Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Government of Azerbaijan regarding the detention of Ali Karimli; and whether she will call for his immediate release.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK continues to monitor the human rights situation in Azerbaijan closely. On 4 December, senior officials from our Embassy in Baku raised this case with senior members of the Azerbaijani Government, including ensuring due legal process and where necessary access to medical care in accordance with Azerbaijan's international obligations and commitments.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of making digital watermarking of AI mandatory.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government continues to explore the feasibility of technical solutions for the labelling of AI-generated content to support transparency, such as through the Deepfake Detection Challenge.

AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the government believes that most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities. The government has been clear that we will legislate where needed, but we will do so on the basis of evidence where any serious gaps are.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of generative AI on academic standards in higher education.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Universities are independent, autonomous bodies responsible for designing and implementing their own artificial Intelligence (AI) policies. They are already responding to the opportunities and challenges AI presents.

The Office for Students (OfS) set out its approach to the use of AI in higher education (HE) in June 2025. The approach can be found here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/blog/embracing-innovation-in-higher-education-our-approach-to-artificial-intelligence/.

Providers are responsible for detecting and preventing academic misconduct, including misuse of AI, in line with the OfS’ regulatory framework. Providers that fall below these standards could be subject to regulatory action.

The government is committed to ensuring that AI is not used to undermine high academic standards in HE. As set out in the Post-16 education and skills white paper, the department will support the OfS to assess the impact of artificial intelligence, including how students are using it in assessments, to ensure the integrity of HE assessments and qualifications is not compromised.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart on the a) health and b) access to medical treatment of Imran Khan.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 6 March to Question HL14686.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the visa brake on student visa applicants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan on individuals who are studying a foundation course in the UK on a valid student visa but whose next course begins more than 28 days after the expiry of their current permission; and whether she plans to make any provision for such students to continue their studies in the UK.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The visa brake applies only to relevant out‑of‑country applications.

It was introduced in response to patterns of visa‑linked asylum claims by nationality, and at present we do not intend to introduce exceptions for students who have previously studied in the UK on foundation courses.

The visa brake will be kept under regular review. It is not intended to be a permanent measure and will be lifted once the Government considers it appropriate to do so.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) charity on the potential impact of recent and proposed changes in the level of Official Development Assistance funding on the effectiveness of VSO.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Our partnership with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) has been extended until March 2027. The Active Citizenship through Inclusive Volunteering and Empowerment (ACTIVE) programme currently operates in 14 countries and works with local civil society groups to strengthen their organisational capacity, leadership, autonomy and sustainability. This reflects our modernised approach to development, delivering value for money for UK taxpayers and transforming our country development partnerships to reflect the changing needs of our partners. We are looking forward to seeing how VSO's work progresses.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce backlogs in the Civil Service Pension Scheme administered by Capita.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of distributing venison produced as a result of deer culling to food banks and other initiatives which support people in food poverty.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government published the Deer Impacts Policy Statement on 20 February 2026. The statement sets out actions to reduce the negative impacts deer have on the environment. This includes developing the venison supply chain. Defra is working with relevant sectors to improve the quality and consistency of wild venison supply into the human and other relevant food chains, including exploring where more wild venison can be offered as a sustainable meat option through our public procurement networks. Defra is also providing further funding towards wild venison collection and storage through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.

This has been informed by learning gained through projects such as the Natural England Sussex Woods Protected Site Strategy pilot, which worked with food security charities to distribute venison mince procured as a byproduct of deer that were being managed to preserve the biodiversity in and around the protected sites in the area. Other organisations, such as the Country Food Trust, are already using venison to supply food banks and community kitchens.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking in response to the Joint Intelligence Committee’s Nature Security Assessment to address the national security risks arising from accelerating biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, including risks to the UK’s food and water security, public health and supply chain resilience.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Nature Security Assessment is a cross-government strategic analysis that brings together scientific evidence, policy analysis and national security expertise to inform long-term resilience and security planning. In response to the risks it identifies, the UK is already taking action to strengthen food, water, public health and supply chain resilience, including through major investment in nature at home and abroad. The UK is meeting the International Climate Finance (ICF) 3 spending target of at least £11.6 billion over 2021 to 2026, supporting nature protection and sustainable agriculture globally. Domestically, the UK has a resilient food system and is investing £11.8 billion this Parliament to support sustainable farming, alongside action to strengthen critical supply chains through the Critical Imports and Supply Chains Strategy. These measures sit alongside wider domestic action to restore and protect nature, including record levels of tree planting, peatland restoration, improved water quality and stronger protection for the marine environment.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Public and Commercial Services Union on the Synergy contract awarded to Capita.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Ministers and officials regularly discuss a range of matters with PCS and other trade unions.

I have also recently written to the General Secretary of PCS on this matter specifically.

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 help (a) ensure that the BREAKWATER treatment protocol for patients with BRAF‑mutated bowel cancer is evaluated and funded as a matter of urgency, and (b) secure equal access to this protocol for patients across the UK.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines and licence extensions for existing medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE aims wherever possible to issue guidance for the NHS on new medicines close to the time of licensing, and cancer drugs are eligible for funding from the point of a positive draft NICE recommendation.

