Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of the use of (a) licence transfers and (b) changes of company ownership to avoid enforcement action in the tobacco and vaping retail sector.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is currently no requirement for a business in the United Kingdom to obtain a licence to sell tobacco, vapes, or nicotine products. This is in contrast to some other retail activities that pose a risk of harm to the public, such as the sale of alcohol, which do require a licence.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides powers for ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme, in their respective nations, for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products. This will strengthen enforcement and support legitimate businesses, while acting as a deterrent to retailers who breach the law. In doing so, it will support public health.

Our recent call for evidence sought evidence on the implementation of the licensing scheme to inform proposals for a future consultation. We will consult on the specifics of the scheme before bringing forward secondary legislation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of vaping devices that contain (a) multiple cartridges, (b) pods and (c) refill containers that can be used simultaneously or sequentially within a single device on the health of the people using that device.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately branded, promoted, and advertised to children and will provide the Government with new powers to restrict the packaging, device appearance, and display of vapes and other nicotine products to stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.

On 8 October 2025, we launched a Call for Evidence which sought evidence on the size and shape of vapes, vape tanks, and the components of vaping products, including pods, puff-count capacity, and nicotine delivery.

We are now reviewing the responses, and these will help inform decisions around our future regulatory approach once the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been enacted.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as part of their upcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan, will consider evidence across a range of interventions, including but not limited to the regulation of product features to support increased recyclability.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to support international election observation and rule-of-law monitoring mechanisms in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

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

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 10 March 2026 in response to Question 117243.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to support democratic participation in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

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

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 10 March 2026 in response to Question 117243.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the level of the independence of the Nigerian judiciary; and whether judicial independence forms part of the Government’s criteria in assessing the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 elections.

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

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 10 March 2026 in response to Question 117243.

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 potential implications for her policies of Saudi Arabia air strikes against anti-Houthi coalition partners in southern Yemen and the potential impact of those air strikes on the expansion of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, in Hadramout and other governorates.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the statement the I made to the House on 5 January, where I noted that the United Kingdom remains committed to supporting Yemen's unity, including the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council and the Government of Yemen. The United Kingdom continues to stay in regular contact with our partners in Yemen, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates about the situation, and we will continue to work closely with them. The Government does not comment on operational intelligence, or security matters, but will continue to work with regional and international partners to tackle the threat posed by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 in relation to British nationals serving with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Travel advice for Ukraine, issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, makes clear that if a British national travels to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, their activities may amount to offences under UK legislation.

Anyone, regardless of their citizenship, who travels from the UK to take part in conflicts overseas may be investigated by the police on return to determine if they have committed criminal offences, and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security.

The UK remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. That commitment has never wavered. Together with our partners and allies, we continue to stand firmly with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help provide legal clarity to British nationals who volunteer to serve in Ukraine.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Travel advice for Ukraine, issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, makes clear that if a British national travels to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, their activities may amount to offences under UK legislation.

Anyone, regardless of their citizenship, who travels from the UK to take part in conflicts overseas may be investigated by the police on return to determine if they have committed criminal offences, and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security.

The UK remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. That commitment has never wavered. Together with our partners and allies, we continue to stand firmly with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps to celebrate the 100th anniversary of greyhound racing in the UK.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises the contribution that greyhound racing has made to the nation’s economy and cultural landscape since the first race on 26th July 1926 in Manchester. DCMS officials regularly engage with the Greyhound Board for Great Britain on a range of issues, and are exploring opportunities to celebrate the sport’s centenary.

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