Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will provide funding to encourage the consumption of healthy food in schools.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The government is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and it is important that schools follow the latest nutritional guidance. To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, we are acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance.

The department spends over £1.5 billion annually delivering free meals to around 3.4 million pupils. We are extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026, lifting 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of this parliament. We have set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multiyear spending review period to cover additional meal costs of the new entitlement. This is new money as opposed to funding within existing school budgets.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to increase funding for support for parents in disadvantaged areas.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

​​The government has committed to provide funding for all local authorities to deliver Best Start Family Hubs, backed by over £500 million, to help families in every part of the country. The rollout will deliver up to 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs nationwide by 2028, reaching an estimated additional 500,000 children. Hubs will be open to all families but located in disadvantaged communities where support is most needed.

​The government understands the distinct challenges faced by parents and, ahead of the publication of our Child Poverty Strategy, we have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty. This includes establishing a new Crisis and Resilience Fund supported by £1 billion a year (including Barnett impact) through the Spending Review period to replace the Household Support Fund. This longer-term funding approach will enable local authorities to provide preventative support to families and communities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of academic exchange programmes between UK and Australian universities; and whether she plans to increase levels of bilateral cooperation in higher education.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is committed to providing enriching opportunities for students and young people to experience other countries and cultures, including through trips and exchanges with key partners such as Australia.

The department monitors participation in schemes such as the Turing Scheme, the UK government’s global programme for students to study and work abroad. The scheme has helped tens of thousands of UK students to study and work abroad, including in Australia, and is now in its fifth year.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs what recent discussions she has had with international partners on the (a) (i) targeting and (ii) arrests of religious minorities and (b) forced closures of places of worship in Algeria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. On 21 October, I met Foreign Minister Attaf and emphasised the importance of promoting FoRB and interfaith dialogue, and offered the UK's support in that effort. Our Embassy in Algiers also remains in regular contact with religious groups on how best to support FoRB. We continue to monitor the situation closely and advocate for freedom of expression for religious minority communities in Algeria.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with allies in Latin America to support (a) regional stability and (b) democratic outcomes.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has worked closely with many Latin American partners over recent years to promote shared interests and values, including strong commitments to democracy and the rule of law. We will continue to work closely with allies across the region and promote stability and defend robust democratic outcomes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the US has had decisions with her Department on US strategic objectives in tackling drug smuggling in (a) Venezuela and (b) the wider Caribbean.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We have extensive discussions with the US on a wide range of shared security objectives, including on counter narcotics but specific operational activities undertaken by the US military in the Caribbean and the Pacific are a matter for the US.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterpart in Vietnam on the arrest of Montagnard Pastor Y Nuen Ayun on 8 October 2025; and whether she is taking diplomatic steps to ensure his release.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We raise human rights concerns with the Vietnamese Government, including freedom of religion and belief bilaterally and multilaterally. The Foreign Secretary emphasised the importance of protecting religious freedom with Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung on 30 October, following my own discussions with the Vice Foreign Minister on 13 October. Our new UK-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership includes cooperation on human rights, particularly it notes that the 'UK and Vietnam will cooperate to foster inclusive societies that embrace and provide equal opportunities and respect for the human rights of all people, without discrimination of any kind.' Through the UN Human Rights Council we regularly raise specific cases of concern.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) diplomatic and (b) development cooperation with Pacific Island nations.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has resident diplomatic missions in six Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and we are also non-resident accredited to six additional PICs. The UK is committed to working with PICs to support their priorities, as set out in the Pacific Islands Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The UK is supporting PICs in areas such as regional security, economic resilience and growth and tackling the climate and nature crisis. Examples include: improving and enhancing regional maritime security; strengthening preparedness, response and resilience to humanitarian crises; and investment into PICs through multilateral and other funds to achieve better infrastructure and development outcomes.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to restart negotiations for a free trade agreement between the UK and Canada.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There are no plans to resume FTA negotiations, but growing our bilateral trade remains a shared priority, which is why the two Prime Ministers established the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with the objective of growing bilateral trade, including by addressing existing market access barriers and building on existing arrangements, including digital.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to allow businesses to (a) engage with and (b) support the process of drafting a free trade agreement with Canada.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, with the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement underpinning around £28 billion worth of bilateral trade last year.

There are currently no plans to resume FTA negotiations. However, growing bilateral trade remains a shared priority and we have established the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with the objective of growing bilateral trade, addressing existing market access barriers and building on existing arrangements.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to change the Office for National Statistics’ Annual Population Survey to a mixed-method design.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27th October is attached.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to her (a) Indian and (b) Chinese counterparts on comments by the representatives of Mauritius on the lease of land in the Chagos Archipelago upon the ratification of the 2025 treaty on the British Indian Ocean Territory.

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

The treaty contains robust provisions to protect the base, including a 24 nautical mile buffer zone around Diego Garcia and a ban on foreign security forces anywhere in the archipelago. Any suggestions that Mauritius has been negotiating a lease on Peros Banhos are false. This was confirmed by the Mauritian Attorney General in a public statement on 20 October 2025.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the United Kingdom’s (a) identified and (b) recoverable coal resource in millions of tonnes.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

As of June 2025, the Coal Authority (now the Mining Remediation Authority) estimates that there were 68 million tonnes of economically recoverable coal resources in the United Kingdom. Source: DUKES_2025_Chapter_2.pdf

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to advance formal diplomatic recognition since the signing of the memorandum of understanding with the Sovereign Order of Malta.