The BREAKWATER study is investigating encorafenib, a BRAF inhibitor, in combination with cetuximab and fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for the potential treatment of colorectal cancer. This regimen does not currently have a United Kingdom marketing authorisation for use in the treatment of previously untreated BRAF V600E mutation positive metastatic colorectal cancer. NICE has prioritised an appraisal of encorafenib for this indication in anticipation of it being granted a UK marketing authorisation and will schedule the appraisal so that guidance can be published as close as possible to the expected licensing date. Further information on the appraisal’s status is publicly available on NICE’s website at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/awaiting-development/gid-ta11961

The clinical trial was assessed and approved in the UK and is currently active, with further information available at the following link:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04607421?term=BREAKWATER&viewType=Card&rank=1

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, asking what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the General Practice Contract 2026–27 for England on a) patient safety and b) the long-term sustainability of general practice.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and NHS England assessed the potential impacts of the proposed changes to the GP Contract on patient safety and the long-term sustainability of general practices (GPs) for 2026/27 throughout the policy-development process.

In early 2026, we concluded the 2026/27 GP Contract consultation. This year we expanded the consultation to engage with wider stakeholders across GPs and patient voice organisations. These were the General Practitioners Committee England, the Royal College of General Practitioners, National Voices, the Institute of General Practice Management, Healthwatch England, NHS Confederation, now NHS Alliance following its merge with NHS Providers, and the National Association of Primary Care. The feedback we received from stakeholders across the system has been constructive and comprehensive, enabling us to refine proposals and address concerns while developing the final contract package.

Overall, the changes are designed to help increase capacity in GPs, support patient access, shift from treatment to prevention through changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and vaccinations, enable practices to prioritise clinically urgent needs, and ensure GPs remain sustainable for the future. The changes make progress on commitments in the 10-Year Health Plan as well as key commitments to bring back the family doctor and end the 8:00am scramble.

The Department and NHS England will continue to monitor the impact of the GP Contract through workforce data, patient access metrics, and patient experience data.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to a) support High Level Need funding and b) support local authorities to meet statutory SEND duties.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

High needs funding for children and young people with complex needs is continuing at an increased level of over £12 billion in the 2026/27 financial year, following an increase of 11% in 2025/26. Of that total, Nottingham City Council is being allocated over £70 million.

The Schools white paper set out additional funding for both schools and local authorities to drive forward reform of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, with £4 billion over the next three years, including an inclusive mainstream fund of £1.6 million and £1.8 million for Experts at Hand to provide specialist support to mainstream settings. This will reverse the trend of late intervention and escalation in needs.

It remains important that every local authority meets its statutory SEND duties while ensuring robust controls as they, other local partners and the department work together to reform the SEND system. We will support authorities in this work through their Local SEND Reform Plans.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to make a decision on whether the Federated Data Platform and Associated Services contract with Palantir Technologies will be extended; and what contingency plans his Department has in place to ensure ongoing provision of the programme if that contract is ended.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We continually assess performance against the contract, and performance of the programme as a whole, and publish data on uptake and benefits each quarter. The National Health Service Federated Data Platform (FDP) programme is significantly exceeding its benefits forecast and has exceeded every target since it’s ‘go live’ in March 2024. It is also assessed regularly by the Government's National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, on behalf of HM Treasury. The NHS FDP is one of only 14% of Government major programmes to receive a ‘Green’ rating in July 2025, indicating that the FDP is on track.

In line with Government commercial function standards and contract management best practice, we shall be reviewing the FDP and Associated Services (FDP-AS) contract with a decision anticipated to be made this year on extension.

As part of ongoing and regular contract reviews of the FDP-AS, due consideration is given as to how benefits and outcomes are protected, and whether there is an extension or not. In the event of the contract ending, there are clear Exit Management provisions which would take effect. As with any change programme, there are many aspects that require planning and resource, including delivery of associated procurement activity, mobilising the replacement solutions, managing business change, in particularly supporting users, and managing the exit from existing contracts, the latter inclusive of service continuity during change activity.

The contract has a number of measures built in to facilitate exit and transition, including clear intellectual property rights in NHS build products or components.

International Workers’ Memorial Day 2026

13th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh

Seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz

Planned reductions to BBC staff

Use of restraint of children in the asylum system removal process

Bermuda and oil industry tax

Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners

Health and Social Care

Universal Credit health for under-22s

Israeli death penalty law and military courts

Palestinian Nakba commemoration march

Statutory rights for trade union future-proofing jobs representatives

Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (No. 2)

Decoupling the price of gas from electricity

Mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence law

Anniversary of the Tel al-Sultan aid worker massacre

Restructuring at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Support for the ceramics industry

Transition of rail workers into Great British Railways

Closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan

Found: (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Christine Jardine; Kevin McKenna; Rachel Taylor; Nadia Whittome

The Women and Equalities Committee will examine different ways women and girls can be involved in sport beyond participating as athletes, players and competitors.

No description available

Submit Evidence (by 26 Jun 2026)

The Women and Equalities Committee is examining disabled workers’ and jobseekers’ access to flexible working arrangements. The inquiry is considering experiences of flexible working across different groups of disabled people and sectors of the labour market. It will examine associated schemes, such as Access to Work. It is considering the effectiveness of the law in this area, including employers’ duties to provide “reasonable adjustments” under the Equality Act and changes, set out in the Employment Rights Act 2025, intended to widen access to flexible working arrangements.