Written questions by Morton.

To what extent (a) uranium fuel used at Sizewell B and (b) Britain’s nuclear energy supply chain relies on imports from (i) Rosatom and (ii) its subsidiaries; and what steps he is taking to ensure that sanctions placed on Rosatom are enforced in relation to UK nuclear power stations.

The procurement of nuclear fuel, including uranium and enrichment services, is a commercial matter for reactor operators. The Government works closely with these operators to ensure a secure and resilient supply for the UK fleet but does not routinely collect information relating to any fuel contracts held by UK operators. This information is commercially sensitive, and disclosure would be at the discretion of the operator.The Government is committed to removing Russian nuclear fuel from UK supply chains by the end of 2028. All current and future reactor operators must comply with UK legal obligations, including any sanctions or trade measures in place against Russia.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) her US counterpart and (b) other international partners on the future role of UNRWA in Gaza.

The UK supports the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) both politically and financially, recognising its vital role in delivering humanitarian aid and services in Gaza and the wider region, and the historic mandate it holds for the protection of refugee rights. The Foreign Secretary met with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on 4 November where she emphasised UK support for the agency and the important role that UNRWA plays across the region. In line with the approach taken by most other Member States, the UK has conducted extensive due diligence and are satisfied that UNRWA adequately manage UK funds. We are working very closely with the US and other partners on supporting the transition from the ceasefire to phase two of the peace plan which includes ensuring the urgent and unrestricted flow of aid into Gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what safeguards are in place to ensure that UK funding to (a) UNRWA and (b) other multilateral agencies is used (i) responsibly and (ii) effectively.

The UK supports the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) both politically and financially, recognising its vital role in delivering humanitarian aid and services in Gaza and the wider region, and the historic mandate it holds for the protection of refugee rights. The Foreign Secretary met with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on 4 November where she emphasised UK support for the agency and the important role that UNRWA plays across the region. In line with the approach taken by most other Member States, the UK has conducted extensive due diligence and are satisfied that UNRWA adequately manage UK funds. We are working very closely with the US and other partners on supporting the transition from the ceasefire to phase two of the peace plan which includes ensuring the urgent and unrestricted flow of aid into Gaza.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered reforming the Habitat Regulations in as far as they relate to planning.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is nearing its final stages in Parliament. The Bill establishes a strategic alternative to the Habitats Regulations Assessment in certain circumstances, although the Regulations remain in place. These provisions will accelerate housing and infrastructure development while supporting the recovery of protected sites and species. The Government is working to improve the functioning of the Habitats Regulations,including acting on the recommendations of the Corry Review and the recent Post-Implementation Review. We will also publish updated guidance on the Habitats Regulations Assessment process. We want to ensure that the Habitats Regulations deliver certainty and efficiency for developers, while protecting our most valuable habitats and species.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 July 2025 to Question 67377, what plans he has for the Ministerial Women Peace and Security National Action Plan (WPS NAP) steering board to meet as part of the process of refreshing the WPS NAP.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer she received on 21 July 2025 in response to Question 67376.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 July 2025 to Question 67377, which (a) Departments and (b) civil servants are represented at the (i) the Cross-Whitehall Working Group and (ii) the Cross-Whitehall Deputy Director Shadow Board.

The quarterly Cross-Whitehall Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) is jointly chaired by the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), with the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive also represented. The Cross-Whitehall Deputy Director Shadow Board includes senior officials from the same UK Government departments and devolved administrations.

What estimate she has made of the annual cost to the public purse of leasing train carriages per railway operator once the nationalisation programme is complete.

Three train operating companies have transferred into public ownership since July 2024, South Western Railway, c2c and Greater Anglia. The leasing arrangements for both c2c and Greater Anglia were novated on their existing terms and it is the intention to transfer the remaining operators from the private to public sector on existing lease terms. The annual cost of rolling stock to operators is published on an annual basis by the Office for Rail and Road.

What her planned timeframe is for establishing the Passenger Standards Authority.

As the Government has announced, Transport Focus will be strengthened to become the Passenger Watchdog. It will continue its operations throughout the transition period and can start building up its capability shortly after the Railways Bill receives Royal Assent. We expect the watchdog will be fully established with all of its new powers within 12 months of this.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the rail nationalisation programme on passenger rail prices.

