theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Richard Fuller:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing structural changes to efficiency oversight as part of the 2025 Spending Review. \p Darren Jones: This government is committed to spending taxpayers’ money efficiently. At the first phase of the Spending Review for 2025-26 it set a 2% target for efficiency, productivity and savings for all departments.

Phase 2 of the Spending Review (2026-2029) goes further with departments undertaking a line-by-line review of existing day-to-day budgets for the first time in 17 years. Departments are expected to identify a minimum of 5% savings and efficiencies against their current budgets freeing up funding to achieve the government’s priorities.

The Office for Value for Money is also advising the Chancellor and me on decisions for the Spending Review, which will include conducting an assessment of where and how to root out waste and inefficiency.

The government will set out its plans on efficiencies at the conclusion of the Spending Review.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the comments of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on Newsnight on 29 July 2024, what the evidential basis is for the claim that the Government Communication Service spent hundreds of millions of pounds on filming content for Conservative ministers’ social media channels. \p Darren Jones: The government has taken decisive action to reduce wasteful spend, In Fixing the Foundations, the Chancellor identified £100m of savings from non-essential spending on government communications across 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Cabinet Office provided estimates of comms spending during the Public Spending Audit, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July 2024. Estimates were based on internal Government Communication Service data on campaigns planned by Departments and arm's length bodies at the time of commissioning. These indicate that UK Government was expected to spend £449m on communications campaigns during 24/25. This includes communications considered operationally critical, for example, required to fulfil a statutory duty, life-saving, or required for the efficient functioning of a public service. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced that the Government Communications Service is expecting to save £50m in 2024-25 and £85 million from reducing unnecessary communications spend in 2025-26 – exceeding the £100 million target set out in July.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has considered tax breaks for companies that donate humanitarian products to Ukraine. \p Emma Reynolds: The Corporation Tax regime includes provisions that allow the deduction of qualifying charitable donations from a company’s total taxable profits for the accounting period in which they are paid. Following certain conditions, companies are also able to obtain tax relief for donations of trading stock of medical supplies and/or medical equipment for humanitarian purposes. This could include eligible donations made to support Ukraine.

We sincerely appreciate the dedication and effort UK businesses are demonstrating in their support for Ukraine. The UK is at the forefront to providing military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine for as long as it takes. The UK has committed £12.8bn in military, humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine since February 2022. The UK will continue to honour the PM’s commitment on 10 July which provides Ukraine with £3bn of military support p.a. until 2030/31 or for as long as needed. Support from UK businesses to Ukraine is invaluable, and we are committed to strengthening these ties to help in securing a lasting peace for Ukraine.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of interest only mortgages on financial planning for borrowers. \p Emma Reynolds: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the residential mortgage market, including the regulation of interest only mortgages.

Following research and analysis published in August 2023, the FCA is reviewing its existing guidance on the treatment of interest only borrowers.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make a comparative assessment of the rate of Beer Duty (a) in the UK and (b) in Europe. \p James Murray: There is significant variation in alcohol taxation policy amongst European countries, with some countries having lower alcohol duty rates and some having higher rates.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the cost of living on future levels of disposable household income. \p James Murray: The Government’s Plan for Change outlines our goals to raise living standards across the UK and ensure that working people have more money in their pockets.

Specific actions already taken by the Government include increasing to the National Living Wage from April 2025; extending the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales in 2025-26; and introduction of a new Fair Repayment Rate from April 2025 to cap debt repayments made through Universal Credit.

In the OBR’s October 2024 forecast, living standards, as measured by Real Household Disposable Income per capita, were forecast to rise by an annual average of 0.5% over the course of this parliament (Q2 2024 – Q2 2029).
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Harriet Cross:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the scope of the Loan Charge review to examine the wider contracting sector. \p James Murray: The Government has commissioned an independent review of the Loan Charge. Ray McCann, a highly respected figure in the tax world, is leading the review. His name was suggested by one of the Loan Charge campaigners.

To ensure transparency, the terms of reference make it clear that Mr McCann will be supported by a team of officials who have not previously worked on this policy area and will be based outside of HM Treasury and HMRC. Information provided by HMT and HMRC to the review team and factual comments provided on draft reports will be published after the review has concluded.

The Government does not think it is right for people affected by the Loan Charge to have to wait years to bring this matter to a close and has therefore ensured that the review has a focused remit, allowing it to report by this summer. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.

Alongside the review, the Government will consult in 2025 on measures to tackle promoters of marketed tax avoidance and has already announced measures to tackle the significant tax avoidance and fraud in the umbrella company market.
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Katie White:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to (a) support young people with mental health conditions into work and (b) help reduce the number of young people signed off work due to mental health conditions. \p Alison McGovern: The Get Britain Working White Paper set out the government’s plans to drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity, create an inclusive labour market in which everybody can participate and progress in work, and meet the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. The White Paper set out three major reforms: to create a new Jobs and Careers Service, address the growing and unsustainable problem of people being out of work due to poor health, and establish a new Youth Guarantee.

The Youth Guarantee will be for all 18-21 year olds in England and will ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work, starting in eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas this Spring.

Department for Work and Pensions already provides young people aged 16-24, who are claiming Universal Credit, with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This support includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Hubs across Great Britain, and Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional barriers to finding work. Youth Employability Coaches specifically work closely with Disability Employment Advisors to support those with disabilities and health conditions.

The Government also recognises that many people find health conditions and disabilities, including mental ill health, a barrier to employment. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.

There are a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals with health conditions to stay in work and get back into work, which involve joint working between Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Health and Social Care. Support includes Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support programme for people with severe mental illnesses, and Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme aimed at disabled people with complex barriers to employment. In addition, Department for Health and Social Care’s Early Support Hubs also provide employment advice and broader mental health and wellbeing support to young people aged 11-25.

Policy relating to waiting lists for people referred for mental health support sits with my Ministerial colleagues at the Department for Health and Social Care, and you may wish to raise the matter with them.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33016 on Pension Credit: Aldridge-Brownhills, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing data on the number of outstanding Pension Credit claims at the constituency level. \p Torsten Bell: There are currently no plans to publish volumes of Pension Credit Outstanding Claims at a constituency level. Statistics on the number of Pension Credit outstanding claims for Great Britain were published on 27 February 2025. This includes numbers of applications that were received, awarded and not awarded, and outstanding, up to week commencing 17 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.

Outstanding Pension Credit claims for Great Britain totalled 30,400 at the end of week commencing 3rd March 2025. This includes 7,100 advanced claims. Advanced claims are where the application can be started up to 4 months before reaching State Pension age.

At the end of week commencing 24th June 2024, the last full week of the previous government, outstanding Pension Credit claims for Great Britain totalled 35,000. This includes 5,500 advanced claims.

Pension Credit caseload statistics are available at a constituency level on Stat-Xplore: Stat-Xplore - Log in.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support people living with a musculoskeletal condition to remain in work. \p Alison McGovern: MSK conditions are one of the leading conditions reported by people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness in the UK, increasing by 34% between 2018/19 and 2023/24.

The ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper sets out government’s plans to reform employment, health and skills support to tackle rising economic inactivity levels including the £3.5m joint DWP, DHSC and NHS England ‘Getting It Right First Time’ MSK Community Delivery Programme which will work directly with ICBs to reduce MSK community waiting times, improve data and enable referral pathways to wider support services.

WorkWell sites also went live in 15 areas across England from October 2024, providing low intensity holistic support for health-related barriers to employment, and a single joined up gateway to existing local work and health service provision. By Spring 2026, WorkWell is expected to support up to 56,000 disabled people and people with health conditions, including MSK, to get into work and get on at work.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support young people living with a long-term health condition to find work. \p Alison McGovern: The Government recognises that many people find health conditions and disabilities a barrier to employment. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.

Department for Work and Pensions currently provides young people aged 16-24, who are claiming Universal Credit, with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This support includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Hubs across Great Britain, and Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional barriers to finding work. Youth Employability Coaches specifically work closely with Disability Employment Advisors to support those with disabilities and health conditions.

Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Education will also be launching a Youth Guarantee for all 18-21 year olds in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work, starting in eight Youth Trailblazer areas from this Spring.

