How have sanctions against Russia changed since January 2025? Is US policy diverging from that of its allies?

How have sanctions against Russia changed since January 2025? Is US policy diverging from that of its allies?

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implementation of the UK-USA Free Trade Agreement.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implementation of the UK-USA Free Trade Agreement.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent initiatives launched by the US Food and Drug Administration to accelerate the replacement of animal testing with human-relevant methods; and whether they intend to adopt similar measures.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent initiatives launched by the US Food and Drug Administration to accelerate the replacement of animal testing with human-relevant methods; and whether they intend to adopt similar measures.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Livermore on 14 July (HL Deb col 562), what legal advice they have received on the compatibility of a revised UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK's obligations under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and UK-US...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Livermore on 14 July (HL Deb col 562), what legal advice they have received on the compatibility of a revised UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK's obligations under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and UK-US...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 16 July (HL1645), whether any aircraft other than the 11 Hawk were deployed for transport, spares and support; and how all personnel were transported.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 16 July (HL1645), whether any aircraft other than the 11 Hawk were deployed for transport, spares and support; and how all personnel were transported.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the then-Minister for the Armed Forces on 12 March (HC117754), what is the status of the updates being made to the Exchange of Notes between the UK and USA to facilitate the UK's primary legislation on the Agreement concerning the...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the then-Minister for the Armed Forces on 12 March (HC117754), what is the status of the updates being made to the Exchange of Notes between the UK and USA to facilitate the UK's primary legislation on the Agreement concerning the...

The UK and US Governments announced a pharmaceuticals trade deal in December 2025.

The UK and US Governments announced a pharmaceuticals trade deal in December 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, further to the Part of a Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons dated 4 February 2026 relating to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as HM Ambassador to Washington, Volume 1, HC1774-I, 11 March...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, further to the Part of a Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons dated 4 February 2026 relating to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as HM Ambassador to Washington, Volume 1, HC1774-I, 11 March...

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of differing approaches to AI regulation in the UK, the EU and the US.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of differing approaches to AI regulation in the UK, the EU and the US.

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of a) the US Cloud Act and b) the EU AI Act; and whether she has plans to bring forward similar legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of a) the US Cloud Act and b) the EU AI Act; and whether she has plans to bring forward similar legislation.

Lords private notice question on what steps they are taking to assist in opening the Strait of Hormuz to merchant traffic; and what advice is being given by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre to UK merchant shipping.

Lords private notice question on what steps they are taking to assist in opening the Strait of Hormuz to merchant traffic; and what advice is being given by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre to UK merchant shipping.

My Lords, I start by paying tribute to the US service personnel killed or injured in the region recently. All our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends.

The Government remain committed to supporting the safe and secure flow of merchant shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital...

My Lords, I start by paying tribute to the US service personnel killed or injured in the region recently. All our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends.

The Government remain committed to supporting the safe and secure flow of merchant shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital...

My Lords, we cannot allow the highly damaging closure of the Strait of Hormuz to continue indefinitely. We have two bases in the Middle East, HMS “Jufair” in Bahrain and Duqm in Oman. They were established to support our ships that were there to help the American Fifth Fleet and...

My Lords, we cannot allow the highly damaging closure of the Strait of Hormuz to continue indefinitely. We have two bases in the Middle East, HMS “Jufair” in Bahrain and Duqm in Oman. They were established to support our ships that were there to help the American Fifth Fleet and...

I thank my noble friend for his question. His Majesty’s Government are doing all that they can to see the restoration of a functional ceasefire and to bring about a de-escalation of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. As my noble friend says, the opening of the strait as...

I thank my noble friend for his question. His Majesty’s Government are doing all that they can to see the restoration of a functional ceasefire and to bring about a de-escalation of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. As my noble friend says, the opening of the strait as...

My Lords, I declare my interest as an honorary captain in the Royal Navy Reserve. I draw the Minister’s attention to the welfare of the seafarers in the Merchant Navy. While those ships are blocked in the straits, a lot of their seafarers have been onboard for a long time....

My Lords, I declare my interest as an honorary captain in the Royal Navy Reserve. I draw the Minister’s attention to the welfare of the seafarers in the Merchant Navy. While those ships are blocked in the straits, a lot of their seafarers have been onboard for a long time....

The RFA provides a crucial service for the Royal Navy and our operations across the region and the world. My noble friend is right to point out the importance of that crew. We continue to discuss with them, their unions and their crews how we can support them in respect...

The RFA provides a crucial service for the Royal Navy and our operations across the region and the world. My noble friend is right to point out the importance of that crew. We continue to discuss with them, their unions and their crews how we can support them in respect...

My Lords, I used to deal with mines a little, in clearance and so on. What is it that we cannot do now that we used to be able to do? Can we not just clear mines as we used to do, or is that too difficult?

My Lords, I used to deal with mines a little, in clearance and so on. What is it that we cannot do now that we used to be able to do? Can we not just clear mines as we used to do, or is that too difficult?

That is an interesting question. I will talk about the way in which the Royal Navy is developing. It used to be that the provision of a mine-hunting ship was the way in which mine-hunting activity was conducted. In looking for an expression of power and symbolism, a mine-hunter still...

