Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the speech entitled PM statement on the recognition of Palestine: 21 September 2025, what her (a) criteria and (b) definition is of a viable Palestinian State.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made on the Middle East by the Prime Minister on 14 October, in which he addressed at length the issues arising from the UK's decision to recognise the State of Palestine. Any further updates will be announced in the normal way in due course.

With reference to page 42 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, last updated on 18 September 2025, CP 1388, what his planned timetable is for the establishment of the Defence Investors Advisory Group.

The Defence Investors Advisory Group has been established, and its co-chairs have been announced as Kerry Baldwin and Sharon White.

With reference to page 71 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what his planned timetable is for reducing the burden of Defence Standards and Conditions by at least 50%.

As this work is still in its early stages, a definitive timeline cannot be confirmed at this time.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 72362 on Gaza: Humanitarian Aid, what the source is of the (a) 2,294 and (b)16,389 figure.

Like many other states, the UK has used estimates from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to report casualty numbers in the Gaza conflict, which uses figures as reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 72362 on Gaza: Humanitarian Aid, what progress he has made on an independent investigation since 11 July 2025.

Like many other states, the UK has used estimates from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to report casualty numbers in the Gaza conflict, which uses figures as reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 54 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, when he plans to issue updated procedures to enable the use of the (a) Crown Development and (b) Urgent Crown Development routes.

The Crown Development planning regulations in England came into force on 1 May 2025. The government has no current plans to change those regulations. The reference to updated procedures in the Defence Industrial Strategy relates to how the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Defence will work together when the latter identifies potential applications for Crown development routes. Further details will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, how many new house builds have been (a) started and (b) completed since 5 July 2024.

The government publishes quarterly data on planning applications and housing starts and completions. The latest data on planning application statistics can be found on gov.uk here. Data on housing starts and completions can be found on gov.uk here. The main measure of housing supply is net additional dwellings, the latest data on which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what the projected house building completion targets are in (a) 2025, (b) 2026, (c) 2027, (d) 2028 and (e) 2029 in the context of the Government’s pledge to build 1.5 million new homes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024.

What discussions her Department has had this year with (a) the Speaker of the House of Commons and (b) the Speaker of the House of Lords on lifting the ban on China’s Ambassador to the UK entering Parliament.

Access to Parliament is a matter for the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Speaker of the House of Lords. It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on any conversations with the Speakers on these matters.

With reference to the press release entitled King Charles III marks historic milestone for nuclear submarine programme, published on 22 September 2025, what the completion timeline is of the fourth boat in the Dreadnought Class.

The Dreadnought Class submarines will begin to enter service from the early 2030s. The planned in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces.

With reference to page 46 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, in what locations he plans to launch regional STEM initiatives.

The locations have not been determined, and we will work in partnership with industry, including through the Defence Industrial Joint Council, to launch regional STEM initiatives where there is a large defence presence.

With reference to page 21 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what criteria would need to be met to define a UK-based company as part of the defence industrial base.

To define a UK-based company as part of the defence industrial base, it must contribute to national security and align with the aim of increasing the competitiveness of the UK defence market. This includes being a UK supplier or part of priority defence sub-sectors, supporting capability collaboration, and contributing to exports. The company should also help grow and sustain the UK industrial base in line with increased defence spending.

With reference to page 65 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what his planned timetable is for aligning the UK Defence Innovation Rapid Innovation Unit with the US Defence Innovation Unit.

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) launched in July 2025. Focus has now shifted to implementing, transitioning, and operationalising UKDI to ensure it is fully operational by July 2026. This work will include building on UKDI’s strong existing relationship with the US DIU and ensuring a partnership between the two organisations to share lessons and deliver capabilities that are of mutual defence benefit.

With reference to page 42 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, what elements will be covered in the (a) Defence Finance and Investment Strategy and (b) Defence Investment Plan.

