Bell Ribeiro-Addy

In its recent report into the rights of older people, the Women and Equalities Select Committee raised this matter and other issues. Together with other departments, we are considering those recommendations.

More widely, I refer to Minister McGovern’s recent answer 29784 on how the Government is supporting older people in tackling age discrimination and ageism in the workplace.

We recognise that women and girls may suffer as a result of the cost of period products.

The so-called ‘tampon tax’ has been abolished, and period underwear now receives the same zero-rate of VAT.

A scheme is in place for education settings, with free products available for all who need them, so periods are not a barrier to education. And all hospital patients can also receive free products.

No assessment of period product schemes operating in Scotland has been made.

We recognise that women and girls may suffer as a result of the cost of period products.

The so-called ‘tampon tax’ has been abolished, and period underwear now receives the same zero-rate of VAT.

A scheme is in place for education settings, with free products available for all who need them, so periods are not a barrier to education. And all hospital patients can also receive free products.

No assessment of period product schemes operating in Scotland has been made.

In early 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) updated its case management system to enable a new national ‘flag’ to be applied to prosecutions for homicide and attempted homicide brought on a joint enterprise basis. Each prosecution also now receives an enhanced level of supervision from a case management panel, chaired by a senior legal manager.

The CPS will publish a report on the monitoring data collected during the 2024/25 financial year in the summer.

The Law Officers’ Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by the Law Officers, or requested of the Law Officers, and the Convention applies to your question.

The Law Officers’ Convention can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May:

“By long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the law officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. This convention is referred to in paragraph [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 6 November 2024]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”

As Minister Sackman has set out in other substantive answers on the the matter of joint enterprise, we are aware of concerns about the impact of joint enterprise doctrine on defendants and their families. That is why more broadly the Government continues to keep the law in this area under review.

With regard to the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), following publication of the Joint Enterprise Pilot 2023, the CPS held two national scrutiny panels on joint enterprise, with input from external stakeholders with relevant expertise and experience, to review the findings of the pilot and scrutinise joint enterprise casework. This review included a national scrutiny panel held on 1 February 2024 which focussed on joint enterprise cases where evidence of gang association was a feature.

The pilot found ethnic disparities in the caseload, but it was not possible to draw strong conclusions from the analysis due to the relatively small sample size (190 cases involving 680 defendants).

The CPS updated its case management system to commence a full national monitoring scheme in 2024. This monitors all homicide and attempted homicide prosecutions brought on a joint enterprise basis and will report annually. The CPS will publish a report on the monitoring data collected during the 2024/25 financial year in the summer.

Self-identified defendant ethnicity data from the police or other investigative authorities, subject to varying levels of error and omission at local levels, is uploaded to the CPS’ case management system. This can record the ethnicity category “W3 Gypsy and Irish Traveller” in accordance with criminal justice system data standards.

As Minister Sackman has set out in other substantive answers on the the matter of joint enterprise, we are aware of concerns about the impact of joint enterprise doctrine on defendants and their families. That is why more broadly the Government continues to keep the law in this area under review.

With regard to the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), following publication of the Joint Enterprise Pilot 2023, the CPS held two national scrutiny panels on joint enterprise, with input from external stakeholders with relevant expertise and experience, to review the findings of the pilot and scrutinise joint enterprise casework. This review included a national scrutiny panel held on 1 February 2024 which focussed on joint enterprise cases where evidence of gang association was a feature.

The pilot found ethnic disparities in the caseload, but it was not possible to draw strong conclusions from the analysis due to the relatively small sample size (190 cases involving 680 defendants).

The CPS updated its case management system to commence a full national monitoring scheme in 2024. This monitors all homicide and attempted homicide prosecutions brought on a joint enterprise basis and will report annually. The CPS will publish a report on the monitoring data collected during the 2024/25 financial year in the summer.

Self-identified defendant ethnicity data from the police or other investigative authorities, subject to varying levels of error and omission at local levels, is uploaded to the CPS’ case management system. This can record the ethnicity category “W3 Gypsy and Irish Traveller” in accordance with criminal justice system data standards.

As Minister Sackman has set out in other substantive answers on the the matter of joint enterprise, we are aware of concerns about the impact of joint enterprise doctrine on defendants and their families. That is why more broadly the Government continues to keep the law in this area under review.

With regard to the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), following publication of the Joint Enterprise Pilot 2023, the CPS held two national scrutiny panels on joint enterprise, with input from external stakeholders with relevant expertise and experience, to review the findings of the pilot and scrutinise joint enterprise casework. This review included a national scrutiny panel held on 1 February 2024 which focussed on joint enterprise cases where evidence of gang association was a feature.

The pilot found ethnic disparities in the caseload, but it was not possible to draw strong conclusions from the analysis due to the relatively small sample size (190 cases involving 680 defendants).

The CPS updated its case management system to commence a full national monitoring scheme in 2024. This monitors all homicide and attempted homicide prosecutions brought on a joint enterprise basis and will report annually. The CPS will publish a report on the monitoring data collected during the 2024/25 financial year in the summer.

Self-identified defendant ethnicity data from the police or other investigative authorities, subject to varying levels of error and omission at local levels, is uploaded to the CPS’ case management system. This can record the ethnicity category “W3 Gypsy and Irish Traveller” in accordance with criminal justice system data standards.

I refer the Hon.Member for Clapham and Brixton Hill, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, to the answer provided to the Question on 20 January 2025 in the House of Lords. The response from The Baroness Twycross can be found here.

The EU is pursuing 8 infringement cases against the Government, as provided for under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. We are committed to full and faithful implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement.

It is for businesses and auction rooms to consider the consent and licensing provisions of the Human Tissue Act 2004. Those who sell or purchase human remains may also be subject to their own professional standards and codes of conduct.

It is the responsibility of Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to ensure that the universal postal service is affordable for customers as well as being efficient and financially sustainable.

In its consultation document proposing a package of reforms to better reflect people’s usage of postal services and support financial sustainability, Ofcom set out that it plans to consider options to ensure the continued affordability of USO services, including more targeted interventions than the current Second-Class safeguard cap.

The government recognises the importance of access to post for all users, especially the most vulnerable and is committed to the universal service obligation.

As the independent regulator for postal services, it is Ofcom’s responsibility to secure the provision of a universal postal service and must ensure the provision of sufficient access points to meet the reasonable needs of users of the service. In its proposals, Ofcom committed to continue to engage with other stakeholders on the issue of ensuring that specific vulnerable groups have access to post.

The government recognises the importance of access to post for all users, especially the most vulnerable and is committed to the universal service obligation.

As the independent regulator for postal services, it is Ofcom’s responsibility to secure the provision of a universal postal service and must ensure the provision of sufficient access points to meet the reasonable needs of users of the service. In its proposals, Ofcom committed to continue to engage with other stakeholders on the issue of ensuring that specific vulnerable groups have access to post.

No decisions regarding Crown, or ‘Directly Managed’ Branches, have been taken.

Any decisions on staffing are a matter for Post Office but we would expect any changes to be carried out in line with due process, including engagement and consultation.

One of the central aims communicated within Post Office's recently announced transformation plan was to prioritise postmasters, including increases in postmaster pay.

Decarbonising the UK economy and scaling up clean energy industries brings an opportunity to reduce regional inequalities by creating new, high skill jobs in our industrial heartlands. Delivering net zero also means improving the energy performance of homes – the support provided through the Warm Homes Plan helps tackle fuel poverty and supports those struggling most with their energy bills. The Government considers the impact on inequality of each policy in our plans through Public Sector Equality Duty assessments. We will also deliver an updated plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 in due course.

As set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, nuclear is estimated to have an installed capacity range of between 3 – 4 GW in 2030.

