Written Statements

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

Thursday 25 June 2026

Steel Trade Measure

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Trade (Chris Bryant)]

The Government are today announcing the final details of the new steel trade measure coming into effect on 1 July 2026, a cornerstone policy of the UK’s steel strategy, and a further example of delivery on our modern industrial strategy, which charts a strategic course that allows business to make long-term decisions and focus on creating wealth and prosperity.

Steel overcapacity continues to distort markets, drive down prices and threaten the viability of our already fragile domestic steelmaking sector. UK steel production has more than halved in the last decade. Other countries are acting, including the US, Canada and the EU, with the EU’s measure also coming into force on 1 July 2026. This Government cannot, and will not, jeopardise domestic steelmaking given its importance to critical national infrastructure and defence. We must act now to secure its future.

Since our 19 March announcement, we have listened to stakeholders across the steel supply chain, including producers and downstream users, and have adjusted the steel trade measure’s product scope and quota volumes. We have also engaged closely with the EU and agreed an approach that reflects the UK and EU’s highly interconnected supply chains. This will provide stability for UK-EU steel trade from 1 July, while we continue to work together to strengthen UK-EU steel trade longer term.

We recognise that this will create changes to trade flows including with some of our closest trading partners. We want to reassure them that the UK remains committed to our international obligations and to constructive engagement on our steel measure. We recognise that this is a challenging time for steel industries globally, and that is why we will continue to prioritise working with partners to tackle overcapacity.

From 1 July 2026, we will now limit tariff-free steel imports and reduce overall quota volumes by 51% compared to the steel safeguard, protecting domestic producers while maintaining continuity of supply for downstream users, including the automotive, construction and defence sectors. The overall quota volume will be 3.2 metric tonnes, an increase of 21% compared to our previously published provisional volumes. We have also removed 11 product codes, where new information confirmed there was no UK production, and added two codes where there is evidence of production. Detailed information on quotas will be published on gov.uk.

Where quotas are filled, imports above these levels will face a 50% tariff. The measure will apply only to products that can be made in the UK. In a limited number of cases, technical constraints mean that product codes cannot be cleanly separated, with some codes covering both UK-produced and non-UK-produced grades and sizes of products. In these instances, quotas have been designed to allow sufficient imports, ensuring continued availability for UK users without imposing unnecessary additional costs.

We will continue to engage closely with industry across the supply chain. We will actively monitor implementation of the measure to ensure it operates as intended, and we will continue to engage with businesses. We will also review the measure after 12 months to ensure it remains effective and that the balance is right for industry. To ease potential short-term impacts, a transitional arrangement will apply whereby goods under contract before 14 March 2026 and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026 will not face the 50% tariff or count towards quota volumes in the first quarter. We have provided technical guidance on these arrangements and on quota administration, including how unused quota volumes will “roll over” across quarters within the same quota year.

Specific arrangements will be in place to ensure that steel can flow to Northern Ireland. The Government will continue to provide guidance and support traders moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland through the trader support service and work closely with the EU to ensure these arrangements operate effectively in practice.

In parallel, the UK has launched an article XXVIII process at the World Trade Organisation to permanently raise the maximum most favoured nation steel tariffs that we can apply to steel imports. We will shortly confirm members’ rights and expect to begin negotiations in the autumn. This process is separate to the new steel trade measure and will create the necessary policy space to ensure the sector has sufficient tariff protection in the long term.

This Government are acting now to secure the future of the UK steel industry. We are determined that steel will remain at the heart of Britain’s future.

[HCWS146]

Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme: Amendments

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

[The Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Nick Thomas-Symonds)]

Today I am laying an amendment to the principal civil service pension scheme under section 1 of the Superannuation Act 1972, which will come into force on 1 July 2026.

The primary focus of the amendments is to correct historical inequalities relating to the provision of adult survivor pensions in respect of same-sex marriages and civil partnerships. There are also additional technical changes to clarify the scheme rules and to align them with other relevant legislation.

As a result of the then Government’s response to two legal judgments—Walker v. Innospec and Goodwin v. the Secretary of State for Education—all public service pension schemes must provide pensions for surviving same-sex spouses and civil partners, as well as widowers of female scheme members, that are no less favourable than would be provided to the widow of a male member in similar circumstances. This change will only affect benefits in respect of service before 6 April 1988 as all other survivor benefit provision is fully equalised.

The implementation of these changes will not impact progress under the administration recovery plan, which has been agreed with Capita.

