Written questions by Holden.

Whether he plans to take steps to encourage households to have sufficient access to (a) food and (b) other essential supplies for use in emergencies.

Advice for the general public on how to prepare for emergencies is published on GOV.UK. GOV.UK/Prepare provides simple and effective steps that individuals, households and communities can take to be more prepared for a range of emergencies. This advice includes a suggested list of supplies that individuals can consider keeping at home, if they are able, to make it easier for them to manage during an emergency. The list includes items such as bottled water, non-perishable food, baby formula, essential medication, battery or wind up torches and radios and portable powerbanks.

What his planned timetable is for publishing a consultation on lowering the proportional threshold for trade union recognition.

The Employment Rights Bill has a power that enables Ministers to bring forward secondary legislation to vary the trade union recognition application threshold from 10% to 2% trade union membership of the bargaining unit.No decision has yet been made by the Government as to whether or when to exercise this power. Therefore, there is no planned timetable for consulting on it at present.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Chinese influence in UK universities on national security.

The first duty of the government is to keep the country safe, and we will always protect our national security and values. We expect the sector to be alert to a range of risks when collaborating with international partners, and to conduct appropriate due diligence to comply with legislation. There are a set of measures that protect against undue foreign interference in our universities, ranging from the Academic Technology Approval Scheme, which vets students and researchers seeking to study in sensitive areas, to the provisions of the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act 2023, which offer a focused route for concerns to be escalated, including relating to foreign interference in academic freedom and free speech. In England, providers are also required to have adequate and effective management and governance arrangements and must ensure that decisions are taken without direction, coercion or covert influence.As a matter of longstanding policy, the department is unable to release information regarding assessments on the grounds of national security. The UK welcomes international partnerships and students, including from China, who make a very positive impact on the UK’s higher education sector, our economy and society as a whole.

With reference to the press notice entitled Appointment of Oli de Botton as the PM’s Expert Adviser on Education and Skills, published on 3 April 2025, whether the Expert Adviser on Education and Skills has been appointed as a (a) special adviser, (b) civil servant, (c) public appointment or (d) as a direct ministerial appointment; and whether that post is remunerated.

Oli de Botton has been appointed as a direct ministerial appointment. The post is remunerated.

With reference to the Answer of 12 April 2025 to Question HL6032 on Arm’s Length Bodies, what Project Seahorse is.

Project Seahorse is exploring delivery options. The Government will set out further details in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41640 on Government Departments: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, if he will make it his policy to publish all Government Procurement Card transactions above £0 made by his Department.

All central Government departments are required to publish Government Procurement Card transactions of £500 and over in line with the guidance available to all government departments on gov.uk at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e8b402686650c18ce2cb541/Procurement_Cards_-_Pan_Government_Policy_V4_06042020.pdf. The Cabinet Office is compliant with this guidance and there are no current plans to change this approach. Following tough action from the Cabinet Office, all Government Procurement Cards have been frozen and only been re-issued where it is clear that these are business critical.

Whether he considered flying the NATO flag from 10 Downing Street on 4 April 2025.

NATO is the cornerstone of our defence, and the UK plays a leading role, having contributed to every NATO mission. To mark NATO Day, the NATO Flag was flown above the FCDO and above the MoD Main Building on 4th April 2025. The Union Flag and Ukrainian flag are flown in Downing Street as default.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled PPN 006: Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans, updated on 17 April 2025, what estimate he has made of the cost to government procurement of requiring suppliers to deliver Net Zero Carbon Reduction Plans.

The update of 17th April provided no material change to the policy of the PPN, which was published under the previous administration. No assessment was made when the PPN was published in 2021.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41252 on 10 Downing Street: Libraries, whether any Ministers have been asked to donate a book to the Prime Minister's Library since 5 July 2024.

No ministers have been asked to donate a book to the Prime Minister’s library. Ministers are focused on delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.

Whether (a) rules and (b) processes for the extradition of dual nationals differ to UK nationals.

