Cat Smith

Conversion practices are abuse, and I can assure my honourable friend that this Government is absolutely committed to introducing a fully trans inclusive ban on conversion practices.

This is a complex issue, and it is imperative that we get this right. We are working hard to draft legislation which offers protection from these harmful practices, while also preserving the freedom for individuals to explore their identity, and respecting the important roles of those supporting them.

The previous administration failed repeatedly to deliver on this issue. We will not. We will publish our draft Bill later this session, as set out in the King’s Speech.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published shortly.

The Government regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders in relation to the impacts of fireworks. Our engagement includes with businesses, consumer groups and charities. The current regulatory framework is designed to support people to enjoy fireworks whilst lowering the risk of dangers and disruption to people, pets, and property. It is important that we ensure the safe, responsible and considerate use of fireworks for business and consumers alike.

At this stage I am examining the detail of existing legislation in relation to fireworks to decide if and where policy changes may be needed. I can assure you that the safety of the public and the impact on people, animals and property will be central in decisions on how we proceed in relation to the regulation of fireworks. To inform any future decisions I intend to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks.

As part of the Government’s transparency agenda, the Department for Business and Trade releases quarterly data on Ministerial meetings, gifts, hospitality and travel on the transparency pages of gov.uk. The next release will be for the period July to September 2024 with a yet to be confirmed date to be set by the Cabinet Office.

I refer my hon Friend to the answer I gave on 14 October 2024 to Question UIN 6511.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The majority of funding for grassroots sport is provided through Sport England, our arm’s length body. Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years (between 2022-2027) to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives.

The Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities programme is focused on investment into sports pitches and ancillary facilities, like changing rooms and clubhouses.

The Government is dedicated to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and committed to ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, have access to high quality facilities. On Friday 21 March, we confirmed that DCMS is investing £100 million in high-quality sports facilities over the next year in communities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.

All projects - which primarily focus on pitches and ancillary facilities like changing rooms - funded through this programme are required to demonstrate how they increase access and participation levels among under-represented groups, which includes women and girls.

Of the funded projects, at least 40% will have a multi-sport offer so that more people can get access to a wider variety of sports and activities that appeal to them.

The Government is dedicated to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and committed to ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, have access to high quality facilities. On Friday 21 March, we confirmed that DCMS is investing £100 million in high-quality sports facilities over the next year in communities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.

All projects - which primarily focus on pitches and ancillary facilities like changing rooms - funded through this programme are required to demonstrate how they increase access and participation levels among under-represented groups, which includes women and girls.

Of the funded projects, at least 40% will have a multi-sport offer so that more people can get access to a wider variety of sports and activities that appeal to them.

We are committed to considering the best available evidence, including on advertising, from a wide range of sources to inform decisions on strengthening protections. Developing quality evidence is a key priority for the statutory levy and funding will be directed towards high-quality, independent research to fill key gaps in the evidence base. This could include research on the impacts of advertising. We will continue to monitor developments in the evidence and take action when appropriate.

DCMS funds the National Youth Agency to maintain a voluntary register of JNC Level 6 qualified youth workers and provide support to youth workers and organisations around safeguarding and risk management via their Safeguarding Hub.

In November, this government committed to co-producing a new National Youth Strategy, which is an opportunity to look afresh at the training, recruitment and retention of youth workers. The Strategy will be published this summer.

Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

The following link provides the full-time equivalent median average salary for head teachers in local authority maintained primary schools, local authority maintained secondary schools and total state-funded schools in England, as at November each year, for the academic years 2019/20 to 2023/24: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1a07b1b4-e474-4cf7-1e4d-08dd2d8a762c.

The department collates and publishes data annually in the academies sector annual report and accounts on the number of academy trusts with an individual staff member whose emoluments are above £100,000. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.

Emoluments include salary, employer pension contributions and other benefits received during the year. These are reported in bandings of £100,000 to £150,000 and over £150,000.

