Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to WPQ 51812, what assessment he has made of the reliability of BMI testing, in the context of the Global Burden of Disease’s indication that one of the main contributory causes of type 2 diabetes is high body mass index.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service.

NICE has published guidance on the management of overweight and obesity. The guidance recommends that body mass index (BMI) is used as a practical measure of overweight and obesity. It acknowledges the limitations of BMI, highlighting that the measurement should be interpreted with caution because it is not a direct measure of abdominal fat. In adults with a BMI below 35 kilogram per meter of height squared, waist to height ratio is also recommended. These measurements together can be used to help assess and predict health risks, such as type 2 diabetes.

NICE also recommends lower BMI cut offs for certain ethnic minority groups, as they are prone to higher levels of abdominal fat and have an increased risk of developing certain health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, at a lower BMI.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to help support and promote biotechnology in Northern Ireland through the Industrial Strategy.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Life sciences, which includes biotechnology, is one of the priority sectors under the Government’s Industrial Strategy. This summer the Government published the UK Life Sciences Sector Plan, setting out a bold ambition to make the UK the leading life sciences economy in Europe by 2030. The Plan supports growth across the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, recognising its particular strengths in precision medicine, diagnostics, advanced manufacturing and clinical research. The Office for Life Sciences is working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to align priorities, attract investment, and deliver growth in Northern Ireland’s life sciences sector.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Financial Conduct Authority's press release entitled FCA sets out landmark package to boost UK investment culture, published on 8 December 2025, whether she plans to provide additional support for those reforms.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government wants to see more people benefit from the higher returns and long-term financial resilience that investing can provide. That is why the Chancellor has set out a series of bold measures to get Britain investing again, including the reforms to ISAs announced at Autumn Budget.

In that context, the Government welcomes the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) publication of final rules for the new Consumer Composite Investment regime. This will deliver tailored and flexible disclosure to support investors in their decision making, and will come into force from April 2026.

In addition, the Government is working closely with the FCA to launch a system of targeted support in early April 2026 to increase the support available to consumers. On 11 December, the Government confirmed it will be taking forward legislation to implement targeted support and the FCA published a policy statement setting out near-final rules for the regime.

Furthermore, the Government and FCA are working closely with the industry-led initiatives to promote the benefits of investing to the public, and to reform how firms talk about the risks and benefits of investing. Combined, these measures aim to support a thriving retail investment culture.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how she will notify SMEs that their bank is a designated bank under any scheme set up to ensure customers that are rejected for finance approval can be matched with alternatives who will offer support.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Bank Referral Scheme is an initiative dating back to 2014, which requires major lenders (designated banks) to refer SME customers that they reject for finance, with the SMEs’ permission, to finance platforms that can match the SME with alternative finance providers, in order to improve access to finance.

In the interests of public transparency, the Treasury is required under the law to publish a list of banks designated under the Scheme. The list of currently designated banks can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designation-of-banks-and-finance-platforms-for-finance-platforms-regulations/notice-of-designation-small-and-medium-sized-business-finance-platforms-regulations-2015

Under the existing regulations, SMEs also learn about their bank’s involvement in the Scheme as the law requires the bank to ask the SME whether they agree to their information being provided to finance platforms under the Scheme, in order to try and match the SME with alternative finance.

On 27th October, the Government launched a consultation and call for evidence on the Bank Referral Scheme, inviting views on a range of issues and proposals aimed at better facilitating SME access to finance through the Scheme, including on bank designations and improving awareness of the Scheme.

The consultation sets out that, at a minimum, the Government intends to improve its own information resources on the Scheme. It also explains that the Government is considering whether it would be beneficial for more information on the Scheme to be made readily available to SMEs earlier, when they are considering external finance, regardless of whether they have already applied and been rejected. The consultation is due to close on 22 December.

The Government will set out its position on any changes to the Scheme in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assesment she has made of the potential impact the Windsor Framework on the operations of the Civil Aviation Authority.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

While the Windsor Framework does contain provisions related to the movement of people, animals and goods, including by air, we assess that the Windsor Framework has no direct impact on the UK-wide regulatory role of the Civil Aviation Authority.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of use of illegal number plates between 2021 and 2025.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not hold data on the level of use of illegal number plates. On road enforcement is a matter for the police.

The DVLA works with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

The law requires that anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK must be registered with the DVLA. It is a legal requirement for suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who can prove they are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the plates they have supplied. Selling a number plate without carrying out these required checks carries a maximum penalty of a fine of £1,000 and the potential removal from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers (RNPS).

The DVLA is considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable RNPS process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 9 December 2025 to Question 96618 and 25 November 2025 to Question 94151, what assessment she has made of the risk of those involved in committing acts of terrorism being included in the commemoration events.

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

On 21 August next year, the nation will come together to pay tribute to victimsand survivors of terrorism.

The National Day is dedicated to remembering and recognising victims andsurvivors of terrorism, rather than the perpetrators of such attacks.