The Government is clear that nuclear power, including small modular reactors (SMRs), is and will continue to be an important part of the UK energy mix, providing secure, low carbon energy and thousands of skills jobs. Great British Nuclear is pushing forward with its SMR competition for UK deployment with final decisions to be taken this spring. As with all energy projects, the economic case for SMRs would be considered as part of any investment decision into the technology.

Consumption from datacentres has been forecast by NESO to increase and require an uninterrupted supply of electricity. SMRs have potential as a dedicated energy source for datacentres, given their potential to provide a near-constant supply of low-carbon electricity. SMRs do not have traditional storage capabilities, however some SMRs could be paired with thermal energy storage or grid-scale electricity storage to provide backup power and enhance their flexibility.

The Government continues to assess future energy requirements, including the potential impact of powering datacentres. Consumption from datacentres has been forecast by NESO to increase and require an uninterrupted supply of electricity. The Government is committed to nuclear playing an important role in generating low carbon power and contributing to UK energy security. Alongside large-scale plants, such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, SMRs have the potential to supply the grid or to be a dedicated energy source for datacentres.

The Secretary of State meets regularly with Health Ministers to discuss a range of topics. The Secretary of State has not met with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to specifically discuss impacts of the Data (Use and Access) Bill on protections for personal health data. Ministers have held discussions on the Bill with a wide range of stakeholders, including NHS stakeholders, providing opportunities to emphasise that the Bill does not impact on existing protections for personal health data. An impact assessment for the Bill can be found here.

The Government has clearly laid out its priorities in the manifesto and in the King’s speech, and the second part of Leveson is not among them.

The collapse of BetIndex Ltd, the operators of the novel gambling product Football Index, had a significant impact on former customers, and we recognise that many people were affected, and that for some people financial losses were significant. The previous Government commissioned an Independent Review in June 2021, conducted by Malcom Sheehan KC and which reported in September 2021. The review looked at how the company had been regulated, and identified areas for improvement for the Financial Conduct Authority and the Gambling Commission. All recommendations of the report have since been implemented.

The previous Government concluded that it would not be appropriate for the Government to use public funds to provide compensation for those who had lost money through the collapse of Football Index and BetIndex. Whilst the Government strongly sympathises with all who were impacted, we do not think this decision should be reopened.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced in Parliament on 17 December, will protect children at risk of abuse, stopping vulnerable children falling through cracks in services.

To keep children safe, the department plans to improve the sharing of information across and within agencies by enabling the use of a Single Unique Identifier. To better protect children from harm, we also plan to strengthen the delivery of a local decisive multi-agency child protection model through integrated multi-agency child protection teams, put a new duty on safeguarding partners to ensure education is sufficiently involved in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, and ensure parents have consent from local authorities to home educate children where there are safeguarding concerns.

Beyond the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, it is paramount the department acts to protect children from all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation. To that end, on 16 January, my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary made clear that, before Easter, the government will lay out a clear timetable for taking forward the 20 recommendations from the final Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse report.

This government’s mission is to break down barriers to opportunity by driving high and rising standards across the whole education and care system to give every family certainty that they will be able to send their child to a good local school. The department is working across government to deliver commitments related to this, such as on expanding Mental Health Support Teams and improving special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.

The department recognises that some parents are currently reporting that they are moving their children into home education due to dissatisfaction with their school, SEND provision, concerns about the child’s mental health, and other concerns. To ensure that local authorities can identify all children not in school in their areas, which includes those who are not receiving a suitable education or otherwise need support, we have introduced a package of Children Not in School measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. These measures include a requirement for all local authorities in England to keep compulsory registers of Children Not in School, improvements to the School Attendance Order process, and a requirement for parents of children on child protection plans, who are the subject of child protection enquiries, or who are at special schools to seek permission from the local authority before they can be removed from the school roll to be home educated. We will publish statutory guidance to help local authorities carry out these new duties.

