Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to implement the ruling on For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025 in the armed forces.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

16 April 2025 saw the Supreme Court ruling that sex is to be understood as biological sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. Updated Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance will be available in due course, and we’ll consider how this affects our policies when the detail is shared.

Our priority is to ensure that all our people in Defence have the support and facilities they need.

The Government remains committed to dignity and respect for all, and this has been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Great British Rail plans to take to help improve (a) travel times, (b) punctuality and (c) passenger experience on the West of England line.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Services operated by South Western Railway, which operates the West of England line, will transfer into public ownership when their contract expires on 25 May 2025. Under public ownership, passenger services will be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.

Bringing train operations into public ownership is the first step in the Government’s plans for wider rail reform. The Railways Bill will be introduced later this session, which will enable the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR). GBR will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to deliver for passengers and freight customers.

Through these reforms we will deliver better quality services for passengers and freight customers, resulting in fewer delays and a timetable that better serves their needs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to implement improvements to the West of England rail line in the context of the cancellation of the A303 Stonehenge road improvement scheme.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has no plans for enhancements to the West of England line at this time. Government investment priorities for rail enhancements in England and Wales will be set out following the conclusion of the Spending Review next month.

Mauritius Treaty

Found: Membership of the public bill committee The chairs were Dawn Butler, Dame Siobhain McDonagh, Dr Andrew Murrison