The rules and processes under UK Extradition law and practice apply equally irrespective of the nationality of the Requested Person.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13820 on Government Departments: Staff, if he will publish the transparency publication guidance referred to in the Answer.

The transparency publication guidance is a technical document, focusing on the procedures for completing the publication template. As it is not policy-related, and is intended for use by an internal audience, it would not be appropriate to publish it.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44588 on Parliament: Television, whether any public bodies pay subscription fees to receive a direct television feed of the UK Parliament.

No public bodies pay a subscription fee to Parliament for a direct television feed.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 45018 on Special Advisers: Recruitment, whether the Prime Minister has set a maximum cap on the number of special advisers who can be appointed.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to PQ 45018. The Prime Minister in his Ministerial Code has set out the approach to appointing special advisers.

If she will make an estimate of the average number of days for each write-round clearance to be approved by 10 Downing Street since 5 July 2024.

As under previous governments, it is a long-established precedent that information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet and its committees are not shared publicly.

Which hon. Members have been appointed as Mission Champion by the Government; and what guidance his Department has provided on whether Mission Champions should attend Ministerial meetings.

Mission Champions are a political appointment within the Parliamentary Labour Party; the Cabinet Office has not issued any specific guidance related to Mission Champions. The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers and how they discharge their duties.

If the Government will make it his policy to fly the Middlesex Flag outside Downing Street on Middlesex Day 2025.

There are currently no plans to fly county flags above Downing Street.

If he will list all of the (a) special representatives, (b) envoys and (c) special envoys in post on 25 April 2025, broken down by whether they are (i) special advisers, (ii) civil servants, (iii) public appointments and (iv) direct ministerial appointments.

The Cabinet Office did not have any special representatives, envoys or special envoys in post on 25 April 2025. Other government departments are responsible for their own appointments and representatives.

With reference to the press release entitled Regulator axed as red tape is slashed to boost growth, published on 11 March 2025, what the estimated reduction in staff numbers is from the merger of the Payment Services Regulator into the Financial Conduct Authority; what functions will cease; and whether staff will be required to move desks.

The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has carried out important work to support the UK’s world leading payments sector. However, moving forward, the Government wishes to see a more streamlined regulatory environment with minimal overlap between regulators’ responsibilities. That is why the Government has announced its intentions to consolidate the PSR and its functions primarily within the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Government will consult on the detail of this proposal in the summer. However, the expectation is that most functions will move to the FCA, reflecting the close synergies between those organisations. Questions regarding the staffing of the FCA are matters for the regulator, which is independent from Government.

With reference to the letter from Lord Sharpe to the Chair of the Animals in Science Committee, published on 1 March 2024, whether the Home Office will issue a policy advice note to (a) discourage and (b) prohibit the use of the Forced Swim Test.

The letter from Lord Sharpe was issued under the previous Government. I can however, issue an update. The Home Office Regulator has reviewed all licences authorising the use of the Forced Swim Test (FST) under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The Regulator has subsequently liaised with licence holders where necessary to implement the recommendations of the Animals in Science Committee.The number of project licences that authorises the FST in Great Britain has decreased from nine on the 1 March 2024, to a current total of only four licences. All of these licences are due to expire by 2028.The Home Office Regulator will, through audit and regulatory processes, assure that relevant establishments apply robust scientific justification, ethical oversight and the 3Rs fully and consistently across all applicable licences.This Government has set a manifesto commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing” and will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods to animal testing later this year. This strategy supports the current scientific direction on reducing use of the FST (www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230021001434).

Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure that streaming services ensure their content is not in breach of UK law.

Ofcom regulates the content on UK-based streaming services through their on-demand programme services rules. Under regulations introduced through the Media Act 2024, the Government is giving Ofcom new powers to draft and enforce a Video-on-demand Code for designated services, which can include non-UK based streaming services. This will be similar to the Broadcasting Code, which sets appropriate standards for content on linear television, including rules on harmful and offensive material, accuracy, fairness, and privacy. In addition, the distribution of particular types of content can constitute a criminal offence.