Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of ending the crown exemption for the Duchy of (a) Lancaster and (b) Cornwall on reducing the budget deficit.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The income from the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall forms part of the King’s and Prince of Wales’s private income. The tax treatment of that income is as set out in the in the Memorandum of Understanding on Royal Taxation, which can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/memorandum-of-understanding-on-royal-taxation-2023

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration her Department has given to ending the crown exemption for the Duchy of Lancaster and Duchy of Cornwall.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The income from the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall forms part of the King’s and Prince of Wales’s private income. The tax treatment of that income is as set out in the in the Memorandum of Understanding on Royal Taxation, which can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/memorandum-of-understanding-on-royal-taxation-2023

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of merging (i) shotgun and (ii) rifle licensing systems on (a) Police Firearms forces and (b) the number of officers dealing with applications.

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

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. The Government response set out the reasons why the Government considers this consultation to be important, and we intend to publish this shortly.

We will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to the consultation once it is published, before taking any decisions on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of merging (i) shotgun and (ii) rifle licensing systems on people undertaking wildlife management.

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

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. The Government response set out the reasons why the Government considers this consultation to be important, and we intend to publish this shortly.

We will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to the consultation once it is published, before taking any decisions on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of merging (i) shotgun and (ii) rifle licensing systems on clay target shooting businesses.

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

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. The Government response set out the reasons why the Government considers this consultation to be important, and we intend to publish this shortly.

We will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to the consultation once it is published, before taking any decisions on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of merging (i) shotgun and (ii) rifle licensing systems on the backlog for firearms licensing.

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

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. The Government response set out the reasons why the Government considers this consultation to be important, and we intend to publish this shortly.

We will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to the consultation once it is published, before taking any decisions on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support teacher health and wellbeing.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is working in partnership with the sector to improve staff mental health and wellbeing, and boost retention.

We are continuing to fund the charity, Education Support, to provide free professional supervision and counselling to school and college leaders. Professional supervision enables leaders to work with qualified supervisors to develop strategies to support their mental wellbeing. Since April 2024, over 1,300 leaders have been supported.

The department has also worked with the sector and mental health experts to co-create the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter. The Charter sets out commitments from the department, Ofsted, and education settings to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff. As of December 2025, over 4,200 schools and colleges have signed up to the Charter.

The department has developed its Improve Workload and Wellbeing service alongside school leaders, which contains a range of resources for schools to reduce workload and improve staff wellbeing.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the health and wellbeing of teachers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Supporting the wellbeing of our expert education workforce is critical to this government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for children and young people.

The department tracks teacher wellbeing through the longitudinal study, the Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders. Wave 4 shows improved wellbeing across all Office for National Statistics (ONS) validated personal wellbeing measures in 2025. Average life satisfaction, happiness, and feelings of life being worthwhile all increased, while average anxiety decreased.

We also compare teacher and leader wellbeing with the wider population in England. In 2025, these measures remain lower for teachers and leaders.

We commission research to assess teacher wellbeing. For example, the inclusion of ONS-validated personal wellbeing questions in the School and College Voice Survey (SCVS) to capture seasonal differences. The latest data from June 2025 shows that all four wellbeing measures remain broadly in line with the same period last year.

More broadly, our ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service, developed alongside school leaders, contains resources for schools to reduce workload and improve wellbeing. The service can be accessed here: https://improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk/. The ’Education staff wellbeing charter’ sets out commitments from the department, Ofsted, schools and colleges to protect and promote staff wellbeing. Almost 4,300 schools and colleges have signed up. The charter can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help strengthen public confidence in safeguarding within the Church of England.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

All charities should be safe and trusted spaces for everyone; whether employees, volunteers or members of the public.

The Charity Commission for England and Wales recently issued a Regulatory Action Plan to the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England. This followed concerns that the charity's trustees were taking too long to implement reforms to safeguarding in the Church of England.

The Charity Commission has also recently issued Official Warnings to two Church of England diocesan boards of finance for failures in how safeguarding allegations were handled.

The Commission is monitoring the Church charities' compliance with the respective Action Plan and Official Warnings, and will take any steps it considers necessary and within its regulatory remit to hold trustees of Church charities to account.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support regional and local media.

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

Supporting and sustaining local and regional media across the country is a particular concern for this Government, including in Tewkesbury and more broadly across Gloucestershire. The Government understands the important work that local and regional media do, including outlets such as Gloucestershire Live and the Cotswold Journal. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, and helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story. The overarching goal of the Strategy is to empower communities through a thriving local media which reflects the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing and local growth.

We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops. DCMS ministers held a roundtable discussion with local news editors last year to discuss the planned approach and collaboration with industry on the Strategy. An industry working group has been meeting regularly since June to consider the issues in more detail. More will be announced on the Strategy in the coming months.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioner, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the communication of the outcomes of Clergy Disciplinary Measures of the Church of England within the Church.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The National Church Institutions are in the final process of updating the Clergy Discipline Measure. The Legislative Committee of the General Synod will ask Members of the General Synod at its sitting in February 2026 to give their final approval to one minor change requested by the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament

Until the General Synod and Parliament approve the new Measure and it receives Royal Assent, the law relating to the current operation of the Clergy Discipline Measure is outlined as below:

The Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 (“the Measure”) and the Clergy Discipline Rules 2005 (“the Rules”)

provide for a statutory framework to investigate allegations of misconduct committed by clergy, and to enable formal disciplinary proceedings brought under the Measure to be dealt with justly, in a way that is both fair to all relevant interested persons and proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the issues raised

The general position is that any hearing brought under the Measure is heard in private, although there is discretion for the tribunal or court to direct that a hearing shall be in public, if it is satisfied that it is in the interests of justice so to do or where the respondent requests that the hearing should be in public

However, under the Rules, once a decision in relation to misconduct is reached by the panel, the pronouncement of any decision is to be in public, and a copy of the tribunal’s written decision is sent to the relevant bishop, as well as the complainant, the respondent, the registrar, and the provincial registrar

Where misconduct is proved, and a penalty is to be imposed, the Rules also make it clear that the pronouncement of any penalty is to be in public, and, as with the written decision in relation to misconduct, the decision to impose a penalty or penalties is also recorded in writing, and a copy of the written decision is sent to the relevant bishop, as well as the complainant, the respondent, the registrar, and the provincial registrar

In relation to wider communication or publication, once a written decision (in relation to misconduct or in relation to a penalty) is handed down by the Chair or panel, the Office of the President of Tribunals arranges for the written decision to be published on the Church of England website (in the section: About / Governance / Legal Resources / Clergy Discipline)

Further communication thereafter remains at the discretion of the Diocese or parties as to whether they issue a press release to communicate the outcome more widely. There are no mandatory requirements under the Measure or the Rules for wider communication of outcomes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the BBC Board on ensuring that it continues to report on local and regional stories of interest.

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

The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chair to discuss a wide range of issues.

The Government is currently undertaking a review of the BBC’s Royal Charter. The Green Paper sets out our ambition for the BBC to tell a unifying national story that represents all communities across the UK, and to ensure the BBC provides locally relevant services as it supports the delivery of high quality local journalism.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of fragmented media systems on democracy.

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

It is essential that the public has access to a wide range of views from a variety of accurate and trusted sources to support democratic participation. DCMS is committed to supporting the future sustainability of the media sector and is working across Government to help ensure a coordinated and coherent approach to upholding democracy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to take steps to the Government plans to engage civil society on strengthening trusted information ecosystems.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Making information ecosystems stronger requires collaboration between Government, industry and civil society. Last year, Ofcom established the Online Information Advisory Committee, bringing together civil society and industry to build a deeper understanding of challenges relating to the online information environment, including suggesting options to tackle mis- and disinformation.

DSIT’s media literacy work supports people to navigate online systems safely. We are improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government delivery and collaboration with Ofcom and civil society. Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom also have a media literacy strategy, which prioritises work with civil society and communities to build online resilience.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help tackle gaps in public knowledge on the origins of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Improved media literacy builds resilience to misinformation and disinformation and fosters critical thinking. The government is improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work, including funding innovative community-based interventions and launching an awareness campaign to build digital resilience and critical thinking skills online. The Online Safety Act updated Ofcom’s statutory duty to promote media literacy. This includes raising the awareness and understanding of misinformation and harmful content, especially where it affects vulnerable groups.

The government’s independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 5 November 2025, emphasised the value of secure knowledge, the process of questioning and critical enquiry and weighing up evidence across information and sources. The government’s response to the review committed to strengthening media literacy content in the curriculum to ensure vital applied knowledge and skills in media and digital literacy are embedded into the revised curriculum, that subject-specific disciplinary skills including critical thinking and problem solving are clearly articulated in the refreshed programmes of study.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to support civic education initiatives aimed at strengthening resilience to foreign propaganda.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Improved media literacy builds resilience to misinformation and disinformation and fosters critical thinking. The government is improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work, including funding innovative community-based interventions and launching an awareness campaign to build digital resilience and critical thinking skills online. The Online Safety Act updated Ofcom’s statutory duty to promote media literacy. This includes raising the awareness and understanding of misinformation and harmful content, especially where it affects vulnerable groups.

The government’s independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 5 November 2025, emphasised the value of secure knowledge, the process of questioning and critical enquiry and weighing up evidence across information and sources. The government’s response to the review committed to strengthening media literacy content in the curriculum to ensure vital applied knowledge and skills in media and digital literacy are embedded into the revised curriculum, that subject-specific disciplinary skills including critical thinking and problem solving are clearly articulated in the refreshed programmes of study.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to help improve cross-government coordination to counter hostile state narratives promoted through domestic voices.

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

The Defending Democracy Taskforce has a mandate to drive forward a whole-government response to the full range of threats to our democracy, including foreign information operations.

This response includes the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan, which I announced in the House in November.

Coordinated by the Cabinet Office with the support of Departments across Whitehall, this plan is designed to disrupt the ecosystem of proxy organisations and individuals used by foreign states to facilitate interference.

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 his Department of the report by Resilience & Reconstruction entitled Disinformation, UK Democracy, and Attitudes toward Ukraine & Russia in the UK, published on 14 January 2026.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January in response to Question 105450.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place within the Church of England.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Archbishops’ Council, as part of the National Church Institutions, is responsible for overseeing the work of the National Safeguarding Team (NST).

The NST continues to strengthen safeguarding across the Church of England at all levels. All national safeguarding policies have been comprehensively revised over the past five years and are now legally enforceable Codes of Practice, supported by detailed good practice guidance covering all aspects of church safeguarding.

An extensive training programme is being delivered: in 2025, over 65,000 individuals completed the Basic Safeguarding Module, and over 35,000 people undertook domestic abuse training.

Tetbury Area Youth and Community Trust

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026

Community spaces

Dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands

Public inquiry into Epstein links

Role of the House of Lords in scrutinising legislation

Grey belt policy and the impact on villages and rural communities

World Cancer Day and breast cancer

Artificial Intelligence chatbots

Hospices and end of life care

World Cancer Day

90th anniversary of the Spitfire

Signing of the Hamburg Declaration

President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

Prior's Court Children Home Ofsted Outstanding rating

Career of Ann Lambert

Social media for under 16s

Deregistration of international non-governmental organisations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Found: Q20 Cameron Thomas: Euan or Matt, do you have anything to add to that?

Found: Q20 Cameron Thomas: Euan or Matt, do you have anything to add to that?