Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help secure the release of Craig and Lindsay Foreman from detention in Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement the Foreign Secretary made to the House on 13 January, and to my own statement on 5 January, and let me assure her that consular staff are continuing to work on this case remotely while our Embassy in Tehran remains temporarily closed.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January to Question 102465, on North Africa: Refugees, when her Department last assessed the effectiveness of her Department's existing migration prevention work in North Africa.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All aspects of the Department's work are kept under continuous review, in all regions of the world, particularly on priority issues such as the fight against illegal migration.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Cultural Policy Unit, The National Library Card, published in December 2025; and what plans they have to act on its recommendations.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Libraries matter to people. They provide inspiration, education and entertainment for many thousands of people every week. The Government fully recognises the importance and value of public libraries for all members of the public. During early years, for example, libraries can help boost language and reading skills and confidence through rhymetime sessions and family learning events, building lifetime foundations of reading for pleasure.
We are aware of the report and I have read it with interest. As the Cultural Policy Unit identifies, the value of a public library card lies beyond simply having one, but in using it. This is why last year DCMS published its non-users research, a comprehensive quantitative report exploring the barriers to library use and potential strategies for re-engagement.
We will also be working with The Reading Agency and the public library sector to look at ways to boost membership and usage of public library service by people of all ages during the 2026 National Year of Reading.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on the impact of Physical Infrastructure Access costs on the deployment of fibre optic broadband in rural areas.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product, and is currently finalising its Telecoms Access Review.
DSIT officials regularly engage with Ofcom on these issues. In July, we published our draft updated Statement of Strategic Priorities to Ofcom that sets out the government’s view on the importance of competition to promote investment in broadband deployment across the UK, including asking Ofcom to demonstrate greater transparency in how they calculate and set PIA prices.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to prioritise the development of non-animal testing methods under the Replacing Animals in Science strategy.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government’s new strategy sets out our long-term vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances, achieved by creating a research and innovation system that drives the development and validation of alternative methods to using animals in science. The strategy sets out commitments to prioritise the development of non-animal testing methods, including creating a preclinical translational models hub and publishing areas of research interest for alternative methods.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the higher Rateable Values in the 2026 business rate revaluation on revenue from the Crossrail Business Rate Supplement; and whether the multiplier or threshold for the supplement will be amended.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This is a matter for the Mayor of London.
Asked by: Joe Powell (Labour - Kensington and Bayswater)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he expects to respond to the home buying and selling reform consultation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 6 October, my Department published two consultations outlining reform proposals to transform home buying and selling. They can be found on gov.uk here and here.
Both consultations closed on 29 December. We are now reviewing the feedback received.
Subject to the outcomes of the analysis being undertaken, we will publish a roadmap setting out further details of our reforms later this year.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 30628, on Local Government: Codes of Practice, and further to the consultation response entitled Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England – consultation results and government response, published on 11 November 2025, if he will make it his policy to ensure that the new mandatory code of conduct has a free speech clause modelled on the Bromley code of conduct.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government response to the local government standards framework consultation published on 11 November 2025 confirmed our intention to legislate to prescribe a mandatory code of conduct. We are continuing to engage with the sector as we develop final detailed policies for implementation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 2 January 2026 to Question 99503 on Councillors: Conduct, whether he plans to consult on the content of the mandatory code of conduct; and whether it will include a requirement to promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government response to the local government standards framework consultation published on 11 November 2025 confirmed our intention to legislate to prescribe a mandatory code of conduct. We are continuing to engage with the sector as we develop final detailed policies for implementation.
Asked by: Pam Cox (Labour - Colchester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to help improve accessibility at railway stations across Essex.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. On 15 January we confirmed that accessibility upgrades will be delivered at Colchester station in the Hon Member's constituency.
Across Essex, 37 stations currently have step-free access to all platforms.
A further 33 stations have some degree of step-free access, typically to one platform only, or to both platforms where interchange is poor.