Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which companies have expressed an interest in investing in Public Private Partnerships.

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

The Government announced in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy document, published on 19 June, and its 10 Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, that it will explore the feasibility of using new Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to deliver certain types of primary and community health infrastructure.

A decision whether to use PPPs in these circumstances will be taken in the Autumn Budget 2025, based on co-development of a model and business case between the Department and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.

Any new model will be market-tested and informed by past lessons and recent Government reviews to ensure better outcomes and value for money.

To better understand market appetite and lessons learned from previous PPPs, the Department conducted a successful preliminary market engagement exercise over the course of the summer. We had in excess of 320 interested parties who registered an interest, including advisors, construction, equity, debt, facilities management, and managed service providers. This preliminary market engagement exercise was not inviting expression of interest to invest, instead, it was focused on testing market appetite for a new PPP model and discussing lessons learnt.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide information on the (a) new Public Private Partnerships and (b) in what way they differ from Private Finance Initiatives.

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

The Government announced, in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy document on the 19 June 2025 and the 10-Year Health plan published on 3 July 2025, that it will explore the feasibility of using new Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to deliver certain types of primary and community health infrastructure.

A decision whether to use PPPs in these circumstances will be taken by the 2025 Autumn Budget, based on the co-development of a model and business case between the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority and the Department.

The Department conducted a successful preliminary market engagement exercise over the summer, and this is feeding into the business case, which is still in development.

Any new PPP models will be subject to further market-testing and will build on lessons learned from past experience, models currently in use, and the March 2025 National Audit Office report Lessons Learned: private finance for infrastructure.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the proposed funding by the European Commission for the development of new approach methodologies which do not involve the use of live animals in experiments.

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

The Government is committed to supporting alternatives to animals in science and will publish a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption later this year. We have reviewed the European Commission's (EC) Life Sciences Strategy and engaged with the European Medicines Agency on accelerating the science-led adoption of alternatives for a range of uses of animals in science, including chemicals, medicines and cosmetics. Government officials regularly attend international meetings to collaborate on best practice and consider approaches to reducing reliance on animal testing, including attending European Commission workshops on the EC roadmap to phasing out animal testing for chemicals.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 55524 on Gaza: Genocide, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of this policy on Government decision making.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Our policy remains as set out in the answer to which the Right Hon Gentleman refers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken steps to implement the recommendations of the report by Dr Frances Rawle entitled The role of review and regulatory approvals processes for animal research in supporting implementation of the 3Rs, published on 27 February 2023.

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

The Rawle report identified opportunities to strengthen regulation and review processes supporting the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in animal research, some of which are led by the Home Office. The Home Office has taken substantive steps to implement the recommendations, including:

• Licensing reform: The National Centre for the 3Rs are undertaking a review of the project licence application form to ensure robust and targeted assessment of 3Rs compliance at the application stage. The NC3Rs will provide recommendations to the Home Office.
• Audit enhancements: The Regulator has reviewed its approach to auditing licensed scientific establishments. When launched, audits will include a greater focus on assessing the effectiveness of Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Bodies (AWERBs).

• Named persons and AWERBs: A commission has been issued to the Animals in Science Committee to seek advice on strengthening the roles of AWERBs and Named Information Officers, and to include a request for guidance on promoting the 3Rs beyond licence review.
• Increased 3Rs training and resources: the training package for inspectors has been enhanced with a greater emphasis on replacement methodologies.

Tower Hamlets counter-demonstration on 25 October 2025

Media Plurality and Press Freedom in Parliament

Fireworks anti-social behaviour and regulation

Extinction of the slender-billed curlew

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

Leeds Stand Up To Racism’s event

Anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street

London Underground cleaners

National Coal Mining Museum strike

State visit to the UK of US President Donald Trump

Skilled Worker Visa eligibility rules and transport workers

Passing of Maggie Bowden former General Secretary of Liberation

Found: _NC22 Chris Hinchliff Ian Sollom Dr Roz Savage Mr Will Forster Ben Maguire Siân Berry John McDonnell

Found: Franklin Ellie Chowns Tom Morrison Neil Duncan-Jordan Pippa Heylings Layla Moran Christine Jardine John McDonnell

Found: Not called_NC22 Chris Hinchliff Ian Sollom Dr Roz Savage Mr Will Forster Ben Maguire Siân Berry John McDonnell

Found: Franklin Ellie Chowns Tom Morrison Neil Duncan-Jordan Pippa Heylings Layla Moran Christine Jardine John McDonnell

Found: _NC25 Grahame Morris Kate Osborne John McDonnell Kim Johnson Rachael Maskell Neil Duncan-Jordan Siân