Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will undertake a review of intelligence-sharing structures with the US.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The US and the UK have the closest of relationships; our defence, security and intelligence are completely intertwined. No two countries are as close as our two countries, and at a time like this, it would be a mistake to suggest that any weakening of that link is the way forward for security and defence in Europe. As such, the Department has no plans to undertake a review of our intelligence sharing arrangements with the US.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to safeguard students from (a) Hong Kong, (b) Tibet, (c) Taiwan and (d) Xinjiang, who are persecuted by the Chinese authorities on UK campuses.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The first duty of the government is to keep the country safe and this government is committed to responding to foreign interference, including those actions which amount to transnational repression. The government takes protection of individuals' rights, freedoms and safety very seriously, and any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated. Anyone who thinks they might be a victim should report incidents or suspicious activity to the Police via 101, a local police station or 999 in emergencies. As autonomous institutions, the department also expects universities to have robust processes in place to prevent and tackle incidents of harassment and abuse on campuses.

The department is taking specific steps to ensure our world-leading universities remain free from foreign interference. This includes the implementation of the new complaints scheme in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which will offer a focussed route for concerns, including relating to foreign interference in academic freedom and free speech, to be escalated. The government is also working at pace on the implementation of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which will require registration of foreign directed activity involving specific governments and entities where it is necessary to protect the safety or interests of the UK. The department expects the scheme to commence summer this year.

The department continues to work closely with the sector to increase their understanding of the risks and their ability to respond. We are conducting an internal review, informed by engagement with the regulator, sector, academics impacted by foreign interference, as well as international partners, to assess existing approaches to managing the risk of foreign interference and what more support they might need.

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 impact of the number of anaesthetists on maternity care.

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

There has been no such assessment. Decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service employers. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

We are committed to training the staff we need, including anaesthetists and all other medical specialities, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.

We have launched the 10-Year Health Plan which will set out a bold agenda to reform and repair the NHS. A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.

We will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the University of Manchester research entitled The right prescription: Young people, mental health and social prescribing, published on 19 March 2025.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. This is critical to breaking down barriers to opportunity, and helping pupils to achieve and thrive in education. That is why the department has committed to expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. As of April 2024, NHS-funded MHSTs covered 44% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England, and are expected to cover at least 50% by the end of March 2025.

NHS England has recognised that social prescribing is an early intervention approach that can work particularly well for people with low level mental health needs. It has set out a framework for social prescribing link workers operating within or alongside primary care networks. The University of Manchester’s article highlights findings of a pilot on how social prescribing link workers can work effectively to support young people in colleges.

It is for schools and colleges to choose the most appropriate support for their students based on their understanding of needs, making links to primary care services in their area and the support they provide to children and young people. We will look at the lessons of the pilot and evidence on social prescribing in exploring future practical resources for schools and colleges, helping them to provide effective early support.

Regarding Young Futures Hubs, the staffing of each hub will be co-designed with local stakeholders to meet the needs of their local community and the three overriding objectives of improving opportunities, improving mental health and wellbeing, and reducing crime. Such designs may include a variety of different staffing arrangements including social prescribers and other related professionals.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will take steps to integrate social prescribing link workers into (a) schools and (b) Young Futures Hubs.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. This is critical to breaking down barriers to opportunity, and helping pupils to achieve and thrive in education. That is why the department has committed to expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. As of April 2024, NHS-funded MHSTs covered 44% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England, and are expected to cover at least 50% by the end of March 2025.

NHS England has recognised that social prescribing is an early intervention approach that can work particularly well for people with low level mental health needs. It has set out a framework for social prescribing link workers operating within or alongside primary care networks. The University of Manchester’s article highlights findings of a pilot on how social prescribing link workers can work effectively to support young people in colleges.

It is for schools and colleges to choose the most appropriate support for their students based on their understanding of needs, making links to primary care services in their area and the support they provide to children and young people. We will look at the lessons of the pilot and evidence on social prescribing in exploring future practical resources for schools and colleges, helping them to provide effective early support.

