Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will create a National Brain Tumour Strategy.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department, NHS England, and the National Institute for Health Care and Research are taking several steps to help improve outcomes for brain tumour patients. The National Cancer Plan, which will complement the 10-Year Health Plan, will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for all cancer patients, including those with rarer and less common cancers such as brain tumours.

Additionally, in September 2024, the National Institute for Health Research announced a new package of support to stimulate high quality brain tumour research applications, as part of the Government’s commitment to developing new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.

A new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium was established in December 2024 to bring together researchers from a range of different disciplines and institutions with the aim of driving scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage, and treat cancers in adults and children.

In addition to speeding up diagnosis and treatment, the work being undertaken by the consortium aims to ensure that patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and to clinical trials. This will make a significant contribution to driving up this country’s cancer survival rates.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, what discussions she has had with her Dutch counterpart on the Ajax v Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League game in November 2024.

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

The Policing Minister wrote to the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police on 24 November to request an urgent update clarifying the provenance of the intelligence gathered by his force and his confidence in this. The Chief Constable replied on 28 November.

The Home Office routinely engages with international partners as part of its departmental interests in policing, border security and immigration. Officials have met with Dutch counterparts in recent weeks on these matters, including as part of efforts to ensure full transparency around the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the fixture against Aston Villa in November. Ministers have not directly engaged with Ministers from the Netherlands on this specific matter.

To ensure full independent scrutiny, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect how police forces in England and Wales provide risk assessment advice to local Safety Advisory Groups and other bodies responsible for licensing high-profile public events. HMICFRS has been asked to provide an initial response on the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match by 31 December.

Additionally, the Home Affairs Select Committee held an evidence session on 1 December to examine the decision-making process and intelligence assessments. The government awaits the Committee’s findings. Correspondence between the Committee and relevant parties is routinely published on the Committee’s official website.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, what discussions her Department had with West Midlands Police in relation to their meeting with Dutch police authorities on 1 October 2025.

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

The Policing Minister wrote to the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police on 24 November to request an urgent update clarifying the provenance of the intelligence gathered by his force and his confidence in this. The Chief Constable replied on 28 November.

The Home Office routinely engages with international partners as part of its departmental interests in policing, border security and immigration. Officials have met with Dutch counterparts in recent weeks on these matters, including as part of efforts to ensure full transparency around the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the fixture against Aston Villa in November. Ministers have not directly engaged with Ministers from the Netherlands on this specific matter.

To ensure full independent scrutiny, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect how police forces in England and Wales provide risk assessment advice to local Safety Advisory Groups and other bodies responsible for licensing high-profile public events. HMICFRS has been asked to provide an initial response on the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match by 31 December.

Additionally, the Home Affairs Select Committee held an evidence session on 1 December to examine the decision-making process and intelligence assessments. The government awaits the Committee’s findings. Correspondence between the Committee and relevant parties is routinely published on the Committee’s official website.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of public disorder outside Villa Park on 6 November 2025.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring that football matches are safe, inclusive events for all. Decisions regarding match-day operations, including the decision to exclude away fans from attending the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match at Villa Park on 6 November, were made locally by Birmingham City Council’s Safety Advisory Group, following a risk assessment by West Midlands Police. These bodies are operationally independent of government.

The match proceeded without serious disorder or disruption, supported by a significant policing operation involving around 700 officers. While the event was largely peaceful, the government recognises the concerns raised about the intelligence underpinning the decision to exclude away fans.

To ensure full independent scrutiny, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect how police forces in England and Wales provide risk assessment advice to local Safety Advisory Groups and other bodies responsible for licensing high-profile public events. HMICFRS has been asked to provide an initial response on the intelligence the West Midlands Police relied upon when assessing risk for the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match by 31 December.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, by what criteria are the career experiences of British nationals and foreign nationals compared when NHS providers are considering (a) nursing and (b) midwife applications.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Decisions on recruitment are the responsibility of individual National Health Service employers, who are required to assure themselves of a person’s suitability for the role.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, whether West Midlands Police sent notice of the decision to recommend a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters to her Department before it went to the Safety Advisory Group.

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

Officials were first informed on 2 October 2025 that West Midlands Police were considering a range of options to manage safety and security risks around the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match, including the potential restriction of away fans.

During this period, officials maintained contact solely with the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit to monitor developments and keep ministers updated. Neither ministers nor officials were involved in the decision-making process of West Midlands Police, the Safety Advisory Group, or Birmingham City Council, nor did they express any view on the options under consideration.

