Andy MacNae

Under existing product safety legislation, all consumer products must be safe when they are placed on the UK market. For e-bikes, this includes carrying UKCA (or CE) marking to demonstrate the manufacturer has undertaken all relevant assessments to assure safety in normal use. It is an offence for such products to be supplied without this necessary marking.

Many industry-led voluntary schemes like kitemarks and trusted trader initiatives can help consumers identify reputable products. The kitemark is a registered quality certification mark of the British Standards Institution and is owned and operated by them.

As part of its work tackling unsafe e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my Department, has commissioned the British Standards Institution to develop the publicly available specification (PAS) 7250. This will focus on the technical safety of lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes, e-scooters and e-bike conversion kits, and is expected to be published within 18 months. The new PAS will help manufacturers and other businesses to comply with their legal obligations for product safety.

OPSS is also engaging with stakeholders on future updates to e-bike standard EN 15194:2017.

All products placed on the market in the UK must be safe. However, the current legislative framework was not designed with online supply chains in mind. This is a key reason why Government has introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which provides powers to update the framework and improve the safety of products sold online.

Following Royal Assent, we intend to consult on using the Bill’s powers to modernise the responsibilities of online marketplaces, so that they take steps to prevent unsafe products being made available to consumers and to ensure that sellers comply with product safety obligations.

The UK’s legal framework for product safety places responsibility for the safety of e-bikes and e-scooters on the businesses manufacturing or importing them. The Office for Product Safety and Standards and Local Authority Trading Standards enforce the regulations.

Vehicles sold for a legitimate and permitted use but which are used on public land illegally is an enforcement matter for the police, under the Department for Transport’s road safety regime.

Small and medium-sized bicycle manufacturers are important for our green growth ambitions. Through the Government’s Industrial and Trade Strategies, we’re backing innovation, sustainability and skills development to help businesses scale, compete globally and continue driving forward the UK’s cycling economy.

The upcoming Business Growth Service (BGS) aims to streamline the process for businesses across the UK to access the support they need to grow. The Department will continue to engage with the industry on key issues moving forward.

While the Government wants to see sporting events of national interest shown on free-to-air so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience, decisions made around the coverage of specific listed events are commercial ones made between public service broadcasters (PSBs) and the rights holders independent of Government.

We recognise that the media landscape is going through a period of rapid change which means both challenges and opportunities for our PSBs.

We will support PSBs by building on Ofcom’s Public Service Media review and take action to support them, as we set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan.

While the Government wants to see sporting events of national interest shown on free-to-air so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience, decisions made around the coverage of specific listed events are commercial ones made between public service broadcasters (PSBs) and the rights holders independent of Government.

We recognise that the media landscape is going through a period of rapid change which means both challenges and opportunities for our PSBs.

We will support PSBs by building on Ofcom’s Public Service Media review and take action to support them, as we set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan.

I refer my Honourable Friend to the answer I gave him on 17 April 2025 in response to Question 44127.

The Department’s assessment is that, in the current market context, there continue to be strong incentives for rights holders to sell on-demand and linear rights together. However, we recognise this may not always remain the case and we will continue to monitor this market.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring free-to-air access to sporting events of national interest so that they can be enjoyed by a wide audience and can inspire more people to be physically active and participate in grassroots sport.

The Government believes that the current list of events works well and that it strikes an appropriate balance between access to sporting events and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to establish a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area. This initiative is aimed at reducing trade barriers to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of goods, including zoo animals, while maintaining high standards of biosecurity.

With the principles and framework of the SPS agreement now agreed, detailed negotiations will commence. These discussions will focus on streamlining SPS checks and certification processes, with the aim of reducing administrative burdens where possible, while safeguarding the UK’s biosecurity.

Ministers and officials from Defra are actively engaging with the zoo and wildlife sector to understand its specific challenges and priorities. This ongoing dialogue will ensure that the sector’s needs are considered throughout the negotiation process, as we work to secure the best possible outcome that supports participation in vital conservation efforts.

The Department has carried out an evidence review of the economic impacts of transport interventions that includes evidence on economic inactivity. The research shows a positive relationship between investing in transport and employment in the surrounding areas, but further research is required to measure the effect on economic inactivity. Active Travel England is delivering a national active travel evaluation that will seek to include a proportionate assessment of the impact of active travel investment on employment.

On 12 February, Active Travel England announced £291 million of funding to boost walking, wheeling and cycling across England. It is estimated that the infrastructure funded will lead to 43,000 fewer sick days a year and contribute £9 million every year to the economy by supporting local businesses and making it easier to walk and cycle to work.

The Department plans to publish the Government’s response to the consultation in due course.

Data on Pension Credit receipt is not available at a post code level. The Department regularly makes Pension Credit statistics publicly available on Stat-Xplore - with the following geography breakdowns: Region, Local Authority, Parliamentary Constituency, Census Output Area and Ward.

Data on those waiting for their Pension Credit claim to be assessed is not available at a post code level. The latest available data on Pension Credit claims and awards covers England, Scotland and Wales, and was published in November 2024: Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2024 - GOV.UK

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC among relevant professionals, communities, and parents. Information on SUDC is available on the National Health Service website, which also signposts to the charity SUDC.UK. This can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids

Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet, When a Child Dies. The Healthy Child Programme plays an important role in supporting child health, wellbeing, and parenting confidence. This work is undertaken alongside partners to ensure that health messages are promoted across services.

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) who work in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public. The NIHR welcomes proposals for research into a range of conditions, including SUDC, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC among relevant professionals, communities, and parents. Information on SUDC is available on the National Health Service website, which also signposts to the charity SUDC.UK. This can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids

Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet, When a Child Dies. The Healthy Child Programme plays an important role in supporting child health, wellbeing, and parenting confidence. This work is undertaken alongside partners to ensure that health messages are promoted across services.

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) who work in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public. The NIHR welcomes proposals for research into a range of conditions, including SUDC, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic

The Government is committed to taking action to address longstanding concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector, and is exploring options for further regulation in this area. We will set out the details of our approach in our response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we will publish as soon as possible.

The Department’s recent cycling and walking evidence review confirms the positive impacts on reducing levels of physical inactivity. Our evidence shows that integrating physical activity into daily routines through active travel can lead to substantial health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and mental health conditions. The Department of Health and Social Care is currently working with the Department for Transport and Active Travel England on an evidence review, which will further examine active travel’s effects on mental health, physical health, and health inequalities, as well as effective behaviour change techniques. Findings are expected by late-2025 to inform future policy.

Whilst there are no plans to publish a specific physical activity strategy, addressing levels of physical inactivity will be a key part of the shift from treatment to prevention, as part of the Health Mission. Department officials work closely with colleagues across Government and the National Health Service to enable and deliver interventions that support this aim.

Seven of the nine recommendations of the review have been previously accepted in full, in part, or in principle. Four of these have been successfully implemented, including:

• issuing an unreserved apology on behalf of the healthcare system;
• appointing Dr Henrietta Hughes as the first ever Patient Safety Commissioner in England in respect of medicines and medical devices; and
• establishing nine specialist mesh centres, which are in operation across England.

Work is ongoing in respect of the remaining recommendations, including working across the Government to consider the recommendations in the Hughes Report, which looked into, and provided advice on, redress for those affected by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh.