Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing an exemption for hospices and charities providing health and care services from the increase in employer National Insurance contributions.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has protected the smallest businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. That means more than half of businesses with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change this year.

The Government also provides support for charities via our tax regime, which is among the most generous of anywhere in the world, with tax reliefs for charities and their donors worth just over £6 billion for the tax year to April 2024.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of partnering with customs to monitor the importation of nitrous oxide.

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

Border Force works closely with law enforcement and our partners across the world to share intelligence in order to protect the public. We have seen a record level of drug seizures in FY2024, demonstrating police and Border Force are working relentlessly to stop illegal drugs from coming into the country and keep them off our streets.

Nitrous Oxide is a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It is an offence for a person to import or export nitrous oxide if they intend to wrongfully inhale it or if they know, or are reckless as to whether, it is likely to be wrongfully inhaled by some other person. “Wrongful inhalation” means inhalation other than for medical or dental purposes, and which is not accidental inhalation of nitrous oxide which has been released into the atmosphere (such as in industrial processes).

Data on seizures of nitrous oxide and other controlled drugs at the UK border are published at:

• Seizures of Drugs in England and Wales, financial year ending 2024
• Border Force Transparency Data

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what Parliamentary process will be followed prior to the implementation of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Minister for Women and Equalities is considering the EHRC’s updated draft Code. If the Minister approves the draft Code, it will be laid before both Houses over a period of 40 sitting days.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support armed forces spouses right to work abroad in the same country as their partner.

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

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to supporting UK Service personnel and their families.

The Armed Forces Covenant, which this Government has made a manifesto commitment to put into law, has at its heart the principle that those who serve and have served and their families should not be disadvantaged as a result of their Service. All Government Departments, not just MOD, are committed to upholding the Covenant. Improving prospects for partner employment is also a key theme of the Armed Forces Families Strategy.

One of the actions taken by Defence is funding the Armed Forces Families Fund (AF3) to support this work. Between 2022 and today, a total of £2,242 million has been granted to fund projects supporting spouses and partners of Service personnel at national, local, and unit levels, both within the UK and overseas. This includes projects providing tailored training to spouses and partners, enabling them to get back into employment.

In addition, Defence is currently working on guidance in line with the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant to encourage other Government Departments to support any employees who wish to work remotely from overseas to accompany their serving partner, so that they don’t have to compromise between their career and family life.

We are currently reviewing a number of our international arrangements to ensure that spouses of UK Service personnel are able to remain in employment when they accompany their serving partners.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure there are a total of 19 RN Type 26 frigate vessels by 2030.

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

The Royal Navy is making substantial progress towards deploying autonomous systems alongside crewed platforms to increase the lethality of the fleet and deliver the SDR recommendations

The Royal Navy has two frigate acquisition programmes that will ensure surface fleet capabilities are sustained. The current Type 23 Duke Class frigates will be replaced by eight Type 26 City Class frigates and five Type 31 Inspiration Class frigates. Type 26 frigates are expected to enter service from 2028 onwards, and all Type 31s are expected to be in service by the early 2030s. The Royal Navy is also continuing to make significant investment in its six Daring Class destroyers, the Type 45, to enhance and sustain the class into the late 2030s.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the cost to the public purse for urgent repair call-outs to reserve bases in each month since January 2023.

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

Please note that the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) went live for the Reserve Estate on 1 August 2024, information after this date is not held in the format requested.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the number of urgent repair call-outs to reserve bases in each month since January 2023.

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

The number of Priority 1 and 2 repair call-outs to Reserve Bases for each month since January 2023, are shown in the table below.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to p.10 of the Defence Industrial Strategy, published on 8 September 2025, what his Department's planned timetable is for setting out the membership of the Defence Investors Advisory Group.

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

The Secretary of State for Defence set out at the Defence Investment Summit on 10 September 2025 that the Defence Investors’ Advisory Group would be Chaired by Kerry Balwin. A second co-chair been chosen and will be announced shortly. The Group brings together some of the best minds from banking, pension funds, venture capital and Strategic Finance.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions to the number of roles in his Department’s overseas network on supporting British exporters abroad.

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

We are creating an overseas network which is ready to deliver for British business.

In June we published our Trade Strategy including a vision for a more effective and agile overseas network, shaped by our assessment of the markets, sectors and opportunities that will drive UK economic growth for the next decade and beyond.

