Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s planned timeline is for responding to the Local Government Pension Scheme Advisory Board's letter, dated 13 October 2025, requesting guidance on investments accused of being complicit in violations of international law.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department has received the Local Government Pension Scheme Advisory Board's letter and will treat it in line with the Government’s usual approach to correspondence.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on increasing the grant-in-aid funding available to (a) cultural institutions, (b) museums and (c) galleries.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Secretary of State has had constructive conversations with HM Treasury to secure grant-in-aid funding for our institutions.

These successful conversations were borne out in February 2025, when we announced a £270m Arts Everywhere Investment package that included a 5% increase to the budgets of all national museums and galleries to support their financial resilience.

And as per our most recent Spending Review settlement announced in June 2025, there is significant planned funding for the UK’s world-leading culture and heritage sector. We will be investing in celebrated institutions including national museums and galleries, as well as organisations like Arts Council England, which support local projects across the country and ensure that the best of British culture is accessible to all.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure that planned reforms to the Local Government Pension Scheme are compliant with not aiding or assisting serious breaches of international law.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities set the investment strategies for their funds, and must include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Authorities must have regard to their fiduciary duty to scheme members and employers when setting their investment strategy and must follow relevant legislation and guidance.

Administering authorities are legally required to comply with UK sanctions, including restrictions on dealings with designated individuals, entities, and countries.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities administering Local Government Pension Scheme funds to assist them in ensuring their investments are compliant with the UK’s duty not to aid or assist serious breaches of international law.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities set the investment strategies for their funds, and must include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Authorities must have regard to their fiduciary duty to scheme members and employers when setting their investment strategy and must follow relevant legislation and guidance.

Administering authorities are legally required to comply with UK sanctions, including restrictions on dealings with designated individuals, entities, and countries.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department provides guidance to local authorities administering Local Government Pension Scheme on ensuring their investments are compliant with the UK’s duty (a) not to aid and (b) assist serious breaches of international law.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities set the investment strategies for their funds, and must include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Authorities must have regard to their fiduciary duty to scheme members and employers when setting their investment strategy and must follow relevant legislation and guidance.

Administering authorities are legally required to comply with UK sanctions, including restrictions on dealings with designated individuals, entities, and countries.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he is taking steps to ensure that Local Government Pension Scheme investments are compliant with the UK’s duty (a) not to aid and (b) assist serious breaches of international law.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities set the investment strategies for their funds, and must include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Authorities must have regard to their fiduciary duty to scheme members and employers when setting their investment strategy and must follow relevant legislation and guidance.

Administering authorities are legally required to comply with UK sanctions, including restrictions on dealings with designated individuals, entities, and countries.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why income that was disregarded under Employment Support Allowance is now being considered as income on Universal Credit for Council Tax and Social Care purposes.

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

Universal Credit does not replicate previous legacy benefits. Therefore, customers migrating to Universal Credit may be subject to different rules, including different treatment of income and how it is disregarded in assessing their benefit entitlement.

Treatment of income and income-related benefits for purpose of council tax reduction or adult social care charges is not set by the Department, this is set respectively by local authorities and the Department for Health and Social Care.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of funding that her Department provides to the British Library, in the context of its industrial dispute with the Public and Commercial Services Union.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As an arms-length body of the department, the British Library’s funding is considered in the round as part of Spending Review arrangements and departmental business planning.

The British Library is operationally independent of government and the day to day management of the Library - including staff pay - is a matter for organisation to determine. DCMS is aware negotiations are taking place on this dispute and hopes for a speedy response.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the (a) vetting and (b) due diligence carried out for employees of the British Embassy in Tel Aviv includes assessments of whether they (i) reside in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and (ii) have (A) membership of and (B) ties to Israeli settler organisations; and what her Department's policy is on the employment of people in sensitive roles with conflicts of interest.

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

It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department's policy is on the employment of staff at (a) the British Embassy in Tel Aviv and (b) other government missions that reside in illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian Territory.

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

It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will conduct an urgent inquiry into the continued employment of Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv; and if she will publish the findings of the inquiry.

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

It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the (a) due diligence and (b) vetting reports produced for the appointment of members of staff at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv.

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

It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will undertake a review of the (a) due diligence, (b) selection and (c) security protocols for staff at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv; and if she will make it her policy to publish the findings of the review.

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

It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.

Regulation of the refractive surgery industry

Safe and legal routes for Sudanese people to the UK

10th annual Ayurveda Day

Supporting shopworkers

Professional integrity of BBC journalists

Armed exports to the United Arab Emirates and the situation in Sudan

Habitat regulations

Jury trial rights

Independent Office for Police Conduct findings on Norman Bettison

Israel’s use of cluster munitions

Train safety, staffing levels and plans for driverless trains

New private capital in the NHS in the Autumn Budget

Economic growth and the asylum system

Budget 2025 and living standards

50 years of service to the RMT by John Stewart, Leeds RMT Branch Secretary

Border Force industrial dispute

Cumulative disruption proposals and the right to protest

Two-child limit

Conduct of Samir Zitouni and Stephen Crean on the 18.25 Doncaster to Kings Cross train on 1 November 2025

East Leeds History and Archaeology Society