Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of the resettlement of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

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

The Treaty which the UK signed with Mauritius in May 2025 provides a clear path to resettlement on the Archipelago. Under the terms of the Treaty, the Government of Mauritius will be able to start a programme of resettlement on islands other than Diego Garcia, which will be available to all eligible Chagossians regardless of where they live.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK Small Island Developing States strategy 2026 to 2030, published 13 January 2026, what steps she is taking to protect the British Overseas Territories from economic shocks.

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

The UK is committed to strengthening the economic resilience of the Overseas Territories (OTs), including the resilience of critical infrastructure.

We support the OTs to diversify their economies, strengthen their fiscal governance, and invest in the upgrade and maintenance of critical infrastructure. Major investments in recent years include completion of the Rupert's Bay port on Saint Helena and Road Bay jetty in Anguilla, support for new telecommunications infrastructure on Ascension Island, and significant progress in construction of a new hospital and solar energy farm in Montserrat.

The UK also provides targeted environmental support to the OTs through the Blue Belt Programme, including in relation to plastic pollution. We are also continuing to work closely with our partners in the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, and with other countries, to reach an ambitious agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK Small Island Developing States strategy 2026 to 2030, published on13 January 2026, what steps she is taking to protect the British Overseas Territories from plastic pollution.

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

The UK is committed to strengthening the economic resilience of the Overseas Territories (OTs), including the resilience of critical infrastructure.

We support the OTs to diversify their economies, strengthen their fiscal governance, and invest in the upgrade and maintenance of critical infrastructure. Major investments in recent years include completion of the Rupert's Bay port on Saint Helena and Road Bay jetty in Anguilla, support for new telecommunications infrastructure on Ascension Island, and significant progress in construction of a new hospital and solar energy farm in Montserrat.

The UK also provides targeted environmental support to the OTs through the Blue Belt Programme, including in relation to plastic pollution. We are also continuing to work closely with our partners in the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, and with other countries, to reach an ambitious agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the resilience of critical infrastructure in the British Overseas Territories.

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

The UK is committed to strengthening the economic resilience of the Overseas Territories (OTs), including the resilience of critical infrastructure.

We support the OTs to diversify their economies, strengthen their fiscal governance, and invest in the upgrade and maintenance of critical infrastructure. Major investments in recent years include completion of the Rupert's Bay port on Saint Helena and Road Bay jetty in Anguilla, support for new telecommunications infrastructure on Ascension Island, and significant progress in construction of a new hospital and solar energy farm in Montserrat.

The UK also provides targeted environmental support to the OTs through the Blue Belt Programme, including in relation to plastic pollution. We are also continuing to work closely with our partners in the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, and with other countries, to reach an ambitious agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many officials from her Department with responsibility for the British Indian Ocean Territory are working a) within the British Indian Ocean Territory, b) from her Department's main building and c) from home remotely.

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

The British Indian Ocean Territory is constitutionally distinct and separate from the UK. It is administered by the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration (BIOTA). The Commissioner is based in the UK and is supported by around 40 staff split between the UK and the Territory. In addition, there are currently around 13 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office staff working on all aspects of BIOT policy, all of whom are based in the UK.

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 protect the British Indian Ocean Territory Marine Protected Area from illegal shark poaching.

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

The British Indian Ocean Territory is constitutionally distinct and separate from the UK, with its own laws and Administration. It is administered by the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration (BIOTA) who have responsibility for the protection of the Marine Protected Area, including issues relating to illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is taking steps to support the provision of British military training and the export of appropriate defence equipment to Libya to strengthen its capacity to police its borders with Chad, Sudan and Niger, to help prevent illegal migration into Europe.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Defence Engagement with Libya is focused on defence capacity building. This supports UK objectives across a range of priorities, including those related to border security and irregular migration.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to mark Armed Forces Week.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

Armed Forces Day (AFD) is an annual opportunity for the nation to show support for the Armed Forces community, including serving personnel, Service families, veterans and cadets. Traditionally held on the last Saturday in June, AFD fell this year on Saturday 27 June. More than 250 events were planned across the UK, and the National Event was hosted in Aldershot by Rushmoor Borough Council. MOD supported AFD event organisers through the AFD Grant Scheme, which provided eligible events with grants of up to £10,000. For 2026, MOD supported 130 events across the UK with £430,000 of grant funding.

