Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2026 to Question 9768 on bus manufacturing and public procurement, when the Government intends to publish updated procurement guidance reflecting the new definition of social value for public procurement.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government has announced its intention to redefine social value in central government procurement, to put community impact at the heart of public procurement decisions. This will help to ensure public expenditure directly targets the creation of local jobs, skills, apprenticeships, and regional opportunities for growth.
We are working with a range of stakeholders to develop this definition and will publish it shortly.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made on the impact of delays to the Defence Investment Plan, including funding for the Global Air Combat Programme, on UK defence-industrial co-operation with Italy and Japan.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
This Government remains committed to strengthening sovereign industrial capability and modernising frontier industries.
Ministers and senior officials engage regularly with industry stakeholders and Defence has continued to work with suppliers on the Global Combat Air Programme whilst developing the Defence Investment Plan.
The UK remains committed to the Global Combat Air Programme, working closely with our international partners to deliver a next generation combat air capability. On 14 June the Prime Minister confirmed that the UK Government would proceed with the next international contract for the Global Combat Air Programme by the end of June.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
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 improve awareness of DES-related risks (a) among general practitioners and (b) within medical education.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is working with NHS England to improve awareness of the risks associated with in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES). National Health Service cervical screening guidance states that women who know or believe they were exposed to DES in utero may require regular colposcopy outside the routine screening programme and should speak to their general practitioner so that appropriate local follow-up arrangements can be made.
In December 2025, Professor Peter Johnson, the National Clinical Director for Cancer, sent a letter to all NHS cancer alliances highlighting the effects of DES. This message was directed to healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, and referenced existing NHS guidance on screening that is available at the following link:
The standard of training for doctors is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC). The GMC does not deliver, design, or commission education and training but sets the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level and approves courses and medical schools to write and teach the curricula content that enables their students to meet the GMC’s outcome standards. Each medical college sets its own undergraduate curriculum.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many individual disguised remuneration cases are outstanding that need to be resolved by HMRC.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Tackling disguised remuneration (DR) and the promotion and use of DR schemes is a priority for the Government.
The ‘Measuring Tax Gaps 2026 edition: estimates for 2024 to 2025’, last updated on 23 June 2026, confirms that the tax gap from marketed avoidance sold primarily to individuals, has fallen from an estimated £1.5 billion in 2005-06 to £0.2 billion in 2024-25.
HMRC regularly publishes information about tax avoidance schemes and their promoters (and others connected to the selling of the schemes) on Gov.uk, to help taxpayers identify them and steer clear of becoming involved.
Furthermore, additional criminal sanctions were introduced in the Finance Act 2026. These enhance the deterrent against promotion of tax avoidance and increase protection against harm caused to the exchequer, the tax system and taxpayers.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking through public procurement policy to support UK bus manufacturers to compete for (a) Government contracts, (b) local authority contracts, and (c) combined authority contracts.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This Government believes that it matters where things are made and who makes them. Public procurement must promote our modern Industrial Strategy, bolster domestic capacity, and protect national security in line with our international trade obligations.
The Government has published new guidance on using national security exemptions within the Procurement Act 2023 for four initial pathfinder sectors: steel, shipbuilding, artificial intelligence, and energy infrastructure. While bus manufacturing is not included in this initial national security guidance, we continue to work across departments to ensure procurement policy bolsters resilience and capability in this strategically important industry.
On the 26th March, the Government announced we will create a new definition of social value that will underpin all government procurement. It will, for the first time, put the views, aspirations and needs of local communities at the heart of procurement decisions. Therefore, if a bidder can demonstrate they will deliver real community impact, through delivering local jobs, skills and apprenticeships, then the new social value definition will recognise and reward that.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to include UK bus manufacturing as a national security exemption in the Procurement Act.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This Government believes that it matters where things are made and who makes them. Public procurement must promote our modern Industrial Strategy, bolster domestic capacity, and protect national security in line with our international trade obligations.
The Government has published new guidance on using national security exemptions within the Procurement Act 2023 for four initial pathfinder sectors: steel, shipbuilding, artificial intelligence, and energy infrastructure. While bus manufacturing is not included in this initial national security guidance, we continue to work across departments to ensure procurement policy bolsters resilience and capability in this strategically important industry.
On the 26th March, the Government announced we will create a new definition of social value that will underpin all government procurement. It will, for the first time, put the views, aspirations and needs of local communities at the heart of procurement decisions. Therefore, if a bidder can demonstrate they will deliver real community impact, through delivering local jobs, skills and apprenticeships, then the new social value definition will recognise and reward that.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a child risk disclosure scheme.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the strength of feeling behind proposals for a Child Risk Disclosure Scheme and has considered the potential merits of such an approach. At its heart, the proposal seeks to ensure that relevant information about risk is shared quickly so that children can be protected from harm.
Some key elements of such a scheme are already possible through existing arrangements. Sarah’s Law enables both proactive and application‑based disclosures where there is a risk to a child, and we are strengthening this by placing it on a statutory footing.
We are also taking further action to improve visibility of risk and support safeguarding professionals, including through the introduction of a child cruelty register and a new information sharing duty. This duty will place a clear legal obligation on agencies to share information relevant to a child’s welfare at the earliest opportunity.
These reforms along with a strengthened role for education in local safeguarding arrangements, the creation of multi-agency child protection teams and a new Child Protection Authority will strengthen safeguarding in England, helping keep children safe from harm.
We will continue to engage closely with Maya Chappell’s family and other stakeholders to test whether ongoing reforms are addressing the risks they have identified.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of local government reorganisation on local authorities' ability to (a) convene and (b) support Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Educations effectively.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The legal duty on local authorities, or any replacement of these entities, to convene a standing advisory council on religious education (SACRE) remain included throughout local government reorganisation. Discussions have been held about the role of SACREs with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as part of regular engagement.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding the role of Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education since the publication of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's policy paper entitled Protecting What Matters: Towards a more confident, cohesive, and resilient United Kingdom.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The legal duty on local authorities, or any replacement of these entities, to convene a standing advisory council on religious education (SACRE) remain included throughout local government reorganisation. Discussions have been held about the role of SACREs with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as part of regular engagement.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of future UK production of the Patria 6x6 armoured vehicle on the economy; and when such production could begin.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department’s assessment of the Finnish led Common Armoured Vehicle System Programme and the suitability of its Patria 6x6 platform in meeting the UK’s Heavy Protected Mobility requirements is still underway. As such, it would be premature to comment on potential economic outcomes and UK production timelines at this time.
Spending decisions on future capabilities will be published as part of the Defence Investment Plan.