Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to assist home-owners whose property is not suitable for the installation of heat pumps.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Evidence gathered from the Government funded Electrification of Heat Demonstration Project showed that heat pumps will work well in the vast majority of homes. Moreover, modern heat pumps can increasingly be used in homes previously considered unsuitable for electrification.

The Heat Pump Ready Innovation Programme previously funded a variety of projects, including those seeking to improve the ease of heat pump deployment in homes that are ‘complex to decarbonise’.

The department has also commissioned research to collect data on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes, including the use of alternative low carbon heating solutions where they are required, and we expect to receive results from that research in early 2026.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps is he taking to help mitigate and adapt the UK economy to help curb climate change.

Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

On 29 October, we published the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan. This sets out how the UK will continue to reduce emissions in a way that lowers bills and secures good jobs, in line with the landmark 2008 Climate Change Act. This framework has been supported by Britain’s leading businesses, trade unions, and civil society organisations because it creates a stable environment for investment in clean energy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help support all medical graduates to access employment.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Last year, all eligible medical applicants were offered a place on the UK Foundation Programme, which provides medical graduates with employment as a doctor and which continues of their training.

The 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, set out that over the next three years we would create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need.

On 8 December 2025, the Government put an offer in writing to the British Medical Association (BMA) Resident Doctors Committee which was rejected. The offer would have increased the number of training posts over the next three years from the 1,000 announced in the 10-Year Health Plan to 4,000, bringing forward 1,000 of these training posts to start in 2026. The BMA have rejected the Government's offer, so that is not going ahead. The Government will consider its next steps.

The Government will introduce the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill in Parliament, which will prioritise United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland medical graduates for foundation training, and prioritise UK and Republic of Ireland medical graduates and doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period of time for specialty training. Subject to parliamentary passage, this will apply to current applicants for training posts starting in 2026, and every year after that. This will reduce competition ratios for UK medical graduates and other prioritised applicants.

This is in addition to the steps already taken by NHS England in September to tackle competition for speciality training places this year by changing General Medical Council’s registration requirements and limiting the number of applications that can be submitted by individuals.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support UK NGOs that have been prevented from continuing their work in Gaza.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the statement I made to the House on 5 January.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's report entitled Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts, Research Report No 447, published on 11 November 2025, what assessment he has made of the evidence on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reviewing the decision to not award financial redress to those women born in the 1950s that were adversely affected by changes to pension entitlements.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out on 11 November 2025, we are retaking the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on state pension age. In retaking the decision, we are reviewing the 2007 report entitled Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts, Research Report No 447, alongside evidence previously considered. That work is underway but has not yet concluded.

We will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to seek reciprocal visa-waiver arrangements with the EU and its member states.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

HMG officials and Ministers, including myself, regularly engage the EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals. The UK and the EU allow for visa-free, short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals.

The UK allows EU citizens visa-free travel for up to six months; the EU allows for visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period which is standard for third nationals travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to protect British citizens from transnational repression from hostile states.

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

The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Robust tools and system-wide safeguards are in place to robustly counter the threat of transnational repression (TNR). As set out in my statement to the House on 14 May, following the Defending Democracy Taskforce’s Review of TNR, we have:

• Implemented the National Security Act 2023, which provides a comprehensive suite of powers to counter state‑threats activity, including conduct that may amount to TNR.

• Published practical guidance on GOV.UK for individuals who believe they may be at risk, with advice to help them protect themselves physically and online.

• Rolled out training on state threats across all 45 territorial police forces, including upskilling of 999 call handlers on TNR, to strengthen frontline identification and response.

• Deployed tailored support and security assistance for individual victims where we become aware of them - proportionate to the threat and varied in scope and approach.

Anyone who thinks they might be a victim should report incidents or suspicious activity to the police via 101, at a local police station, or 999 in emergencies.

Any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated, irrespective of where the threat emanates.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that Schengen Area Passport Validity requirements are clearly and effectively communicated by (a) airlines and (b) travel operators.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The EU will be liaising with airlines flying to the Schengen zone on the publication/notification of any requirements.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to take steps to implement the recommendations of the Leveson inquiry.

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

The Leveson Inquiry led to changes in the regulatory system of the press, which included the creation of the Press Recognition Panel, by Royal Charter and two new press regulators, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and the Independent Monitor of the Press (Impress). This is a self-regulatory system, which was established to be independent from Government and protect press freedom. We are also clear, however, that with this freedom comes responsibility. Publishers must operate within the bounds of the law and set and uphold high professional and ethical standards.

The news landscape has changed substantially over the past decade, and looking ahead, we want to maintain press freedom, whilst being clear the public must be protected from the harm caused by clear instances of intrusion and harassment. The Government is carefully considering next steps to determine the best route forward to ensure public trust and accountability in our evolving news media.

Ministers and officials working in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regularly engage with stakeholders on a range of press-related issues. Details of ministerial meetings are published on a quarterly basis on Gov.uk. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has previously met with families who have experienced press intrusion. She remains committed to considering the issues they have raised.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps is she taking to help improve pay and conditions in the further education sector.

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

Further education (FE) colleges, rather than the government, are responsible for setting and negotiating staff pay and terms and conditions within colleges.

In May 2025, the department announced a further £190 million investment for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers in addition to the £400 million of extra funding we already planned to spend on 16 to 19 education in financial year 2025/26.

Across the Spending Review period, we will provide £1.2 billion of additional investment per year in skills by 2028/2029.

This significant investment will ensure there is increased funding to colleges and other 16 to19 providers to enable the recruitment and retention of expert teachers in high value subject areas, and interventions to retain top teaching talent

Targeted recruitment incentives of up to £6,000 (after tax) are available for eligible early career FE teachers working in key science, technology, engineering and mathematics and technical shortage subjects, in disadvantaged schools and colleges (including in Sixth Form Colleges). This payment is separate to teachers’ usual pay.

Found: Glasgow East) Dame Siobhain McDonagh (Labour; Mitcham and Morden) Luke Murphy (Labour; Basingstoke) Catherine West

Found: Glasgow East) Dame Siobhain McDonagh (Labour; Mitcham and Morden) Luke Murphy (Labour; Basingstoke) Catherine West