Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to include experiments inducing sepsis in animals in her strategy on phasing out animal testing.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Question UIN 94115.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the (a) terms of reference and (b) membership of the Undersea Infrastructure Security Oversight Board.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Undersea Infrastructure Security Oversight Board provides a joined-up function and sets strategic direction across government on undersea infrastructure security.

The core membership includes key government stakeholders with an interest in undersea infrastructure security. This includes representation from DSIT, DESNZ, MOD, Defra, DFT, Home Office, Royal Navy and others as required. It is chaired and convened by the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Undersea Infrastructure Security (UIS) Oversight Board report to ministers in (a) his department, and (b) other government departments.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The senior official-level Undersea Infrastructure Security Oversight Board will escalate issues to Cabinet Office ministers and the National Security Council as required.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS providers are obligated to (a) advertise positions for British nationals before foreign nationals and (b) hire British residents before overseas residents for (i) nursing and (ii) midwife positions.

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

There is no obligation on National Health Service providers to advertise positions for British nationals before foreign nationals, or to hire British residents before overseas residents for nursing and midwife positions.

At the same time, the 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it.

As part of that plan, we will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to written question 100178, if she will publish the criteria used by her Department to evaluate (a) the need for places, (b) value for money, (c) whether they would provide a distinctive or innovative education offer and (d) whether they would negatively affect other local schools.

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

We have written to trusts, local authorities and members of Parliament setting out the position on individual projects, as well as offering more detailed feedback.

The department considered whether there was a strong need for the school in the medium term. We assessed published School Capacity data (SCAP24), in line with the department’s longstanding approach to assessing pipeline projects, as well as other data from local authorities, such as plans for future housing developments.

We also considered forecast costs of delivering each school, delivery issues such as finding a suitable site and whether projects would provide a distinctive local offer or risk negatively impacting other local schools.

Final decisions on projects where a ‘minded to cancel’ letter was issued, will be made once trusts and local authorities have had the opportunity to submit any new evidence. Representations should be made by 30 January 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to written statement 1163, on what grounds the Government approved the Eton Star academy projects in Dudley and Oldham.

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

All free school projects were evaluated in line with consistent criteria focusing on assessing the need for places and value for money. This included considering whether projects would provide a distinctive local offer and whether they would risk negatively impacting other local schools or colleges.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to refuse consideration of the written evidence submitted by the Muslim Council of Britain to the Independent Review of Public Order and Hate Crime Legislation.

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

Following the appalling attack on a synagogue in Manchester on 2 October, the Home Secretary announced an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation on 5 October 2025. The Review is being led by Lord Ken Macdonald of River Glaven KC, supported by former Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill KPM.

The Review is engaging extensively with representatives of a wide range of sectors, including faith groups and community organisations, to ensure that all perspectives are considered. Given the Review is independent, it is for the Chair leading it to determine which groups and organisations he wishes to engage with.

Once the Review concludes, the Home Secretary will carefully consider its findings and recommendations before setting out her next steps.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to written statement HCWS1163 made on 15 December 2025, how much government funding has been given to date to each of the 28 mainstream free school projects ahead of their cancellation.

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

The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites/land and the construction of free schools.

Where sites have been secured, details and costs of acquisitions will be set out on the Land Registry website. The department also publishes contract details and costs for all free school projects on Contracts Finder.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential level of overlap of proposals for appointing Public Safety Commissioners in mayoralties with the position of Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Where a mayor is responsible for Police and Crime Commissioner functions, they must appoint a Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, who works with them to oversee policing. Where mayors are also responsible for fire and rescue, they can delegate this to the DMPC. This means one individual can lead on policing and fire.

The Public Safety Commissioner (PSC) will be a new optional appointment, whose role would be to lead on the ‘public safety’ area of competence for a mayor, including matters beyond policing and fire. They could be delegated fire functions but not policing.

This gives mayors a choice on how to best deliver public safety in their area. They could delegate all their public safety functions to the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime or appoint a separate Public Safety Commissioner to manage non-policing functions, such as fire.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to written question 93138, what her planned timetable is for publication of the (a) terms of reference and (b) membership of the regional improvement for standards and excellence Operations Working Group.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department will publish the terms of reference, membership details and minutes of the first meeting of the Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence Operations Working Group by the end of January 2026. Minutes for future meetings with be published following each meeting.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to introduce a fast-track process for Disabled Facilities Grants applications for people with (a) Motor Neurone Disease and (b) other terminal conditions.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 88803 on 18 November 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have had their visas revoked since 2010, broken down by type of grounds for refusal.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office do not currently publish data in relation to decisions to cancel permission to enter or permission to stay. The information requested can’t be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 December to Question 96893, when she will publish the aggregated information on programme-level performance measures and key performance indicators for RISE advisors.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government is focused on driving high and rising standards through our Plan for Change, to enable every child to achieve and thrive.

