Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether UK-US agreements have been made on trade in Liquified Natural Gas.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We cannot comment on the specifics of live trade negotiations. However, we are continuing talks on a wider UK-US economic deal which will look at increasing digital trade, enhancing access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains.

The UK already imports liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US under existing commercial arrangements. In 2024, US LNG imports (measured in TWh) fell 41% compared to 2023. While the US was our largest LNG supplier in 2024, Norway remained the dominant source of overall natural gas - both play an important role in supporting our energy security.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) the number of contracts for imports of US Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and (b) LNG import infrastructure.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Liquified natural gas (LNG) is bought and sold on the global market by commercial organisations and, as such, the government does not play a role in securing or assessing contracts. The government works closely with the gas system operator and is confident that they have the tools they need to effectively balance supply and demand in a wide range of scenarios, as they have done in previous years.

The government annually reviews the availability of gas for meeting the reasonable demands of consumers in Great Britain (GB), considering the short and long-term, through the Statutory Security of Supply Report. This includes an assessment of the adequacy of LNG import infrastructure, and notes that GB will continue to benefit from a diverse set of import routes and the second largest LNG import infrastructure capacity in Europe.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish the (a) start date, (b) end date, (c) annual gas volume, (d) contract value, (e) supplying country, (f) supplying company and (g) importing company of contracts for the import of gas to the UK.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

This is not information the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero owns.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policy on LNG imports to the UK of the report entitled Energy, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of U.S. LNG Exports, published in 2024 by the US Department of Energy.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is aware of the report published in 2024 by the US Department of Energy. DESNZ monitors developments in the global Liquified Natural Gas market closely and considers a wide range of sources in doing so. The USA is, and will continue to be, an important supplier of LNG for the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will confirm whether UK cooperation with the Five Eyes Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Caucus is ongoing.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 5 September 2025 to Question 69989.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to (a) train and (b) recruit staff in the prison workforce.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We know that sufficient and skilled frontline staffing is fundamental to delivering safe, secure, and rehabilitative prisons. We remain committed to ensuring prisons are sufficiently resourced and that we retain and build levels of experience.

HMPPS believes that having a high-quality training offer for prison officers ensures that they feel competent in their roles, and that they can do their vital job of reducing reoffending and protecting the public. All new entrants are expected to undergo 10 weeks of initial training, comprised of an induction process that aims to familiarise them with the prison environment by meeting their line manager and colleagues and learning about security procedures. This is followed by face-to-face training at a central or local learning venue of 7 weeks for staff going into the adult male estate, 8 weeks for staff going into the female estate or 9 weeks for those going into the Youth Custody Service. They then return to their establishment for a final week of consolidation and shadowing.

HMPPS is committed to improving prison officer training. Through the ‘Enable Programme’, a dedicated workforce transformation programme, HMPPS is leading a full redesign of prison officer training, aiming to strengthen the training offer through more robust, evidence-based approach. This will include a new 12-month modular package of learning which will support the development of the knowledge, skills, behaviours and confidence needed for the modern prison officer role.

Substantive recruitment efforts will continue at all prisons where vacancies exist or are projected, with targeted interventions applied to those prisons with the most need. We closely monitor staffing levels across the estate and look to provide short-term support where needed. All prison expansion projects, whether new prisons or smaller builds, are factored into our staffing forecasts to ensure we recruit on time and build up the experience needed to continue to deliver safe and secure regimes.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data his Department holds on retention rates for prison officers.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Department does not publish a ‘retention rate’ for prison officers. The quarterly HMPPS workforce statistics includes resignation rates for prison officers, which refers to the percentage of staff with a permanent contract of employment who resigned from HMPPS, and leaving rates, which refers to the percentage of staff with a permanent contract of employment who left HMPPS, including individuals who have retired early, but excluding staff who left due to voluntary early departure schemes and redundancy.

The latest data in the quarterly HMPPS workforce statistics covers the period up to the end of June 2025 and are available here: HM Prison and Probation Service workforce quarterly: June 2025 - GOV.UK.

We remain committed to ensuring prisons are sufficiently resourced and that we retain levels of experience, both of which are fundamental to delivering quality outcomes in prisons. To help increase retention, HMPPS has created a retention strategy which is linked to wider activities around employee experience, employee lifecycle and staff engagement at work. Alongside the strategy, a retention toolkit has been introduced which identifies local, regional and national interventions against the drivers of attrition, which are utilised by establishments to ensure that they are embedding individual Retention Plans.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made with the Secretary of State for Justice of the potential impact of recent changes to the eligibility criteria for skilled worker visas on prison staff.

