Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) impartiality and (b) evidential handling procedures used by the communications ombudsman when determining complaints.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has not undertaken any recent assessment of the Communications Ombudsman and has no plans to do so. It is Ofcom’s duty under the Communications Act 2003 to approve and review Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes for UK communication and postal services. One of the two schemes Ofcom currently approves is the Communications Ombudsman.

Ofcom undertook a formal review of the ADR schemes, concluding in July, and found both were working well for consumers. This review included research among consumers to understand their experience of using ADR. Ofcom’s full statement is available on its website.

Ofcom also monitors the schemes’ performance against a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and publish the results on its website quarterly.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of communications ombudsman processes on consumer confidence in dispute resolution services.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has not undertaken any recent assessment of the Communications Ombudsman and has no plans to do so. It is Ofcom’s duty under the Communications Act 2003 to approve and review Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes for UK communication and postal services. One of the two schemes Ofcom currently approves is the Communications Ombudsman.

Ofcom undertook a formal review of the ADR schemes, concluding in July, and found both were working well for consumers. This review included research among consumers to understand their experience of using ADR. Ofcom’s full statement is available on its website.

Ofcom also monitors the schemes’ performance against a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and publish the results on its website quarterly.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has plans to undertake a review of the consistency of decision-making of the communications ombudsman.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has not undertaken any recent assessment of the Communications Ombudsman and has no plans to do so. It is Ofcom’s duty under the Communications Act 2003 to approve and review Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes for UK communication and postal services. One of the two schemes Ofcom currently approves is the Communications Ombudsman.

Ofcom undertook a formal review of the ADR schemes, concluding in July, and found both were working well for consumers. This review included research among consumers to understand their experience of using ADR. Ofcom’s full statement is available on its website.

Ofcom also monitors the schemes’ performance against a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and publish the results on its website quarterly.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of communication ombudsman timescales on consumers.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government has not undertaken any recent assessment of the Communications Ombudsman and has no plans to do so. It is Ofcom’s duty under the Communications Act 2003 to approve and review Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes for UK communication and postal services. One of the two schemes Ofcom currently approves is the Communications Ombudsman.

Ofcom undertook a formal review of the ADR schemes, concluding in July, and found both were working well for consumers. This review included research among consumers to understand their experience of using ADR. Ofcom’s full statement is available on its website.

Ofcom also monitors the schemes’ performance against a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and publish the results on its website quarterly.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to review the right of appeal following final ombudsman decisions.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office has no plans to review the existing arrangements for challenging final ombudsman decisions.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the training referred to in the National Youth Strategy will be made available for parents of young people.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We are investing £15 million over the next 3 years in youth workers, volunteers, and other trusted adults to up-skill the existing youth sector workforce and increase the number of trusted adults providing safe support to young people. This funding does not include training for parents and carers.

However, we are committed to further work to improve access to resources for parents and families to support their children. For example, DSIT is developing an awareness campaign to support parents and carers in building their children's resilience to misleading and polarising online content. We will also ensure schools work more closely with parents, with clearer expectations. This is in addition to the government’s work to provide children with the Best Start in Life, including ways for parents to join courses and a new digital platform to give parents easy access to a network of advice, support and guidance to help their children thrive.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the National Youth Strategy will help youth organisations to set boundaries and safeguarding protocols to protect young people and service providers.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

As part of the new National Youth Strategy, a £15 million investment will be delivered over three years to strengthen the youth sector workforce by increasing the number of youth workers, volunteers and wider trusted adults and providing upskilling opportunities. We will be working with the sector to design the workforce funding to ensure it meets needs and has the right expectations on safeguarding.

The Government has committed to supporting trusted adults to adhere to safeguarding standards and have the right understanding of the challenges young people are facing today. We will also continue to fund the National Youth Agency to deliver an online safeguarding and risk management hub to provide guidance, support and access to training resources for all organisations and individuals working with young people.

Beyond the measures above, the Department for Education held a Call for Evidence on Safeguarding in Out-of-School Settings, including youth clubs and other forms of youth work, between May and September this year. Analysis and further engagement are ongoing, before the Government responds in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how she will ensure helping young people to develop relationships with trusted adults aligns with safeguarding expectations

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

As part of the new National Youth Strategy, a £15 million investment will be delivered over three years to strengthen the youth sector workforce by increasing the number of youth workers, volunteers and wider trusted adults and providing upskilling opportunities. We will be working with the sector to design the workforce funding to ensure it meets needs and has the right expectations on safeguarding.

The Government has committed to supporting trusted adults to adhere to safeguarding standards and have the right understanding of the challenges young people are facing today. We will also continue to fund the National Youth Agency to deliver an online safeguarding and risk management hub to provide guidance, support and access to training resources for all organisations and individuals working with young people.

Beyond the measures above, the Department for Education held a Call for Evidence on Safeguarding in Out-of-School Settings, including youth clubs and other forms of youth work, between May and September this year. Analysis and further engagement are ongoing, before the Government responds in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance on sickle cell disease his Department provides to Health Professionals making Personal Independence Payment assessments.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments are not medical assessments and do not require health professionals (HPs) to diagnose conditions or recommend treatment. Instead, they are functional assessments designed to evaluate how an individual’s health condition (such as sickle cell disease) or impairment(s) affects their ability to carry out daily living activities. HPs conducting assessments are trained specialists in disability analysis, focusing on understanding the functional impact of a claimant’s condition rather than its clinical diagnosis.

