Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, at what frequency his Department plans to hold meetings of the EU Files Forum; and whether the Government intends to publish (a) agendas (b) lists of participants and (c) minutes for each.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade holds a quarterly official-level EU Files Forum, with the next meeting scheduled for December 2025.

This forum was established to facilitate a dialogue between government and the UK business community on evolving EU legislation. To protect any sensitive or commercially confidential information, we do not intend to publish agendas, participant lists, or minutes.

The Government remains committed to open and constructive dialogue with businesses and their representatives to ensure their perspectives are considered in shaping the UK's approach to EU-related trade matters.

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 consult on changes to marriage value under the Leasehold Reform Act 2024; and when he expects to implement any changes.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 89939 on 20 November 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) children, (b) adult family members and (c) single adults were in receipt of asylum support on 30 June 2025.

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

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the family status of asylum seekers in receipt of support is published in table Asy_09b of the ‘Asylum summary tables’. The published table does not differentiate between child and adults family members.

The latest data relates to as at 30 June 2025. Data for as at 30 September 2025 will be published on 27 November 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many civil servants in her Department have been assigned to preparations for a EU-UK agreement on a common sanitary and phytosanitary area.

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

Negotiating and delivering an SPS Agreement with the EU is a whole of Government effort. It is a big priority for the department. We are working very closely with the Cabinet Office. Defra’s trade staff work flexibly across trade deals according to demand.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her department has made of the number and scope of regulations in which there has been (a) active and (b) passive divergence between UK and European Union sanitary and phytosanitary rules; and whether her Department intends to prevent further divergence while EU-UK negotiations on a common sanitary and phytosanitary area are in progress.

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

When it has been deemed appropriate for GB policy to actively diverge from EU regulations, steps have always been taken to consider how a change could impact businesses looking to sell into UK, NI and EU markets, and if they will be required to adhere to different regulations and systems for each.

The Government has begun negotiations with the EU on the SPS agreement. It is too early to assess the nature of the workloads which will result should an agreement be reached, but it is expected to be substantial.

Found: Members The following Members made oral representations: • Carolyn Harris: World Menopause Day • Stella Creasy