theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_32
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_32

Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding her Department has allocated to local authorities to provide arts and culture in (a) Preston and (b) Lancashire over the next three years. \p Chris Bryant: Typically, DCMS does not directly fund local authorities, nor their arts and cultural organisations, which are commonly funded by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Arts Council England.

In last month’s spending review, the government committed to providing an additional £3.4 billion of grant funding to local government in 2028‑29 compared to 2024‑25. This equates to an average annual real terms increase in overall local authority core spending power of 3.1% across the spending review period.

Whilst individual decisions on how to invest departmental resources will be determined in due course, there will be significant investment into Arts and Culture over the spending review period, including to Arts Council England (ACE) which will continue to support local arts programmes and projects across the country.

In the 2024-25 financial year, ACE provided over £450k of funding to arts projects in Preston, and almost £6.5 million to arts organisations and projects across Lancashire. Details of this funding can be found on the ACE website here https://culture.localinsight.org/#/map
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_33
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_33

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the British film industry, in the context of potential US tariffs. \p Chris Bryant: The Creative Industries Sector Plan announced significant support for the UK film industry, including a new £75 million Screen Growth Package over three years. This includes a scaled-up £18 million per year UK Global Screen Fund; support for the London Film Festival; funding to attract inward investment; and an expansion of the BFI Film Academy to get more 16-25 year olds from underrepresented backgrounds into the industry.

In addition to this package, we are devolving £150 million to six Mayoral Strategic Authorities through our Creative Places Growth Fund, which can be used by local leaders to boost their film and TV industries. We are investing £25 million to fund five new CoSTAR labs to develop innovative technologies like augmented reality and motion capture and two showcase spaces to demonstrate new innovations, working with partners including the BFI. And we are delivering £10 million to expand the world-leading National Film and Television School, unlocking £11 million of private investment.

There are no tariffs on the UK’s film industry. The deep ties between the US and UK film industries provide mutual economic and cultural benefits to both countries and we are committed to maintaining our strong partnership. The government will continue to monitor the situation closely, and will continue to take a calm and balanced approach to our engagement with the US.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_34
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_34

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support freelancers in the creative industries in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) the rest of England. \p Chris Bryant: DCMS has committed in the recent Creative Industries Sector Plan to appoint a Freelance Champion, who will give freelancers a voice within government.

DCMS will work with industry to develop Terms of Reference for this role. We envisage that it will represent the interests of creative freelancers in areas such as the development of the Plan to Make Work Pay, the Small Business Commissioner, the Fair Work Agency, and the Department for Business and Trade’s Small Business Growth Forum.

Skills Bootcamps continue to support adults across England to build sector-specific skills, including those needed for the creative industries. The government is allocating up to £5.6 million for Skills Bootcamps in 25/26 for Hertfordshire County Council, to support training for local learners, including those that are freelance or self-employed. This includes production assistant training and training in content creation for the creative industry.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_35
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_35

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of access to finance for creative SMEs in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. \p Chris Bryant: The new Creative Industries Sector Plan, published as part of the government’s Industrial Strategy, recognises that outside London and the South East, creative businesses find it harder to access finance. The £43 million DCMS Create Growth Programme supports thousands of creative SMEs to grow and access finance, including in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, providing grant funding, investor capacity building activities and investment readiness support.

The Sector Plan sets out further support for creative SMEs, including significantly increased support for the sector from the British Business Bank and UKRI as well as a £380 million funding package over the Spending Review period.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_36
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_36

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to encourage local government support for arts and culture in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. \p Chris Bryant: The Secretary of State has a range of discussions with Cabinet colleagues across the whole of her portfolio, and DCMS officials regularly discuss support for arts and culture with their counterparts across His Majesty’s Government.

In last month’s spending review, the government committed to providing an additional £3.4 billion of grant funding to local government in 2028‑29 compared to 2024‑25. This equates to an average annual real terms increase in overall local authority core spending power of 3.1% across the spending review period. Whilst individual decisions on how to invest departmental resources will be determined in due course, there will be significant investment into Arts and Culture over the spending review period, including to Arts Council England (ACE) who will continue to support local arts programmes and projects across the country.

In the 2024-25 financial year, ACE provided over £22k of funding to arts projects in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. Details of this funding can be found on the ACE website here https://culture.localinsight.org/#/map
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_37
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_37

Sir Christopher Chope:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism plans to respond to the correspondence from the Vicar of Christchurch Priory on the impact of the restrictions on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. \p Chris Bryant: A response was issued today. I apologise for the delay.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_38
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_38

Jonathan Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been raised for grassroot music venues to date via the voluntary ticket levy; and what steps her Department plans to take monitor progress of the grassroots ticket levy. \p Chris Bryant: Sector reporting shows 15% of 2025 tickets on sale since April now include the levy, totaling 1.8 million tickets since January. Summer ticket sales and the establishment of the LIVE Trust should mean greater uptake by Autumn. If not, the government will reconvene the live music sector to consider legislative options.

We are urging major promoters - whose participation is crucial to the levy’s success - to act without delay, and I recently met Live Nation to encourage them to back the scheme in earnest. I would also urge every major artist to encourage their team to sign up to the levy as a matter of urgency so that at least a majority of qualifying tickets carry the levity by the end of the year.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_39
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_39

Maya Ellis:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to provide financial support to professionals in the creative sector. \p Chris Bryant: The government provides financial support to creative professionals through DCMS funding programmes, grants from arm’s length bodies and wider government support, including through InnovateUK.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out an ambitious target to increase annual investment in the Creative Industries from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035 and delivers £380 million of targeted spending in the sector over the next Spending Review. This builds on the £40 million in funding announced earlier this year, supporting cross-sector initiatives plus programmes in music, video games, film and TV.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_40
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_40

Sir Mel Stride:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made a comparative assessment of award rates for (a) in-person and (b) other modes of PIP assessment. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Health Assessment Channels Trial, conducted by the department between May 2022 and March 2023, compared the monetary impact of each PIP assessment channel, focussing on initial claimants eligible for all channels (in-person, telephone or video). The trial found that the award rates of PIP claimants allocated an in-person assessment did not differ considerably from the proportion of claimants awarded PIP after being allocated a remote channel. We are working on publishing the full results of the trial in due course.

As part of the Functional Assessment Service (FAS) process, a paper-based assessment is always considered first. Where a paper-based review is not possible the claimant will be invited to an assessment.

Before sending an invitation, the assessment supplier considers whether a specific assessment channel is needed due to the claimant’s health or circumstances. Otherwise, claimants are offered the next available appointment, which can be changed if the claimant informs us that a reasonable adjustment is appropriate in their circumstances.

While suppliers recommend awards, the final decisions are made by case managers who may alter these recommendations.

We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I am leading. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress. The review is expected to conclude in autumn 2026.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_41
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_41

Mr Toby Perkins:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposed changes to the Personal Independent Payment on (a) carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance and (b) people receiving care from carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance. \p Sir Stephen Timms: As I made clear in my statement to the House, Hansard, 1 July, col 219, any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, which I am leading, and which will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future. The review is expected to conclude in autumn 2026.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_42
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_42

Lola McEvoy:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will list the number of people in receipt of the personal independence payment due to a psychological disorder by (a) psychological disorder and (b) constituency in (i) January 2020 and (ii) in the most recent period for which data is available. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants by psychiatric disorder and constituency for January 2020 and April 2025 can be found on Stat Xplore.

The requested data can be found in the ‘PIP Cases with Entitlement from 2019’ dataset. You can use the ‘Month’ filter produce figures for January 2020 or April 2025. You can expand the ‘Disability’ filter to narrow to ‘Psychiatric disorders’. You can use the ‘Geography’ filter to produce a breakdown by parliamentary constituency.

You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore is also available here: Personal Independence Payment data on Stat-Xplore: user guide - GOV.UK.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_43
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_43

Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to (a) simplify the benefits system and (b) increase its accessibility for claimants. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Our wide-ranging package of reforms to health and disability benefits, set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, will improve experiences of the system for those who need it.

We are simplifying the system by abolishing the WCA and instead using the PIP assessment to determine what financial support people receive on Universal Credit. Going through the WCA is complex, time consuming and stressful for customers, especially if they also have to go through the PIP process. It is right that we move to one assessment and do not put millions of people through two, similar and lengthy functional assessments.

We are taking further action to get the basics right and improve the experience for people who use the system of health and disability benefits. This includes exploring ways to improve trust and transparency in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Work Capability Assessments through reviewing our approach to safeguarding, recording assessments to increase trust in the process, and moving back to having more face-to-face assessments while continuing to meet the needs of people who may require different methods of assessment.