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

Our Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, is the Government's primary interlocutor with the Order of Malta. He regularly meets representatives from the Order including in the run-up to Their Majesties the King and Queen's historic State Visit to the Holy See. The Order has also appointed an official representative to the UK, Pasquale Terracciano. Officials from the Foreign, Commowealth and Development Office's Europe Directorate, which has responsibility for the UK's relations with the Holy See, have also met the Order representative since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2024.

This MoU provides a framework for a modern, pragmatic partnership that champions the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practice on humanitarian and development issues, without changing our position on the Order's sovereign status. Our missions across the globe have been encouraged to engage in this spirit.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has appointed a representative to engage with the Sovereign Order of Malta following the memorandum of understanding signed on 9 October 2024.

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

Our Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, is the Government's primary interlocutor with the Order of Malta. He regularly meets representatives from the Order including in the run-up to Their Majesties the King and Queen's historic State Visit to the Holy See. The Order has also appointed an official representative to the UK, Pasquale Terracciano. Officials from the Foreign, Commowealth and Development Office's Europe Directorate, which has responsibility for the UK's relations with the Holy See, have also met the Order representative since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2024.

This MoU provides a framework for a modern, pragmatic partnership that champions the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practice on humanitarian and development issues, without changing our position on the Order's sovereign status. Our missions across the globe have been encouraged to engage in this spirit.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the volume of (a) identified and (b) recoverable (i) oil, (ii) gas and (iii) coal resources (A) onshore and (B) offshore.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Data on oil and gas reserves are published on page 24 of Energy in Brief. Further information about reserves and resources is available from the North Sea Transition Authority.

Data on coal resources are published in Table 2.6 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics.

Data for on and offshore resources are not available separately.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department last made an estimate of the United Kingdom’s (a) onshore and (b) offshore coal resource.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Data on oil and gas reserves are published on page 24 of Energy in Brief. Further information about reserves and resources is available from the North Sea Transition Authority.

Data on coal resources are published in Table 2.6 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics.

Data for on and offshore resources are not available separately.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has held discussions with European states that maintain diplomatic relations with the Sovereign Order of Malta as part of its recognition process.

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

Our Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, is the Government's primary interlocutor with the Order of Malta. He regularly meets representatives from the Order including in the run-up to Their Majesties the King and Queen's historic State Visit to the Holy See. The Order has also appointed an official representative to the UK, Pasquale Terracciano. Officials from the Foreign, Commowealth and Development Office's Europe Directorate, which has responsibility for the UK's relations with the Holy See, have also met the Order representative since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2024.

This MoU provides a framework for a modern, pragmatic partnership that champions the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practice on humanitarian and development issues, without changing our position on the Order's sovereign status. Our missions across the globe have been encouraged to engage in this spirit.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his timeline is for the conclusion of the process of formal diplomatic recognition of the Sovereign Order of Malta.

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

Our Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott, is the Government's primary interlocutor with the Order of Malta. He regularly meets representatives from the Order including in the run-up to Their Majesties the King and Queen's historic State Visit to the Holy See. The Order has also appointed an official representative to the UK, Pasquale Terracciano. Officials from the Foreign, Commowealth and Development Office's Europe Directorate, which has responsibility for the UK's relations with the Holy See, have also met the Order representative since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2024.

This MoU provides a framework for a modern, pragmatic partnership that champions the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practice on humanitarian and development issues, without changing our position on the Order's sovereign status. Our missions across the globe have been encouraged to engage in this spirit.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is talking to promote the education of animal welfare in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government recognises the importance of teaching children about animal welfare in schools and this topic can already be covered within science and citizenship. As with other subjects, the national curriculum in England provides a broad framework within which schools have the flexibility to develop the content of their own school curriculum.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) the Economic Community of West African States and (b) other regional partners on support for democratic governance in (i) Niger, (ii) Burkina Faso and (iii) Mali.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is in regular dialogue with Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso and other West African partners, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its member states. We continue to press for progress on a return to democratic constitutional order in these countries and for all West African parties to continue dialogue and prioritise the unity of the region as essential to advance security and prosperity.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the tobacco duty escalator on inflation.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for estimating the impact of Government policies on inflation. The OBR did not include an assessment on the contribution of tobacco excise duty to inflation in either the October 2024 or March 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of tobacco excise in reducing smoking prevalence.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates, making tobacco less affordable, are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. As set out in the ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023.

Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics

The commitment to a tobacco duty escalator which increases duty at RPI+2% inflation at each Budget was renewed at Autumn Budget 2024 until the end of the current Parliament. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the Budget setting out the impacts

Changes to tobacco duty rates from 30 October 2024 - GOV.UK

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of tobacco excise duty on smoking prevalence.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates, making tobacco less affordable, are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. As set out in the ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023.

Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics

The commitment to a tobacco duty escalator which increases duty at RPI+2% inflation at each Budget was renewed at Autumn Budget 2024 until the end of the current Parliament. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the Budget setting out the impacts

Changes to tobacco duty rates from 30 October 2024 - GOV.UK

Free speech and Dr Päivi Räsänen

World Sight Day 2025

Coastal erosion in Hemsby

Protect our hospices

Lions at Large

Cancellation of local elections

East Tilbury Primary School award

Local government reorganisation

10th anniversary of Book Week NI

75th anniversary of Porter’s Fine Furnishings in Banbridge

Baby Loss Month

Verdict in the Soldier F trial

VAT on defibrillators

Farmer's shoe shop in Newcastle-under-Lyme

RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Units

Persecution of Christians in Nigeria

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Death of Wayne Broadhurst

National Memorial for armed forces veterans who lost their lives in Northern Ireland

Support for pubs

Christian founders of The Entertainer

Poppy Appeal in Northern Ireland

Loan Charge and settlement terms offered to large companies and individuals