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

On 12 May, the Government published our Immigration White Paper, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes. On 22 July the first phase of changes took effect, including raising the threshold for Skilled Worker visas to graduate level occupations.

Prison service officers are classed as a medium skilled role and are not on the Temporary Shortage List (TSL) or Immigration Salary List (ISL). Therefore, workers with general work rights will not be able to switch to the Skilled Worker route.

Those on Skilled Worker visas before 22 July 2025 and who need to extend their stay can continue to apply in medium skilled roles and will have to meet the salary requirements in place at the time they apply.

It is our intention to publish an Impact Assessment (IA) at the earliest opportunity. A technical annex (www.gov.uk/government/publications/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex) was published alongside the Immigration White Paper setting out the impact of some of the key policy changes.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department receives a share of funds from every F-35 sold to (a) foreign military sales customers and (b) Israel.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

A key part of the overall funding approach for the F-35 is that all F-35 partners who contributed to development costs for the platform are able to recoup elements of the that original expenditure from foreign military sales, relative to their level of investment in programme development.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data the Government holds on the percentage of prison officers employed via the worker visa route.

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

Published visa data is available at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the press release entitled US-UK pact will boost advances in drug discovery, create tens of thousands of jobs and transform lives, published on 16 September 2025, which regulations he plans to (a) change and (b) repeal under the civil nuclear deal.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The civil nuclear deal referenced in the press release of 16 September 2025 forms part of a broader strategic partnership between the United Kingdom and the United States, aimed at accelerating innovation and infrastructure delivery across key sectors, including clean energy. The significant time savings referenced in the deal will be achieved by our regulators working in partnership with their US counterparts to align licensing processes and share technical analysis, without the need for any changes to regulation. It will enable British families to benefit from cleaner, more reliable energy and supporting the creation of high-quality jobs.

In addition, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) & Ministry of Defence (MoD) has commissioned the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce to examine the regulatory framework governing civil nuclear development. The Taskforce is considering a range of options to streamline regulation, whilst maintaining the UK’s high standards of nuclear safety, security and environmental protection.

The Taskforce’s final report has not yet been published. It would therefore be premature to confirm which specific regulations may be subject to change or repeal. Any proposals will be set out in full in the final report and in the government’s response.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled US-UK pact will boost advances in drug discovery, create tens of thousands of jobs and transform lives, published on 16 September 2025, whether her Department has undertaken an impact assessment for the projected (a) water and (b) energy usage for the data centres announced.

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

Developers are responsible for undertaking environmental impact assessments for new data centres, including assessments of water and energy usage. As part of the criteria for hosting an AI Growth Zone (AIGZ), applicants must demonstrate access to sufficient water resources to support at least 500MW of AI infrastructure. This includes written confirmation from the relevant water supplier detailing volumes available, infrastructure requirements, and wastewater discharge plans.

DSIT are working closely with DESNZ to ensure AI energy demand aligns with future energy planning and ensure long-term sustainability.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department undertook an environmental impact assessment for the building of new data centres before the announcement of the Tech Prosperity Deal on 16 September 2025.

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

Developers are responsible for carrying out environmental impact assessments for new data centres. As part of our criteria for hosting major data centres, such as in AI Growth Zones (AIGZ), we set a minimum requirement of at least 500MW of energy capacity by 2030; 100 acres of developable land; and support from local planning authorities.

Applicants are also required to demonstrate positive local impact, including access to low-carbon energy sources, potential for regeneration, and alignment with local planning priorities.

Buying community energy locally

Five-year indefinite leave to remain pathway for Skilled Worker visa holders

Leeds Stand Up To Racism’s event

Skilled Worker Visa eligibility rules and transport workers

Found: Chris Hinchliff Ian Sollom Dr Roz Savage Mr Will Forster Ben Maguire Siân Berry John McDonnell Clive Lewis

Found: Chris Hinchliff Ian Sollom Dr Roz Savage Mr Will Forster Ben Maguire Siân Berry John McDonnell Clive Lewis

Found: Chris Hinchliff Ian Sollom Dr Roz Savage Mr Will Forster Ben Maguire Siân Berry John McDonnell Clive Lewis