The academies sector annual report and accounts also publishes information on all trustee remuneration, including pension contributions. This covers bandings including £120,000 to £130,000, £130,000 to £140,000, £140,000 to £150,000, and £150,000 and over. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts

The department also publishes an annex alongside the academy sector accounts listing academy trusts paying one or more staff member remuneration of £150,000 in that year.

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 for 2023 to 2024 to the department is 28 January 2025.

As referenced in response to Question 21323, academy trusts must publish pay information in their annual audited accounts and on their website. The Academies Sector Annual Report and Accounts includes an annex, annex E in the most recently published set, listing all the academy trusts that paid at least one member of staff in excess of £150,000.

The department collates and publishes data annually in the academies sector annual report and accounts on the number of academy trusts with an individual staff member whose emoluments are above £100,000. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.

Emoluments include salary, employer pension contributions and other benefits received during the year. These are reported in bandings of £100,000 to £150,000 and over £150,000.

The academies sector annual report and accounts also publishes information on all trustee remuneration, including pension contributions. This covers bandings including £120,000 to £130,000, £130,000 to £140,000, £140,000 to £150,000, and £150,000 and over. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts

The department also publishes an annex alongside the academy sector accounts listing academy trusts paying one or more staff member remuneration of £150,000 in that year.

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 for 2023 to 2024 to the department is 28 January 2025.

As referenced in response to Question 21323, academy trusts must publish pay information in their annual audited accounts and on their website. The Academies Sector Annual Report and Accounts includes an annex, annex E in the most recently published set, listing all the academy trusts that paid at least one member of staff in excess of £150,000.

The department collates and publishes data annually in the academies sector annual report and accounts on the number of academy trusts with an individual staff member whose emoluments are above £100,000. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.

Emoluments include salary, employer pension contributions and other benefits received during the year. These are reported in bandings of £100,000 to £150,000 and over £150,000.

The academies sector annual report and accounts also publishes information on all trustee remuneration, including pension contributions. This covers bandings including £120,000 to £130,000, £130,000 to £140,000, £140,000 to £150,000, and £150,000 and over. The data is available in the attached spreadsheet and can also be accessed in the reports published on GOV.UK:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts

The department also publishes an annex alongside the academy sector accounts listing academy trusts paying one or more staff member remuneration of £150,000 in that year.

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 for 2023 to 2024 to the department is 28 January 2025.

As referenced in response to Question 21323, academy trusts must publish pay information in their annual audited accounts and on their website. The Academies Sector Annual Report and Accounts includes an annex, annex E in the most recently published set, listing all the academy trusts that paid at least one member of staff in excess of £150,000.

The Academy Trust Handbook sets out the requirements for academy trusts on executive pay, including reporting and publication. Academy trusts must:

• Publish their annual audited accounts, including the number of employees whose benefits exceeded £60,000 in £10,000 bandings and the total employee benefits paid to key management personnel.
• Publish on their website the number of employees whose benefits exceeded £100,000, including salary, employers’ pension contributions, other taxable benefits and termination payments.

The department collates and publishes academy trust pay data in the Academy Sector Annual Report and Accounts, which also includes an annex (annex E in the most recently published set) listing all the academy trusts which paid at least one member of staff in excess of £150,000 and which is accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-sector-annual-reports-and-accounts.

The final updated Process Guidance Note 5/2 (24) is currently being reviewed by Ministers.

The final updated Process Guidance Note 5/2 (24) is under review.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.

This Government recognises the importance of tenant farmers in contributing to a resilient and thriving farming sector. The Government has not made an assessment on the potential merits of introducing a right to buy for tenant farmers but is committed to ensuring agricultural tenancies are fair and collaborative.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), owners and keepers of animals, including reindeer, must take reasonable steps to provide for the health and welfare of animals under their care.

Under schedule 7 of the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals (LAIA) Regulations, local authorities are responsible for licensing the use of animals for certain commercial purposes, including the keeping or training of animals for exhibition.