Our targeted RISE programme is ensuring schools who need it most are getting the support they need to improve. We will publish an interim process evaluation report in the spring, but we are continuing to evaluate and listening to a range of feedback directly informing the program. We will publish further process evaluation interim reports and expect to publish a final process evaluation report in 2028.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he can provide a summary of patient satisfaction scores for GP surgeries in England for the latest year by (a) those surgeries which have fully implemented the digital front door and (b) those which have not.

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

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics’ Health Insight Survey, of September 2025, show that patient satisfaction is on the rise for the first time in a decade. 73% found it easy to contact their general practice (GP), up from 60% last year

The latest GP Patient Survey data was published in July 2025, before the implementation of the contract changes to online access in October 2025. The Health Insight Survey, which also gathers information on patient satisfaction, does not report at the individual practice level. As a result, current patient satisfaction figures do not yet reflect the impact of increased online access.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to GP surgeries implementing the digital front door to ensure non-digital access routes remain available to patients unable to use online services.

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

In February 2025 the General Practitioners Committee England agreed to make it a contractual obligation for all general practices (GPs) to offer access to online services throughout core hours, from 8:00am to 18:30pm, bringing online access in line with walk-in and phone access. There is a broad support offer available from NHS England and integrated care boards where practices are struggling to meet this requirement.

The GP Contract requires that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, so those without digital access are not disadvantaged.

We are clear that online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a GP.

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 ensure that patients retain the right to access GP services through non-digital means where digital front door systems have been implemented.

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

In February 2025 the General Practitioners Committee England agreed to make it a contractual obligation for all general practices (GPs) to offer access to online services throughout core hours, from 8:00am to 18:30pm, bringing online access in line with walk-in and phone access. There is a broad support offer available from NHS England and integrated care boards where practices are struggling to meet this requirement.

The GP Contract requires that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, so those without digital access are not disadvantaged.

We are clear that online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a GP.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the letter of 5 September 2025 from the hon. Member for West Suffolk.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A response was sent to the hon. Member on 6 January 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of making naloxone available in public spaces.

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

The Department has amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to expand access to naloxone. The legislation which came into force in 2024 enabled more services and professionals to supply this medication, making it easier to access for people at risk, and for their loved ones.

We recognise the need for greater public access to naloxone. As such, we recently launched a ten-week United Kingdom-wide public consultation on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone.

One of the legislative proposals we are consulting on is to create a new route of supply by enabling publicly accessible naloxone for emergency use using a locked box model. This overdose prevention method could enable more local areas to have naloxone available at any time in high-risk public spaces such as high streets and near to nightlife venues, without needing a prescription or in person supply.

This a central part of the Government’s comprehensive approach to drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, and recovery, supported by £3.4 billion of funding delivered through the Public Health Grant over the next three years.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will adopt a call for evidence process on changes to the taxation and cost of electric cars.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Budget 2025, the Government announced a number of changes to the taxation of electric vehicles (EVs). The eVED consultation provides further detail on how eVED will work and seeks views on its implementation. The consultation is available at GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-introduction-of-electric-vehicle-excise-duty-eved.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his Department plans to do about the number of prisoners spending time on remand exceeding the Custody Time Limit of 6 months.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The use of remand is a judicial matter and decisions regarding it are up to the judiciary, whose independence from government is well-established. There are well established processes for extending Custody Time Limits. Applications must be approved by independent judges and defendants have the right to oppose any application.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 23 December 2025 to written question 93136, how much funding has been allocated to the RISE Advisor budget by key expenditure items.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government is focused on driving high and rising standards through our Plan for Change, to enable every child to achieve and thrive.

Our targeted regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) programme is ensuring schools who need it most are getting the support they need to improve.

Over 360 schools have already benefited from RISE, supported by 65 advisers, experienced leaders across the schools sector.

£4.8 million has been allocated to the RISE Adviser budget for the 2025/26 financial year. Budgets for future years will be set through business planning.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to merge the Groceries Code Adjudicator and the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator as part of her Department's Farm Profitability Review.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The department is committed to an evidence-based approach to regulating the supply chain and to ensuring that producers and businesses are treated fairly. The statutory review of the effectiveness of the Groceries Code Adjudicator by the Department for Business and Trade is currently under way, and any future decisions will be informed by its findings.

The Government is carefully considering all of the recommendations made in the independent Farming Profitability Review, including those relating to the roles and governance arrangements of the Groceries Code Adjudicator and the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator. A Government response to the review will be set out as part of the Farming Roadmap.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will extend grants for replacement boilers to cover park homes.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government delivers a number of digital services to support consumers with energy efficiency and clean heat, including 'Find Ways to Save Energy in your Home' (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), providing tailored recommendations for home improvements. A phoneline service is available on 0800 098 7950.