In the run-up to AFD itself, a series of events were held to build momentum and raise awareness. The programme began with AFD Northern Ireland, traditionally held on the preceding Saturday, this year on Saturday 20 June 2026 . As the only AFD event in Northern Ireland, it enabled maximum participation from supporting military units and allowed an event comparable in scale to the National Event. This year’s event was held in Coleraine, hosted by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and Mayor Dawn Huggins. More than 20,000 visitors attended and enjoyed displays including the RAF Falcons parachute display team, a Dakota flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), and military assets such as Challenger 2, Warrior and Foxhound vehicles, alongside a gun salute.

On Monday 22 June 2026, AFD Flag Raising ceremonies took place across the UK, enabling the public, various institutions and local authorities to demonstrate their support for the Armed Forces community. A highlight was the ceremony held at the Palace of Westminster, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Commons and attended by the Defence Secretary, the Minister for the Armed Forces, the Minister for Veterans and People and the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).

Wednesday 24 June 2026 was Reserves Day, recognising the valuable contribution Reservists make to the Armed Forces. Reservists were encouraged to wear their uniforms in their civilian workplace to highlight their service. A reception was hosted by the Prime Minister at No.10 Downing Street for MOD Civil Servants who serve also as Reservists.

On Saturday 27 June 2026, more than 230 AFD events took place across the UK in appreciation of the Armed Forces community. These ranged from small tea-party-style gatherings to large-scale events attracting more than 10,000 visitors, enabling communities nationwide to both recognise and thank the Armed Forces.

The national focus for AFD was Aldershot, where Rushmoor Borough Council hosted this year’s Armed Forces Day National Event (AFDNE). As Defence’s flagship AFD event, AFDNE provided a national platform to recognise serving personnel, veterans, reservists, cadets and their families. It was a major, multi-agency event involving the MOD, local authorities, blue-light responders, and tri-Service Defence capability. It supported the Strategic Defence Review’s aim of renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve. More than 15,000 visitors attended, viewing military stands and assets including an A400M, a BBMF Dakota flypast, Chinook and Apache AH-64 helicopters, and a military parade featuring serving personnel, cadets and veterans.

AFD and the events that led up to it provided the ideal platform to enable the nation to further understand, engage with, and celebrate the work of our Armed Forces community.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 30 June 2026 to Question 11617, what her planned timeline is for the regulatory acceptance of alternatives in pharmacokinetic and cardiovascular safety studies involving dogs; and what interim metrics are being used to measure canine reduction before the publication of the performance framework.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Replacing Animals in Science strategy includes a commitment to reduce the use of dogs in pharmacokinetic and cardiovascular safety studies by 35% by 2030, where scientifically justified and supported by validated alternatives. The Government is working with regulators, industry and other partners to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods needed to achieve this ambition. A publicly available dashboard of progress against the strategy’s key deliverables and key performance indicators is being developed, and the Government will publish a delivery update, alongside key performance indicators on progress across all elements of the strategy, later in 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to fund the Type 83 Destroyer programme.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Defence Investment Plan sets out the Royal Navy’s (RN) approach to delivering the UK’s most advanced maritime air defence capability and the rationale for this approach. Rather than delivering this capability through a small number of large and expensive Type 83 destroyers, the RN will instead invest in a hybrid mix of crewed and uncrewed capabilities that will be more suited to facing the threats of modern warfare. The RN will procure at least six Common Combat Vessels (CCV) which will act as a control hub for uncrewed systems, thus extending the Navy’s reach, resilience and lethality.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department defines the statutory term scientifically satisfactory under Section 2A of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 as being legally dependent upon formal regulatory (a) validation and (b) acceptance by international bodies.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), the statutory duty in section 2A requires the Secretary of State to ensure compliance with the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (3Rs principles). In relation to the principle of replacement, the statutory framework requires that, wherever possible, a scientifically satisfactory non‑animal method must be used instead of a regulated procedure.

ASPA does not prescribe in detail how “scientifically satisfactory” is to be assessed. That assessment is a matter of scientific and regulatory judgement, exercised in the context of the statutory framework (including consideration of a harm–benefit analysis and the wider 3Rs principles).

All project licence applications are subject to a rigorous harm-benefit analysis, required under ASPA. The harm-benefit analysis ensures that a project is only granted where a trained Home Office Inspector is satisfied that the likely harms to animals, including pain, suffering, distress and any lasting harm, are justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her Department's policy to (a) reduce and (b) reform stamp duty.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

The Government keeps all tax policy under review and any changes are announced at fiscal events.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) continues to be an important source of Government revenue, raising around £14 billion each year to help pay for the essential services the Government provides.

Tynwald Day 2026

The King's Award for Enterprise in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Hedgehog Rescue

Madeley Carnival 2026

Merchant Navy Day

Memorial plaque for Ann Widdecombe

Celebration of English traditions

Carbon monoxide alarms