All HPs conducting these assessments receive comprehensive training on assessing the effects of both physical and mental health conditions. HPs have access to a broad suite of Core Training and Guidance Materials. These include Condition Insight Reports and Continuing Professional Development documents, which provide detailed, quality-assured information on many of the symptoms commonly associated with sickle cell disease.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to support young adults and children on the private life route who (a) are nearing the completion of their five-year qualifying period for settlement and (b) may be affected by a proposed extension to a ten-year settlement period.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The earned settlement model, proposed in A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme, including any transitional arrangements for those already in the UK, will be finalised following that consultation.

The consultation directly seeks views on retaining the current treatment of children and young adults who have grown up in the UK without an immigration status, allowing them to settle 5 years after regularising their status.

A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, as well as the May 2025 Immigration White Paper preceding it, have also both committed to retaining a five-year route to settlement for the spouses and children of British nationals.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to amend the reformed routes to private life for young adults and children introduced under Appendix Private Life to the Immigration Rules 2022.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The earned settlement model, proposed in A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme, including any transitional arrangements for those already in the UK, will be finalised following that consultation.

The consultation directly seeks views on retaining the current treatment of children and young adults who have grown up in the UK without an immigration status, allowing them to settle 5 years after regularising their status.

A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, as well as the May 2025 Immigration White Paper preceding it, have also both committed to retaining a five-year route to settlement for the spouses and children of British nationals.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, what measurable objectives the Government has set for its modernised approach to relations with African countries, and over what timeframe progress will be assessed.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) sets out the seven areas of shared interest which we will prioritise alongside our African partners over the coming year, and we will set out the progress made in each area in due course, including on measurable objectives such as the scaling up of private capital for African development priorities, and the Mission 300 goals on access to electricity.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, what further reforms of the debt architecture her department is considering, and whether debt cancellation will be considered.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 to Question HL9091.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, what discussions her department has had with African leaders about the suitability of renewable energy projects for their nation, and whether this will inform the UK's investment in renewable energy projects.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to advance shared interests on climate, nature, and clean energy with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach launch on 15 December 2025, how much UK climate finance is planned for Africa over the next spending review period, and how this will be split between mitigation, adaptation and nature.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to advance shared interests on climate, nature, and clean energy with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's Africa Approach announcement, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of investing in renewable energy projects as part of Mission 300.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 15 December (UIN HCWS1168) setting out our commitment to advance shared interests on climate, nature, and clean energy with our African partners. We will provide further updates in due course on specific priorities and initiatives arising from that commitment.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which a) governments, b) multilateral organisations, c) private sector companies and d) other key stakeholders, will be invited to participate in the Illicit Finance Summit.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Illicit Finance Summit will take place in London on 23-24 June 2026 and will convene a diverse group of governments, civil society organisations, and private sector representatives to build an international coalition to tackle flows of dirty money around the world and strengthen the UK's national security. Further updates, including details of the invitees, will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the National Youth Strategy will join up youth worker training and parent support.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government recognises the vital role that youth workers play in the lives of young people. We are backing the first steps of the National Youth Strategy with over £500 million of DCMS funding to increase local access to enriching activities, trusted adults and welcoming spaces. This includes investing £15 million over 3 years in youth workers, volunteers and other trusted adults including helping organisations to recruit, train, and keep more individuals to support young people.

The National Youth Strategy will deliver better recognition for paid and volunteer youth workers as well as more fit-for-purpose training, qualifications, and employment routes into the youth sector. Through the Strategy, the Government will also work closely with parents to ensure they get the support they need to guide their children. The Best Start in Life Parent Hub website launched on 1 September, as the first step in developing the Best Start digital service to support parents.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 95257 on Children: Data protection, if she will publish a Data Privacy Impact Assessment on the entire Bill.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

A single Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) cannot be conducted on the entire Bill. DPIAs are intended to evaluate specific data processing activities that may present high risks to individuals’ data protection rights, rather than entire pieces of legislation. The department has ensured that all Bill provisions involving personal data comply with data protection legislation by consulting the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under Article 36 of UK GDPR.

We continue to engage with the ICO key measures, such as the Consistent Identifier and Children Not in School (CNIS) measures, to identify and mitigate any data protection risks. In line with our commitment to transparency, we will publish summaries of these DPIAs to provide assurance that children’s data will be processed lawfully and securely once the measures become operational.

International sport and alleged United States violations of international law

Bank holiday for celebrations if England win the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Hunger strike by pro-Palestinian activists

10th anniversary of Boxing Day floods

US military attack on Venezuela

Armed exports to the United Arab Emirates and the situation in Sudan

Professional integrity of BBC journalists

Border violence

Supporting shopworkers

Thanking postal workers

Right to trial by jury

US military build-up in the Caribbean