Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

The Export Support Service continues to inform UK businesses of upcoming EU regulations and their impact to their trading activities through a range of channels. This includes the "Unlock Europe" webinar series hosted by the Export Academy, which will have a session on CBAM on 23 April. We are tracking forthcoming EU regulations which will impact UK exporters and are in dialogue with business representative organisations to understand how we can best support businesses to understand and prepare for changes which may impact them.

Since the General Election, the Cabinet Office, with the support of the Department for Business & Trade, has written to departments to remind them of their responsibility to consider in their legislative plans the general requirement to make regulatory impact assessments available when bringing forward relevant legislation to Parliament. The Department for Business & Trade provides training and advice to officials across government to support their departments’ compliance with this and the wider requirements of the Guide to Making Legislation and Better Regulation Framework Guidance. The government supports the Regulatory Policy Committee in holding departments to account for their compliance with the framework; this includes publishing statements of lateness when regulatory provisions reach Parliament without a regulatory impact assessment or opinion from the committee where they require one.

The Government understands that the availability of flexible working can be important for those who are pregnant and in work. It can be equally as important for a number of other groups, including new parents, those with other caring responsibilities and those managing a disability or long term health condition. That is why, through the Employment Rights Bill, the Government is making flexible working the default for all employees, except where not reasonably feasible.

The Employment Rights Bill establishes a new right to Bereavement Leave for employees to take protected time off to grieve. We will consult stakeholders on aspects of the design.

The Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Act 2024 enabled a ‘day one’ paternity leave entitlement for employees who become the primary carer for their newborn after the death of their partner. Regulations will then provide them with leave for up to one year after the child’s birth or adoption placement. This entitlement will have minimal impact on business and no impact on the Exchequer.

Acas maintain guidance for employers on bereavement including miscarriage.

The Employment Rights Bill establishes a new right to Bereavement Leave for employees to take protected time off to grieve. We will consult stakeholders on aspects of the design.

The Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Act 2024 enabled a ‘day one’ paternity leave entitlement for employees who become the primary carer for their newborn after the death of their partner. Regulations will then provide them with leave for up to one year after the child’s birth or adoption placement. This entitlement will have minimal impact on business and no impact on the Exchequer.

Acas maintain guidance for employers on bereavement including miscarriage.

The Government has committed to improving the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU, and tackle unnecessary barriers to trade. Under the terms of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK Government and EU agreed to cooperate on carbon pricing and give serious consideration to linking respective emissions trading schemes (ETSs). Ahead of the UK-EU Summit on the 19th May, the UK Government is actively considering the case for linking ETSs. This does not prejudge the outcome of any potential discussions with the EU on ETS linking.

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is in an implementation period and applies to exports of electricity to the EU but not electricity for the UK market. The EU Commission has said that it intends to finalise the regulation via legislation ahead of the CBAM entering its definitive period.

The UK will continue to engage closely with the EU as it finalises the CBAM and will continue to raise the need for clarity on the practical implementation of the CBAM for trade in electricity, given the challenges involved.

The Government plans to apply the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism across the whole UK, including in NI. The UK will continue to work with international partners, including the EU, to ensure our approach is implemented in a way that works for businesses.

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism could only apply in Northern Ireland with the agreement of the UK and in line with the democratic safeguards of the Windsor Framework.

For goods moving from Northern Ireland into the EU, guidance is a matter for the European Commission and EU Member States. The UK have raised with the EU Commission the need for clarity on the practical implementation of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for trade in electricity.

The EU Commission website is the most up to date source of information and guidance.

Under the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK Government and EU agreed to give serious consideration to linking our respective carbon pricing schemes and to cooperate on carbon pricing. As part of our reset with the EU the Government continues to explore all options to improve trade and investment.

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is in an implementation period and applies to exports of electricity to the EU but not electricity for the UK market. The EU Commission has said that it intends to finalise the regulation via legislation ahead of the CBAM entering its definitive period.