We have also launched a review of the PIP assessment, which I am leading. Through the review, we want to make sure the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future in a changing world and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence. We have committed to co-produce the review with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_44
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_44

Sir Mel Stride:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the award rate for Work Capability Assessment was (a) in-person, (b) not in-person and (c) across all modes in each of the last 10 years; and whether her Department has made a comparative assessment of award rates for (i) in-person assessments and (ii) other modes of assessment. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The information requested on decisions is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

However, relevant available information on health professional recommendations has been provided in response to a previous Parliamentary Question:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-02-13/31637

The Health Assessment Channels Trial, conducted by the department between May 2022 and March 2023, compared the monetary impact of each Work Capability Assessment channel, focussing on initial claimants eligible for all channels (in-person, telephone or video). The trial found that the proportion of claimants awarded the health element after being allocated an in-person assessment did not differ considerably from the proportion awarded after being allocated a remote channel. We are working on publishing the full results of the trial in due course.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_45
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_45

Lola McEvoy:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the guidance on people who will be protected from reassessment of PIP due to their long term severe conditions will be published. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Government is committed to providing security and dignity for those who will never be able to work, and removing unnecessary stress, anxiety and uncertainty from the Social Security System. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Welfare Bill legislates to formally protect those with the most severe, lifelong health conditions, who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria, from being called for reassessment for Universal Credit. The Severe Conditions Criteria applies to eligible customers in receipt of Universal Credit rather than those in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

If a customer’s condition changes, they will continue to have the ability to request a reassessment via the existing change of circumstances process.

Regarding PIP, we are launching a wider review of the PIP assessment to ensure that it is fair, fit for the future and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence. There is no equivalent SCC in PIP, however we are considering how to protect those people who meet the SCC when the WCA is abolished and PIP becomes the passport to the new UC Health element.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_46
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_46

David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment eligibility on the number of people experiencing homelessness; and whether she has shared that assessment with the Ministerial Group on homelessness and rough sleeping. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department is working closely with the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, to get the country back on track to ending homelessness.

As I made clear in my statement to the House, Hansard, 1 July, col 219, any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, which I am leading, and which will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future. The review is expected to conclude in autumn 2026.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_47
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_47

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of job opportunities for people with disabilities. \p Alison McGovern: The Government is committed to reducing the disability employment gap, which currently stands at 28 percentage points, as part of a clear ambition to raise the overall employment rate to 80%.

We announced in the recent Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1.9billion of new funding by the end of the decade.

We also recognise that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability which is why the Government has asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related economic inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_48
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_48

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish an updated assessment of the potential impact of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill on levels of poverty. \p Alison McGovern: Updated analysis on the potential impact of Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill on levels of poverty will be published shortly.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_49
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_49

James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how her Department plans to monitor the effectiveness of the Crisis and Resilience Fund for reducing reliance on emergency food parcels. \p Alison McGovern: The new Crisis and Resilience Fund will be introduced from 1 April 2026. This represents the first ever multi-year settlement for locally delivered crisis support. This longer-term funding approach enables local authorities to provide preventative support to communities, and to support our ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.   We will be working closely with local authorities and external stakeholders on the detailed design of the Crisis and Resilience Fund, including on how we monitor effectiveness of the scheme. We will issue further information on our planned approach in due course.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_50
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_50

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support unemployed people not in receipt of benefits to find employment. \p Alison McGovern: We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. The new Jobs and Careers Service will offer employment and careers support for all – not just those on benefits - who want support to find or progress in work.

Supporting our ‘Get Britian Working’ agenda, we have funded several measures to help unemployed people not in receipt of benefits to find employment:
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_51
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_51

John Milne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) greater data sharing between (i) work coaches and (ii) careers advisors and (b) improvements to (A) engaging and (B) involving local employers in employability programmes in the context of jobcentre reforms. \p Alison McGovern: DWP has strengthened its employer engagement strategy through a multi-faceted approach, involving early business input into the JCS design and a rolling programme of engagement events. Local employer engagement is driven by dedicated teams, sector-specific Recruitment Innovation Workshops, tailored recruitment support via account managers, increased use of digital tools and ongoing promotion of inclusive hiring practices for disabled people and those with health conditions.