[HCWS151]

Public Sector Fraud Authority: Civil Penalty Code of Practice

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Satvir Kaur)]

I would like to update the House that today the Government have published the Public Sector Fraud Authority’s civil penalties code of practice, associated with the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025, as stipulated by Section 63 of the Act.

The Act introduced a new civil penalties regime for fraud against the public sector. The code provides further detail about how the PSFA civil penalty powers in the Act will be used, including how the PSFA’s authorised officers will operate and make decisions relating to their powers to issue civil penalties.

The code also includes information on the use and application of information sharing and gathering powers and debt recovery powers as set out in part 1 of the Act, in so far as it is relevant to the use and imposition of penalties. Additional information on these powers will be set out in guidance published separately.

There are a number of pertinent statutory safeguards detailed in the code, including the right to receive a clear notice, the opportunity to make formal representations, the provision for an internal review by a senior authorised officer, and the right of appeal to an independent tribunal. In addition, an independent reviewer will be appointed to conduct reviews of the PSFA’s powers, including civil penalty powers.

I am grateful to all those who took the time to contribute their views on the code when we ran a consultation between 8 December 2025 and 27 February 2026 seeking feedback. The feedback provided was detailed, considered and constructive, and the code has been strengthened as a result of this engagement.

Today’s action helps ensure that our public services are protected against fraudsters. I have every confidence that the code provides a solid and effective foundation to ensure the safe and proportionate use of the PSFA’s new powers.

[HCWS152]

Higher Education: Student Outcomes

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Josh MacAlister)]

Our higher education sector has a world-leading reputation. The evidence shows that most graduates are significantly better off as a result of undertaking higher education, but we are determined to ensure that everyone can be confident of a good experience and strong outcomes from their investment in higher education.

We came into Government with a manifesto commitment to raising teaching standards in higher education. The post-16 education and skills White Paper last autumn placed quality at the heart of our vision for the sector.

We acted quickly to support financial sustainability for providers through the tuition fee increase. We are improving support for access and participation, re-introducing maintenance grants and supporting better pathways through the system. However, there is more work to be done to ensure consistent high quality across the sector. Too many courses are not delivering the outcomes students deserve.

New analysis published today by the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows that 25% of students do not see a positive return from their studies, with negative returns concentrated in certain subjects. I have today written to all higher education providers to outline further reforms to tackle the issues exposed by today’s IFS analysis and elsewhere, so that we can help all students benefit from everything our higher education system has to offer.

We will legislate to limit the growth of some courses that lead to poor earnings returns at some providers, when parliamentary time allows. This will not be a blanket cap on student numbers, but a focused measure to support the sector to prioritise provision where it delivers good value for students and the taxpayer. We will engage a wide range of stakeholders to inform the development of these options.

We also expect providers to include clear information about destinations and outcomes on their own websites, so that students can make choices that work for them. We are working with the Office for Students, UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) and sector partners to make it easier for students to access the information available on Discover Uni, in time for the next cohort of students to consider their options in spring 2027.

Alongside this, our “Pathways to Priority Occupations” report, also published today, will support students to make informed choices about their courses. We are exploring how artificial intelligence can further strengthen the information available to them.

Finally, there must be robust standards to protect students and taxpayers from abuse. We intend to consult in the autumn on new minimum English language requirements for student finance, to provide greater confidence that recipients are able to benefit from their course. We will design this carefully, in collaboration with the higher education sector.

Together, these actions will help ensure that all students can benefit from the opportunities that higher education provides.

[HCWS150]

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Hinkley Point B

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

My hon. Friend Lord Vallance of Balham, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, has today made the following statement:

I am today laying a designation direction, which has been given to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in respect of the Hinkley Point B nuclear site. The direction reaffirms NDA’s responsibility for the cleaning up and decommissioning of the site, triggering their powers under the Energy Act 2004. The direction has been given with the consent of EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Limited and Nuclear Restoration Services, in accordance with sections 3 and 5 of the Energy Act 2004.

This is a significant moment for nuclear decommissioning as the direction marks the second nuclear site of the advanced gas-cooled reactor fleet that will transfer to Government for decommissioning.

[HCWS149]

Government Estate Nature Plan

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mary Creagh)]

Tomorrow, during London Climate Action Week, I am publishing the first ever Government estate nature plan, which sets out a new, smarter way of using Government land to support nature recovery, climate adaptation and the resilience of public services.