There are a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals with health conditions to stay in work and get back into work, which involve joint working between Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Health and Social Care. Support includes Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support programme for people with severe mental illnesses, and Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme aimed at disabled people with complex barriers to employment. In addition, Department for Health and Social Care’s Early Support Hubs also provide employment advice and broader mental health and wellbeing support to young people aged 11-25.
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Harpreet Uppal:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available to companies seeking to (a) train and (b) employ autistic job seekers. \p Alison McGovern: Neurodivergent people bring many positive benefits to workplaces but face particular barriers to employment, which is reflected in a poor overall employment rate. As a government, we want to support all forms of neurodiversity in the workplace by encouraging employers to adopt neuro-inclusive working practices so that everyone can thrive at work.

On 29 January this year, the Government launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. Many of the panel are diagnosed or identify as neurodivergent and/or have familial experience alongside their professional experience and expertise.

The panel will consider the reasons why neurodivergent people have poor experiences in the workplace, and a low overall employment rate. Recommendations are expected to include employer actions that can support the inclusion of neurodivergent people, including in recruitment and day to day workplace practices.

Employers have a key role to play. Our support to employers includes the online Support with Employee Health and Disability service, to support employers managing health and disability in the workplace. This includes questions of disclosure and equipping employers to feel confident having conversations about health and disability. The Disability Confident scheme also signposts employers to expert resources which support the employment of disabled people, including neurodivergent people.
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Lewis Cocking:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the press release entitled Biggest employment reforms in a generation unveiled to Get Britain Working again, published on 26 November 2024, what steps her Department is taking to implement the youth guarantee. \p Alison McGovern: Our plan to get Britain working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work.

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education are working closely with the eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England who will begin delivering the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper from Spring 2025.

To tackle the rising number of young people who are not participating in education, employment or training, these Trailblazers will test how new local leadership, accountability structures and existing provision can be integrated into a cohesive education, training and employment support for young people. More broadly, we will work closely with mayoral authorities on a range of wider initiatives such as developing national and local partnerships to support the Youth Guarantee.

The Trailblazers will run for 12 months, and we will use the learning to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls-out across the rest of England. Additionally, Department for Education are also developing new foundation apprenticeships to give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth.

The Department for Work and Pensions are also working to develop proposals for reform to the system of health and disability benefits and will set them out in a Green Paper in the Spring. The Government is committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of all that we do, so we will consult on these proposals with disabled people and representative organisations.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the rate of statutory sick pay on financial costs for small businesses. \p Alison McGovern: The Department undertook a Regulatory Impact Assessment covering the measures in the Employment Rights Bill to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay: removing the Lower Earnings Limit and the waiting period. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments. The Regulatory Impact Assessment estimates that small and micro businesses pay around 60% of the annual SSP cost to employer.
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Mel Stride:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's timetable is for abolishing the couple's administrative earnings threshold; and what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the abolition of the couple's administrative earnings threshold on the number of people entering the Intensive Work Search regime. \p Alison McGovern: The previous administration planned to abolish the Couples AET to increase compliance and conditionality requirements on working households, without clear evidence that this would be cost-effective. The Government’s plans for supporting working households towards sustainable good quality jobs are set out in the Get Britain Working white paper.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changing the replacement rate to the Statutory Sick Pay lower earnings limit on people on this limit. \p Alison McGovern: The Department undertook a Regulatory Impact Assessment covering the measures in the Employment Rights Bill to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay: removing the Lower Earnings Limit and the waiting period. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of eligible people who have applied for and are waiting to receive the winter fuel payment for winter 2024-25 in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire. \p Torsten Bell: On 27 February 2025 we published Pension Credit applications and award statistics. This publication provides application volumes up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit Applications and Awards - February 2025.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2025 to Question 31507 on Pension Credit, whether she is taking steps to ensure that backlogs of work are actioned within directorates that have seconded additional staff to process pension credit applications. \p Torsten Bell: The directorates within DWP where colleagues were redeployed to support Pension Credit activity were from Child Maintenance Service and Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt. Other additions were via use of a flexible pool of DWP colleagues that move across functions as required.

