The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce, which I chair as Security Minister, drives a whole of government approach to the threats we face to our democracy.

The Permanent Secretary of the Home Office has recently been appointed by the Cabinet Secretary as the lead for Defending Democracy. The Taskforce is supported by a dedicated Secretariat in the Home Office who help co-ordinate this work across government.

Although the Government has a policy of not commenting about groups or individuals, there are cases where it is in the public interest to do so. The Government has previously made the decision to not engage with organisations that have taken positions that contradict our fundamental values and have not explicitly retracted these positions. We keep this under constant review to ensure our position is based on the latest information available.

The Government is committed to engaging with a broad range of leaders and organisations across many different communities and civil society groups. Engagement with communities can strengthen our democracy, our policymaking and our society.

The Home Office carries out due diligence when choosing to engage with any organisation or individual and, if asked, we will advise and share information to help others inform their decisions.

The Government has set out commitments to tackle telephone fraud in the second Telecoms Fraud Charter and the Fraud Strategy 2026-2029. The Charter, signed by major UK mobile operators and business-to-business networks, includes measures to identify, prevent and disrupt telecoms fraud.

As set out in the Fraud Strategy, the Government launched a Call for Evidence in July to examine how criminals are accessing UK telephone numbers to facilitate scam calls in the UK and internationally. The findings will inform policy options to disrupt this activity.

Through the Crime and Policing Act 2026, the Government has also legislated to ban the supply and distribution of “SIM farms”, devices used by criminals to send scam texts at scale.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 15 September to Question 27895.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) strengthens the resilience of the UK's political system against covert foreign influence by increasing transparency around certain arrangements involving foreign powers.

Investment decisions associated with Local Government Pension Scheme funds are a matter for the administering authorities responsible for those schemes. Where activity is undertaken at the direction of the Russian or Iranian states to influence these decisions, this will need to be registered with FIRS.

UK and Algeria bilateral trade was £2.8 billion in the year ending March 2026. We are looking to collaborate across multiple sectors established in the 2026 meeting of the Economic Taskforce and wish to expand collaboration on renewable energy and energy transition objectives. We also work closely on tackling irregular migration, and organised crime. The UK and Algeria look forward to further strengthening the relationship through the ongoing UK-Algeria Strategic Dialogue.

The Government welcomed both parts of Jonathan Fisher KC’s Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences. Following receipt of Part Two in December 2025, the report's wide-ranging findings and recommendations were considered by relevant government departments and officials before publication of Part Two in July 2026.

The Department occupies premises owned, leased and managed by the Government Property Agency (GPA) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), who are responsible for building assets, including the installation and use of rooftop solar panels.

Funding support for public bodies to install solar panels has been available through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) with a total of over £3 billion made available up 2028. Great British Energy (GBE) also supports public sector decarbonisation and the GBE Solar programme is investing £255 million to fund around 250 schools, around 260 NHS sites, and around 15 military sites to install solar panels across the country.

It is the responsibility of water companies to determine when and how Temporary Use Bans (TUBs) are implemented. The Environment Agency meets with the water company weekly to discuss water resources and drought actions. It provides monthly drought prospects assessing risks in future months.

At the Five Country Ministerial in Sydney, August 2026, Five Eyes partners agreed to the Home Office proposal to establish a Countering Violent Extremism Hub in London. This was agreed as a practical way to strengthen our existing cooperation on shared countering violent extremism challenges. The detailed design of the Hub is now being developed with Five Eyes partners, including its Terms of Reference.

The Home Office also announced the development of a new online interventions programme, beginning with a pilot to develop and test a rights-compliant, safeguarding-led approach to identifying and supporting individuals vulnerable to online radicalisation at an earlier stage. The detailed design of the programme remains under development. Decisions on matters such as consultation, publication of programme documentation and any longer-term delivery arrangements will be considered as that work progresses

At the Five Country Ministerial in Sydney, August 2026, Five Eyes partners agreed to the Home Office proposal to establish a Countering Violent Extremism Hub in London. This was agreed as a practical way to strengthen our existing cooperation on shared countering violent extremism challenges. The detailed design of the Hub is now being developed with Five Eyes partners, including its Terms of Reference.

The Home Office also announced the development of a new online interventions programme, beginning with a pilot to develop and test a rights-compliant, safeguarding-led approach to identifying and supporting individuals vulnerable to online radicalisation at an earlier stage. The detailed design of the programme remains under development. Decisions on matters such as consultation, publication of programme documentation and any longer-term delivery arrangements will be considered as that work progresses

At the Five Country Ministerial in Sydney, August 2026, Five Eyes partners agreed to the Home Office proposal to establish a Countering Violent Extremism Hub in London. This was agreed as a practical way to strengthen our existing cooperation on shared countering violent extremism challenges. The detailed design of the Hub is now being developed with Five Eyes partners, including its Terms of Reference.

