Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on extending medical evacuation support to people currently in Gaza requiring access to urgent or serious medical treatment who have families based in the UK.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 25 July 2025, the Prime Minister announced that the United Kingdom was taking immediate steps to alleviate the humanitarian situation, including getting injured children out of Gaza and into British hospitals. 50 children and their immediate families have been evacuated from Gaza to the UK as part of the UK Government led process. Participation in the UKG Gaza Medevacs is solely through the World Health Organization supported process and UKG will not consider direct requests for assistance. Outside of the UKG Gaza Medevacs process those wishing to come to the UK from Gaza should do so under the existing immigration rules.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what methods are available to allow Syrians who arrived under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme to demonstrate their (a) right to (i) work and (ii) study in the UK and (b) recourse to public funds.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Syrians resettled under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) were granted permission to work and recourse to public funds on arrival in the UK.

The UK has transitioned to a fully digital immigration system, replacing physical documents such as Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and visa vignettes with eVisas, which now serve as the primary proof of immigration status.

An eVisa shows an individual’s identity and immigration status, including right to work, rent or access public funds.

Individuals use their UKVI account to generate a share code to prove their status to employers, landlords or carriers, including when travelling.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) the introduction of a compensation scheme to support those facing financial hardship as a result of the delays in administering pensions and lump sums and (b) the prioritising of hardship cases including unpaid retirees, people retiring imminently, ill-health retirement cases and bereavement cases.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. Administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December.

The issues and delays facing some civil servants and pension scheme members in accessing their pensions is unacceptable.

In response, we have set up a dedicated a surge team of 150 staff to work alongside the 500 Capita staff to clear the backlog. There is an agreed recovery plan in place that prioritises the most urgent cases including bereavements, ill health and hardship cases and has clear timelines and targets for full-service restoration for all members.

No former civil servant should be facing financial hardship as a result of delays to their pension and we are putting in place direct support for people facing delays in their first payments. We are also actively working with all partners to ensure affected members do not suffer permanent financial loss as a result of this issue.

The Cabinet Office has set out arrangements whereby employing departments are able to make interest-free hardship loans to those who are waiting for their pension benefits.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what resources he has allocated to help ensure the timely and efficient processing of the 86,000 cases inherited by Capita from My CSP.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. Administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December.

The issues and delays facing some civil servants and pension scheme members in accessing their pensions is unacceptable.

In response, we have set up a dedicated a surge team of 150 staff to work alongside the 500 Capita staff to clear the backlog. There is an agreed recovery plan in place that prioritises the most urgent cases including bereavements, ill health and hardship cases and has clear timelines and targets for full-service restoration for all members.

No former civil servant should be facing financial hardship as a result of delays to their pension and we are putting in place direct support for people facing delays in their first payments. We are also actively working with all partners to ensure affected members do not suffer permanent financial loss as a result of this issue.

The Cabinet Office has set out arrangements whereby employing departments are able to make interest-free hardship loans to those who are waiting for their pension benefits.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on food security and local growing incentives.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Food Security is a devolved matter. Ministers from all four nations discuss food system issues through the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In addition, officials have regular engagement on a wide range of food security and resilience issues.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions have been taken against republican paramilitaries for troubles-related crimes.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Government does not hold all of the specific information that has been requested.

We understand that, between 1 January 2012 and December 2024, 68 cases for potential prosecution were considered in Northern Ireland in relation to Troubles-related cases, of which, there were 25 decisions to prosecute. 13 of these decisions relate to cases that fall within the republican category, 6 within the loyalist category, and 6 within the military category.

Where decisions have been taken to prosecute in Northern Ireland, there have been 6 convictions; 3 in the republican category, two in the loyalist category, and 1 in the military category, with that individual being given a suspended sentence.

We understand that figures relating to 1998-2012 are not available.

Information about Troubles-related prosecutions in England and Wales is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions have been taken against loyalist paramilitaries for troubles-related crimes.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Government does not hold all of the specific information that has been requested.

We understand that, between 1 January 2012 and December 2024, 68 cases for potential prosecution were considered in Northern Ireland in relation to Troubles-related cases, of which, there were 25 decisions to prosecute. 13 of these decisions relate to cases that fall within the republican category, 6 within the loyalist category, and 6 within the military category.

Where decisions have been taken to prosecute in Northern Ireland, there have been 6 convictions; 3 in the republican category, two in the loyalist category, and 1 in the military category, with that individual being given a suspended sentence.

We understand that figures relating to 1998-2012 are not available.

Information about Troubles-related prosecutions in England and Wales is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions have been brought for murder and manslaughter in relation troubles related crimes; and how many were related to people with a paramilitary and security force background.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Government does not hold the specific information that has been requested.

Any further queries should be directed to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland or the Crown Prosecution Service as relevant.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions have been against members of the British armed forces for troubles related crimes.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Government does not hold all of the specific information that has been requested.

We understand that, between 1 January 2012 and December 2024, 68 cases for potential prosecution were considered in Northern Ireland in relation to Troubles-related cases, of which there were 25 decisions to prosecute. 6 of these decisions relate to cases that fall within the military category.

While ongoing prosecutions are a matter for the relevant independent prosecution service, it is the Government’s understanding that there are now nine ongoing Troubles-related prosecutions in Northern Ireland. Of those nine prosecutions, one falls in the military category.

We understand that figures relating to 1998-2012 are not available. Any further queries should be directed to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland or the Crown Prosecution Service as relevant.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what information his Department holds on the number of prosecutions that have been made against security forces for troubles related crimes; and how many of these prosecutions relate to (a) murder, (b) manslaughter and (c) other crimes.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Government does not hold all of the specific information that has been requested.

We understand that, between 1 January 2012 and December 2024, 68 cases for potential prosecution were considered in Northern Ireland in relation to Troubles-related cases, of which there were 25 decisions to prosecute. 6 of these decisions relate to cases that fall within the military category. None related to cases that fall within the police category.

Within that period, there has been one successful prosecution of a soldier in 2022, which was for manslaughter. That individual was given a suspended sentence.

While ongoing prosecutions are a matter for the relevant independent prosecution service, it is the Government’s understanding that there are now nine ongoing Troubles-related prosecutions in Northern Ireland. Of those nine prosecutions, one falls in the former police category, and one in the military category.

We understand that figures relating to 1998-2012 are not available. Any further queries should be directed to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland or the Crown Prosecution Service as relevant.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department will publish a formal response to the Hughes report.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which sets out options for redress for those harmed by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. I recently met with the Patient Safety Commissioner to provide an update on the work led by the Department regarding sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. Though a decision to provide financial compensation has not yet been made, the Government is determined to make meaningful progress on this area.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to increase the benefit cap.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

There is a statutory obligation to review the levels of the benefit cap at least once every five years. They were last reviewed in November 2022 and, as such, a further review is required by November 2027. This will happen at the appropriate time as determined by the Secretary of State.

Royal Mail postal delivery services

30th anniversary of the Dunblane Primary School tragedy

Government response to Israel’s West Bank annexation plan

Dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands

British couple detained in Iran

Relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Public inquiry into Epstein links

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Found: Labour; Gower) (Chair) Chris Bloore (Labour; Redditch) Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance; Lagan Valley) Claire Hanna

Found: Labour; Gower) (Chair) Chris Bloore (Labour; Redditch) Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance; Lagan Valley) Claire Hanna