Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department have had with Welsh Government counterparts on the implementation of local investigations in Wales as part of the grooming gangs inquiry.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
On 9 December 2025 the Home Secretary announced to Parliament the appointment of Baroness Anne Longfield CBE as Chair of the new Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, and Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE as Panel.
The Home Office has had regular discussions with the Welsh Government while the Inquiry was being established. The Inquiry is independent of Government. The draft Terms of Reference for the Inquiry make clear that it will establish its own process for how local investigations are determined, with no location able to resist if one is declared. All areas of Wales are within scope of the inquiry.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she had made of the effectiveness of the the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The purpose of the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023 (the Order) is to enable prosecution of the dangerous use of watercraft. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is the relevant enforcement authority. 17 potential reports have been received, and one prosecution is currently underway following an incident that occurred in Pembrokeshire in 2024.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he can provide an update on the potential establishment of a residential women’s centre in Swansea.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Planning approval for the Residential Women’s Centre at the Trehafod site in Cockett, Swansea, was granted by the Welsh Government’s Planning Environment Decisions Wales in August 2023.
We are continuing to consider how the Residential Women’s Centre in Swansea could be delivered.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of police officers who died by suicide in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not collect data on suicides or attempted suicides by police workers. Data on suicides by occupation have previously been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarri ages/deaths/adhocs/2726suicidebyoccupationinenglandandwales2023and202 4provisional.
A National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention and Postvention in policing has been launched, which aims to reduce rates among the police workforce as well as enhancing data recording.
The plan, which includes ensuring adequate training for the police workforce, emphasises a supportive environment that promotes mental health and combats stigma to ensure that those affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts can access appropriate and timely support.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with police forces on improving the recruitment process for police officers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring there are consistent, high standards for entry into the police.
Individual police forces manage recruitment locally within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We continue to work closely with the College to support ongoing improvements to all entry routes into policing, ensuring they are as effective as they can be for forces and participants, and that recruits across all forces consistently meet the same rigorous standards.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Language Commissioner (a) on the topic of Welsh Language Standards and (b) in general.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment has she made of the extent to which Welsh language rights are fully respected in (a) government and (b) crown bodies operating in Wales.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing Welsh Language Standards on all Crown bodies.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of adherence to the Welsh Language Act 1993 in prisons in Wales.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The new HMPPS Welsh Language Scheme (24-27), approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner, and published this month, sets out how the English and Welsh languages will be treated equally when delivering services to the public in line with requirements under the Welsh Language Act 1993. The Scheme commits to publishing an Annual Monitoring Report on progress, the first of which will be published in October 2026.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration she has given to reviewing the funding formula for policing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring that policing has the resources it needs and the allocation of funding to police forces remains an important consideration.
The Chancellor has announced a real terms increase in police spending power over the next three years. As with previous years, decisions on police force funding allocations for 2026-27 will be set out at the forthcoming police funding settlement.