Antonia Bance

Ministers meet regularly with business organisations and trade associations. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly on GOV.UK.

This Government has introduced the Employment Rights Bill, representing the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. This includes day one protections from unfair dismissal, banning exploitative zero hours contracts and ending fire and rehire.

We are committed to delivering the Plan to Make Work Pay in full. Ministers are identifying the most appropriate delivery mechanisms for the commitments in the Plan, including an Employment Rights Bill. The Bill will be introduced to Parliament within 100 days of taking office.

The state schools in the attached spreadsheet are taking part in the Music Opportunities Pilot.

The data requested is available on the Get Information About Schools (GIAS) webpage and can be accessed at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Groups/Search?tok=8UqndC6e and https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Search?tok=8UqkAM1u.

GIAS is a live database. Schools, colleges and academy trusts can make changes to it at any time. The data can be downloaded via the ’Downloads’ link at the top of the page.

GIAS links to each institution’s Ofsted page rather than presenting their overall effectiveness grade, however, a spreadsheet containing all school and colleges’ grades as at 31 August 2024 can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/state-funded-schools-inspections-and-outcomes-as-at-31-august-2024.

The data requested is available on the Get Information About Schools (GIAS) webpage and can be accessed at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Groups/Search?tok=8UqndC6e and https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Search?tok=8UqkAM1u.

GIAS is a live database. Schools, colleges and academy trusts can make changes to it at any time. The data can be downloaded via the ’Downloads’ link at the top of the page.

GIAS links to each institution’s Ofsted page rather than presenting their overall effectiveness grade, however, a spreadsheet containing all school and colleges’ grades as at 31 August 2024 can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/state-funded-schools-inspections-and-outcomes-as-at-31-august-2024.

The department collates and publishes data annually in the academies sector annual report and accounts on off-payroll arrangements in academy trusts. This includes arrangements with trustees, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.

The academies sector annual report and accounts is drawn from academy trusts’ accounts data. The report for 2022 to 2023 will be published shortly and the deadline for academy trusts to submit data to the department for 2023 to 2024 is 28 January 2025.

The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) sets out the headteacher pay ranges and maintained schools must adhere to these statutory requirements. The STPCD also applies to other teachers in leadership, excluding some roles such as school business managers, and covers the arrangements for those on payroll. The STPCD can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-teachers-pay-and-conditions.

There is no legal power for schools, local authorities or the government to pay individuals on maintained school governing bodies for their governance duties.

Local authorities would be best placed to provide information on off-payroll arrangements in maintained schools.

The Department for Transport will legislate to address the important issues raised in Baroness Casey’s report, tackling the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options – including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety.

In the interim we will act urgently to make improvements, including consulting on making local transport authorities, including combined authorities, responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, and determining how existing statutory guidance can be strengthened to further protect the public. We are also reviewing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and will hold those who do not follow it to account.

Some important protections have already been put in place since earlier inquiries into Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. All licensing authorities in England now undertake extensive driver background checks, and since 2023

they are required to use a single database to prevent a driver refused a licence in one area on safety grounds going elsewhere. Careful consideration of the options is needed as we do not want any change to decrease the availability of highly vetted licensed drivers and vehicles and inadvertently increase the use of those offering illegal services that evade these licensing checks.

The requested information is not readily available.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.

This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.

Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.

The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.

This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.

Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.

The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.

This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.

Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.

The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.

This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.

Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.

The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) sets out recommendations on the criteria for referral for fertility treatment in its guideline, Fertility problems: assessment and treatment [CG156]. The NICE guideline recommends that unstimulated intrauterine insemination should be considered as an option for people in same-sex relationships as an alternative to vaginal sexual intercourse. For groups included in this recommendation, including same-sex couples, who have not conceived after six cycles of donor or partner insemination, despite evidence of normal ovulation, tubal patency, and semen analysis, the NICE guideline recommends offering a further six cycles of unstimulated intrauterine insemination before in vitro fertilization (IVF) is considered.

The guideline is currently being updated, including consideration of the recommendations on the prediction of IVF success, the effectiveness of IVF versus intrauterine insemination, versus expectant management, and fertility preservation. The NICE’s draft guidance will be subject to a public consultation, at the earliest opportunity.

The Government recognises that metal theft can cause significant distress and disruption, not only in terms of financial loss to businesses but also to people’s sense of safety and security in their local communities. Police recorded metal theft offences have been falling since the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. This legislation was introduced to reverse what was then a rising trend by strengthening regulation of the metal recycling sector and making it more difficult to dispose of stolen metal.

Whilst these reductions are welcome, the Government is determined to go further. We are driving work with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP), which brings together industry representatives, policing and law enforcement agencies to tackle metal theft. The NICRP promotes intelligence sharing, targeted enforcement, and the implementation of crime prevention strategies across forces. To date, the Partnership has delivered training to 2,000 police officers and facilitates the sharing of data and intelligence among partners to support efforts to identify and disrupt offenders.

There is close cooperation between police, Environment Agency and other enforcement bodies in dealing with facilities such as scrap yards, as there are significant overlaps between environmental, acquisitive, and other types of crime. The Environment Agency is increasingly looking at the financial aspects of offending.