We will closely engage victims and survivors throughout the preparations toensure arrangements are sensitive to their needs.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many biomass boilers granted and installed under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme have had to be replaced due to faults in the installation or in the boiler in each of the last three years.

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

The Government does not hold specific data on the number of biomass boilers that have subsequently been replaced under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Ofgem, the scheme administrators, continue to work closely with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and consumer codes to monitor any complaints received, and to identify and resolve any issues with systems installed under the scheme.

Biomass deployment under the scheme represents a relatively small proportion of overall installations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what has been the change in the volume of sustainable aviation fuel production in the UK between 2019 and 2024.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We do not hold statistics on volumes of SAF produced in the UK. SAF volumes are reported to the Department by fuel suppliers to discharge their obligations under the SAF mandate, and between 2019 and 2024, under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). SAF is not yet produced globally at a large scale. In the UK the only commercial scale SAF producer is at Phillips 66’s Humberside refinery.

Looking forward, the Government is taking decisive action to scale up UK SAF production. From 1 January 2025, the SAF mandate came into effect, setting a clear trajectory for growth – 10% of UK aviation fuel is required to be SAF by 2030 and 22% by 2040. To help deliver this, £63 million in grant funding has been allocated through the Advanced Fuels Fund for the current year to support UK SAF plants, with continued support for SAF production through to 2029/30. We have also introduced a SAF Bill that will establish a Revenue Certainty Mechanism, giving investors confidence to build and operate SAF facilities in the UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the total in duty deferment accounts that HMRC received in the calendar year 2024 via customs duties collected as a result of trade between GB and NI affected by the Windsor Framework.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC does not hold the information in the format requested.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Veterinary Medicine Working Group plans to meet in January 2026.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Veterinary Medicine Working Group last met on 9 December 2025 and plans to meet next in the early new year when the two schemes that the Government is introducing will be in effect.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate has been made of the number of people paying (a) basic rate, (b) higher rate, and (c) additional rate of Income Tax between 2020 and 2025.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The number of individuals in each of the three main Income Tax rate bands from 2020 to 2025 is published in Table 2.1 of HMRC’s Accredited official statistics. Updated forecasts are published in Table 3.19 of the OBR’s November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook, linked below:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685a6be4454906840a44d5bb/Table_2.1_Number_of_individual_Income_Tax_Payers.ods

https://obr.uk/download/november-2025-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-detailed-forecast-tables-receipts/?tmstv=1765817494

The previous Government made the decision to maintain income tax thresholds at their current levels from April 2021 until April 2028.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will consider changing air passenger duty on all passengers so that higher duty is levied on those who fly more frequently.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The distance-band structure of Air Passenger Duty (APD) already ensures that those who fly furthest, in the greatest comfort, pay the most. Similarly, given APD is charged on all UK-departing flights, those who fly most often pay more.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Connect Fund reaches communities that have previously had lower application rates for grant funding across Northern Ireland.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The £1m Connect Fund makes awards to strengthen civic ties between Northern Ireland and Great Britain across a range of sectors. I am encouraged by the high level of interest the Fund has received from community and voluntary groups to date. Early next year, a series of roadshows will be hosted across Northern Ireland, including areas with lower application rates, to advertise the Fund and support a broad geographical spread of applicants.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to WPQ 3948 Dated 9/9/2024, which areas in the nations and regions of the UK were events held to ensure that businesses become more aware of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

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

Since September 2023 the Department for Business and Trade has attended or coordinated over 70 events (online or in-person) to ensure that UK businesses are aware of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). In person events have so far taken place in areas across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and online events have been targeted at UK businesses based throughout the UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people aged 66 and over are estimated in 2025 to be in (a) full time employment, and (b) part time employment.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 15th of December is attached.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the change in the tonnage of (a) recycled and (b) incinerated waste between 2019 and 2024.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The most comprehensive waste treatment data Defra hold for the period from 2019 to 2024 cover the management of local authority collected waste in England for the financial years 2018/19 to 2023/24. The data are available in the Local authority collected waste management - annual results - GOV.UK publication.

Over this period, the total tonnage of waste collected by local authorities has fallen by 534,000 tonnes, from 25.6 million tonnes in 2018/19 to 25.1 million tonnes in 2023/24. Tonnages of waste recycled have fallen by 560,000 tonnes, while tonnages of waste sent for incineration with energy recovery have increased by 1.5 million tonnes and tonnages incinerated without energy recovery have fallen by 88,000 tonnes.

Data are available on the final treatment of all waste in the UK in the UK statistics on waste - GOV.UK publication, the most recent data are for 2020. Equivalent England-level data are also available for 2022 in the same publication. Both the UK and England data sets are updated biennially.

St Mirren, winner of the Premier Sports Cup

Speed of deportation of foreign offenders

Reducing emigration of young, skilled British citizens

Tackling antisemitism and hatred

New leadership of the Orange Order in Ireland

Changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief in the Autumn Budget 2025

Tackling Islamist extremism

Acquittal of Shaun O’Sullivan, free speech and religious freedom