Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to question 10230 answered on 16 June 2026, whether the a) equalities impacts assessments and b) outcomes resulting from the National Physical Laboratory review of Home Office Facial Age Estimation testing will be published upon completion.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The policy on facial age estimation is still being developed, and the Home Office is currently undertaking rigorous testing and trialling of the technology throughout 2026. Subject to the results of the testing and trials, FAE is planned to be rolled out from 2027. In line with the public sector equality duty, equalities impacts are being fully considered. No decisions have been made regarding publication of documents.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of how many multi-academy trusts currently offer executive salaries above £174,000.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Academy trusts report pay information through their annual accounts returns using £10,000 salary bandings. The latest available annual accounts return data for the 2024/25 academic year states that 276 academy trusts reported pay exceeding £170,000.
As set out in the 2026 academy trust handbook, from 1 October 2026, for new appointments within academy trusts where remuneration exceeds £174,000, or the pro rata equivalent for part-time staff, or performance-related pay above £25,000, approval from the department must be obtained before the post is advertised. The handbook is also clear that executive remuneration must not increase at a faster rate than that of the academy trust’s teachers.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to a) understand and b) reduce the impacts to workers of employers engaging in fire and rehire practices ahead of the Employment Rights Act restrictions taking effect in 2027.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The government is delivering reforms to tackle unscrupulous fire and rehire practices. Employers will be deemed to have automatically unfairly dismissed an employee if they unilaterally change certain core terms and conditions, including reductions in pay or leave, changes to working hours or pension arrangements, and specified changes to shift patterns.
We recently consulted on the scope of restricted variations for expenses, benefits in kind and shift patterns. The government will publish a response and make regulations in due course.
Analysis of fire and rehire practices has been published as part of the Enactment Impact Assessment for these measures, and an Options Assessment for the recent consultation.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department will be publishing new guidance for commissioning decisions regarding academy trusts.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
To reflect the vision the government set out for the trust system in the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper, the department will be publishing new Trust Standards, including a pillar focused on community, and commissioning guidance to reflect this policy and support consistent, transparent decision-making later this year.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of publishing an impact assessment for the US-UK Arrangement on Pharmaceuticals Pricing and Tariffs in which commercially sensitive material is redacted.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK-US Arrangement on Pharmaceutical Pricing and Tariffs is intended to support National Health Service patients’ access to innovative medicines, while strengthening the United Kingdom’s life sciences sector. The terms of the arrangement have been published in full, and we have answered numerous questions about its operation in parliamentary questions and debate.
Publishing a redacted impact assessment would not aid understanding around the deal. The analysis depends on assumptions about future medicines approvals, NHS uptake, global pricing policies, and wider commercial discussions. Removing commercially sensitive material would remove much of the context needed to understand that analysis properly.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Timms Review Steering Group includes representation from people with lived experience of mental health conditions and PIP.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Timms Review steering group has a diverse membership from a range of different backgrounds. Further information on steering group members can be found here: The Timms Review: Co-Chair Update, February 2026 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many incidents of Israeli military action in Gaza have been assessed by her Department since September 2024; and how many of those incidents have been assessed as possible breaches of international law.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The findings of our International Humanitarian Law assessments are confidential. They have, however, led us to conclude that Israel is not committed to comply with International Humanitarian Law in Gaza. We have, therefore, suspended or refused export licences for items that may be used by the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza. These suspensions remain fully in place.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
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 Bangladeshi counterparts on the potential risk that ordinances which guarantee the mandate of Bangladesh's National Human Rights Commission are allowed to lapse.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly engages with the Government of Bangladesh on a range of issues, including governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The former Minister for the Indo-Pacific met Bangladesh Prime Minister Rahman on 17 February and reinforced the UK's commitment to working with the Government of Bangladesh to advance democratic, economic and social reforms.
The UK has engaged with the Government of Bangladesh and other stakeholders on recent human rights legislation, including legislation relating to enforced disappearances, emphasising the importance of accountability and compliance with international standards.
The UK supports a strong, independent and effective National Human Rights Commission, aligned with international standards.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
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 Bangladeshi counterparts regarding accountability for enforced disappearances in Bangladesh.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly engages with the Government of Bangladesh on a range of issues, including governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The former Minister for the Indo-Pacific met Bangladesh Prime Minister Rahman on 17 February and reinforced the UK's commitment to working with the Government of Bangladesh to advance democratic, economic and social reforms.
The UK has engaged with the Government of Bangladesh and other stakeholders on recent human rights legislation, including legislation relating to enforced disappearances, emphasising the importance of accountability and compliance with international standards.
The UK supports a strong, independent and effective National Human Rights Commission, aligned with international standards.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the impacts on first-time buyers of non-qualifying leaseholder status being tied to a property in perpetuity, in cases where a prior leaseholder owned multiple properties.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Freeholders can charge holders of non-qualifying leases a share of remediation costs incurred, in line with the terms of the lease. However, all leaseholders may still be able to recover remediation costs from a former owner, developer or associated company via a Remediation Contribution Order (RCO) and they may also be protected under the Developer Remediation Contract.
This Government recognises that many people are not fully protected by current rules. We know leaseholders are not responsible for the creation of historic building safety defects, and we are considering how to go further to protect leaseholders from current and future building safety issues, especially those groups left out of existing protections.