Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to support accountability for breaches of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

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

We have consistently called on all parties to comply with international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We have been clear that we respect the independence of the international courts who are currently considering cases concerning international law in the OPTs. The UK participated in the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion on Israel's obligations as an Occupying Power and as a member of the United Nations, putting forward strong support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the International Committee of the Red Cross. In relation to the conflict in Gaza, we have called for independent investigations into incidents where there are reports of breaches of international humanitarian law and accountability for those found responsible, including at the UN Security Council. In relation to the West Bank, we have a clear position that Israeli settlements in the OPTs are illegal under international law and have taken action to sanction violent settlers and individuals who incite violence against Palestinians.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a tiered business rates system to support (a) emerging and (b) small businesses.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

At Autumn Budget 2024, we took the first step with the announcement of permanently lower tax rates for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27.

Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.

The Budget announcements reflect the Government’s first steps to support the high street. We want to go further to modernise the system, and so, we have published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform.

In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Autumn Budget 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent progress she has made on the reform of business rates.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

At Autumn Budget 2024, we took the first step with the announcement of permanently lower tax rates for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27.

Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.

The Budget announcements reflect the Government’s first steps to support the high street. We want to go further to modernise the system, and so, we have published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform.

In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Autumn Budget 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that HMRC processes tax refunds within a (a) reasonable and (b) transparent timeframe.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

HMRC recognises that tax refunds are important for customers, and aims to process repayments as a priority.

HMRC’s correspondence service standard is to respond to 80% of priority post within 15 working days.

Monthly performance against this standard is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the financial sustainability of the higher education funding model.

Answered by Janet Daby

Higher education (HE) providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for making the financial decisions that support their long-term sustainability.

To support providers in stabilising their finances, the Office for Students (OfS) continues to dedicate significant resources to ensuring the sector's financial sustainability. We have appointed Professor Edward Peck as OfS Chair, and he will play a key role in strengthening this commitment while also expanding opportunities in HE.

Additionally, we have made the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits by 3.1%, in line with inflation, from the 2025/26 academic year.

The government also provides funding through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) on an annual basis to support teaching and students. This includes funding to support teaching of expensive-to-deliver subjects such as science and engineering, access and participation of students from under-represented groups, and world-leading specialist providers. The total SPG for the 2025/26 financial year will be £1,348 million in recurrent (programme) grant and £84 million for capital to support teaching and learning.

We aim to publish our plans for HE reform soon as part of the Post-16 Skills White Paper, and will work with the sector and the OfS to deliver the change that the country needs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of new visa requirements on travellers from Trinidad and Tobago; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an exemption for cultural workers from Trinidad and Tobago with confirmed professional work in the UK.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Nationals of Trinidad and Tobago are now required to obtain a visa prior to travelling to the UK. The UK introduced a visitor visa requirement for nationals of Trinidad and Tobago on 12 March 2025 due to the number of nationals of Trinidad and Tobago travelling to the UK for reasons other than those permitted under the Immigration Rules for visitors. This included a significant increase in asylum claims made on arrival at the UK border. Full reasons for the introduction of the visa requirement and a summary of the impact were provided in the Explanatory Memorandum to the changes in the Immigration Rules.

We have no plans to introduce a visa exemption for cultural workers. The Creative Worker visa concession is available to individuals who do not require a visa to enter the UK as a visitor. Nationals of Trinidad and Tobago can apply for the Creative Worker route, but are required to obtain a visa before travelling.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the planned obsolescence of (a) video games and (b) other consumer digital products.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is aware of concerns relating to the continued access to video games, including licensed, online-only video games, and we appreciate the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has responded to a recent petition on this issue.

There are no plans to amend existing consumer law on disabling video games. Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), giving clear advice to consumers. Video game sellers must not omit or hide material information, or provide it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the purchase of Plesan Sandcat armoured vehicles by the Metropolitan Police.

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

The Foreign Secretary has not had any conversations with his Israeli counterpart on the purchase of Plesan Sandcat armoured vehicles. Questions of police procurement are for the Home Secretary.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing employer National Insurance contributions for employees returning to work after a year or more of unemployment.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

There are a wide range of factors to take into consideration when introducing a tax relief. These include how effective the relief would be at achieving the policy intent, how targeted support would be, whether it adds complexity to the tax system, and the cost.

The Government is committed to providing people who are out of work with the personalised support they need to find work, aiding the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. At the Spending Review, the Government increased funding for employment support to over £3.5 billion by 2028-29, helping people to access the skills they need to progress, tackling unemployment and inactivity and ensuring more people are in better jobs.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he had discussions with his Syrian counterpart on a timetable for democratic elections in Syria during his recent official visit; and whether it remains his policy to support national elections in Syria.

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

The Foreign Secretary visited Damascus on 5 July where he renewed UK-Syria relations and discussed the need for an inclusive political transition which delivers for the Syrian people. We welcome the Syrian President Al Sharaa's commitment to hold free and fair elections, and the recent announcement of the Supreme Electoral Committee for the People's Assembly Elections. This is an important step in building legitimate legislative and electoral processes. It is vital now that the process is genuinely inclusive, representative and respects the rights of all Syrians.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Metropolitan Police on the (a) purchase and (b) deployment of Plesan Sandcat armoured vehicles.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Decisions around the procurement of equipment, including armoured vehicles, are a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents, who are best placed to consider the needs of their police force and take decisions in line with their existing budget.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent supply chain disruption for automotive retailers.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

We regularly keep the resilience of our automotive supply chains under review to ensure a strong and viable automotive sector. As part of our plan for growth, we will continue to work with investors to build a globally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK, including through new strategic investments such as DRIVE35 and export support for automotive and battery manufacturing.

In parallel, we will explore how to maximise supply chain resilience, including by collaborating with Mayoral Strategic Authorities to cluster electric vehicle manufacturing across our regions starting with pilot projects in the North East and West Midlands.

Journalist Sherwan Sherwani

Proposal for a wealth tax

Global Sumud Flotilla

Sanctions on Israel and International Court of Justice findings

Armed Forces Training Contract and Elbit Systems

Digital-only immigration status

Peace and sovereignty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Strike action in the Parliamentary Security Department

British companies and the transportation of Russian liquefied natural gas

Import of goods from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Government policy on the Hillsborough Law

National Day of Memory for Victims of Honour-Based Abuse, 14 July

Ayman Odeh

Democracy and human rights in eSwatini

Found: New Amendment: NC9 _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie

Found: New Amendment: NC9 _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie

Found: New Amendments: 8 and NC7 and NC8 _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell

Found: New Amendments: 8 and NC7 and NC8 _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: Hanna Steve Witherden Mr Adnan Hussain Colum Eastwood Graham Leadbitter John McDonnell Nadia Whittome

Found: Hanna Steve Witherden Mr Adnan Hussain Colum Eastwood Graham Leadbitter John McDonnell Nadia Whittome

Found: Hanna Steve Witherden Mr Adnan Hussain Colum Eastwood Graham Leadbitter John McDonnell Nadia Whittome

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: Emma Lewell Claire Hanna Steve Witherden Mr Adnan Hussain Colum Eastwood John McDonnell Nadia Whittome

Found: Emma Lewell Claire Hanna Steve Witherden Mr Adnan Hussain Colum Eastwood John McDonnell Nadia Whittome

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn

Found: Rebecca Long Bailey Kate Osborne Carla Denyer Emma Lewell Claire Hanna John McDonnell Nadia Whittome

Found: Rebecca Long Bailey Kate Osborne Carla Denyer Emma Lewell Claire Hanna John McDonnell Nadia Whittome