These decisions are operational matters for the police, working with the local Safety Advisory Group and Birmingham City Council, and are taken independently of central government.

The Home Office did not receive formal notice of any recommendation before the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was announced on 16 October.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, whether her Department gave any view about the decision to recommend a ban before the Safety Advisory Group took its position.

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

Officials were first informed on 2 October 2025 that West Midlands Police were considering a range of options to manage safety and security risks around the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match, including the potential restriction of away fans.

During this period, officials maintained contact solely with the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit to monitor developments and keep ministers updated. Neither ministers nor officials were involved in the decision-making process of West Midlands Police, the Safety Advisory Group, or Birmingham City Council, nor did they express any view on the options under consideration.

These decisions are operational matters for the police, working with the local Safety Advisory Group and Birmingham City Council, and are taken independently of central government.

The Home Office did not receive formal notice of any recommendation before the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was announced on 16 October.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, what actions did (a) ministers, and (b) officials take after they were informed of the options under consideration on 2 October 2025.

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

Officials were first informed on 2 October 2025 that West Midlands Police were considering a range of options to manage safety and security risks around the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match, including the potential restriction of away fans.

During this period, officials maintained contact solely with the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit to monitor developments and keep ministers updated. Neither ministers nor officials were involved in the decision-making process of West Midlands Police, the Safety Advisory Group, or Birmingham City Council, nor did they express any view on the options under consideration.

These decisions are operational matters for the police, working with the local Safety Advisory Group and Birmingham City Council, and are taken independently of central government.

The Home Office did not receive formal notice of any recommendation before the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was announced on 16 October.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) duration and (b) terms and conditions of contracts are for regional improvement for standards and excellence advisors.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Regional improvement for standards excellence (RISE) teams have already paired over 350 schools with RISE advisers and supporting organisations, including some of our strongest trusts with a record of turning around struggling schools, to share expertise and boost standards.

All current regional improvement for standards and excellence advisers’ contracts come to an end 30 April 2027. Advisers are employed via secondment agreement or via Public Sector Resourcing, using standard terms and conditions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on security for the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv game on 6 November 2025.

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

The Home Office was not informed of the decision by Birmingham City Council’s Safety Advisory Group, following a risk assessment by West Midlands Police to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans prior to its public announcement.

The Home Office routinely engages with international partners as part of its departmental interests in policing, border security and immigration. Officials have met with Dutch counterparts in recent weeks on these matters, as part of efforts to ensure full transparency around the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the fixture against Aston Villa in November. Ministers have not directly engaged with Ministers from the Netherlands on this matter.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, whether her Department received notification of West Midlands Police’s decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League game ahead of the Safety Advisory Board meeting.

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

The Home Office was not informed of the decision by Birmingham City Council’s Safety Advisory Group, following a risk assessment by West Midlands Police to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans prior to its public announcement.

The Home Office routinely engages with international partners as part of its departmental interests in policing, border security and immigration. Officials have met with Dutch counterparts in recent weeks on these matters, as part of efforts to ensure full transparency around the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the fixture against Aston Villa in November. Ministers have not directly engaged with Ministers from the Netherlands on this matter.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) independent, and (b) non-maintained special schools have been established in each year since 2020.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The register of schools is publicly available as part of the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) website, which is available at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the amount spent by local authorities on (a) independent, and (b) non-maintained special schools in each year since 2020.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The table below sets out the information on actual expenditure by local authorities for the financial years from 2020/21 to 2024/25. From the information supplied by local authorities, it is not possible to differentiate between the total amounts spent on independent special schools and the total amounts spent on non-maintained special schools.

Notes:

1. 2023/24 excludes direct spending by Cumberland and by Westmorland and Furness Counsels as these local authorities did not submit outturn data for 2023/24.
2. The NMSS place funding at £10,000 per place includes a £6,000 per place cost to local authorities through the deductions from their high needs' allocations. The rest is funded centrally by the department.
3. The EHC plan numbers for each year come from the SEN2 data collection.
4. These figures have been rounded to the nearest £1,000.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the level of fee increases for (a) independent and (b) non-maintained special schools in each year since 2020.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department does not monitor increases to private school fees. This is a matter for individual schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with her Chinese counterpart on (a) student numbers and (b) research funding in the UK higher education sector.

