Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the reasons for which the National Archives has amended its policies on the disclosure of public records.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The National Archives has not amended its policies regarding either the disclosure or reclosure of public records.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of releasing withheld historic documents relating to (a) Mark Thatcher and the Omanis, (b) Request by Electronic Data Systems to employ Mark Thatcher, (c) proceedings of the Profumo inquiry and (d) the Peter Wright Spycatcher case.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
No. These records are subject to regular review in line with the requirements of the Public Records Act 1958.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will consider facilitating the supply of (a) medical equipment and (b) drugs due to expire to Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As a world leader in military rehabilitation, the UK is contributing to the NATO funded Project RENOVATOR, which includes the provision of medical equipment to help deal with the thousands of injured Armed Forces of Ukraine personnel.
Since July 2024 Project RENOVATOR has procured and delivered over 5,000 individual items to a value of £1.244 million, with £4.8 million of further deliveries planned. Items include specialist rehabilitation equipment, gym equipment to aid rehabilitation and medical equipment.
Project RENOVATOR is only one aspect of the UK military medical support to Ukraine. The medical equipment the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has provided to Ukrainian personnel includes over 110,000 individual medical first aid kits, with an additional 114,000 tourniquets, 57,000 first field dressings, 9,000 chest seals and 8,000 chest decompression devices
On the supply of medication, the MOD follow the World Health Organisation guidance. Thus, medicines are not to be gifted unless they can be used before expiry and are already licenced or available as a treatment option in that country. The MOD does not gift expired products; if the medication is not suitable for use in the UK, it is not suitable for use by others.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will consider transferring Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles awaiting disposal to Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) are key platforms for the British Army to meet Defence Commitments.
Although small numbers are scheduled for disposal, these will have been selected in line with serviceability and suitability for role. As such, without substantial investment, they are not likely to offer significant capability to Ukraine. Providing such small numbers would only increase the diversity of Ukraine’s armoured vehicle fleet, increasing their logistic and training burdens.
The UK will continue to work with Ukraine to identify how best to help them to resist Russian aggression.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to produce an implementation plan to support (a) employers and (b) the wider enforcement system with the implementation of Employment Rights Bill provisions.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government will consult extensively on the implementation of the legislation to ensure it works for workers and employers alike, and anticipates this meaning the majority of reforms will take effect no earlier than 2026. Our forthcoming Employment Rights Bill Implementation Roadmap will set out further detail on our plans. The Roadmap will support businesses and other stakeholders to adapt to changes ahead of their commencement.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans the Government has for introducing a women’s workplace health strategy.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
This Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build an NHS fit for the future. Our focus is on turning the commitments in the Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as providing emergency hormonal contraception free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS from October 2025; taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan; and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.
More widely, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has appointed a Menopause Employment Ambassador who will work closely with employers across the country to improve workplace support for women experiencing menopause.
The Office for Equality and Opportunity are taking the first steps towards legally requiring large employers to publish action plans alongside their gender pay gap figures; detailing the steps they are taking to narrow their gap and support employees during the menopause.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of developing thorium-based molten salt reactors in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Nuclear is a key part of the government's national mission to be a clean energy superpower. The government believes that Advanced Nuclear Technologies (ANTs) could play an important role in helping the UK achieve energy security and clean power while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs.
DESNZ is aware of and monitors the progress of a wide range of advanced reactors in design development by companies around the world, including Thorium Molten Salt reactors.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will have discussions with Meta on removing monkey abuse content from its platforms.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Government ministers and officials regularly discuss online safety matters with stakeholders including online platforms such as Meta.
Under the Online Safety Act’s ‘illegal content duties’, social media platforms including Meta have duties to implement measures to tackle animal abuse content and remove it from their services. Ofcom is the UK’s independent regulator for online safety responsible for regulating services and taking enforcement action as appropriate. It has published recommendations for how providers should fulfil their illegal content duties in codes of practice and documentation. These include specific provisions about animal abuse content. These duties took effect on 17 March.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds information on the daily ticket sales from stations on Southern duty railway lines to London terminals.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not hold this information. The Rail Delivery Group and individual TOCs hold the data.
Asked by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the Housing Benefit subsidy for temporary housing has not increased since 2011.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP pays local authorities a Housing Benefit subsidy for temporary accommodation cases. There are restrictions on the amount paid, including a subsidy cap which is £500 per week in certain areas of London or £375 elsewhere.
We recognise the financial pressures which local authorities are experiencing. MHCLG are increasing funding for homelessness services this year by an extra £233 million compared to last year (2024/25).
We continue to keep the rates used for Housing Benefit subsidy under review and are working closely with MHCLG and the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping to explore the impacts of subsidy rates on local authorities.
Any future decisions on subsidy rates will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing and the current challenging financial environment at the appropriate fiscal event.