As more train operators are brought into public ownership through the Department for Transport Operator and the establishment of Great British Railways, we must continue to ensure that passengers and taxpayers receive a fair deal. Since the pandemic, the level of taxpayer subsidy provided to the railway industry has increased from under a quarter of total income in 2018/19 to almost half in 2023/24. Our goal is to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers, while ensuring the railway’s long-term financial sustainability.

What the (a) role and (b) functions of the Passenger Standards Authority will be.

The Passenger Watchdog will have a key role in giving passengers a powerful voice in the railway. It will advocate for all passengers’ interests, offer advice to passengers, the Government and operators, and independently monitor passenger experience, holding operators to account and reporting on its findings publicly and transparently. It will also be responsible for setting minimum consumer standards, taking action to drive improvements where these are not met, investigate repeated issues with passenger experience, and ensure there is a clear route for passengers to resolve disputes. This means passengers will have an independent voice fighting their corner, placing them back at the heart of our railways once again.

What estimate she has made of the total value of (a) debts, (b) leases and (c) other liabilities per railway operator the Government will be taking on following completion of the railway nationalisation programme.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government implemented emergency contractual arrangements which involved taking on all revenue and the vast majority of cost risk from the train operating companies. Therefore, public ownership of these rail services is not expected to change the Government’s financial exposure. For example, it is expected that future transfers into public ownership will see existing rolling stock leasing arrangements novate to the new public sector operator on existing terms, and so we do not expect changes to current cost estimates as a result of the transfer of operations into public ownership. Relatedly, to drive value for passengers and taxpayers, the Department is working on a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, which will be the first for over 30 years, both to give certainty to the manufacturing and assembly market and to pursue modern standards of carbon-friendly traction and passenger comfort and accessibility.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how her Department measures the (a) economic and (b) social return on investment from British International Investment projects in partner countries.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to her on 12 May in response to Question 49375.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that private investment in development funding is effectively leveraged.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to her on 12 May in response to Question 49375.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase levels of (a) transparency and (b) accountability in the reporting to Parliament of British International Investment’s performance.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to her on 12 May in response to Question 49375.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the UK's role in supporting private sector investment in global health initiatives.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to her on 12 May in response to Question 49375.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the UK’s commitments at the 2025 Nutrition for Growth Summit are implemented through integration with (a) education, (b) immunisation, and (c) other relevant areas of development policy.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is a global leader in nutrition and continues to prioritise nutrition integration across sectors. At the 2025 Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit, the UK launched the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration, encouraging all 86 signatories to integrate nutrition into sectors such as education and health, for example through GAVI's Immunisation Nutrition Integration work. Since 2021 the FCDO has adopted a Nutrition Policy Marker, which prompts teams to consider nutrition objectives and integration during programme design. This is applied across programmes on early childhood development, food and agriculture, and social protection that are delivered bilaterally or through multilateral partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans her Department has to publish (a) performance data and (b) impact evaluations of programmes funded through Official Development Assistance.

As set out in the Programme Operating Framework (published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-programme-operating-framework) - all Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) programmes are required to have a monitoring framework and to report on performance through annual reviews.The FCDO Evaluation Policy requires publication of evaluation by default and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-evaluation-policy-2025.All planned, live and completed evaluations are registered on the Government Evaluation Registry.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of nationalising South Western Railway on passenger rail prices since 25 May 2025.

As more train operators are brought into public ownership through the Department for Transport Operator and the establishment of Great British Railways, we must continue to ensure that passengers and taxpayers receive a fair deal. Since the pandemic, the level of taxpayer subsidy provided to the railway industry has increased from under a quarter of total income in 2018/19 to almost half in 2023/24. Our goal is to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers, while ensuring the railway’s long-term financial sustainability.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 October 2025 on Housing Delivery, HCWS991, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the new time-limited planning route on the role of (a) local authorities, (b) ward councillors, and (c) planning committees.

On 23 October 2025, the Secretary of State and the Mayor of London announced a new package of support for housebuilding in London. Details can be found on gov.uk here. A consultation on these London-specific measures will be launched in November 2025, and feedback will be welcomed from local planning authorities and local councillors.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to bring forward further legislative proposals on planning reform.

Any new primary legislation will be formally announced to Parliament in the usual way.