DWP’s reforms have deepened employer involvement in employability programmes by embedding them into both design and delivery. The Strategic Relationship Team coordinates employer portfolios and ensures feedback shapes services. Work programmes are co-designed with employers to meet recruitment needs through training, work experience, and guaranteed interviews. Integration with the National Careers Service enhances local labour market alignment, while the Get Britain Working White Paper promotes local co-design of employment support with employers and authorities.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_52
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_52

Lola McEvoy:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reform the Child Support Agency to improve the speed and success of claims. \p Andrew Western: As more customers apply to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) the demand for our service is increasing. To allow us to meet this demand and provide an efficient service we continuously look at the resources we have and where we should focus our efforts to get the greatest value for money and deliver the best service to our customers. We review our overall resource supply twice yearly and take appropriate steps to ensure that staffing levels meet current demands

My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC) online service offers customers the ability to access and update information held on their case and request changes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. CMS has the ability to process simple changes through MCMC, automatically speeding up the time taken to make a change and greatly improving customer outcomes.

Through extensive modernisation to both telephony and digital channels, and by promoting self-service online, the CMS are ensuring customers have greater choice of how and when they contact us. Our service improvements allow customers to use the most appropriate and efficient contact method to quickly resolve their queries and reduce demand on our services.

Through efficient call routing, we have freed up resources to deliver a more responsive service and allow caseworkers more time to better assist customers who need to reach out to us via telephone. We have improved all forms of communication, including greater use of SMS and email as well as improving letter content. Furthermore, we have taken timely action to further train, support and redeploy resource within CMS to where it is needed most.

In the response to the consultation on proposed reforms to the CMS, the Government has set out plans to introduce a single service where all payments will be monitored, enabling the CMS to identify missed, late, or partial payments in real time. This will enable swift enforcement action to restore compliance and increase the amount of money reaching children.

We expect the reforms will make hidden non-compliance within Direct Pay visible, enabling the CMS to intervene earlier to ensure children receive the financial support they are entitled to. Families currently using Direct Pay can either move to a family-based arrangement (with additional support from CMS to do so) or opt into Collect and Pay if that is not appropriate or they require the added security of enforcement.

Where compliance cannot be achieved, the CMS has a range of strong enforcement powers that are designed to get money flowing quickly, prevent the build-up of arrears and ensure children get the financial support they deserve.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_53
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_53

Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of removing the Direct Pay option on levels of compliance with child maintenance payments among non-resident parents. \p Andrew Western: Reforms will introduce a single service where all payments will be monitored enabling the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to identify missed, late, or partial payments in real time. This will enable swift enforcement action to restore compliance and increase the amount of money reaching children.

We expect the reforms will make hidden non-compliance within Direct Pay visible, enabling the CMS to intervene earlier to ensure children receive the financial support they are entitled to.

There is no evidence to suggest that cases currently working well under Direct Pay will cease to function. These families can move to a family-based arrangement or opt into Collect and Pay if they require the added security of enforcement.

Where compliance cannot be achieved, the CMS has a range of strong enforcement powers that are designed to get money flowing quickly, prevent the build-up of arrears and ensure children get the financial support they deserve.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_54
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_54

Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether conditions were attached to the funding provided to British Steel to ensure (a) value for money and (b) long term sustainability. \p Sarah Jones: Funding is provided to British Steel under the provisions of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act. This funding is supported by wider powers under the Act to ensure it results in the safe and continued operation of steelmaking. All funding released to British Steel is reviewed and approved in advance, and is subject to the usual value-for-money considerations. The intervention is a temporary measure and work is continuing to determine the best long-term sustainable future for the site.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_55
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_55

Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 and the £94 million announced to save the Scunthorpe plant and British Steel, how much further funding has been provided to British Steel since this announcement; and whether that funding was in the form of (a) grants, (b) loans or (c) guarantees. \p Sarah Jones: Funding of approximately £130m in total has been provided to British Steel to ensure continued operation of the blast furnaces.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_56
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_56

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many times has their Department accepted in full the position of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s (a) findings and (b) recommendations on (i) issuing an apology and (ii) other forms of redress in the last 10 years. \p Justin Madders: Since the establishment of DBT in 2023 there have been 0 (zero) ombudsmen decisions for DBT. For this reason there has been 0 (zero) times the Department accepted in full the position of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s (a) findings and (b) recommendations on (i) issuing an apology and (ii) other forms of redress in the last 10 years.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_57
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_57

Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure a joined-up approach to tackling harms to the (a) environment and (b) human rights in UK supply chains. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: In the Trade Strategy, the Government committed to promoting a coordinated approach to responsible business conduct. The Government’s review into responsible business conduct, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains, will consider the best way to give effect to this commitment.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_58
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_58

Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure effective (a) collaboration and (b) transparency across (i) Government strategies and (ii) public bodies. \p Justin Madders: I have regular meetings and discussions with Cabinet colleagues to ensure close collaboration and transparency on strategy development, most recently on the Industrial and Trade Strategies, which were the result of close working across government departments and public bodies.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_59
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_59

Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the new Companies House identity verification system; who pays for the third-party ID verification service connected to that system; and what the annual cost is for that system. \p Justin Madders: The Companies House identity verification (IDV) system is provided by GOV.UK One Login (‘the service’) delivered by the Government Digital Service (GDS).

Inclusivity and accessibility is a top priority. The service offers simple online content, in-person IDV at the Post Office where appropriate and contact centre assistance. Regular user research and testing with people from various backgrounds and needs ensures the service works for as many people as possible.

Some parts of the service are provided by third-parties. The service is centrally funded to provide IDV across central government, including Companies House

As an alternative, Companies House accepts IDV via Authorised Corporate Service Providers.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_60
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_60

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulations governing online platforms used by the gig economy.. \p Justin Madders: Businesses operating in the UK, including online platforms in the gig economy, must comply with UK laws and regulations on employment, data protection, taxation, business regulation and right to work. Responsibility for overseeing these regulations spans multiple departments and regulators, depending on the issue.

The Department for Business and Trade is responsible for employment rights legislation, where the Government has committed to moving towards a simpler framework for employment status. Our priority is ensuring those workers who are most vulnerable know their rights and have the benefit of protection at work.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_61
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_61

Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the petition entitled Introduction of a business, human rights and environment act, submitted to his Department on 19 June 2025, on the potential merits of creating a new UK business, human rights and environment act to support (a) workers, (b) communities and (c) the environment in (i) the UK and (ii) overseas. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: The Department for Business and Trade has engaged with the Corporate Justice Coalition on the petition entitled Introduction of a business, human rights and environment act, submitted on 19 June 2025.

In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review into the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains.

The review will be a neutral, objective appraisal of policy, led by officials at the Department for Business and Trade. It will consider the effectiveness of the UK’s current regime and alternative means of supporting responsible business practices. It will have due regard to costs on business and the approaches taken by our trading partners. Throughout the review, we will harness the insights and expertise of businesses, investors, trade unions, academia and civil society.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_62
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_62

Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Invest 2035 on rural economies; and what steps he plans to use to monitor its impact on rural inclusion. \p Sarah Jones: Invest 2035 was published in October last year, seeking views on the UK’s Industrial Strategy. The Modern Industrial Strategy was published on 23 June, setting out a 10-year plan to back our strengths and realise Britain’s potential, targeting investment towards eight-growth driving sectors (IS-8). The Strategy focuses efforts on the city regions and clusters where the IS-8 concentrate. There are clusters across the country, including in rural areas, and the policy package addresses the biggest constraints to growth highlighted by businesses in the IS-8 sectors.

The Government supports a robust and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of the Industrial Strategy. We have chosen six economic indicators that reflect a range of desirable objectives for the IS-8 and the economy as a whole, which will be tracked at a sector and place level. Monitoring and evaluation of the Strategy will be overseen by the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council who will take a data-led approach to assess progress on the overall Industrial Strategy.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_63
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_63

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the inclusion of small and medium-sized enterprises in procurement processes related to the development and supply of sustainable aviation fuel. \p Sarah Jones: My Department supports SME participation in innovative sectors such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through the Business Growth Service. This makes it easier for businesses to get advice and support they need and later this year, we will publish a SME Strategy Paper to promote inclusive supply chains and easier access to finance.

The SAF Mandate sets targets for SAF uptake and creates new market opportunities. To support SAF production, the Department for Transport has launched the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF). The AFF funding is allocated through a competitive process and is available to a range of entities, including SMEs and start-ups.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_64
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_64

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department’s press release Major investment partnership worth £24 billion to transform key growth sectors and deliver affordable housing across UK, published on 19 May 2025, if he will publish a full list of sites to be developed. \p Sarah Jones: We can disclose the sites of the development as released by TCE on 19 May 2025:
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_65
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_65

Mike Reader:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Advanced Manufacturing sector plan on food and drink manufacturers. \p Sarah Jones: The Government recognises the importance of the food and drink sector as the largest manufacturing industry in the UK. The Industrial Strategy will support the whole economy, including businesses outside the eight growth-driving sectors, through an improved operating environment and long-term stability.