Regarding Young Futures Hubs, the staffing of each hub will be co-designed with local stakeholders to meet the needs of their local community and the three overriding objectives of improving opportunities, improving mental health and wellbeing, and reducing crime. Such designs may include a variety of different staffing arrangements including social prescribers and other related professionals.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase the level of research into (a) multi-cancer early detection tests and (b) other innovative cancer screening methods.

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

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), invests over £1.6 billion per year in health research. In 2023/24, the NIHR invested £133 million on cancer research.

Our investment plays a crucial role in underpinning the research funded by our partners. Examples of research into multi-cancer early detection tests currently funded by the NIHR in partnership with the Offices for Life Sciences are miONCO-Dx, a novel test which aims to detect 12 of the most lethal and common cancers at an early stage, and Enlighten, which explores a new means of detecting cancerous cells by analysing protein traces in blood samples. The NIHR also co-funds Cancer Data Driven Detection (CD3), a major new national research initiative in partnership with Cancer Research UK, which uses data to revolutionise our understanding of individual cancer risk, and to allow early detection of cancers.

On 4 February 2025, the Department announced that nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier. The Early Detection using Information Technology in Health trial is backed by £11 million of Government support via the NIHR. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health, including early detection and innovative cancer screening methods.

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 reduce the late diagnosis of (a) rare and (b) less common cancers.

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

Improving early diagnosis rates is a key priority for the Government for all cancer types, including rare and less common cancers. We are improving public awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlining referral routes, and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres.

NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms as well as encouraging ‘body awareness’ to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.

We are also committed to improving waiting times for cancer treatment, so that people with cancer, including rarer cancers, can get access to the care they need more quickly. The National Health Service has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

Finally, the National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. The plan will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care, to improve the experiences and outcomes for people with cancer, including rare and less common cancers.

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 potential impact of increasing capacity for Scottish onshore wind by 700MW between 2030 and 2035 on net zero targets.

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

We don't consider the increase in capacity planned for Scotland between 2030 and 2035 to have an impact on our ability to reach our net zero targets.

The 2035 capacity number for Scotland is based on the National Energy System Operator’s Future Energy Scenarios, which present credible pathways to decarbonise our energy system as we strive towards the 2050 target.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to prevent (a) stalled and (b) speculative schemes from preventing viable renewable energy projects from progressing.

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

The government is working closely with Ofgem, National Energy System Operator (NESO) and network companies to reform the connections process and enable advanced projects, that align with our strategic needs, to connect faster. Ofgem is currently considering connection reform proposals from NESO, which include requirements for projects to demonstrate sufficient progress to obtain, and retain, a connection 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 he is taking to ensure that pubs are not charged twice for recycling glass bottles under Extended Producer Responsibility rules.

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

Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) obligates brands and packaging producers to pay the costs of managing household packaging waste. In most cases, this will not be individual pubs but the business supplying the pub with packaged goods. It is up to individual producers whether to pass these costs on to their customers. The pEPR fees are intended to incentivise producers to use less packaging and to ensure the packaging they do use is environmentally sustainable. For example, where producers use reusable packaging, they will only pay a pEPR fee the first time it is used. Reuse will therefore provide a significant decrease in fees and customers, such as pubs, will see a decrease in waste management costs.

Industry is already making progress in this area, the British Beer and Pub Association and ABInbev recently hosted a well-attended glass bottle reuse workshop where UK glass reuse trials were showcased. This included a Greene King trial which started with 25 pubs last year and which will soon be expanded to several hundred pubs, and the multi-retailer glass reuse trial that is due to start in Newport later this year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a target for at least 75% of children and young people to be (a) diagnosed and (b) have cancer ruled out within 10 days of their first symptom presentation to a clinician.

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

We are committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster so that more patients survive, including children and young people. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will outline our approach to delivering this.

In the meantime, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has set out detailed guidance for general practitioners on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending referral within 48 hours for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms.

The Department is also taking steps to improve waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment across all cancer patient groups, including children and young people. This will be achieved by delivering an extra 40,000 scans, appointments, and operations each week to ensure that patients are seen and treated as quickly as possible.

To further support timely investigation after referral, we are working with the NHS to maximise the pace of the roll-out of additional diagnostic capacity, delivering the final year of the three-year investment plan for establishing community diagnostic centres, with capacity prioritised for cancer.

