Andrew George

From conversations with local MPs and organisations involved in the response to Storm Goretti, I understand their concerns around telecommunications resilience, particularly in rural areas.

I have asked my officials in the Cabinet Office and my ministerial colleagues in the relevant departments to look very carefully at the lessons being drawn from Storm Goretti and consider what further measures are needed.

Local Resilience Forums have access to the Resilient Voice System, a central government provided capability for use during significant disruption to the telecommunications network.

The Government’s new digital credential will focus on use cases that are most impactful for the public and will be designed to make interactions with public services easier.

We will invite views on such use cases through the public consultation that will launch in the new year.

We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and truly inclusive system for the UK.

The consultation will gather views on the scheme, including any concerns around facial and biometric data associated with a digital ID. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.

We will ensure that the digital ID scheme complies with all data protection legislation, and user privacy will be at the heart of the design of the scheme at every stage of development and delivery.

Central data on Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) occupancy is collected and published quarterly on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data) for all HQ buildings of Whitehall Departments, Office for Scotland, Office for Wales and Northern Ireland Office.

As was the case under the previous administration, no other information on workforce attendance is gathered centrally. Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

To ensure AI is widely adopted by businesses and workers across the economy, government is working with 11 industry partners to provide 7.5 million workers with essential AI skills by 2030.

The Help to Grow: Management scheme, which helps SME leaders with management skills to help boost productivity, already includes a module on digital transformation.

Additionally, the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce has set out ten recommendations to drive SME digital and AI adoption, including: a new public-private initiative for SMEs, evidence gathering on firm-level financial support for digital, and economy-wide reforms. We will report on progress in Spring 2026.

The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity. Goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK's current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

The overseas business risk guidance, available on gov.uk, provides information for UK operators on how goods from Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories should be labelled.

We had a Westminster Hall Debate last week, where a number of issues were raised, he will know that we are undertaking our fourth review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA). I would encourage him and other members to contribute to that. We are considering the other points that have been made in that debate, and we welcome comments in the review as well.

As the first step towards the Warm Homes Plan, the Government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency, with £1 billion of this allocated to 2025/2026. The current iteration of the scheme, ECO4, runs from 2022 - 2026 with an increased value of £4 billion to accelerate our efforts to improve homes to meet fuel poverty targets.

Government does not specify which types of measures should be installed in any particular property, only that the installations should be carried out by TrustMark registered installers in accordance with the relevant standards and consumer protection requirements.

Deployment of measures under Government schemes are published monthly on Gov.uk: www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-home-grant-statistics, www.gov.uk/government/collections/household-energy-efficiency-national-statistics.

Fuel poverty policy is devolved with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero having responsibility for England. The Government has kickstarted delivery of the Warm Homes Plan, including an initial £1.8 billion to support fuel poverty schemes over the next 3 years.

There are multiple targeted schemes in place to deliver energy efficiency measures, low carbon heating and insulation measures to low income and fuel poor households in England. Schemes include the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the Great British Insulation Scheme, the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (formerly the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund), and the new Warm Homes: Local Grant.

The Government's review of the 2021 fuel poverty strategy confirms that a new plan is needed to accelerate progress to alleviate fuel poverty. We have therefore consulted on a revised fuel poverty strategy focusing on improving the energy performance of homes, supporting low-income households with energy affordability and protecting them from high prices. The consultation closed on 4 April and we are considering the responses received.

Residents in rural areas, as well as other areas of the country, rightly expect to have reliable mobile connectivity to participate in the modern digital economy. The Government recognises that events like storms and power outages can have a particular impact on rural communities.

Mobile network operators have legal obligations to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the resilience of their networks and services. This is overseen by the independent regulator Ofcom, who have powers to monitor compliance, conduct investigations, issue penalties and enforce remedial actions.

Ofcom have completed a public consultation on power back-up for mobile services across the UK, which gained input from wide range of interested parties including mobile network operators, other industry bodies, local authorities, and members of the public. They published an update on their work in February 2025, setting out the results of their analysis of the resilience of mobile networks, and estimated that the cost of upgrading mobile networks to ensure almost everyone can maintain access to the emergency services for up to 4 hours would be £1 billion. Ofcom also announced they are completing further analysis to determine the appropriate and proportionate measures required to ensure adequate resilience for consumers. The Government looks forward to the rapid conclusion of that work.

The Government is also supporting collaboration between the electricity and telecommunications sectors to deliver measures so that when power cuts occur the likelihood of disruption to telecommunications services is as low as possible, and where disruption does occur it should affect as few people for the shortest possible time.

Residents in rural areas, as well as other areas of the country, rightly expect to have reliable mobile connectivity to participate in the modern digital economy. The Government recognises that events like storms and power outages can have a particular impact on rural communities.

Mobile network operators have legal obligations to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the resilience of their networks and services. This is overseen by the independent regulator Ofcom, who have powers to monitor compliance, conduct investigations, issue penalties and enforce remedial actions.

