Every parliamentary written question tabled by Graeme Downie this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 121–140 of 386 · this parliament
What discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the Office of Strategic Capital.
Defence Officials, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence, have engaged with US counterparts from the Office of Strategic Capital regarding strategic partnering, most recently in September 2025. Officials have discussed a number of topics, including UK defence industry, Trusted Capital, and opportunities for engagement.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with UK companies on understanding the law of armed combat.
UK Private Military Security Companies (PMSCs) are subject to extensive regulation and oversight through a mix of legal and voluntary mechanisms, including the requirement to ensure compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The UK also works closely with the Security in Complex Environments Group (SCEG), which represents the interests of its PMSC members, and works to raise standards across the sector.The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has a strictly humanitarian mandate, in line with the Geneva Conventions, to provide humanitarian assistance, protect lives, and uphold IHL worldwide. It does not have any role supporting the business activities of PMSCs.
What ice cutter capability the UK has for use in the High North.
The Royal Navy (RN) does not currently operate a dedicated ice cutter capability in the High North. However, the Ministry of Defence recognises the increasing strategic importance of the region and continually assesses its capability requirements for the High North. All spending decisions on platforms will be made as part of the Defence Investment Plan.
When his officials last met with counterparts from the Office of Strategic Capital at the US Defense Department.
Defence Officials, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence, have engaged with US counterparts from the Office of Strategic Capital regarding strategic partnering, most recently in September 2025. Officials have discussed a number of topics, including UK defence industry, Trusted Capital, and opportunities for engagement.
What training is provided to UK armed forces by the International Committee of Red Cross on the laws governing armed conflict.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) delivers training to the UK Armed Forces on the Law of Armed Conflict. The International Committee of the Red Cross does not deliver dedicated Law of Armed Conflict training to UK personnel but does provide inputs into multiple MOD training courses such as International Humanitarian Law and obligations of arms bearers.
Whether he plans to increase the number of people who can be accommodated at HMS Caledonia.
Accommodation requirements are kept under regular review to ensure they meet operational needs. The Ministry of Defence has no current plans to increase the permanent accommodation capacity at HMS Caledonia.
What assessment his Department has made of the suitability of accommodation at HMS Caledonia.
As of December 2025, the Ministry of Defence has assessed the suitability of accommodation at HMS Caledonia as meeting the required standards for safety, security, and habitability according to Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations (JSP 464).
How much money his Department has spent on (i) maintaining and (ii) improving accommodate at HMS Caledonia in each of the last 10 years.
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) do not specifically separate maintenance costs for the HMS Caledonia Single Living Accommodation (SLA) blocks from within the overall site infrastructure running costs. It is therefore not possible to give a figure for this part of the question. We have inherited a situation where there has been no capital infrastructure investment in the last 10 years in improving the SLA blocks at HMS Caledonia. This is as a result of the site being planned for closure in the Better Defence Estates 2016 announcement, and not being removed from the disposals programme until it was transferred to the Royal Navy and recommissioned in April 2023. Future planning requirements for the site are being developed.
If he will provide a breakdown of the current accommodation available at HMS Caledonia including (i) room type, (ii) capacity and (iii) construction date.
HMS Caledonia has eight blocks of permanent accommodation, which can accommodate approximately 500 personnel. The majority of room types are single living accommodation, but there are also rooms for two personnel, three personnel and family rooms. The accommodation blocks were built between 1940 and 1970 and requirements are kept under regular review to ensure they meet operational needs.
How many people with Parkinson's get contribution based Employment Support Allowance and are allocated to the Support Group.
As of May 2025, there were 1,800 claimants in receipt of contributory Employment and Support Allowance in the Support Group with the main disabling condition ‘Parkinson’s disease or syndrome’. In the same month, there were 300 claimants in receipt of contributory Employment and Support Allowance in the Support Group with the main disabling condition ‘Parkinsonism’. Data is based on primary medical condition as recorded on the ESA computer systems. Claimants may have multiple disabling conditions on which their entitlement is based but only the primary condition is available for statistical purposes and shown in these statistics.
How many people with Parkinson's Disease listed as their primary condition are in receipt of the Universal Credit health element.
The information requested is not held by the Department. A defined ‘primary condition’ is not recorded at the Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment (WCA).
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of international regulatory harmonisation on the speed of delivery of civil nuclear projects in the UK.