On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce. The taskforce will explore a range of issues, including early detection and diagnosis, in order to identify areas of improvement for this patient group.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with Thames Water on the adequacy of the time it takes to stop sewage overflows.

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

My officials and I have regular conversations with Thames Water and other water companies to discuss a range of activities, including the reduction of sewage discharges. I am also meeting with the boards of all water companies, including Thames Water, to set out the government’s expectation of improved performance across all metrics.

Cleaning up England’s rivers, lakes and seas is a priority for the government. The government has taken immediate and substantial action to address the performance of water companies who are not delivering for the environment or their customers.

That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act. This will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.

Furthermore, as part of Ofwat’s Price Review 2024 settlement, Thames Water will undertake a significant investment programme to improve the environment over the 2025-30 period. These investments include: £784 million to reduce the use of storm overflows and £1.2 billion to prevent nutrient pollution. Ofwat expects the reduction of the use of storm overflows by at least 29% by 2029-30, down to an average of 14.2 spills per overflow.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of implementing nurse-led mobile PSA blood testing clinics in deprived communities on (a) costs to and (b) staff productivity in the NHS.

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

Tackling health inequalities is a priority for the Government. Men aged 50 years old or over can ask their general practitioner for a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, even if they do not have symptoms. This applies to anyone aged 50 years old or over in any part of England.

Screening for prostate cancer is currently not recommended in the United Kingdom. This is because of the inaccuracy of the current best test. Whilst it is recognised that the PSA test can be a valuable diagnostic tool in certain contexts, such as for men who present with symptoms, its limitations mean it is not currently recommended for population-level screening.

We are finding the best way to test for prostate cancer, which is why we are investing £16 million towards the Prostate Cancer UK led TRANSFORM screening trial, which is seeking to find better ways of catching prostate cancer in men.

The UK National Screening Committee, an independent scientific committee which advises ministers on screening, is also currently reviewing the evidence for both population wide screening and targeted prostate cancer screening. If the UK National Screening Committee makes a positive recommendation regarding screening for prostate cancer, an impact assessment will be produced using the HM Treasury Green Book methodology, which considers wider social and economic impacts.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of providing mobile PSA blood testing clinics in deprived communities on rates of early prostate cancer detection.

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

Tackling health inequalities is a priority for the Government. Men aged 50 years old or over can ask their general practitioner for a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, even if they do not have symptoms. This applies to anyone aged 50 years old or over in any part of England.

Screening for prostate cancer is currently not recommended in the United Kingdom. This is because of the inaccuracy of the current best test. Whilst it is recognised that the PSA test can be a valuable diagnostic tool in certain contexts, such as for men who present with symptoms, its limitations mean it is not currently recommended for population-level screening.

We are finding the best way to test for prostate cancer, which is why we are investing £16 million towards the Prostate Cancer UK led TRANSFORM screening trial, which is seeking to find better ways of catching prostate cancer in men.

The UK National Screening Committee, an independent scientific committee which advises ministers on screening, is also currently reviewing the evidence for both population wide screening and targeted prostate cancer screening. If the UK National Screening Committee makes a positive recommendation regarding screening for prostate cancer, an impact assessment will be produced using the HM Treasury Green Book methodology, which considers wider social and economic impacts.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming mathematical education to emphasise (a) data, (b) technology and (c) computing.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review is looking at all curriculum subjects, including mathematics. It is committed to ensuring the curriculum sufficiently prepares children and young people for future life and work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes to thrive.

The Review Group has now published an interim report, which sets out its findings and confirms the key areas for further work. The report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report. The report highlights the need for the curriculum to “respond to social and technological change”. The Review Group’s next steps include considering how best to equip young people with “the essential knowledge and skills which will enable them to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled world”.

The government will respond to the final recommendations in autumn.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions to the level of the Personal Independence Payment on people in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

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

No estimate has yet been made.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) type 23 Duke Class, (b) type 31 Inspiration Class and (c) type 26 City Class frigates the UK navy has; how many of each of those types are currently not fit for purpose; and for each frigate currently not fit for purpose, how many days each ship has been out of service.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Navy operates eight Type 23 Frigates, and as of 2 April 2025, six Type 23 frigates are at readiness and available for operations. Each ship follows a normal operating cycle, going through different readiness levels based on their schedules and maintenance.