Ofcom have completed a public consultation on power back-up for mobile services across the UK, which gained input from wide range of interested parties including mobile network operators, other industry bodies, local authorities, and members of the public. They published an update on their work in February 2025, setting out the results of their analysis of the resilience of mobile networks, and estimated that the cost of upgrading mobile networks to ensure almost everyone can maintain access to the emergency services for up to 4 hours would be £1 billion. Ofcom also announced they are completing further analysis to determine the appropriate and proportionate measures required to ensure adequate resilience for consumers. The Government looks forward to the rapid conclusion of that work.

The Government is also supporting collaboration between the electricity and telecommunications sectors to deliver measures so that when power cuts occur the likelihood of disruption to telecommunications services is as low as possible, and where disruption does occur it should affect as few people for the shortest possible time.

Residents in rural areas, as well as other areas of the country, rightly expect to have reliable mobile connectivity to participate in the modern digital economy. The Government recognises that events like storms and power outages can have a particular impact on rural communities.

Mobile network operators have legal obligations to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the resilience of their networks and services. This is overseen by the independent regulator Ofcom, who have powers to monitor compliance, conduct investigations, issue penalties and enforce remedial actions.

Ofcom have completed a public consultation on power back-up for mobile services across the UK, which gained input from wide range of interested parties including mobile network operators, other industry bodies, local authorities, and members of the public. They published an update on their work in February 2025, setting out the results of their analysis of the resilience of mobile networks, and estimated that the cost of upgrading mobile networks to ensure almost everyone can maintain access to the emergency services for up to 4 hours would be £1 billion. Ofcom also announced they are completing further analysis to determine the appropriate and proportionate measures required to ensure adequate resilience for consumers. The Government looks forward to the rapid conclusion of that work.

The Government is also supporting collaboration between the electricity and telecommunications sectors to deliver measures so that when power cuts occur the likelihood of disruption to telecommunications services is as low as possible, and where disruption does occur it should affect as few people for the shortest possible time.

Residents in rural areas, as well as other areas of the country, rightly expect to have reliable mobile connectivity to participate in the modern digital economy. The Government recognises that events like storms and power outages can have a particular impact on rural communities.

Mobile network operators have legal obligations to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the resilience of their networks and services. This is overseen by the independent regulator Ofcom, who have powers to monitor compliance, conduct investigations, issue penalties and enforce remedial actions.

Ofcom have completed a public consultation on power back-up for mobile services across the UK, which gained input from wide range of interested parties including mobile network operators, other industry bodies, local authorities, and members of the public. They published an update on their work in February 2025, setting out the results of their analysis of the resilience of mobile networks, and estimated that the cost of upgrading mobile networks to ensure almost everyone can maintain access to the emergency services for up to 4 hours would be £1 billion. Ofcom also announced they are completing further analysis to determine the appropriate and proportionate measures required to ensure adequate resilience for consumers. The Government looks forward to the rapid conclusion of that work.

The Government is also supporting collaboration between the electricity and telecommunications sectors to deliver measures so that when power cuts occur the likelihood of disruption to telecommunications services is as low as possible, and where disruption does occur it should affect as few people for the shortest possible time.

Residents in rural areas, as well as other areas of the country, rightly expect to have reliable mobile connectivity to participate in the modern digital economy. The Government recognises that events like storms and power outages can have a particular impact on rural communities.

Mobile network operators have legal obligations to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the resilience of their networks and services. This is overseen by the independent regulator Ofcom, who have powers to monitor compliance, conduct investigations, issue penalties and enforce remedial actions.

Ofcom have completed a public consultation on power back-up for mobile services across the UK, which gained input from wide range of interested parties including mobile network operators, other industry bodies, local authorities, and members of the public. They published an update on their work in February 2025, setting out the results of their analysis of the resilience of mobile networks, and estimated that the cost of upgrading mobile networks to ensure almost everyone can maintain access to the emergency services for up to 4 hours would be £1 billion. Ofcom also announced they are completing further analysis to determine the appropriate and proportionate measures required to ensure adequate resilience for consumers. The Government looks forward to the rapid conclusion of that work.

The Government is also supporting collaboration between the electricity and telecommunications sectors to deliver measures so that when power cuts occur the likelihood of disruption to telecommunications services is as low as possible, and where disruption does occur it should affect as few people for the shortest possible time.

Decisions relating to the care and management of the museum's collections, including loaning objects from their collection, are a matter for the Trustees of the British Museum, in accordance with the British Museum Act 1963. The British Museum is operationally independent of the Government.

We are aware that the Chair of the Trustees, George Osborne, has had talks with Greek Ministers on the issue, seeking a constructive partnership. We value the work that the British Museum does internationally, and welcome the success of their partnerships, such as the recent collaboration between the British Museum, the V&A, and the Manhyia Palace Museum in Ghana.

With regards to the legal title for the Parthenon Sculptures, the removal of the sculptures was lawful and well-documented. They were transferred to the British Museum in 1816 and have been the legal property of the British Museum, not the UK Government, since then.

Decisions relating to the care and management of the museum's collections, including loaning objects from their collection, are a matter for the Trustees of the British Museum, in accordance with the British Museum Act 1963. The British Museum is operationally independent of the Government.

