Abtisam Mohamed

The government’s primary focus is on continuing efforts, both domestically and in collaboration with the EU, to boost UK participation in Horizon Europe (FP9). That must be the immediate priority.

However, the government will of course closely observe the development of any future programmes with interest. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides a long-term basis for cooperation in areas of shared interest, such as science, research, and innovation.

The government will set ten-year budgets for certain R&D activities, giving certainty to form long-term partnerships with industry and stay at the forefront of global innovation.

Further details will be announced in due course.

The Science and Technology Framework provides a holistic picture of the critical levers to target science and technology to drive growth and improve the lives of citizens. Work under the Science and Technology Framework has shown the benefit of taking a cross-HMG, systems approach to science and technology. The Framework will act as a policy tool to support the delivery of core priorities, such as the five Missions and Industrial Strategy.

The European Sponsorship Association (ESA) and Football Association (FA) require that in the case of teams comprising players all under the age of 18, gambling logos do not appear on any item of kit or clothing, and football bodies’ gambling sponsorship Code of Conduct requires that academy teams with players predominantly under the age of 18 do not play in kit featuring gambling logos.

As part of the Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising, gambling operators cannot allow their logos or any other promotional material to appear on any commercial merchandising designed for children, including on children’s replica shirts. The Code of Conduct also requires that gambling sponsorship must be designed to limit its reach and promotion to those under the age of 18, such as ensuring that no gambling sponsor logos or other promotional materials relating to gambling sponsorship appear on sections of their website which are designed to be viewed and used specifically by children. The Department will closely monitor the implementation of the Codes to ensure they have a meaningful impact.

Additionally, in line with the advertising rules prohibiting top-flight footballers and celebrities from appearing in gambling adverts to limit their appeal, from the end of the 2025/26 season Premier League clubs have agreed to remove front of shirt sponsorships by gambling firms.

This Government recognises the vital role that charities play up and down the country, including in Sheffield, by providing crucial support to different groups and communities. This Government is committed to resetting the relationship with civil society and treating them as an equal, expert partner who are integral to delivery of the Government’s vision for national renewal.

DCMS is currently supporting charities in several ways. This includes delivery of a number of grant schemes, such as the £25.5m VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their sustainability. This scheme is part of a wider £101.5 million package to support organisations struggling with cost of living pressures, along with the £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund; a full list of recipients of that Fund is available online, with recipients from Sheffield listed under Yorkshire and the Humber.

DCMS is supporting voluntary youth services in the Sheffield Central area through the Million Hours and Youth Investment fund. The Million Hours Fund is investing £22 million into youth organisations up to March 2026, to deliver more than a million extra hours of youth work in areas across England where young people may be at risk of anti-social behaviour. The Youth Investment Fund enables local, not for profit youth providers to invest in capital projects that expand the reach, number and range of services they currently offer. A list of recipients of this funding is available online for phase one and phase two, with a range of recipients based in Sheffield.

DCMS is also supporting organisations with other forms of funding, including through growing the social investment market (which provides access to grants, repayable finance and a blend of the two) and providing advice on competing for public sector contracts through the £900,000 Contract Readiness Fund.

This Government recognises the vital role that charities play up and down the country, including in Sheffield, by providing crucial support to different groups and communities. This Government is committed to resetting the relationship with civil society and treating them as an equal, expert partner who are integral to delivery of the Government’s vision for national renewal.

DCMS is currently supporting charities in several ways. This includes delivery of a number of grant schemes, such as the £25.5m VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their sustainability. This scheme is part of a wider £101.5 million package to support organisations struggling with cost of living pressures, along with the £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund; a full list of recipients of that Fund is available online, with recipients from Sheffield listed under Yorkshire and the Humber.

DCMS is supporting voluntary youth services in the Sheffield Central area through the Million Hours and Youth Investment fund. The Million Hours Fund is investing £22 million into youth organisations up to March 2026, to deliver more than a million extra hours of youth work in areas across England where young people may be at risk of anti-social behaviour. The Youth Investment Fund enables local, not for profit youth providers to invest in capital projects that expand the reach, number and range of services they currently offer. A list of recipients of this funding is available online for phase one and phase two, with a range of recipients based in Sheffield.

DCMS is also supporting organisations with other forms of funding, including through growing the social investment market (which provides access to grants, repayable finance and a blend of the two) and providing advice on competing for public sector contracts through the £900,000 Contract Readiness Fund.

This Government is committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential and recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving their life chances and wellbeing.

As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people. This is funded from the local government settlement

Additionally, as a government we are keen to ensure that there is appropriate youth provision to stop young people being drawn into crime and facing other poor outcomes. This is why we are creating the Young Futures programme, which will see the establishment of Prevention Partnerships in every local authority and the rollout of youth hubs across England and Wales. These Partnerships, supported by a network of hubs, will bring local services together and deliver support for young people to help them live safe and healthy lives.