The forthcoming Defence Investment Plan will, for the very first time, outline our investment priorities, taking into account our priority national security sub-sectors and the associated UK industrial capability. It will cover the full scope of the defence programme, from people and operations to equipment and infrastructure, to ensure we can deliver the vision set out in the Strategic Defence Review.The Defence Finance and Investment Strategy will look at the entire spectrum of defence companies, from start-ups through to primes, and provide recommendations to the Defence Secretary on how barriers to investment in defence can be removed while making the sector more attractive for private investment, including venture capital, private equity and pension funds. We have stood up a Defence Investors Advisory Group to help develop the Defence Finance and Investment Strategy, bringing together some of the best minds from banking, pension funds, venture capital and Strategic Finance. The Advisory Group held their first meeting on 27 October.

With reference to page 41 of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published on 8 September 2025, CP 1388, how much funding his Department plans to provide for the mission to becoming a defence industrial leader by 2035 in (a) British Pound Sterling and (b) as a proportion of the annual defence budget.

The Government has boosted defence spending by £5 billion this year alone, as part of the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War. This will see defence spending increase to 2.6% of GDP from 2027 with an ambition of hitting 3% by the end of next Parliament The Defence Investment Plan, which will be published later this year, will set out how we will align our funding to deliver the vision set out in the Strategic Defence Review, including a new partnership with industry. Future funding beyond the current Spending Review period will be subject to further Spending Reviews.

What steps she has taken with the Minister for the Cabinet Office to help tackle the increase in whole-life costs associated with levels of delivery confidence in the Government's Major Projects Portfolio.

The government recently created the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) which will have an important role in supporting and monitoring major projects in the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). NISTA provides expert advice and independent assurance on the GMPP and conducts regular deliverability assessments of major projects. Those assessments are published each year, most recently on 11 August 2025. The increase in whole life cost of the GMPP portfolio reflects several new large high-cost projects joining and smaller projects successfully leaving the GMPP over the last year. By nature, GMPP projects and programmes are the longest, most complex and highest-cost projects, and therefore will inevitably experience challenges and hurdles. By being on the GMPP, these projects receive bespoke support, guidance and oversight which helps to set them on a path to success.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of receiving approval from NESO for additional grid connection for the final phase of Hinchingbrooke Hospital’s rebuild.

Details of the requirements for individual connections to the electricity network are held in private connection contracts between the relevant parties. Faster grid connections are crucial to the Government's clean energy superpower and growth missions. We announced plans in the Industrial Strategy on a series of measures to accelerate connections for strategically important demand projects.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing the ABV limit of 8.5% from Small Producer Relief on businesses.

Following public consultation, a new strength-based duty structure for alcohol products was introduced in August 2023. As part of these reforms, Small Producer Relief (SPR) replaced and extended the previous Small Brewers Relief. SPR supports SMEs and new entrants by permitting smaller producers who make 4,500 hectolitres or less of alcohol per year to pay reduced duty rates on all products below 8.5 per cent ABV. The design of SPR balances the needs of businesses against the Government’s public health objectives. The 8.5% ABV limit aligns with the duty thresholds set within the wider duty system and ensures that the Government does not provide a lower rate of duty on higher strength alcohol products, even if they are produced by small producers. This issue was considered in detail as part of the Alcohol Duty Review consultation, the response to which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-new-alcohol-duty-system-consultation HMRC plans to evaluate the new rates and structures three years after the changes took effect on 1 August 2023.  This will allow time for HMRC to gather a broad range of data. The Government welcomes evidence on the impact of the changes so far.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of potential security threats posed to the British cycling team who competed in the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Travel Advice provides information and advice to help British nationals make informed decisions about foreign travel. The FCDO updated our Travel Advice for Rwanda on 18 September ahead of the UCI Road World Cycling Championships. Advice to groups on matters of safety and security will always be consistent with the advice available to the public in FCDO travel advice on GOV.UK. Our Travel Advice remains under constant review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. These assessments are made by drawing on expert sources of information available to the Government including local knowledge from our embassies, information provided by the local authorities in each country, and in some cases, information gathered by the intelligence services.

What steps she has taken to ensure the removal of Fabian Henry from the UK since February 2021.

While I understand the strong public interest in this individual due to their horrific crimes, it is a longstanding government policy that we do not routinely comment on individual cases. However, I can assure the Honourable Member that the Home Office is committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities by resolutely pursuing the deportation of foreign nationals who break our laws.Since July 2024, 5,179 foreign national offenders have been returned, an increase of 14% compared with same period 12 months prior.