Our approach to deploying additional people to support Pension Credit activity was taken in a manner to not disadvantage other services. Backlogs have not emerged as a consequence of these moves.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of Pension Credit applications rejected by decision makers since September 2024; and what the reasons were for the rejection of those applications. \p Torsten Bell: The latest published data on Pension Credit applications and awards was published on 27 February [Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK]. This showed that DWP cleared 232,200 Pension Credit claims between 29 July 2024 and 23 February 2025, of which 117,800 claims were awarded Pension Credit and 114,500 were not awarded Pension Credit. In common with all income-related benefits, a person’s eligibility for Pension Credit depends on their financial and household circumstances. The most common reason why a person might not qualify for Pension Credit is because their household income is too high.
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Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has targets for the time taken to process Attendance Allowance. \p Torsten Bell: The Actual Average Clearance Time for Attendance Allowance claims for January 2025 was 23 working days. There is a quick application process for people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and aren't expected to live more than 12 months. These claims are fast tracked.

Attendance Allowance is currently undergoing a significant modernisation reform through the piloting of an on-line digital claim process as a part of the department’s wider Service Modernisation plans.

Please note, the Average Actual Clearance Time figures shown is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. It is rounded to the nearest working day.
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Mrs Sureena Brackenridge:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what protections exist for pensioners in the case of scheme buyouts. \p Torsten Bell: Insurance buyout is a long-established way of defined benefit pension schemes securing members’ full pensions. Members are guaranteed to receive their full pension from an insurer, backed by a rigorous capital adequacy regime and underpinned by 100 per cent compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Trustees have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the members and must be satisfied that transferring the liabilities of the scheme to an insurer is in the best interests of the members before the transfer can take place.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners are living in poverty in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. \p Torsten Bell: Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are not available at a constituency or county level.

Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are published annually in the Households Below Average Income statistics: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2023 - GOV.UK. These statistics include regional breakdowns.
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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a new national strategy for tackling littering. \p Mary Creagh: At this time, the Government is not planning to implement a new national litter strategy. This Government is committed to reducing waste by transitioning to a circular economy. To support the government in achieving this goal we have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising experts from across government, industry, academia and civil society, to help us develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England.

As part of this we remain focused on delivering the Collection and Packaging Reforms including the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The DRS will go live in October 2027. It will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers which can be claimed back by customers when the empty container is returned. This will reduce litter, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy. We remain committed to supporting local authorities to tackle littering and are currently examining what further steps we can take to aid them.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities on the inheritance tax changes to agricultural land and property. \p Daniel Zeichner: As is standard practise, the Department has not held discussions with local authorities on this issue.
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Carla Lockhart:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with law enforcement agencies on taking steps to help tackle organised criminal networks involved in the illegal meat trade; and what steps he plans to take to help disrupt this activity. \p Daniel Zeichner: We are not complacent about illegal meat smuggling, which may pose threats to animal health, food safety and public health. That is why we are working closely with the Home Office and the Food Standards Agency to tackle this issue with the support of Border Force, Port Health Authorities and local authorities.

Where non-compliant meat is identified inland, the Food Standards Agency works closely with its local authority partners, who hold responsibility for this aspect of enforcement, to remove the goods from potential sale in the UK market. This work is conducted by the Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit who work with partners to disrupt, prevent and where appropriate investigate those involved in food crime.
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Jonathan Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the UK's biosecurity resilience against (a) invasive species, (b) plant diseases, (c) animal diseases and (d) other emerging threats; and what steps he is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of climate change on agricultural ecological systems. \p Mary Creagh: Our biosecurity is paramount – it underpins safe food; protects human, animal and plant health; and supports a prospering economy and trade. We have in place robust measures to maintain and improve our ability to understand, detect, prevent, respond and recover from outbreaks, both those that affect animals and those that affect plants.

The government has announced it will set up a new National Biosecurity Centre, which will strengthen the UK's defences against animal diseases that threaten farming, food security, trade and public health.

As the Chancellor announced in the Autumn 2024 budget, there is £208 million in funding over 2024-2026 to transform the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) animal health facility at Weybridge.

Defra is playing its part in responding to the recommendations of Module 1 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. We have been reviewing our plans and processes within the department which will be tested through the upcoming national pandemic response exercise.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on ending badger culling. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government has started work on a comprehensive new bovine TB strategy, to continue to drive down disease rates to save cattle and farmers’ livelihoods and to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament. The previous government was taking decisions that were not based on sufficient scientific understanding of the subject, and the new Government has put following the science at the heart of its strategy.