That is an interesting question. I will talk about the way in which the Royal Navy is developing. It used to be that the provision of a mine-hunting ship was the way in which mine-hunting activity was conducted. In looking for an expression of power and symbolism, a mine-hunter still...

My Lords, in two of his answers the Minister has talked about conditions being right and there being consensus, but is not part of the problem that we need to be working now with the United States in particular to persuade it to look for a way that will create...

My Lords, in two of his answers the Minister has talked about conditions being right and there being consensus, but is not part of the problem that we need to be working now with the United States in particular to persuade it to look for a way that will create...

The noble Baroness makes an important point. We continue to speak to the Americans and discuss with them how we can see an operational and functioning ceasefire restored. The memorandum of understanding worked for a time and we saw an increase in the number of ships using the Strait of...

The noble Baroness makes an important point. We continue to speak to the Americans and discuss with them how we can see an operational and functioning ceasefire restored. The memorandum of understanding worked for a time and we saw an increase in the number of ships using the Strait of...

My Lords, on the “Today” programme I heard an American former defence expert saying that the US-Iran war had got to such a point that the only thing for the Americans to do was to bomb for the next month. What is the Minister’s view?

My Lords, on the “Today” programme I heard an American former defence expert saying that the US-Iran war had got to such a point that the only thing for the Americans to do was to bomb for the next month. What is the Minister’s view?

We have always said that any support that we have given to the Americans has been for defensive purposes. As the noble and learned Baroness will know, we have continually called for a ceasefire, as it initially was, the maintenance of the memorandum of understanding and the de-escalation of activity...

We have always said that any support that we have given to the Americans has been for defensive purposes. As the noble and learned Baroness will know, we have continually called for a ceasefire, as it initially was, the maintenance of the memorandum of understanding and the de-escalation of activity...

My Lords, is it not the case that we need to be realistic that the greatest military power in the world cannot put enough arms in that area to resolve the present conflict and the only way this is going to be resolved is by discussion and debate? Does the...

My Lords, is it not the case that we need to be realistic that the greatest military power in the world cannot put enough arms in that area to resolve the present conflict and the only way this is going to be resolved is by discussion and debate? Does the...

I agree. The point we continue to make to our friends and allies in the region, and to the Americans, is that, in the end, dialogue, discussion and an agreement acceptable to all are what we all need to work towards. My noble friend is right to point that out,...

I agree. The point we continue to make to our friends and allies in the region, and to the Americans, is that, in the end, dialogue, discussion and an agreement acceptable to all are what we all need to work towards. My noble friend is right to point that out,...

My Lords, it has been reported that the new Prime Minister supports increasing foreign aid spending back up to 0.7% of GDP. The Government have previously confirmed that all the money saved from cutting aid spending has been allocated to the Ministry of Defence. If the United Kingdom wishes to...

My Lords, it has been reported that the new Prime Minister supports increasing foreign aid spending back up to 0.7% of GDP. The Government have previously confirmed that all the money saved from cutting aid spending has been allocated to the Ministry of Defence. If the United Kingdom wishes to...

I can confirm that it has been government policy for a considerable period to restore aid, as and when the conditions allow, to 0.7%. There is nothing new in that. I heard what the Prime Minister said about his commitment to defence in his speech, so we will see what...

I can confirm that it has been government policy for a considerable period to restore aid, as and when the conditions allow, to 0.7%. There is nothing new in that. I heard what the Prime Minister said about his commitment to defence in his speech, so we will see what...

My Lords, will the Minister confirm that, for nearly 30 years after the signature and entry into force of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea—to which we all subscribe and

which considers the Strait of Hormuz to be an international waterway—it was possible to sustain that in...

My Lords, will the Minister confirm that, for nearly 30 years after the signature and entry into force of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea—to which we all subscribe and

which considers the Strait of Hormuz to be an international waterway—it was possible to sustain that in...

The noble Lord makes an interesting and important point. The commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is an important restatement of the fundamental principle, not only in the Middle East but across the world, of the freedom of navigation. It is an extremely important...

The noble Lord makes an interesting and important point. The commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is an important restatement of the fundamental principle, not only in the Middle East but across the world, of the freedom of navigation. It is an extremely important...

My Lords, my question follows on from that of the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss. I stress that I am asking not for any operational information but for a general statement. Are UK bases and UK military assets being used by US forces in the continuing attacks on Iran....

My Lords, my question follows on from that of the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss. I stress that I am asking not for any operational information but for a general statement. Are UK bases and UK military assets being used by US forces in the continuing attacks on Iran....

I do not often do this, but let me read the advice that I have had about UK bases involved in recent strikes, because I need to be clear that I am getting it right. The noble Baroness said in her opening remark why I would do this, so let...

I do not often do this, but let me read the advice that I have had about UK bases involved in recent strikes, because I need to be clear that I am getting it right. The noble Baroness said in her opening remark why I would do this, so let...

My Lords, none the less, the military personal in those bases in Oman and Bahrain will be at some degree of risk. What reassurance can the Minister give the House? When I visited Bahrain and Kuwait with HMS “Cumberland” through the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, I was immensely impressed by...