The UK will continue to engage closely with the EU as it finalises the CBAM and will continue to raise the need for clarity on the practical implementation of the CBAM for trade in electricity, given the challenges involved.

The Independent Pornography Review is a wide-ranging and thorough piece of work which assessed the effectiveness of pornography legislation, regulation, and enforcement. The Review’s final report was published on the 27^th of February 2025.

This is an important yet deeply complex topic. The findings of the Review continue to be assessed by the Government.

The Independent Pornography Review assessed the effectiveness of current pornography legislation, regulation and enforcement. The Review has now concluded, and the report was published on Thursday 27 of February 2025. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creating-a-safer-world-the-challenge-of-regulating-online-pornography.

The government engages regularly with social media and search services and is clear that they should be taking action now to make their services safe for users.

Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instructions for suicide and self-harm.

The government are committed to continuing to engage with those with lived experience and keeping online safety policy under review and will take whatever steps are needed to protect the public.

The government engages regularly with social media and search services and is clear that they should be taking action now to make their services safe for users.

Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instructions for suicide and self-harm.

The government are committed to continuing to engage with those with lived experience and keeping online safety policy under review and will take whatever steps are needed to protect the public.

The Online Safety Act’s illegal content and, where relevant, child safety duties will apply to services of all sizes. In September 2024, a public exchange of letters between the Secretary of State and Ofcom’s CEO provided more information about the supervision taskforce. The taskforce is developing and delivering a workplan focusing on high priority themes (such as terror, hate and offences against women and girls) in small but risky services. Should such services choose not to engage and there is evidence of non-compliance, Ofcom will undertake enforcement action.

​​​​High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.

​We know that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. There are a number of strong links with attainment. For example, the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report found a 34 point difference in reading performance between pupils in England who “very much” liked reading and pupils who “do not” like reading. Additionally, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment study found that enjoyment of reading links to pupils’ reading engagement, and that reading engagement was strongly positively correlated with reading performance. There is also a strong evidence base linking reading for pleasure with other positive effects, such as expanding pupils’ knowledge about the world and about language, as well as their understanding of subject-specific academic and technical vocabulary.

​Furthermore, pupils who read regularly report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing. For many, reading is a form of relaxation, a place to escape everyday challenges, or a source of entertainment. Reading allows readers to adopt new perspectives, develop empathy and become more socially conscious.

​In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure with a further £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support this work. Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently, but also develops a genuine love of reading.

​The current national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.

​The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, in line with the government’s ambition for a curriculum that delivers excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics.

School libraries complement public libraries by giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school. The national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. As well as the strong links between reading for pleasure and attainment, there are a number of other positive effects, including improved text comprehension and grammar, increased general knowledge, and character development.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. Headteachers have autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. The Autumn Budget 2024 announced an additional £2.3 billion for schools for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25, bringing the total core schools budget to almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26.

Given this autonomy, the department does not collect information on the number of school libraries or school librarians. ​​

​The government’s reading framework offers non-statutory guidance for teachers and school leaders, including helpful guidance for schools on how to organise their school library, book corner or book stock to make reading accessible and attractive to readers.

School libraries complement public libraries by giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school. The national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. As well as the strong links between reading for pleasure and attainment, there are a number of other positive effects, including improved text comprehension and grammar, increased general knowledge, and character development.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. Headteachers have autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. The Autumn Budget 2024 announced an additional £2.3 billion for schools for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25, bringing the total core schools budget to almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26.

Given this autonomy, the department does not collect information on the number of school libraries or school librarians. ​​

​The government’s reading framework offers non-statutory guidance for teachers and school leaders, including helpful guidance for schools on how to organise their school library, book corner or book stock to make reading accessible and attractive to readers.

The future of the Holiday Activities and Food programme beyond the 31 March 2025 is subject to the next government Spending Review taking place this autumn and the department will communicate the outcome of that process in due course.

I refer my noble Friend to the answer of 21 October 2024 to Question HL1266.