In addition to the eight operational Type 23 frigates, the Royal Navy has three that are in the process of being decommissioned. It has been 321 days since the decision to retire HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll, and 133 days for HMS Northumberland.

The retirement announcements are part of the UK’s plan to modernise its surface fleet. The Royal Navy will replace the Type 23 Frigates with new Type 26 and Type 31 Frigates. All eight world-class Type 26 ships are scheduled to enter service commencing from 2029, with all five Type 31 ships expected to be operational by the early 2030s.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to protect British supply chains from Russian interference and sabotage.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

We closely monitor the impact of global conflicts including the extent of Russian content in our critical programmes and the supply chains that support them, with the aim of identifying and managing emergent issues.

The Department is actively engaged in a range of activity to de-risk critical defence supply chain vulnerabilities to enable us to make informed decisions around if and how to intervene. We work collaboratively with industry to mitigate risks via initiatives such as the recent joint Ministry of Defence (MOD)-industry wargaming event. The MOD also continues to work alongside the National Protective Security Authority and with allies to ensure our industry colleagues are aware of the threats posed by Russia, and the National Security and Investment Act 2021 is used to address national security risks posed by malign Russian ownership where appropriate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase research into the causes of prostate cancer in men of sub-Saharan African ancestry.

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

The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including clinical research on prostate cancer. NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

These investments are pivotal towards efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment, and outcomes. The TRANSFORM trial is an important example of this. On 19 November 2023, the Government and Prostate Cancer UK announced the £42 million TRANSFORM screening trial to find the best way to screen men for prostate cancer, to find it before it becomes advanced and harder to treat.

Prostate Cancer UK is leading the development of the trial with the Government contributing £16 million through the Department. One of the aims of the trial is to address some of the inequalities that exist in prostate cancer diagnosis today. For example, one in four black men will develop prostate cancer, double the risk of other men, and often at a younger age. The trial will ensure that at least 10% of the men who are invited to participate in the trial are black.

The NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research, which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them.

The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health, including prostate cancer.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which recommendations of the Etherton Report have yet to be implemented; and what his planned timeline is for the implementation of those outstanding recommendations.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

As of 1 April 2025, 42 of the 49 recommendations have been implemented, with work to implement the outstanding seven recommendations underway, demonstrating our commitment to supporting the LGBT veteran community.

Of the seven remaining recommendations, two are for Defence and five are for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Defence officials are also supporting DHSC colleagues with progressing their five remaining recommendations (recommendations 31, 35, 36, 38 and 42).

The two for Defence include recommendation 44 focusing on female veterans affected by the ban; this will be implemented as part of the new inclusive veterans’ strategy. Recommendation 17 to implement a dedicated memorial to LGBT personnel at the National Memorial Arboretum is expected to be unveiled before the end of 2025.

Defence encourages those affected to apply for non-financial restorative measures and the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme by completing the application forms available at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/lgbt-veterans-support-and-next-steps.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number of months are between a service person enlisting and leaving the (a) Navy, (b) RAF and (c) Army; what the 2015 average number of months was between a service person enlisting and leaving the (a) Navy, (b) RAF and (c) Army; and what the 2020 average number of months was between a service person enlisting and leaving the (a) Navy, (b) RAF and (c) Army.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to her when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of (a) Challenger 2, (b) Warrior, (c) Boxer and (d) protected patrol vehicles were (i) fit for service and (ii) not fit for service in each year since 2015.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

We do not routinely disclose a breakdown of total capability fleets in the interests of security and operational effectiveness.

However, the total fleet figures of Challenger 2, Warrior and Protected Mobility Vehicles since 2016 can be found in the annual UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations statistics. This is accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what processes his Department undertook in its impact assessment into proposals for the Care Quality Commission to regulate sporting and cultural events; and if he will publish that work.

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

The Manchester Arena Inquiry Volume Two report recommended that the Government make changes to the law to enable the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to regulate event healthcare at sporting venues and gymnasiums and at temporary sporting and cultural events, to ensure public safety.