We are aware that the Chair of the Trustees, George Osborne, has had talks with Greek Ministers on the issue, seeking a constructive partnership. We value the work that the British Museum does internationally, and welcome the success of their partnerships, such as the recent collaboration between the British Museum, the V&A, and the Manhyia Palace Museum in Ghana.

With regards to the legal title for the Parthenon Sculptures, the removal of the sculptures was lawful and well-documented. They were transferred to the British Museum in 1816 and have been the legal property of the British Museum, not the UK Government, since then.

The Office for Students (OfS) does not routinely collect or publish data on the number of registered higher education providers that disclose the quantity and type of contact hours for courses advertised to prospective students.

However, all registered providers are expected to comply with consumer protection law, including providing clear and accurate information to students about their courses. The Competition and Markets Authority has issued guidance to support providers in meeting these obligations, which includes transparency around contact hours and modes of delivery. The OfS expects providers to have due regard to this guidance as part of their registration conditions.

Where students believe that information provided has been misleading or insufficient, they are encouraged to raise concerns through their provider’s complaints process and can escalate complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education if necessary. Additionally, any students, staff or members of the public who feel a university is not meeting the OfS’ registration requirements may submit a notification to the OfS.

Higher education providers must be transparent in how they advertise and deliver their courses. The Competition and Market Authority has published advice for providers on complying with consumer law, including informing students about the quantity and type of contact hours. All registered providers must pay due regard to this guidance as part of their registration conditions with the Office for Students (OfS).

Online learning offers significant benefits to students, but it must support the quality of a student's learning experience. The OfS’s Blended Learning Review urges providers to clearly communicate course expectations and assess students’ blended learning experiences. Students dissatisfied with their university’s service should use their provider’s complaints process. If a provider is not meeting the OfS’s registration requirements, this can be raised to the OfS by submitting a notification.

Information on the reason pupils board overnight at school is not held centrally by the department.

Information on the number of pupils who board is published in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.

The government is committed to providing high quality education to all young people, regardless of their background or where they live. The department understands the unique challenges students and families from the Isles of Scilly face in accessing study programmes on the mainland due to there being no post-16 education available on the Isles.

The department will provide funding to the Council to cover their predicted number of post-16 students in 2024/25 to meet the students’ travel and accommodation needs.

The government will keep all of its student financial support programmes under review, including considering what more can be done to support post-16 students from the Isles of Scilly, as part of the next Spending Review.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) allocates a boarding and accommodation allowance to the Isles of Scilly. This is a contribution of funding towards boarding, accommodation and travel costs for students who are permanent residents on the Isles of Scilly and who are eligible for 16 to 19 education. This is a special arrangement to support students with their full-time education on the mainland of England.

The funding values and unspent/returns funds are shown in the table below:

The Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires water companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency. SEMD includes a legal requirement for companies to have “appropriate emergency communication facilities and procedures for managing and maintaining communications and support to customers throughout an emergency”.

Defra expects water companies to respond rapidly and on a 24/7 basis through a range of communication methods (including, but not limited to, telephone, email, and social media). We also expect companies to plan for individual channels being unavailable, for example during power or telecoms failures, and that companies should adapt their communications plans in response to customer feedback or local priorities as incidents evolve.

Defra Ministers met with senior officials from South West Water over the past weekend to discuss the company’s response to the supply disruption following Storm Goretti. The Drinking Water Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, regulates water company performance on SEMD. Their review of the company’s response to Storm Goretti will include examination of South West Water’s compliance with the communication requirements of SEMD.

The Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires water companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency. SEMD includes a legal requirement for companies to have “appropriate emergency communication facilities and procedures for managing and maintaining communications and support to customers throughout an emergency”.

Defra expects water companies to respond rapidly and on a 24/7 basis through a range of communication methods (including, but not limited to, telephone, email, and social media). We also expect companies to plan for individual channels being unavailable, for example during power or telecoms failures, and that companies should adapt their communications plans in response to customer feedback or local priorities as incidents evolve.

Defra Ministers met with senior officials from South West Water over the past weekend to discuss the company’s response to the supply disruption following Storm Goretti. The Drinking Water Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, regulates water company performance on SEMD. Their review of the company’s response to Storm Goretti will include examination of South West Water’s compliance with the communication requirements of SEMD.

Customers affected by Storm Goretti will receive payments under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS). These payments come from a company's current operating expenditure and are not paid for through a future increase in customer bills.

The standards, outlined in the GSS, set out a baseline for customer service in the water sector. They include providing timely restoration of water supply following an interruption, responding to written complaints and managing the risk of sewer flooding.

Ofwat has previously published summaries of the GSS framework on its website (see here and here). Companies report on GSS payments in their Annual Performance Reports and submit these figures to Ofwat. These reports are independently audited, and Ofwat uses them to inform its work.

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of farrowing crates for pigs is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully, including impacts on the pig industry.

We have regular engagement with counterparts in other countries on farmed animal welfare issues, including on cages and other close confinement systems.