The department’s ‘Elective home education’ guidance for local authorities and parents includes advice for local authorities on the reasons why families may home educate. It emphasises that local authorities should consider individual circumstances when engaging with families and considering what support they may require.

Since 2022, the department has collected aggregate data from local authorities on home educating children in their area, which is now published annually. Whilst local authorities are now required to provide this information to the department, parents are under no obligation to provide information to the local authority, including the reason for home education.

The proposed compulsory Children Not in School registers will support local authorities to fulfil their existing education and safeguarding duties towards children. As part of these measures, parents and certain providers of out-of-school education will be required to provide specific information to local authority registers. These registers will be required to include such information as the reasons for home education, to the extent that this information is reasonably obtainable. However, only certain information will be required to be provided by the parent (such as name, address, date of birth, etc.), which does not include reasons for home education.

This government’s mission is to break down barriers to opportunity by driving high and rising standards across the whole education and care system to give every family certainty that they will be able to send their child to a good local school. The department is working across government to deliver commitments related to this, such as on expanding Mental Health Support Teams and improving special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.

The department recognises that some parents are currently reporting that they are moving their children into home education due to dissatisfaction with their school, SEND provision, concerns about the child’s mental health, and other concerns. To ensure that local authorities can identify all children not in school in their areas, which includes those who are not receiving a suitable education or otherwise need support, we have introduced a package of Children Not in School measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. These measures include a requirement for all local authorities in England to keep compulsory registers of Children Not in School, improvements to the School Attendance Order process, and a requirement for parents of children on child protection plans, who are the subject of child protection enquiries, or who are at special schools to seek permission from the local authority before they can be removed from the school roll to be home educated. We will publish statutory guidance to help local authorities carry out these new duties.

The department’s ‘Elective home education’ guidance for local authorities and parents includes advice for local authorities on the reasons why families may home educate. It emphasises that local authorities should consider individual circumstances when engaging with families and considering what support they may require.

Since 2022, the department has collected aggregate data from local authorities on home educating children in their area, which is now published annually. Whilst local authorities are now required to provide this information to the department, parents are under no obligation to provide information to the local authority, including the reason for home education.

The proposed compulsory Children Not in School registers will support local authorities to fulfil their existing education and safeguarding duties towards children. As part of these measures, parents and certain providers of out-of-school education will be required to provide specific information to local authority registers. These registers will be required to include such information as the reasons for home education, to the extent that this information is reasonably obtainable. However, only certain information will be required to be provided by the parent (such as name, address, date of birth, etc.), which does not include reasons for home education.

The department collects aggregate data on penalty notices from local authorities in England through the annual parental responsibility measures attendance census. Information is not collected on measures previously used before issue of a penalty notice, nor the characteristics of the children concerned.

The available data is published in the following statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/parental-responsibility-measures.

The department also collects aggregate data on school attendance orders issued from local authorities in England through the collection on elective home education and children missing education. No information is collected on characteristics of the children concerned.

The available data is published in the following statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education.

The information requested is not held by this department. The department collects aggregate data on penalty notices issued for unauthorised absence from local authorities in England, through the annual parental responsibility measures attendance census. No information is collected on characteristics of the children concerned. The available data is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/parental-responsibility-measures.

On improving school attendance, this government is acting decisively to tackle absence via a new approach rooted in responsibility, partnership and belonging. This includes supporting schools and recognising they have important responsibilities by creating a welcoming, engaging and inclusive environment for children, but that it is also a parent’s legal responsibility to send their children to school every day that they can.

We know that some pupils face additional barriers to attending school regularly. Our ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance particularly emphasises the importance of support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and mental ill health who often need more individual consideration due to the wider barriers they face.

The new national framework for fixed penalty notices, which has been in place since the start of this academic year, strengthens protections for parents of those with additional needs by, for absence cases other than holiday, introducing an expectation that attendance support will have been provided before a penalty notice can be used. The vast majority of penalty notices for unauthorised absence (89%) are issued for term time holidays.

The Government is absolutely committed to our net zero targets. We will publish an updated Carbon Budget Delivery Plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all the sectors in due course. This will outline the policies and proposals needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 and our Nationally Determined Contribution commitments on a pathway to net zero.

The Government is committed to our net zero ambitions and boosting nature’s recovery, which are the foundations of a productive and profitable farming sector.

Our Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) pay farmers to take up land management practices that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The farming budget will be £2.4 billion in 2025/26, which includes the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history: £1.8 billion for ELMs to boost Britain’s food security and accelerate the transition to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.

The Government has spent £51.8 million through the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP), with a further £98 million committed to ongoing projects in support of Agri-technology research and innovation. Many FIP projects support low carbon farming practices. FIP competitions for 2025/26 will include up to £12.5 million for the Net Zero Farming thematic competition.

Since 2021, Defra’s Farming Investment Fund awarded more than 11,000 grants worth over £130 million to farmers, growers and foresters to invest in technology, equipment and infrastructure, much of which supports low carbon farming practices. Of this, £107 million was through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF). The next window of FETF will launch in Spring 2025.

Defra aims to take a do no harm approach to aid programming. Official development assistance (ODA) projects are required to undertake risk management and due diligence assessments in order to understand and mitigate programmatic risks, including understanding IPLC programming risks.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.

The AI (artificial intelligence) Opportunities Action Plan sets out how we will achieve our AI ambitions by laying the foundations for growth, driving adoption and building UK capabilities.  We recognise that data centres face sustainability challenges, from energy demands to water use.

Through the AI Energy Council, we will be exploring bold, clean energy solutions from next-generation renewables to small modular reactors to ensure our AI ambitions align with the UK’s net zero goals. This builds on the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology’s contribution to make Britain a clean energy superpower by investing in relevant research on clean energy and climate change.

We have made a full assessment of the impacts that implementing packaging extended producer responsibility will have. This includes assessment of the impacts on small businesses, which can be found in Section 8 of the impact assessment: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024.

Packaging extended producer responsibility cost obligations will only apply to large producers with a turnover over £2 million and who place more than 50 tonnes of packaging on the market. This threshold exempts around 70% of producers from paying these fees. Any large producers who supply the exempt producers with empty packaging will pay the fees associated with that packaging.

As the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonising transport will play an important role in meeting economy-wide carbon budgets. Transport emissions reduced by 10% between 2019 to 2023, but emissions must fall faster to achieve our legal targets. The Government will deliver an updated delivery plan for meeting legislated carbon budgets later this year, with policy detail for all sectors provided up to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037.

DfT officials hold regular discussions with airlines, airports and international partners, including Ghana, to facilitate global connectivity. Routes operated, and the management of those routes, are commercial decisions made freely by airlines as an independent business. As these are commercial decisions, the DfT has not had any discussions with British Airways on the management of its UK-Ghana route. The UK Civil Aviation Authority would undertake any discussions with British Airways if the airline was not meeting any of its regulatory requirement standards.

DfT officials hold regular discussions with airlines, airports and international partners, including Ghana, to facilitate global connectivity. Routes operated, and the management of those routes, are commercial decisions made freely by airlines as an independent business. As these are commercial decisions, the DfT has not had any discussions with British Airways on the management of its UK-Ghana route. The UK Civil Aviation Authority would undertake any discussions with British Airways if the airline was not meeting any of its regulatory requirement standards.

Regulation (EC) 261/2004 (‘Regulation 261’) is the UK legislation that sets out passenger rights around assistance, refunds and compensation in the event of long delays and cancellations.

Regulation 261 applies to flights departing from a UK airport, regardless of the airline. It also applies to flights arriving in the UK on an EU or UK airline.

The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for enforcing Regulation 261.

Government is committed to working with industry and stakeholders to ensure consumers continue to have a high level of protection whilst travelling by air.