We will focus more of our resource on attracting the high value inward investment the economy needs and tackling market access barriers that hold British businesses back. However, directly supporting British exporters will remain the biggest part of what DBT teams do overseas.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a public awareness campaign on the law regarding the use of e-scooters.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We have committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows. It will create safe, legal routes for people to use new transport technology and allow us to crack down on those determined to use e-scooters illegally or irresponsibly.

As part of this, the Government will carefully consider how we communicate with the public on their current legal status, how that will be changing, and any future requirements they may need to comply with to use e-scooters lawfully.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing baby boxes that contain a free box of essential items for every baby born in England.

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

There are currently no plans to roll out baby boxes for every baby born in England. Some local organisations choose to provide baby boxes containing free items to families in their area. Whilst we welcome efforts to provide support to babies and their families, these boxes are sometimes shown as a place for babies to sleep. The Department advises that the safest place for babies to sleep is in a cot or a Moses basket, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/baby-basics/newborn-and-baby-sleeping-advice-for-parents/safe-sleep-advice-for-babies/

The Lullaby Trust has provided guidance which states that baby boxes should only be used for sleep in unplanned and emergency situations, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/travel-and-weather/safer-sleep-away-from-home-in-emergency-situations/

It is important that professionals, parents, and carers follow safe sleep guidance. Ensuring babies have an appropriate place to sleep reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/reduce-the-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome/#:~:text=always%20place%20your%20baby%20on,no%20higher%20than%20their%20shoulders

Midwives, health visitors, general practitioners, and other health and care professionals all provide advice, support, and health promotion regarding safer sleep for families. As part of the universal Healthy Child Programme, health visiting teams offer safe sleeping advice, and intervention where appropriate, to families.

The Government’s Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy sets out how we will expand and strengthen family and health services in early childhood to improve child development, health, and education outcomes. Building on the £126 million funding boost for the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme in 2025/26, Best Start Family Hubs will be rolled out to every local authority from April 2026. Best Start Family Hubs will provide a new evidenced-informed core offer for parents, a clear local mission around children’s early development, and a digital parenting offer.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of doubling the funding for Bereavement Support Payments.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Bereavement Support Payment helps ease the immediate financial pressures following a bereavement by way of an initial lump sum and up to 18 monthly instalments. Longer-term support is available through income replacement benefits such as Universal Credit. The Government keeps all benefits under regular review.

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 the Chancellor of the Exchequer on zero-rating defibrillators for VAT.

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

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not discussed zero-rating defibrillators for VAT with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Government provides VAT reliefs to aid with the purchase of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) through VAT refunds on purchases made by local authorities, including parish councils, and VAT reliefs for purchases made through voluntary contributions where the AED is donated to eligible charities or the National Health Service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support female service personnel who have served in front-line roles.

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

Women are a crucial part of the Armed Forces community, and the Government is committed to ensuring their needs and experiences are better understood, and that they have access to the best possible support and opportunities.

There is a well-established policy and process to provide support to all Service personnel who have served in front line roles. This is intended to address any pressure encountered on operations, as a result of day-to-day work or from exposure to individual risk or traumatic situations that may result in physical and/or mental ill health. The process provides support before, during and immediately post-deployment, with a follow-on phase which addresses the longer-term management of Service personnel.

These are designed to reduce the likelihood of personnel developing stress or mental health problems throughout the deployment by providing information and support pre-deployment, monitoring personnel for signs of difficulty, providing support and conducting Trauma Risk Management during the deployment, and by providing decompression, unit briefings and offering support to personnel in the post-deployment phase.

Commanders continue to monitor personnel throughout their career and support will be provided months or even years after a deployment has finished.

When personnel leave the Armed Forces, mental health support continues to be provided by the NHS through programmes such as Op Courage, which is a mental health specialist service designed to help those due to leave the Armed Forces, Reservists, Veterans and their families.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will exempt imports of in-scope raw materials that are used in the manufacture of military equipment in line with the EU UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From 1 January 2027, the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply to specific goods imported from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron & steel sectors. The specific goods are listed in the Government response to the consultation on the ‘Introduction of a UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism’, which is available at: Consultation on the introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism - GOV.UK. There are no plans for exemptions from this list.

The UK CBAM is designed to address the risk of carbon leakage and to ensure that CBAM goods which are imported from overseas face a comparable carbon price to what is paid by manufacturers producing the same goods in the UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of delayed discharges from hospitals due to inadequate adult social care provision on overall NHS capacity.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that delays to hospital discharge impact National Health Service capacity. There are multiple factors contributing to delayed discharges, including processes within hospitals and the availability of appropriate care packages.

The Government has committed approximately £9 billion through the Better Care Fund (BCF) in 2025/26, to support integrated services including intermediate care, which are vital for timely discharge and preventing readmissions. The Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 made it a priority for hospitals to tackle discharge delays, starting with those waiting over 21 days after becoming medically fit for discharge.

From 2026/27, the BCF will be reformed to ensure consistent joint NHS and local authority funding for services essential to integrated care, including hospital discharge.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the Environment Agency increases (a) routine monitoring and (b) inspection of rivers.

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

The Water (Special Measures) Act has introduced independent monitoring of every sewerage outlet, with water companies required to publish near real-time data (within an hour of a discharge occurring) for all emergency overflows, matching the pre-existing duty and meeting the government commitment to ensure monitoring of every outlet.

The Environment Agency (EA) has increased its water quality charges to £149 million from 2025-26, ensuring water companies pay the cost of regulating the sector. These charges include permit charges on water companies for inspections and the new enforcement levy, which will enable EA to recover the costs of their enforcement activity.

The Independent Water Commission has examined how to strengthen the regulation and delivery of water services to better support long-term water security, sustainable growth, and environmental protection. The Former Secretary of State provided an Oral Statement to Parliament in response to the final report and government will be taking forward a number of recommendations.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he will publish a framework for the assessment of the potential impact of the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal.

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

The UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US in May which will save thousands of jobs, protect key British industries, and help drive economic growth.

We remain focused on implementing the first phase of the deal so that businesses up and down the country feel the benefits as soon as possible.

We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at addressing specific non-tariff barriers, increasing digital trade, and unlocking new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations. We will keep the House fully informed on these developments along with the expected economic outcomes of the final deal.

Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to address (a) over-abstraction, (b) phosphorus loading, and (c) urban development pressures on chalk streams.

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

Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is a core ambition of our overall programme of work to clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.

We are tackling one of the biggest threats to chalk streams by reducing harmful abstraction by an estimated 126 million litres daily by 2030, protecting vital water flows to these fragile ecosystems. In June 2025, the Environment Agency (EA) updated its National Framework for Water Resources, which sets out the importance of chalk streams and how we will include their needs in all water resources planning and decision making.

The government recognises that nutrient pollution is a key pressure affecting chalk streams. Under the Environment Act 2021, we have a legally binding target to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture entering the water environment by 40% by 2038.

With regard to impacts from urban development, the EA is a statutory consultee for planning applications and advise on the potential environmental impacts of a development, including matters relating to water.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he will publish an economic impact assessment of the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal.

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

The UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US in May which will save thousands of jobs, protect key British industries, and help drive economic growth.

We remain focused on implementing the first phase of the deal so that businesses up and down the country feel the benefits as soon as possible.

We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at addressing specific non-tariff barriers, increasing digital trade, and unlocking new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations. We will keep the House fully informed on these developments along with the expected economic outcomes of the final deal.

Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement.

Parkrun’s 21st anniversary

35 years of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Coffee Morning

Global Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day 2025

25th anniversary of the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda

50 years of Cheesman Brothers, Guildford

Warm Spaces Programme

Fundraising for Prior’s Court Charity

Contribution of legal immigrants

The Ship Inn, Wokingham and Fuller’s Glorious Gardens Award

Eligibility variations in access to IVF

Warm Homes Plan

Council elections in areas pursuing devolution reform

Friends of the River Granta and the BBC Make a Difference Green Award (No. 2)

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and its work in Wiltshire

10th anniversary of Harrogate Junior Parkrun

National inquiry into child sexual exploitation

Farmgate milk price reduction

South Downs National Park

Elon Musk at the Unite the Kingdom rally

Political donations

Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme

Celebrating Organic September

Speeding in rural areas

Fly camping in the Lake District

Celebrating 40 years of Thursday Club in Bramhall

Enduring friendship between Poland and Scotland

Dentists in Hazel Grove constituency

Dyslexia Awareness Week

Flood Action Week 2025

Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity

Tribute to Fiona Higginson

Thames Water in Wiltshire

Air Ambulance employees and the Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

Renewable energy and coal

Access to school and college transport for disabled young people

Protect our hospices

Protection of the Climate Change Act

Protecting palliative care at Arthur Rank Hospice

Insect decline and pesticide reduction

Blood Cancer Awareness Month

80 years of the Moomins

Emma Kennedy

Leasehold reform (No. 2)

Children of Ukraine

CLN2 Batten disease