Bringing together action across more than 577,000 hectares—roughly 4% of England’s land—the Government estate nature plan moves from fragmented, site-by-site efforts to a more co-ordinated, whole-estate approach, strengthening resilience and helping protect critical public services from climate impacts. This is a new way of seeing public land—not as scattered parcels, but as a living system that can restore nature, strengthen resilience and support the services that people rely on. As the largest landowner in the country, the Government will lead by example, showing how nature can be restored at scale while supporting essential public services.

For the first time, the Government will apply the principles of the land use framework to their own estate, managing land more strategically to deliver for nature alongside core public services.

The plan is supported by £4.1 million of funding for a series of pilot “lighthouse” projects across the estate. These projects on operational land, including defence training areas, transport corridors and prison estates, will demonstrate how nature recovery can enhance the resilience and delivery of public services. Evidence from these pilots will inform future, larger-scale delivery.

Recent independent analysis indicates that the Government estate has the potential to generate ecosystem services with an estimated value of up to £67 billion where natural assets are maintained in good condition.

This new plan is the first of its kind globally. By managing land more strategically across the Government estate and working with partners, it will support the delivery of Environment Act targets on biodiversity, water quality and woodland cover, and ensure progress to the UK’s commitment to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. A digital map of the Government estate will be published by April 2027 to support transparency and improve spatial planning.

The Government estate nature plan sits alongside a wider set of plans published by the National Estate for Nature, a coalition of 26 major landowners who together manage around 10% of England’s land. Members include Government Departments and public bodies, as well as organisations such as the National Trust, the Crown Estate, the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, the Church Commissioners and the RSPB.

Together, partners have set out how they will manage their landholdings to restore and enhance priority habitats, and contribute to national targets. These include commitments such as increasing woodland cover, restoring peatlands, and expanding nature-friendly farming practices.

[HCWS147]

Department for Work and Pensions Workplace Transformation

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)]

Today the Department announced plans to consolidate some service and support centres as part of the continued transformation of DWP’s office estate across England, Scotland and Wales. This sits alongside wider activity to modernise how services are delivered in the future, including the future operating model of the job and careers service, but these sites do not see customers face to face.

As the Department’s estate continues to evolve, it will become smaller, better and greener, thereby supporting the Government’s priorities of delivering long-term savings for the taxpayer and high-quality public services through more affordable, sustainable and inclusive workplaces. This involves investing in existing buildings to improve working environments, as well as acquiring new premises in some areas.

Since 2021, the number of service and support centres has reduced from 127 to 74, delivering net recurrent cashflow savings of £72.2 million between 2022-23 to 2024-25, with significant further savings expected in future years. Despite this progress, DWP still operates one of the largest leasehold estates in Government. With hybrid working now well established, capacity across the estate exceeds requirements, and the estate is underutilised by around a third. That is why, earlier today, the Department informed colleagues of its plans to make changes at these nine service and support centres, and to relocate colleagues and services to alternative sites nearby, where this is possible:

Blackpool Peel Park

Derby Holborn House

Glasgow Northgate

Halifax Dean Clough Mills

Hyde Beech House

Liverpool Belle Vale

Motherwell Johnstone House

Sunderland Wear View House

Torquay Cotswold House

DWP remains committed to maintaining a national footprint, including a presence in some of the most deprived areas of the country. Creating fewer but larger offices also supports the Government’s Places for Growth agenda, with the Department continuing to move roles out of London, so that the civil service better reflects the communities it serves.

These changes are not driven by a plan to reduce headcount. We are committed to treating all affected colleagues with fairness and respect, giving them sufficient notice of any changes to where they work. Most will be offered a move in their current role to a nearby location, where this is reasonable. Where relocation is not possible, redeployment within DWP or across other Government Departments will be the priority.

These announcements will affect each location differently. I have written to every MP with an affected site in their constituency to explain what this means for their area, and have invited them to meet me to discuss it further. We commit to doing the same for any future announcements.

[HCWS153]

State Pension Age Communications and Complaints Handling

Thursday 25th June 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Torsten Bell)]

In January 2026 the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced the Government’s new response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report into the way that changes to the state pension age were communicated to women born in the 1950s. This included a commitment to deliver an action plan to learn lessons from the ombudsman’s investigation. Today this action plan has been published on gov.uk.

I will also place a copy of the action plan in the Libraries of the House.

The action plan sets out key steps for state pension age communications and complaints handling, recognising the importance of building a continuous learning approach.

I am grateful to the ombudsman who has provided support to develop the action plan. As we have set out in the plan, we will work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders on future state pension age communications.

[HCWS148]