Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Public Order Act 2024 to safeguard liberty of conscience and freedom of assembly.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.
We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the potential level of funding to be allocated from the UK Research and Innovation Natural Environment Research Council budget to the (a) British Antarctic Survey and (b) National Oceanography Centre in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The allocation of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) was published in DSIT research and development (R&D) allocations for 2025/2026.
NERC funding for the British Antarctic Survey and the National Oceanography Centre is currently being finalised as part of UKRI’s own allocations process.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Metropolitan Police on taking steps to ensure that its enforcement of Public Order Act 2023 accords with the (a) rule of law and (b) Human Rights Act 1998.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The police are operationally independent of the government. The police make decisions about how to respond to specific incidents based on their professional judgement, the circumstances at hand, and all applicable laws, and the Home Office does not direct them on how to make those operational decisions.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations she received that helped inform the decision to support expansion at Heathrow.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury has received and continues to receive representations from a wide range of stakeholders about Heathrow expansion. These informed the speech supporting expansion in January and continue to inform the Government’s position on Heathrow.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the length of time taken to issue A1 forms to singers.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Self-employed workers in the music industry touring within the EEA are able to complete A1 forms online. Since October 2024, 70% of these type of online applications can be processed automatically providing a quicker service for customers. Applications which require manual intervention can take longer to process.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the findings of that report.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government engages with various international organisations, including the United Nations, considering their reports as part of the policy development process. Any decisions on changes to HM Treasury policies are also taken in the context of the wider public finances and the government’s efforts to reform the state and sustainably grow the economy.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure (a) safe, (b) healthy and (c) adequate living conditions for people seeking asylum in (i) initial and (ii) dispersed accommodation; and if she will end the use of hotel accommodation for unaccompanied children.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office remains committed to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of those receiving asylum support. There are mechanisms in place, managed by Migrant Help, to allow asylum seekers to request assistance, provide feedback and/or report issues. This support is available 24/7 by telephone, webchat or email.
The Home Office has not accommodated unaccompanied children in UASC emergency hotels since 31 January 2024.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the levels of funding allocated from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council budget to the (a) British Antarctic Survey and (b) National Oceanography Centre in each of the last five years.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT has allocated £13.9 billion to the R&D budget for the 2025/26 financial year. Below are UK Research and Innovation's Natural Environment Research Council budget allocations over the past five financial years for the British Antarctic Survey (including the Antarctic Logistics and Infrastructure (ALI) Partition, which is a ringfenced slice of the science budget to support the UK presence in Antarctica); and the National Oceanography Centre:
| £ | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
| British Antarctic Survey | 80,357,000.000 | 96,960,602.940 | 101,985,482.620 | 102,245,360.580 | 118,574,122.818 |
| of which relates Antarctic Logistics and Infrastructure Partition | 65,731,000 | 82,631,00 | 89,905,620 | 83,397,732 | 94,307,687 |
| National Oceanography Centre | 63,105,666 | 43,202,228 | 45,351,605 | 53,420,185 | 54,245,697 |
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding has been allocated from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council budget to the European Marine Energy Centre to date.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The European Marine Energy Centre has not been allocated any funding from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council to date.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the total allocation of UK Research and Innovation funding to the Natural Environment Research Council since 2021-22.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The allocation of UKRI funding to the Natural Environment Research Council was published in the following reports: