickers Harriet Cross Chris Philp Alicia Kearns .

Found: _NC124 Matt Vickers Harriet Cross Chris Philp Alicia Kearns .

Found: Not called_168 Matt Vickers Harriet Cross Chris Philp Alicia Kearns Saqib Bhatti .

Found: _181 Matt Vickers Harriet Cross Chris Philp Alicia Kearns .

Found: _168 Matt Vickers Harriet Cross Chris Philp Alicia Kearns ★.

Found: Mundell Aphra Brandreth Jack Rankin Dr Al Pinkerton Sir Ashley Fox Tom Tugendhat Shivani Raja Alicia Kearns

Found: Tugendhat Alison Griffiths Sir Roger Gale Dr Caroline Johnson Rebecca Smith Saqib Bhatti Alicia Kearns

Park Homes APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Dyke MP Sir Ashley Fox MP Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP Rachel Hopkins MP Alicia Kearns

Women, Peace and Security APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: :30 House of Lords, CommiDee Room G ADendees: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger CBE, Co-Chair Alicia Kearns

Baby Loss APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Representative of Rosie Duffield MP • Representative of Margaret Greenwood MP • Representative of Alicia Kearns

Microplastics APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Campaigns Officer, NFWI, APPG Secretariat Valerie Vaz MP John Howell MP Virginia Crosbie MP Alicia Kearns

Baby Loss APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: • Cherilyn Mackrory MP (Chair) • Sharon Hodgson MP • Patricia Gibson MP • Jane Hunt MP • Alicia Kearns

Park Homes APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Ian Pye, IPHAS Luke Spanton, MHCLG William Tandoh, MHCLG Anne Webb, volunteer Apologies: Alicia Kearns

Submit Evidence (by 19 Sep 2025)

Kickstarting economic growth is the number one mission for this Government’s term in office. In this inquiry, the committee will examine plans to deliver economic growth in Northern Ireland, including the recent UK Industrial Strategy, with a particular reference to emerging sectors or ‘industries of the future’. Read our call for evidence here  for more detail about the inquiry and how to contribute your views.