Additionally, this work is being undertaken through stakeholder co-design with farmers, vets, scientists and conservationists, with a steering group formed from the existing Bovine TB Partnership for England.

A key part of the strategy is to drive forward the ongoing development of a cattle vaccine, which is at the forefront of innovative solutions to help eradicate this disease. In August, the Government also outlined several actions it is taking immediately to end the badger cull. This is available at the link below and includes:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-end-badger-cull-with-new-tb-eradication-strategy.

The work toward a new strategy represents a new direction in defeating this disease that will both protect the farming community and wildlife, building on the 2018 independent strategy review. To ensure it benefits from the latest evidence, my Department has also asked Professor Sir Charles Godfray, who led that review, to reconvene a panel of experts to consider whether there’s any substantive new evidence that might affect previous conclusions.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on steps to improve infrastructure in Wales. \p Jo Stevens: Our Plan for Change will turn the UK into a clean energy superpower.

In just the last two weeks, I was very pleased to announce Copenhagen Infrastructure Partner’s £600m investment into Bute Energy and GreenGen Cymru.

This will contribute significantly to the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 ambition of doubling onshore wind and Welsh Government targets for green electricity by 2035.
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Peter Swallow:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps she is taking with the Welsh Government to build on the participation of Wales at UEFA Women's Euro 2025. \p Jo Stevens: I’m thrilled that our Wales Women’s football team has qualified for the Euros for the first time, and I wish them all the very best for their games, especially the one against the Lionesses on 13 July.

We are working closely with the Welsh Government to take full advantage of this unique opportunity to promote Wales as a first-class destination for international investment and tourism.
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Chris Vince:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales. \p Jo Stevens: Kickstarting economic growth is at the heart of our Plan for Change. Since coming into government, I have worked with UK and Welsh Government colleagues to drive over £1.5 billion in private investment from the likes of Eren Holding and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners into Wales, creating hundreds of jobs and laying the ground for thousands more.
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Richard Foord:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on support for the farming industry in Wales. \p Dame Nia Griffith: The Government is steadfastly committed to the farming sector. We protected the farm budget at its current level and allocated £337m to the Welsh Government at the Autumn Budget.

The Welsh Government in their budget have used this to maintain the Basic Payment Scheme at its current level for another year, providing much needed support for farmers across Wales….a budget as he knows that his party supported, whilst Tory and Plaid Cymru Senedd members tried to block it.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help reduce online (a) misogyny and (b) misandry. \p Feryal Clark: The Online Safety Act requires all platforms to proactively tackle the most harmful illegal content including illegal misogyny and misandry. Where this type of abuse is not illegal, Category 1 services will have extra duties, requiring them to establish user empowerment tools, enabling all adult users to have greater control over their online experience.

Services likely to be accessed by children must provide safety measures protecting children from harmful and age-inappropriate content and activity.

The Act requires Ofcom, the regulator, to publish guidance about protecting women and girls online, which they published in draft for consultation on 25 February.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on increasing spectrum available to mobile operators. \p Chris Bryant: I have not had any discussions with Ofcom directly on increasing the spectrum available to mobile operators, but my officials are in regular discussion with them on spectrum issues. The Government recognises the importance of ensuring access to suitable spectrum across different sectors, the opportunities this creates for growth, and that a focus on innovation and enhanced shared use of spectrum will become increasingly important to realise this.
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Paul Holmes:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of legal cases that have commenced related to the installation of 5G masts; and whether provisions within the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 are retrospective. \p Chris Bryant: Legal cases relating to telecommunications installations can commence in either the County Court or the Lands Tribunal. The Department does not have comprehensive data, but is aware of an increase in applications to the courts relating to telecommunications infrastructure installation since 2017. Applications can cover a range of different situations. We do not know how many relate specifically to 5G masts. Most applications do not proceed to a full hearing, but are resolved consensually.