Residents living in park homes are eligible for support under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) until it closes in March 2026, and the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG).

Energy cutting and bill saving measures available under the WH:LG include heat pumps and insulation. The WH:LG has been allocated £500 million to be delivered from 2025-2028 by participating local authorities.

Park homes may also be eligible for BUS funding providing all scheme eligibility criteria are met. Consumers can access further information, including eligibility criteria, at www.gov.uk/government/collections/find-energy-grants-for-you-home-help-to-heat.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Written Statement of 15 December 2025 on Investment in high needs place, HCWS1163, what meetings her Department held with the mainstream free school projects prior to their cancellation.

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

The department has engaged with trusts, local authorities and other stakeholders in relation to individual projects in scope of the review, including reviewing the evidence they have provided. As would be expected from a review of this scale, there have been a significant number of meetings

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to introduce protections for ancestry visa holders in the context of her proposed reforms to indefinite leave to remain.

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

The UK values its close cultural and historical ties with its fellow Commonwealth countries. This is reflected in our immigration system by the UK Ancestry visa, which allows Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent to live and work in the UK.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.

The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already here on a pathway to settlement, including UK Ancestry visa holders. At this stage, no transitional arrangements have been decided upon.

Details of the earned settlement model and any potential transitional arrangements for those already in the UK will be finalised following the consultation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he will take steps to prevent organisations with which the Government has a policy of non-engagement from submitting written evidence to (a) ministers, (b) officials and (c) public consultations.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The government does not and will not engage with organisations with whom they have a policy of non-engagement.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many local authority presumption free schools have been established since central applications were closed last year, broken down by (a), primary, (b) secondary, (c) post-16, and (d) special schools.

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

The number of free schools that have been opened through the free school presumption process since July 2024 is as follows:

For comparison, the number of presumption free schools that were established in the previous academic year (2023/24) was:

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Written Statement of 15 December 2025 on Investment in high needs place, HCWS1163, which (a) Members of Parliament and (b) local authorities met departmental officials to discuss the status of one or more of the 28 mainstream free school projects ahead of their cancellation.

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

The department has engaged with trusts, local authorities and other stakeholders in relation to projects in scope of the mainstream review, including reviewing the evidence they have provided. This included all of the local authorities with a project in scope.

MPs with an interest in projects were invited to a ‘drop in’ session during the review and again following the announcement on 15 December 2025. Individual meetings with interested MPs have also taken place.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Written Statement of 15 December 2025 on Investment in high needs place, HCWS1163, what meetings were held with the 18 local authorities that had successful bids for a (a) special and (b) AP free school ahead of the cancellation of those projects.

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

Meetings were held with a small number of local authorities with projects across the special and alternative provision free schools pipeline during the process of formulating policy. As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 15 December 2025 (HCWS1163), policy decisions have been taken to ensure that capital investment delivers specialist places more quickly and flexibly.

For 18 projects where a trust had not been appointed by July 2024 and so are furthest from opening, the department concluded that local authorities are best placed to create the required places sooner than would be possible through the free school route. Each affected authority will be given an alternative funding package, calculated on a per-place basis, enabling them to expand existing provision or adapt mainstream settings as part of their local special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy and in line with SEND reform.

Authorities can submit representations if they disagree with the decision. The deadline for them to do so is 27 February 2026.

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 reduce regional disparities in life expectancy.

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

The Government is taking bold action to tackle the social determinants of health to build a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer. We are committed to increasing the amount of time people spend in good health and preventing premature deaths, with a vision of ensuring that all individuals, regardless of background or location, live longer, healthier lives.

We know everyday life poses greater health risks to the most disadvantaged in society, and that the current model of care works least well for those who already experience disadvantage and are far more likely to have complex needs.

To help tackle this, we will distribute National Health Service funding more equally locally, so it is better aligned with health need. We will free up funding to allow us to move resources more quickly to areas of higher health need, through our plan to remove deficit support funding, worth £2.2 billion in 2025/26, starting from financial year 2026/27.

We know that the Carr-Hill formula is considered outdated, and evidence suggests that general practitioners serving in deprived parts of England receive on average 9.8% less funding per needs adjusted patient than those in less deprived communities, despite having greater health needs and significantly higher patient-to-GP ratios. This is why we are currently reviewing the formula to ensure that resources are targeted where they are most needed.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the British Army has spent on sponsorship of Premier League Football in 2025-26 financial year.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Whilst the financial aspects of the sponsorship of Premier League football on Sky Television are commercial in confidence, sponsorship of Premier League football by the Army is part of a wider Army Recruiting campaign. Other marketing events and activity are synchronised with matches to ensure they generate as much interest as possible and provide value for money. Armed Forces intake has increased by 13% when compared to previous 12 months. In the same period outflow reduced by 8%.