This will build on the DCMS funding to invest £500 million in youth services to ensure every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer.

The Plan for Change sets out the government’s long-term plan to improve the lives of working people and deliver a decade renewal across our country through ambitious, but achievable, milestones by the end of this Parliament.

As part of the Plan for Change, the government will build skills for opportunity and growth so that every young person can follow the pathway that is right for them. Whether through high-quality apprenticeships, colleges or universities, skills give people the power to seize opportunity. The department will measure progress through the proportion of young people in education or employment with training, and through the number achieving higher-level qualifications. Higher-level qualifications covers qualifications which are at level 4 and above.

This government is committed to driving economic growth and supporting opportunity for all, and further education (FE) is central to this. The government is providing an additional £300 million for FE to support development of the skills our economy needs, and a further £300 million to support colleges to maintain, improve and ensure suitability of their estate. The department will set out how the additional funding will be distributed in due course.

The government introduced postgraduate loans which, alongside other sources of funding, are a contribution to the cost of postgraduate level study to stimulate take-up.

Decisions on student finance have had to be taken to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and that the costs of higher education (HE) are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university

We will set out this government’s longer term plan for HE reform by summer 2025.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is working with key postgraduate research stakeholders to deliver a UK postgraduate research offer under the New Deal for Postgraduate Research that attracts, empowers and supports talent. Between the 2021/22 and 2024/25 academic years, UKRI has raised the minimum student stipend that UKRI funded students receive by over 23% in cash terms.

The government introduced postgraduate loans which, alongside other sources of funding, are a contribution to the cost of postgraduate level study to stimulate take-up.

Decisions on student finance have had to be taken to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and that the costs of higher education (HE) are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university

We will set out this government’s longer term plan for HE reform by summer 2025.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is working with key postgraduate research stakeholders to deliver a UK postgraduate research offer under the New Deal for Postgraduate Research that attracts, empowers and supports talent. Between the 2021/22 and 2024/25 academic years, UKRI has raised the minimum student stipend that UKRI funded students receive by over 23% in cash terms.

The government recognises that UK higher education (HE) creates opportunity, is an engine for growth in our economy and supports local communities. We are determined that the HE funding system should deliver for our economy, for universities and for students. This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university. The student finance system removes upfront financial barriers so that everyone with the ability and desire to enter HE can do so. We recognise the impact that the cost of living crisis has had on students.

That is why the government is increasing the maximum maintenance loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation, to ensure that more support is targeted at students from the lowest income families.

Upfront tuition fee loans allow students, including disadvantaged students, to access HE who would otherwise not be able to. Students undertaking nursing, midwifery and allied health profession courses qualify for additional grant support through the NHS Learning Support Fund. Students undertaking tuition fee based Initial Teacher Training courses leading to Qualified Teacher Status may qualify for bursaries or scholarships depending on their subject and/or previous qualifications.

Defra takes any allegations of breaches of The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 seriously and has developed a robust triage and assessment process with the support of Natural England and Defra’s Counter Fraud and Investigations (CFI).

Natural England's Moorland Change Map demonstrates a significant reduction in burning and cutting activities on England's moorlands since the implementation of the Regulations.

Though there have been isolated instances of non-compliance, resulting in two successful prosecutions, the overwhelming majority of landowners in England are adhering to these regulations.

Over the last 14 years, England has seen recycling rates stall, meaning too much waste is dealt with through incineration or thrown in landfill.

Under new plans, published alongside Defra’s Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note, the government makes clear it will only back new waste infrastructure projects if they meet strict local and environmental conditions. Projects will need to maximise efficiency and support the delivery of economic growth, net zero and the move to a circular economy. We will be bringing forward planning reforms so that planning authorities consider these conditions in future applications.

Those developing energy recovery facilities (at all stages in the process) are encouraged to consider forecast changes to future capacity, demand, and the Government's circular economy opportunities, in light of the evidence published in the Capacity Note.

Defra has no current plans to review the maximum penalties for committing wildlife offences.

The Government is committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers including older people.

All water companies have measures in place for people who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. We expect all companies to make sure households are aware of the measures available to them and do everything they can to support all customers who are vulnerable.

Government is also improving protections for customers, with new and increased compensation for water companies to pay to customers and businesses in the event of issues like water supply outages, sewer flooding or low water pressure.

Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to deliver this.

Plastic waste is a commodity which is traded on a legitimate global market. Exports can complement UK based reprocessing to help ensure more materials are recycled rather than landfilled or incinerated. Some of the plastic waste we export is used in the manufacturing of products which UK consumers subsequently purchase, thereby promoting the efficient circular economy we are striving for.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the eligibility criteria, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

An assessment has not been made of the potential impact of free travel for carers, however, local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as offering companion passes for those travelling with someone eligible for the ENCTS.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the eligibility criteria, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

An assessment has not been made of the potential impact of free travel for carers, however, local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as offering companion passes for those travelling with someone eligible for the ENCTS.