My Lords, none the less, the military personal in those bases in Oman and Bahrain will be at some degree of risk. What reassurance can the Minister give the House? When I visited Bahrain and Kuwait with HMS “Cumberland” through the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, I was immensely impressed by...

The reassurance that I can give to the noble Baroness and to the people she knows is this. I can talk about the Ministry of Defence. Meetings have taken place across government, but I personally have met virtually every week with either defence attachés or the ambassadors from the region...

The reassurance that I can give to the noble Baroness and to the people she knows is this. I can talk about the Ministry of Defence. Meetings have taken place across government, but I personally have met virtually every week with either defence attachés or the ambassadors from the region...

My Lords, to add to an already very serious situation, is the Minister aware that the Houthis have now launched a naval blockade against the Saudis? What assessment has his department made of the impact that will have on not just Saudi maritime traffic but wider maritime traffic, including our...

My Lords, to add to an already very serious situation, is the Minister aware that the Houthis have now launched a naval blockade against the Saudis? What assessment has his department made of the impact that will have on not just Saudi maritime traffic but wider maritime traffic, including our...

The noble Lord makes an important point. That takes us to the other side of the situation, and the so-called Bab strait, which is a narrow strait on the other side—the western side, if you like—of where we are talking about, rather than the Strait of Hormuz. All I can...

The noble Lord makes an important point. That takes us to the other side of the situation, and the so-called Bab strait, which is a narrow strait on the other side—the western side, if you like—of where we are talking about, rather than the Strait of Hormuz. All I can...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has held discussions on the Epstein files released by the United States Department of Justice prior to their publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has held discussions on the Epstein files released by the United States Department of Justice prior to their publication.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122146 on Lord Mandelson, whether the steps taken to retain material include (a) accessing tape backups and (b) turning off the autodelete policy on Number 10 computers.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122146 on Lord Mandelson, whether the steps taken to retain material include (a) accessing tape backups and (b) turning off the autodelete policy on Number 10 computers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the suitability of the process by which US Military Police or the USAF Office of Special investigations can take charge of an investigation involving British civilian victims and US military suspects in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the suitability of the process by which US Military Police or the USAF Office of Special investigations can take charge of an investigation involving British civilian victims and US military suspects in the UK.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report from Dr Laura Murphy, The Manifest Modernization Act: Enhancing Visibility Into Forced Labor Risks in U.S. Supply Chains, published on 8 December 2025, and of the benefits of publicly available manifest data for air, rail and road.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report from Dr Laura Murphy, The Manifest Modernization Act: Enhancing Visibility Into Forced Labor Risks in U.S. Supply Chains, published on 8 December 2025, and of the benefits of publicly available manifest data for air, rail and road.

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the competitiveness of the United Kingdom's AI research sector relative to that of the United States and China.

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the competitiveness of the United Kingdom's AI research sector relative to that of the United States and China.

This short briefing summarises the UK's progress in negotiating new free trade agreements.

This short briefing summarises the UK's progress in negotiating new free trade agreements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding military developments in Iran.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding military developments in Iran.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding military developments in Cuba.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding military developments in Cuba.

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total cost of the operation of the Red Arrows display team visit to the United States of America, and whether it is funded in total or in part by the American government.

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total cost of the operation of the Red Arrows display team visit to the United States of America, and whether it is funded in total or in part by the American government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his department is taking to increase the annual quota British car manufacturers can export tariff free to the United States of America.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his department is taking to increase the annual quota British car manufacturers can export tariff free to the United States of America.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of publishing an impact assessment for the US-UK Arrangement on Pharmaceuticals Pricing and Tariffs in which commercially sensitive material is redacted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of publishing an impact assessment for the US-UK Arrangement on Pharmaceuticals Pricing and Tariffs in which commercially sensitive material is redacted.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 13 July (HL1390), why Cabinet Office staff who had worked on the Mandelson due diligence were not recused from working on the Government response to the Humble Address of 4 February, due to having...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 13 July (HL1390), why Cabinet Office staff who had worked on the Mandelson due diligence were not recused from working on the Government response to the Humble Address of 4 February, due to having...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 9 June (HC5972), whether the email addresses that were redacted by the Cabinet Office in relation to the email on 18 June 2025 at 08.18 BST were (1) corporate email addresses, (2)...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 9 June (HC5972), whether the email addresses that were redacted by the Cabinet Office in relation to the email on 18 June 2025 at 08.18 BST were (1) corporate email addresses, (2)...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 10 June (HC5973), whether the referenced search parameters included material of a party political nature held by the No. 10 Political Office, or whether documents and emails held by the No. 10...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 10 June (HC5973), whether the referenced search parameters included material of a party political nature held by the No. 10 Political Office, or whether documents and emails held by the No. 10...

To ask His Majesty's Government how many aircraft, specifying the type, and how many personnel have been deployed as part of the Red Arrows display team visit to the United States of America.

To ask His Majesty's Government how many aircraft, specifying the type, and how many personnel have been deployed as part of the Red Arrows display team visit to the United States of America.