International cooperation and regulatory harmonisation have the potential to streamline deployment for nuclear energy deployment around the world and help achieve economies of scale.The UK continues to explore opportunities for regulatory harmonisation in nuclear to speed up the deployment of new nuclear in the UK, demonstrated by the recent Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, which builds on existing UK-US collaboration.ONR as the UK’s independent regulator will need to be satisfied that any design to be deployed in the UK meets UK safety standards and complies with UK law.
When he plans to make a decision on the future of the Submarine Dismantling Programme.
The demonstrator submarine, Swiftsure, continues to be dismantled as part of the Submarine Dismantling Project. Working with Babcock, we remain committed to dismantling the platform by the end of 2026. Following Swiftsure, there are six further legacy submarines in Rosyth awaiting to enter the dismantling process. Realisation of an enduring disposal capability to ensure the safe and secure disposal of the UK’s future decommissioned submarines will be delivered through the Department’s Submarine Disposal Capability Project. The project is currently in its concept phase and the Department is assessing options for the capability and its location with various sites under consideration within the UK. A decision will be communicated to Parliament at the appropriate time.
With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025. what support her Department is planning to give to communities to increase their (a) capacity and (b) ability to welcome refugees.
The Government’s Asylum and Returns Policy Statement published on 17 November 2025 announced transformative changes to Safe and Legal routes that will fundamentally reshape how the UK offers opportunities to refugees and receiving communities. Work is underway at pace to operationalise these new routes, and further details will be provided in due course.
With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what criteria her Department will use to define communities when considering community sponsorship for refugees.
The Government’s Asylum and Returns Policy Statement published on 17 November 2025 announced transformative changes to Safe and Legal routes that will fundamentally reshape how the UK offers opportunities to refugees and receiving communities. Work is underway at pace to operationalise these new routes, and further details will be provided in due course.
With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what criteria her Department will use to determine whether an application's healthcare needs, including mental healthcare, cannot be fully met in their country of origin.
A claimant may claim that requiring them to leave the UK would breach their human rights due to a serious medical condition, which could be a physical illness or mental health issue. Such cases must be considered in accordance with our obligations under Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The threshold in Article 3 medical cases is very high, as set out in the UK Supreme Court case of AM (Zimbabwe) [2020] UKSC 17, which affirmed the Article 3 medical threshold as set out in the European Court of Human Rights case of Paposhvili v Belgium [2017] Imm AR 867. We are committed to the ECHR and we believe that people should never be subject to torture. However, the interpretation of “inhuman or degrading treatment” has been expanded over time. As a consequence, we see examples of foreign national offenders who are being allowed to stay in the UK on the basis of an Article 3 protection claim, despite committing serious criminal offences in the UK. Others have blocked a deportation because their healthcare needs, including mental healthcare, cannot be fully met in their country of origin. To retain public confidence, the ECHR and other instruments must evolve to face modern challenges. We are working with key partner countries over concerns that the interpretation of “inhuman or degrading treatment” has extended in scope, limiting their ability to make sovereign decisions on migration in their own democracies. The criteria, for considering healthcare needs, including mental healthcare, will be set out in due course.
With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, how her Department will evaluate Artificial Intelligence to determine the age of migrants prior to use.
Assessing age is a complex task and no method or combination of methods can definitively determine age. In order to strengthen the age assessment system, the Home Office is exploring facial age estimation technology. Work has been commissioned to test and trial this technology to understand its capabilities. The testing and assurance will be key in informing policy development and to ensure its use is proportionate. The technology will not be used in isolation but is intended to provide additional information to the decision maker. The Government will issue further information regarding testing and assurance in due course.
With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what criteria her Department will use to assess the capacity and ability of communities to welcome refugees.
The Government’s Asylum and Returns Policy Statement published on 17 November 2025 announced transformative changes to Safe and Legal routes that will fundamentally reshape how the UK offers opportunities to refugees and receiving communities. Work is underway at pace to operationalise these new routes, and further details will be provided in due course.
With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what support will be provided to UK-based family members when making an asylum application for a non-UK based relative under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
There is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.The refugee family reunion route has been temporarily suspended while the Government undertakes a full review and reform of the current family rules to ensure we have a fair and properly balanced system.
With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what steps her Department will take to build the necessary capacity for ensuring that early legal advice is available.
Reforms to the appeals system, including the development of a new independent appeals body will help asylum seekers have access to justice, overcome delays and restore public confidence. Early legal advice will be embedded as a core part of these reforms.We will work closely with the Ministry of Justice to understand and manage the justice impacts of all proposals, including ensuring there is sufficient capacity to deliver early legal advice.Further details on these reforms will be set out in due course.