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 The Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025 on the ability of (a) students and (b) academics to protest the use of animals in scientific research by universities.

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

On Thursday 27 November 2025, the Home Office laid an affirmative Statutory Instrument in Parliament to amend Section 7 and Section 8 of the Public Order Act 2023. This will amend the list of key national infrastructure within Section 7 of the Act, to add the Life Sciences sector and define the Life Sciences sector in Section 8 of the Act.

The definition of ‘Life Sciences sector’ for the purpose of this legislation to be added to Section 8 of the Act is: “infrastructure that primarily facilitates pharmaceutical research, or the development or manufacturing of pharmaceutical products; or which is used in connection to activities authorised under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986”.

Under Section 7 of the Public Order Act 2023, a person commits an offence if:

• They do an act which interferes with the use or operation of any key national infrastructure in England and Wales, and
• They intend that act to interfere with the use or operation of such infrastructure or are reckless as to whether it will do so.

The amendment is designed to address only certain behaviours impacting the Life Sciences sector. It does not ban protests. It specifically targets deliberate or reckless interference with infrastructure within the Life Sciences sector, that could undermine our sovereign capability to prepare for and respond to a pandemic.

Whether an activity meets the criminal threshold within Section 7 of the Public Order Act 2023 will be fact specific and is an operational matter for the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts, who are all operationally independent from the government.

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 The Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025 on the ability of the public to protest the use of beagles in scientific research.

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

On Thursday 27 November 2025, the Home Office laid an affirmative Statutory Instrument in Parliament to amend Section 7 and Section 8 of the Public Order Act 2023. This will amend the list of key national infrastructure within Section 7 of the Act, to add the Life Sciences sector and define the Life Sciences sector in Section 8 of the Act.

Under Section 7 of the Act, a person commits an offence if:

• They do an act which interferes with the use or operation of any key national infrastructure in England and Wales, and
• They intend that act to interfere with the use or operation of such infrastructure or are reckless as to whether it will do so.

The amendment is designed to address only certain behaviours impacting the Life Sciences sector. It does not ban protests. It specifically targets deliberate or reckless interference with infrastructure within the Life Sciences sector, that could undermine our sovereign capability to prepare for and respond to a pandemic.

Whether an activity, online or otherwise, meets the criminal threshold within Section 7 of the Public Order Act 2023 will be fact specific and is an operational matter for the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts, who are all operationally independent from the government.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking in collaboration with her counterpart in Myanmar to support the ability of Christian communities to (a) observe religious holidays and (b) practice their faith in Myanmar.

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

The UK continues to support Freedom of Religion and Belief in Myanmar, and we support the right of Christian communities and other faith groups in Myanmar to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution.

In 2025, we co-sponsored a UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for the Myanmar military to fully respect and protect the human rights of all persons, including those belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, and we strongly condemn the Myanmar military's use of airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, including places of worship.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she intends to publish guidance for (a) the Police and (b) the public on protests outside life science facilities using animals in research.

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

The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society. It is a long-standing tradition in this country that people are free to gather and to demonstrate their views, provided that they do so within the law.

There is no statutory requirement for the Home Office to produce guidance for this instrument. However, the Home Office will work with the National Police Chiefs Council and the College of Policing as the regulations are implemented to ensure forces understand their operational responsibilities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the results of the consultation on potential reforms to Section 24 of Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which closed on 13 June 2014.

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

In 2014, the then Government commenced a public consultation seeking views on section 24, with the aim of increasing openness and transparency. This work was paused due to changes in administration in 2015.

Under this Government, the Home Office has been reviewing the matter internally, and the intention to clarify the position on Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 remains, taking account of the previous consultation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she had with the Welsh Rail Board on the electrification of the Cardiff - Swansea section of the South Wales Mainline.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Rail Minister has regular discussions with the Wales Rail Board regarding their priorities for investment, including future electrification between Swansea and Cardiff. Our initial joint priorities involve improvements on the South Wales Mainline which will deliver more immediate passenger benefits, including increasing the frequency of services to the west of Cardiff. Following the Spending Review, we are funding these improvement works as part of the wider £445 million investment to enhance rail infrastructure across Wales — unlocking economic potential, improving connectivity, and supporting communities.

Situation in Iran

Found: Yours sincerely, Ruth Jones MP Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee Independent inspection

Found: Yours sincerely, Ruth Jones MP Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee

Found: Yours sincerely, Ruth Jones MP Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee Page 1 of 14

Found: parliament.uk +44 (0)20 7219 1424 Social: @houseofcommons parliament.uk Yours sincerely, Ruth Jones

Found: Yours sincerely, Ruth Jones MP Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee The Foundry | 17 Oval

Found: Yours sincerely, Ruth Jones MP Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee Estyn, Llys Angor, Heol

Found: SW1A 0AA welshcom@parliament.uk +44 (0)20 7219 1424 Social: @houseofcommons parliament.uk Ruth Jones

Found: parliament.uk +44 (0)20 7219 1424 Social: @houseofcommons parliament.uk Yours sincerely, Ruth Jones

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Jones (Chair); Ann Davies; Gerald Jones; Ben Lake; Llinos Medi

Submit Evidence (by 27 Mar 2026)

Cross-border healthcare affects individuals living in both England and across Wales, who travel between the nations for GPs, specialist care, hospitals, and more. Cross-border healthcare arrangements between England and Wales offer unique challenges, some of which the Welsh Affairs Committee heard during a one-off evidence session conducted in January 2025.

Found: the creative industries sectors, including representation from screen (Bad Wolf Productions; and Ruth Jones