The Advanced Manufacturing sector operates as an ecosystem of complex supply chains and outputs, not as a set of siloed industries. It therefore includes a range of cross cutting interventions that have wide-spread benefits across the sector including for food and drink manufacturers such as innovation, tech adoption and broader business environment measures such as planning.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_66
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_66

Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the potential impact of the play industry on the economy. \p Sarah Jones: The Government recognises that play is vital for children's physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development, while also strengthening community bonds and promoting inclusive, healthy environments. The Department for Business and Trade has not published a specific estimate of the economic impact of the play industry.

However, the Department continues to engage with retailers and manufacturers of sporting goods, to understand the sector’s potential and to support growth and export opportunities.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_67
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_67

Melanie Onn:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support the biodiesel industry. \p Sarah Jones: My department supports Clean Energy industries to invest and grow, including biofuels such as biodiesel, and the sectors that use these fuels. Our approach to these sectors is set out in the industrial strategy.

My officials also work alongside colleagues at the Department for Transport who carried out a call for evidence on the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme in November last year. This considered future targets for the supply of renewable fuels, such as biodiesel. The product of that review will be published soon.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_68
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_68

Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding has been allocated to tackle Serious Organised Crime for police forces in (a) Lancashire, (b) Cumbria, and (c) Greater Manchester in (a) this financial year and (b) the 2026-27 financial year. \p Dame Diana Johnson: In 2025-26, the Home Office are providing c.£1 billion to the National Crime Agency to tackle Serious and Organised Crime.

The Home Office does not allocate Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) specific funding to local police forces as setting annual budgets is the responsibility of chief constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_69
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_69

Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many enquiries have been submitted to her Department on non compliance with the Home Office Code of Practice for Sports Governing Bodies in the last six weeks; and to which sports governing bodies they referred. \p Seema Malhotra: Sports governing bodies approved by the Home Office are required to abide by the ‘Code of Practice for Sports Governing Bodies’ as part of their role under the International Sportsperson visa route.

The Home Office reserves the right to check the activities of an approved sports governing body’s role at any time, and issues regarding non-compliance will be addressed directly with the relevant body in the first instance. Where an approved body continues to fail to comply with its duties as set out in the ‘Code’, the Home Office will consider changing the approved governing body for that sport at its own discretion, in consultation with DCMS or the relevant home sports councils.

It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment upon specific reports submitted to the department regarding the role of sports governing bodies or provide any details of those reports.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_70
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_70

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many breathalyser tests were carried out across West Mercia in the last 12 months; how many tested positive; and how many resulted in a prosecution. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office collects and publishes data on roadside breath tests for alcohol as part of its annual ‘Police Powers and Procedures: Roads policing’ statistical release. The latest data is available here Police powers and procedures: Roads policing, to December 2023 - GOV.UK and covers the calendar year ending December 2023.

In 2023, West Mercia Police carried out 7,811 roadside breath tests for alcohol, of which 1,248 were positive or refused.

The Home Office does not hold information on how many of these resulted in a prosecution.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_71
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_71

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the level of funding for the police over the period of the Spending Review 2025 on levels of (a) shoplifting, (b) phone theft and (c) violence against women. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government is committed to supporting the police to tackle crime. The Chancellor has announced a real terms increase in police spending power over the next three years.That included £200 million to kickstart recruitment of neighbourhood officers and PCSOs across the country. As is usual, more detail on force funding allocations for future years will be set out at the police settlement later.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_72
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_72

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner on how funding will be allocated throughout the West Midlands over the period of the Spending Review 2025. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Force funding allocations will be set out at the police settlement later this year.

It is up to Chief Constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners to make decisions on local resourcing. They are best placed to make these decisions based on their local knowledge and experience.
wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-04 conversation_73

Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with (a) police forces and (b) community groups on the potential impact of Respect Orders on community cohesion. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Respect Orders, which were introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill in February, will be behavioural court orders which focus on combatting anti-social behaviour. We have undertaken extensive consultation with policing partners, including the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), and other key stakeholders in the Anti-social Behaviour sector to ensure the Respect Order will be as effective as possible.

Respect Orders will enable courts to ban adult offenders from engaging in harmful anti-social behaviour. They can also compel adult perpetrators to take action to address the root cause of their behaviour.

Breach of the order will be a criminal offence, allowing the police to arrest anyone suspected of breach. Courts will have a wide range of sentencing options, including community orders, unlimited fines and, for the most severe cases, imprisonment.

The Respect Order will be piloted prior to national rollout to ensure it is as effective as possible.