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

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had discussions with a Chinese counterpart on student numbers in UK higher education (HE). Policy for HE research funding for England is the responsibility of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). UK Research and Innovation, which falls under DSIT's remit, is the biggest public funder of research.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of importing solar panels from China on security.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure very seriously.

The department works closely with other government departments, agencies and industry partners to understand, assess and mitigate threats to energy infrastructure.

The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure.

We take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of importing renewable technologies from China on energy security.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure very seriously.

The department works closely with other government departments, agencies and industry partners to understand, assess and mitigate threats to energy infrastructure.

The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure.

We take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, whether she had discussions with West Midlands Police on any counter-terror threats from Maccabi Tel Avi (a) players and (b) supporters prior to 6 November 2025.

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

To ensure independent and transparent scrutiny, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect how police forces in England and Wales provide risk assessment advice to local Safety Advisory Groups and other bodies responsible for licensing high-profile public events.

HMICFRS has been asked to provide an initial response on the intelligence relied upon by West Midlands Police when assessing risk for the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match by 31 December. The Home Office has provided all requested material to HMICFRS and will continue to cooperate fully.

The Home Affairs Select Committee held an evidence session on 1 December to examine the decision-making process and intelligence assessments underpinning the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters. The Policing Minister and a senior Home Office official gave evidence to the Committee, as did the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands. Correspondence and evidence submitted to the Committee are routinely published on its official website, ensuring full transparency.

The Home Office did not hold any discussions with West Midlands Police regarding potential counter-terror threats towards or from Maccabi Tel Aviv players or supporters prior to 6 November 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, if she will place all (a) correspondence, (b) minutes and (c) documents held by her Department on policing matches involving teams from Israel from 7 November 2024 in the Library.

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

To ensure independent and transparent scrutiny, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect how police forces in England and Wales provide risk assessment advice to local Safety Advisory Groups and other bodies responsible for licensing high-profile public events.

HMICFRS has been asked to provide an initial response on the intelligence relied upon by West Midlands Police when assessing risk for the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match by 31 December. The Home Office has provided all requested material to HMICFRS and will continue to cooperate fully.

The Home Affairs Select Committee held an evidence session on 1 December to examine the decision-making process and intelligence assessments underpinning the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters. The Policing Minister and a senior Home Office official gave evidence to the Committee, as did the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands. Correspondence and evidence submitted to the Committee are routinely published on its official website, ensuring full transparency.

The Home Office did not hold any discussions with West Midlands Police regarding potential counter-terror threats towards or from Maccabi Tel Aviv players or supporters prior to 6 November 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, if she will publish West Midlands Police’s (a) intelligence materials and (b) its analysis that led to the decision to ban the Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters.

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

To ensure independent and transparent scrutiny, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect how police forces in England and Wales provide risk assessment advice to local Safety Advisory Groups and other bodies responsible for licensing high-profile public events.

HMICFRS has been asked to provide an initial response on the intelligence relied upon by West Midlands Police when assessing risk for the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match by 31 December. The Home Office has provided all requested material to HMICFRS and will continue to cooperate fully.

The Home Affairs Select Committee held an evidence session on 1 December to examine the decision-making process and intelligence assessments underpinning the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters. The Policing Minister and a senior Home Office official gave evidence to the Committee, as did the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands. Correspondence and evidence submitted to the Committee are routinely published on its official website, ensuring full transparency.

The Home Office did not hold any discussions with West Midlands Police regarding potential counter-terror threats towards or from Maccabi Tel Aviv players or supporters prior to 6 November 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Environment Agency's implementation timeline for the waste registration and accreditation system.

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

The packaging regulations provide the Environment Agency (EA) with a statutory 12-week period to determine applications for reprocessor & exporter registration and accreditation applications.

In a small number of cases the determination period is going beyond this 12-week period for applications under the new 2026 packaging regulations. This is due to increased application queries and embedding the new requirements to ensure all applications are consistently assessed. The EA will back date registrations and accreditations to 1 January 2026. The EA does not anticipate that these delays will continue and has a plan to determine all applications as promptly as possible.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Clean Power 2030 on national security.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

At its core, the Clean Power 2030 mission aims to deliver a sustainable, secure and resilient energy system for the UK.

The government has worked closely with Ofgem, NESO, businesses, trade unions, and others to accelerate towards our goal of Clean Power by 2030.

The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure.