Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is the current average distance between emergency refuge areas on All Lane Running Smart Motorways.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

National Highways has completed construction of 151 additional emergency areas across the All Lane Running smart motorway network, through the National Emergency Area Retrofit programme. Across every All Lane Running motorway, the average distance between places to stop in an emergency is now less than a mile (around 0.9 miles), compared to around 1.2 miles before the retrofit.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is the current average distance between dedicated emergency refuge areas, excluding slip roads and junctions, on All Lane Running Smart Motorways.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

My previous answer on 27 April 2026 set out that the average distance between places to stop in an emergency is now less than a mile (around 0.9 miles). Design standard GD301 sets out the new spacing standard (around 3/4 mile where feasible and 1 mile maximum) and defines what a place of relative safety is. The document can be found at: GD 301 - Smart motorways.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle conflict-related sexual violence and sexualised abuse in the West Bank in the context of (a) incidents occurring in the presence of Israeli military forces and contributing to displacement and (b) other incidents; and whether this includes (i) applying UK commitments within the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda, including the UK National Action Plan, (ii) not providing assistance in maintaining the situation, including through reviewing (A) trade, (B) arms export licences and (C) security cooperation for compliance with international law and (iii) taking steps in line with the ICJ 2024 Advisory Opinion on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in relation to (1) ending Israel’s presence in Occupied Palestine and (2) the removal of settlements.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided by the Foreign Secretary to the Member for Tooting at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the planned consultation on banning the use of high-concentration carbon dioxide gas stunning for pigs will include a proposed timetable for phasing out that method.

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

As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, Defra will consult on banning carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs and on possible timescales for phasing out this method. Further details will be set out later this year.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Champion (Chair); Janet Daby; Monica Harding; Noah Law; Brian

Found: Minister for International Development and Africa King Charles Street London SW1A 2AH Sarah Champion

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Champion (Chair); Janet Daby; Monica Harding; Noah Law; Brian

Found: Current membership Sarah Champion (Labour; Rotherham) (Chair) Janet Daby (Labour; Lewisham East) Tracy

Found: Current membership Sarah Champion (Labour; Rotherham) (Chair) Janet Daby (Labour; Lewisham East) Tracy

Found: Western (The Chair); Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom; Lord Boateng; Dame Karen Bradley; Liam Byrne; Sarah Champion