Written questions by Baxter.

What steps his Department has taken to reform Companies House to tackle illicit finance.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) will fundamentally reform Companies House, enabling it to play a greater role in tackling economic crime.The first of these reforms came into force in March 2024 and included new powers to query, challenge and remove inaccurate information, stronger checks on company names, stricter address requirements and greater information sharing powers. These reforms were backed by £63 million of investment and increased fees to fund greater investigation and enforcement capabilities.Further reforms under the ECCTA, including the introduction of Identity Verification later this year, are in the process of being implemented.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle Serious and Organised Crime linked to Russia.

The Home Office works across Government to tackle the Serious Organised Crime threat linked to Russia including Russia-linked illicit finance in the UK.This was recently demonstrated through the NCA’s Operation DESTABILISE which exposed and disrupted Russian money laundering networks supporting serious and organised crime.In addition to our domestic efforts, we work with like-minded international partners to build capacity in key law enforcement institutions and the judiciary to help tackle, and enhance resilience against, Russia-linked organised crime groups.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of NATO membership for Ukraine; and what his planned timeframe is for accession for proposed membership of NATO.

NATO made a long-term commitment to Ukraine and has been clear that Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO. The Prime Minister has reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to Ukraine’s irreversible path to NATO membership, as agreed by all Allies at the Washington Summit. That is a process that will take time, and for now our priority is to make sure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position on the battlefield and in any potential negotiations to come.

With reference to the UK-Ukraine 100-year Partnership Declaration, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the (a) safety of navigation and (b) protection of trade in the Black and Azov Seas.

We are working with Ukraine and international partners to secure commercial shipping and shipping routes in the Black Sea, including Ukraine's maritime corridor. The 100 Year Partnership will help with this endeavour through the provision of training and equipment to Ukraine, to prevent and deter Russian attacks. The 100 Partnership Declaration has made clear that freedom of navigation for commercial shipping in the Black Sea and beyond must be upheld and the UK will continue to do all it can to help Ukraine through the strengthening of its maritime forces. The UK co-leads the maritime capability coalition with Norway and this work supports Ukraine’s maritime capabilities now and in the future.

What recent progress he has made on the E7 Wedgetail programme.

The Wedgetail programme has seen the first aircraft complete three test flights, be painted in the markings of 8 Squadron and continues with the installation of mission equipment at STS Aviation at Birmingham Airport, before entering the test and evaluation phase later this year. Aircraft two and three are progressing with integrating their modifications as planned. The infrastructure programme at RAF Lossiemouth has delivered the combined Poseidon and Wedgetail engineering line facility, as well as 8 Squadron headquarters office accommodation, with the final elements of the technical facility expected to be handed over in March 2025.

What recent progress he has made on the Spearcap 3 programme.

The programme achieved a significant milestone with the successful first SPEAR guided firing conducted at the end of 2024, demonstrating progress despite the challenges outlined in the Infrastructure and Project Authority's Annual Report 2023-24, which remain ongoing. Since the report, the programme has faced additional challenges stemming from interdependencies with international partners, requiring significant adjustments to maintain progress. The SRO, in collaboration with Defence Equipment and Support and Industry, is prioritising the development of a revised and viable baseline, which is planned to be finalised in Quarter two of financial year 2025-26.

What recent progress he has made on the Protector programme.

Protector training has now transferred to the UK having completed four aircrew basic qualification courses in the United States. Further, four Protector Air Vehicles have now been delivered to RAF Waddington, where they are being maintained by 31 Squadron engineers. The required Test and Evaluation activity and UK training is underway, ahead of the planned platform in-service declaration later in 2025. From a broader perspective, the UK is leading the MQ-9 International Cooperation Support Partnership which now has seven participant members (UK, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain) and five observer nations (Greece, Lithuania, Norway, Qatar, Sweden), with an expectation of further growth. The UK is working closely with the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force to scope options to provide Protector in support of operations in the Northern Atlantic and Arctic regions. Opportunities for NATO investment in RAF Waddington to support growth are also progressing.

What recent progress he has made on the HMNB Clyde Infrastructure programme.

As part of the Government's Major Project Portfolio, details on the Clyde Infrastructure programme are routinely released as part of this Government's annual transparency return to Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What recent work has been undertaken by the Defending Democracy Taskforce.

The Taskforce has reflected on last year’s elections and is now taking forward a programme of work to ensure lessons are learned.This includes work to tackle the unacceptable instances of harassment and intimidation of our elected representatives that we saw during the General Election.This vital work is ongoing, and I will update the House in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including (a) cats and (b) kittens in legislation to prevent pet smuggling.

The Government recently announced its support for the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP. The measures in the Bill will extend to cats and kittens, and close loopholes exploited by unscrupulous pet traders.

With reference to the consultation entitled Introducing fees in the Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal, which closed on 25 March 2024, what her policy is on introducing a £55 issue fee for claimants.

The consultation to introduce Employment Tribunal fees was published under the last Government and no decisions have yet been made on the proposal.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help protect people online.

In line with our Safer Streets Mission, the Online Safety Act brings much needed protections to the online world by protecting children from harmful and age-inappropriate content, tackling violence against women and girls, and taking down criminal activity. The new laws apply to search services and all companies that allow users to share and post content online or interact with each other, even if the companies providing them are outside the UK.