Under the conditions of this schedule, keepers must make provision for the welfare of the animals being exhibited, including providing suitable temporary accommodation for the reindeer, ensuring they are handled by appropriately trained persons, and using suitable handling methods.

Improving road safety is one of my key priorities. Too many people are killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. That is why we are developing our Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course. At the Transport Select Committee in April 2025, the Secretary of State set out that we hope to publish the Strategy later this year.

In 2021, the Government commissioned PACTS (Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety) to publish a report on alcohol interlocks.

www.pacts,org.uk/locking-out-the-drink-driver-using-alcohol-interlocks-to-reduce-drink-driving-in-the-uk/

Government keeps motoring offences under review, including those for drink driving.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.

The Department has not made an estimate of the economic value of buying a bicycle. A report by Transport for Quality of Life, titled ‘The UK cycle industry: current economic and employment benefits and its decarbonisation-driven growth potential’ published in 2023, suggests an annual economic benefit of £1,800 per cyclist.

The Department welcomes the findings of this research and will consider its recommendations carefully as we develop our future plans for active travel.

As I set out in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025, this Government has listened to the concerns raised by Members from across the House regarding the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Clause 5 of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would have amended the legal framework underpinning PIP assessments, specifically by changing the eligibility criteria through adjustments to the activities and descriptors used to determine entitlement.

In light of the concerns raised, I confirmed during the debate that we are going to remove clause 5 from the Bill in Committee.

(Hansard, 1 July, col 219)

Civil Service Heads of Departments across government have agreed that the Civil Service is best able to deliver for the people it serves by taking a consistent approach to in office working. Heads of Departments agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

The approach allows teams and departments to maximise the benefits of hybrid working and to get the best from being together. This also reflects the view of Civil Service leaders that there remain clear benefits to spending time working together face-to-face as the government delivers on the Missions commitments. The Civil Service approach is comparable to other large private and public sector employers.

In DWP around 35% of colleagues spend 100% of their time working in the office delivering face-to-face services to customers. Other colleagues are able to work in a hybrid way spending part of their time in the office and part of their time working from home. Senior Civil Service colleagues are expected to work from the office (which includes face to face time with colleagues or partners on official business elsewhere) for more than 60% of their contracted hours and the Department has now announced that colleagues at all other grades will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their contracted hours in the office from 1 September 2025. We have undertaken an Equality Analysis in respect of the increase to in office attendance to 60%.

Our revised hybrid offer, which for most hybrid working colleagues will mean them working, on average, from home two days per week, will still retain significant flexibility in line with the rest of the Civil Service. We are committed to supporting colleagues with workplace adjustments to thrive in DWP and line managers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 for employees with disabilities.

There is a wide range of wellbeing support available within the Department from physical to mental health as well as financial wellbeing. Colleagues have been signposted to this support through communications and advice. Colleagues have also been advised to speak to their line manager if they have any concerns regarding the change to 60% office attendance. The Department conducts regular colleague surveys to understand how colleagues are feeling about their wellbeing.

DWP recognises the potential merits of flexible working and has experience over decades of offering and allowing a variety of flexibilities. Flexible working hours, compressed hours, part-time hours, part-year working and partial retirement are firmly established practices across DWP, enjoyed at any time by thousands of our employees. Latterly, our flexible working offer has been added to with appropriate hybrid and home working. We will continue to keep our flexible working offer under review to ensure it reflects good employment practices, is legally compliant and appropriate for DWP’s public service function, and attractive for current and future employees we wish to recruit and retain in a competitive jobs market.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.

It is not possible to estimate the overall number of people who have deferred their State Pension, because we do not know who has deferred until they make their claim for it.

In May 2023, there were 138,872 people who had made a deferred claim for their New State Pension and are now in receipt of extra State Pension.

Data is not available on deferred claims from those reaching State Pension age prior to 2016, as the statistics were suspended following the introduction of a new DWP computer system. The most recently published statistics showing the total number of pensioners receiving extra State Pension are from May 2021 and are available here (Extra State Pension is referred to as “increments” in this document.): DWP benefits statistics: May 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)