The Government is also prioritising reducing the profitability of acquisitive crime. We will continue to work with the police to better understand the disposal routes used to sell stolen goods and the Home Office will continue to work with other Government departments and online sites such as eBay, Gumtree and Meta (Facebook) to inform what more can be done to tackle the stolen goods market.

Whilst Immigration Enforcement does not have any primary responsibility in the licencing of scrap metal dealing, or in tackling unlicenced scrap metal dealing, it discharges its duties in line with the law.

The Government recognises that metal theft can cause significant distress and disruption, not only in terms of financial loss to businesses but also to people’s sense of safety and security in their local communities. Police recorded metal theft offences have been falling since the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. This legislation was introduced to reverse what was then a rising trend by strengthening regulation of the metal recycling sector and making it more difficult to dispose of stolen metal.

Whilst these reductions are welcome, the Government is determined to go further. We are driving work with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP), which brings together industry representatives, policing and law enforcement agencies to tackle metal theft. The NICRP promotes intelligence sharing, targeted enforcement, and the implementation of crime prevention strategies across forces. To date, the Partnership has delivered training to 2,000 police officers and facilitates the sharing of data and intelligence among partners to support efforts to identify and disrupt offenders.

There is close cooperation between police, Environment Agency and other enforcement bodies in dealing with facilities such as scrap yards, as there are significant overlaps between environmental, acquisitive, and other types of crime. The Environment Agency is increasingly looking at the financial aspects of offending.

The Government is also prioritising reducing the profitability of acquisitive crime. We will continue to work with the police to better understand the disposal routes used to sell stolen goods and the Home Office will continue to work with other Government departments and online sites such as eBay, Gumtree and Meta (Facebook) to inform what more can be done to tackle the stolen goods market.

Whilst Immigration Enforcement does not have any primary responsibility in the licencing of scrap metal dealing, or in tackling unlicenced scrap metal dealing, it discharges its duties in line with the law.

The Government recognises that metal theft can cause significant distress and disruption, not only in terms of financial loss to businesses but also to people’s sense of safety and security in their local communities. Police recorded metal theft offences have been falling since the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. This legislation was introduced to reverse what was then a rising trend by strengthening regulation of the metal recycling sector and making it more difficult to dispose of stolen metal.

Whilst these reductions are welcome, the Government is determined to go further. We are driving work with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP), which brings together industry representatives, policing and law enforcement agencies to tackle metal theft. The NICRP promotes intelligence sharing, targeted enforcement, and the implementation of crime prevention strategies across forces. To date, the Partnership has delivered training to 2,000 police officers and facilitates the sharing of data and intelligence among partners to support efforts to identify and disrupt offenders.

There is close cooperation between police, Environment Agency and other enforcement bodies in dealing with facilities such as scrap yards, as there are significant overlaps between environmental, acquisitive, and other types of crime. The Environment Agency is increasingly looking at the financial aspects of offending.

The Government is also prioritising reducing the profitability of acquisitive crime. We will continue to work with the police to better understand the disposal routes used to sell stolen goods and the Home Office will continue to work with other Government departments and online sites such as eBay, Gumtree and Meta (Facebook) to inform what more can be done to tackle the stolen goods market.

Whilst Immigration Enforcement does not have any primary responsibility in the licencing of scrap metal dealing, or in tackling unlicenced scrap metal dealing, it discharges its duties in line with the law.

This Government will treat tackling violence against women and girls as a national emergency and will use every tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence on our streets.

We want women to feel safe and will use every lever to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, across the whole of government, with policing and other experts.

To make our streets safe, we must drastically reduce serious violent crime and violence against women and girls, increase confidence in the police, stop young people falling into crime, and make our criminal justice system work for victims.

No one should ever have to face the risk of violence or harassment when travelling. This government is taking action to make sure our transport network is safe for all. The Department for Transport is working closely with transport partners, including the British Transport Police, on a range of initiatives to address the problems faced by different users, including women and girls, on the transport network.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will provide more security for vulnerable renters who face potential homelessness due to the service of a section 21 notice. Removing no fault evictions will have an immediate impact on preventing homelessness, as section 21 notices account for 8% of the reasons households became homeless in 2023-24.

The government submitted the Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 16 September 2024 to the Regulatory Policy Committee. The government will publish the Impact Assessment in due course. In line with usual practice, the government will always consider the impact of any policies when taking the legislation through Parliament.

This Government is committed to fixing the foundations by reforming and rebuilding local government.

We will work hand-in-hand with councils by moving towards multi-year funding settlements and ending competitive bidding processes.

Over the coming months, we want to hear from local councils about the financial challenges they face and about improvements we can make to ensure the system works in support of local areas, not against them.

Once enacted, the Bill will ensure that local authorities owe a homelessness prevention duty to a tenant evicted under section 8 grounds. This will enable tenants to maintain access to support to prevent homelessness, in line with the principles of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. We will carry out a new burdens assessment and will fund local authorities for any additional costs.

The Government intends to publish accessible guidance so that tenants understand their rights and responsibilities under the new system. This will be supported by a communications campaign designed to raise awareness about the changes. We will also work with local authorities and advice providers like Shelter and Citizens Advice to further raise awareness of the reforms and make sure adequate support is in place.