The Government has considered the impacts of this change, and a public consultation allowed stakeholders to provide information on the potential effects. A de minimis impact assessment was developed, which looked at a range of options and considered the impact on the event sector and event healthcare providers. The assessment includes costs, benefits, and risks.

An updated de minimis assessment will be published before the Statutory Instrument is laid before Parliament. This will outline the direct cost to business. The Government and the CQC continue to engage with stakeholders within the health, sports, and events sector regarding the changes in the regulations and their impact.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many incidents of Russian military activity in (a) the North Sea, (b) the English Channel, (c) the Irish Sea and (d) the North Atlantic his Department has recorded per month for the last 24 months.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Navy continuously monitors UK waters and stands ready to respond to the presence of Russian vessels. For reasons of national security, we cannot disclose the specific number of incidents of Russian military activity recorded during any given period.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Professor Alice Sullivan's review entitled Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, published on 19 March 2025, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to establish a new non-departmental public body to (a) standardise and (b) improve the effectiveness of the work of the (i) Council of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations and (b) the Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The 2019 Review of the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCAs) was published on 24 March 2020 and placed in the Library of the House. The Review recommended that the Council of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (CRFCA) and the 13 RFCAs should be merged into a single Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), with a National Office and a set of regional organisations. The review can be found at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-the-reserve-forces-cadets-associations-2019.

The NDPB implementation work was paused in March 2023 due to it failing to obtain a legislative slot in the last Parliament, but this work has now re-commenced, and we are currently progressing work on the required legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many cables his Department has recorded as damaged or suspected of being damaged by Russian ships in (a) the North Sea, (b) the English Channel, (c) the Irish Sea and (d) the North Atlantic in each of the last 24 months.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Accidental cable damage from industrial maritime activity is part of the cable operating ecosystem. There are 65 cables systems connecting to the UK, with 45 of those cables connecting internationally. The large continental shelf and busy maritime sector in the UK mean there are a high number of accidental breaks each year, 12-15 mainly caused by industrial fishing and some from anchor drags or drops, and a small amount by underwater seismic activity. In the UK we have an exemption from permitting for emergency repairs meaning we have the fastest repair time in the world at 5-7 days. The cables provide redundancy for each other as data is diverted along other cables while a cable waits for repair.

We are aware Supporting cable repair industry and working with international partners to deter this activity through initiatives such as the Joint Declaration on cooperation to protect energy and telecommunications infrastructure in the North Sea, NATO’s Baltic Sentry and the Joint Expeditionary Forces Nordic Warden.

Small and medium-sized enterprises in defence procurement

International Day for Mine Awareness

Service of Paul and Glynis to the community in Butleigh

Public Hearts defibrillator campaign

Frome Town Women Football Club

Life of Andy Chilton

Palantir Technologies, Peter Thiel and the NHS (No. 2)

National Stalking Awareness Week

Wadebridge Foodbank

Morrisons breakfast clubs

Sanctioning of UK Parliamentarians by Russia

UK parliamentarians sanctioned by the Russian Federation

Immigration application fees for young adults and children

Earth Day 2025

Food poverty

Flamstead Toad Patrol

Right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly

Future of children’s palliative care

Support for active travel

Practical driving tests in the South West

NHS parking charges

National League restructuring

Sentencing Guidelines and pre-sentence reports

LED headlights

Chalk stream river protection

Retirement of GPs and national GP strategy

Public libraries

75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights

Dementia strategy for Devon

Ukrainian Action Team Devon

Abduction of Ukrainian children

Work of the Royal British Legion in Stratford-on-Avon

Israeli Defence Force attacks on humanitarian workers

Protecting children from data exploitation

Libraries in state primary schools

Disability hate crime

Strode College awarded the CyberFirst Silver Award

Festival Medical Services and Ukraine

Whitchurch banking hub

Humanitarian response to the Myanmar earthquake

Scams and fraud

Found: _NC1 Victoria Collins Caroline Voaden Vikki Slade Liz Jarvis Rachel Gilmour Tom Gordon Helen Maguire

Found: _NC1 Victoria Collins Caroline Voaden Vikki Slade Liz Jarvis Rachel Gilmour Tom Gordon Helen Maguire

Found: Letter dated 27/03/2025 from Maria Eagle MP to Helen Maguire MP regarding how much the Ministry of Defence