Sections 58,59 and 61 – 64 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 have some limited retrospective effects. Other provisions are not considered retrospective.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking tackle digital exclusion among older people in rural areas. \p Chris Bryant: Tackling digital exclusion is a Government priority. We published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, identifying five target groups to benefit most from digital inclusion initiatives, including older people.

The Action Plan outlines five immediate actions for Government, including launching the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support locally delivered digital inclusion initiatives.

We are also upgrading broadband and mobile connectivity in rural areas through Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network and are exploring options for further support to connect very hard to reach areas.
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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to (a) develop and (b) implement codes of practice for fraudulent advertising under the Online Safety Act 2023. \p Feryal Clark: The duties related to fraudulent advertising apply to Category 1 and 2A services. Category 1 services will need to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising on their platforms, and Category 2A search services will need to address paid-for fraudulent advertising in search results.

Ofcom is responsible for developing codes of practice. It expects to consult on the codes for these duties by early 2026. The codes will recommend how companies can comply with these duties. These duties will not come into force until the register of categorised services has been published by Ofcom and the final code has been approved by Parliament.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using revenue generated by spectrum Annual Licence Fees to support improved mobile coverage. \p Chris Bryant: Ofcom sets mobile spectrum fees independently to promote the optimal use of spectrum. The Government recognises the cost of these fees to the industry. Supporting investment in mobile networks is a priority and the Government continues to assess what further interventions are needed to support 5G deployment.
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Sarah Champion:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to set (a) clear objectives, (b) measurable milestones and (c) interim targets to phase out animal testing. \p Feryal Clark: The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal.

The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year, which will set out clear objectives and measurable milestones. Any work to phase out animal testing must be science-led, in lock step with partners, so we will not be setting interim targets or arbitrary timelines for reducing their use.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of food procured by his Department is sourced in the UK. \p Feryal Clark: To date the Government has not held information on where publicly procured food is sourced from.

Starting right away, for the first time ever, this government will review the food currently bought in the public sector to determine the standards that it is meeting, where it is bought from and look to introduce monitoring for transparency and accountability within those supply chains to ultimately get the best food for the consumer.

This work will be a significant first step to inform any future changes to public sector food procurement policies as we want to help make it an equal playing field for British producers to bid into the £5 billion spent each year on public sector catering contracts.
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Liam Byrne:To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make an estimate of the number of unexplained wealth orders that have been (a) requested by and (b) granted to the Serious Fraud Office for each year from 2020 to 2024. \p Lucy Rigby: The SFO has made one application for an unexplained wealth order (UWO) since 2020. This UWO application was accepted by the court on 17 January 2025 and related to the recovery of property suspected to have been purchased with the proceeds of a £100 million fraud.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of food procured by her Department is sourced in the UK. \p Chris Bryant: To date the Government has not held information on where publicly procured food is sourced from.

Starting right away, for the first time ever, this government will review the food currently bought in the public sector to determine the standards that it is meeting, where it is bought from and look to introduce monitoring for transparency and accountability within those supply chains to ultimately get the best food for the consumer.

This work will be a significant first step to inform any future changes to public sector food procurement policies as we want to help make it an equal playing field for British producers to bid into the £5 billion spent each year on public sector catering contracts.
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David Williams:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reallocating the funding for National Citizen Service to the youth sector from April 2025. \p Stephanie Peacock: We appreciate the disappointment many will be feeling following the decision to wind down the NCS programme from March 2025 and close the NCS Trust when parliamentary time allows.

This Government acknowledges the great work NCS have done over the years providing thousands of young people from all backgrounds with opportunities to become ‘work-ready and world-ready’.

We also acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the changing needs of the young people it supports. That is why this government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be developed together with young people and the youth sector.

Funding allocations for specific programmes will be communicated in due course.
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Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to implement the policies set out in the policy paper entitled High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age, published on 27 April 2023; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the policies in that white paper on the land-based gambling industry. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Minister for Gambling has indicated her support for the previous government’s 2023 gambling white paper. This government has moved quickly to implement a number of proposals, including the statutory levy and online slots stake limits. We are considering the best available evidence from a wide range of sources to inform decisions on the remaining measures relating to the land-based sector. We are moving forward with measures to modernise the regulations for land-based casinos and are working as quickly as we can to ensure that legislation is laid in Parliament as soon as possible to implement these measures.