The Home Office also announced the development of a new online interventions programme, beginning with a pilot to develop and test a rights-compliant, safeguarding-led approach to identifying and supporting individuals vulnerable to online radicalisation at an earlier stage. The detailed design of the programme remains under development. Decisions on matters such as consultation, publication of programme documentation and any longer-term delivery arrangements will be considered as that work progresses

At the Five Country Ministerial in Sydney, August 2026, Five Eyes partners agreed to the Home Office proposal to establish a Countering Violent Extremism Hub in London. This was agreed as a practical way to strengthen our existing cooperation on shared countering violent extremism challenges. The detailed design of the Hub is now being developed with Five Eyes partners, including its Terms of Reference.

The Home Office also announced the development of a new online interventions programme, beginning with a pilot to develop and test a rights-compliant, safeguarding-led approach to identifying and supporting individuals vulnerable to online radicalisation at an earlier stage. The detailed design of the programme remains under development. Decisions on matters such as consultation, publication of programme documentation and any longer-term delivery arrangements will be considered as that work progresses

Professor Christina Pagel of University College London was appointed as an unpaid adviser on court efficiency and modernisation on 21 January 2026 along with her colleague Professor Martin Utley. Her appointment will conclude on 21 January 2027.

Professor Pagel was appointed due to her expertise in operational research. She served as Vice President of the UK Operational Research Society from 2021-2025. She is also President Elect of the Operational Research Society for 2026, with her Presidential term running 2027-2029. Together with her colleague, Professor Martin Utley, she has significant expertise and experience in applied mathematical research and public policy.

Direct Ministerial Appointments have been made under successive administrations, and those holding these roles play a vital role in providing expert, independent advice to the Government of the day on a range of matters. For all Direct Ministerial Appointments, a formal declaration of interest is completed by the candidate and, if necessary, any mitigations are considered by the senior civil servant sponsor to manage any potential, actual or perceived conflicts. Professor Pagel’s friendship with the Minister was declared through this process.

The measures announced by the Foreign Secretary on 8 September will include restrictions on the import into the UK of goods originating in illegal settlements. These measures will be carefully designed to target trade with illegal settlements, while protecting legitimate trade between the UK and ‘Green Line’ Israel, including medicines and medical products. The current assessment is that the potential impact on the medicines supply chain will be low, but we will continue to monitor this following the announcement of the measures, in line with the standard process when introducing new Statutory Instruments.

Detailed guidance will be published alongside the implementing legislation to clarify the implications for UK businesses, and we will work closely with industry partners to maintain the medical supply trade and ensure continuity of supply to UK patients.

Activity is under way to ensure all services provided by commissioning support units (CSUs), along with all CSU staff, are mapped and destinations clarified, where a function will continue. Governance arrangements are in place across NHS England and the CSUs to oversee the transition of functions and the safe closure of CSUs.

Staff are being supported through this transition. The CSU Leadership Team hold regular all staff briefings where information on the transition and closure of the CSUs is cascaded. The CSUs are actively involving the trade unions. A job hub has been established to support existing CSU staff to find suitable alternative employment opportunities. A voluntary redundancy scheme has been completed within the CSUs that mirrors that within NHS England, and exits are being planned.

The Government’s new investment fiscal rule has supported a sustained increase in investment while maintaining sound public finances. This change has enabled over £120 billion of additional capital investment over the Parliament compared with previous plans. At Spending Review 2025, the Government also set departmental budgets for capital investment to 2029-30, giving departments greater certainty to plan effectively, secure value for money and deliver long-term projects and public services successfully.

The Modern Industrial Strategy is the Government’s long-term framework to increase business investment, unlock productivity growth, support high-quality jobs and drive economic growth across the UK.

The 2025 Spending Review allocated multiyear resource and capital budgets to align with the Government’s growth priorities. For instance, the Industrial Strategy is underpinned by billions of public investment in innovation and access to finance, including public R&D funding rising to £22.6bn by 2029-30, an increase in British Business Bank capacity to £25.6bn, targeted support for priority sectors including advanced manufacturing with £4bn and £2.3bn provided over ten years for Drive 35 and the Aerospace Technology Institute, respectively, and a £400m UK Defence Innovation programme.