Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Ofcom’s delivery of its statutory duties on media literacy.

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

The government supports Ofcom’s three-year Media Literacy Strategy as a solid foundation for delivering its updated media literacy duties. The Strategy sets out a credible programme focused on strengthening the evidence base, engaging platforms to improve user support and design, and commissioning targeted interventions. We welcome its emphasis on harmful online activity affecting women and girls, and its commitment to supporting teachers through continuing professional development.

Ofcom is required to publish annual progress reports against its strategy.

The government works closely with Ofcom to ensure it has the powers and resources needed to fulfil its duties effectively.

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 adequacy of legislation governing the livestreaming of violent content.

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

The Online Safety Act (OSA) requires services to safeguard children and reduce the risk that they are used to facilitate illegal activity. Ofcom, the regulator, sets out the steps in its codes of practice that providers can take to fulfil these duties. It has issued the first versions of the codes and is updating these iteratively. Ofcom has recently consulted on additional measures for livestreaming. The Act establishes that the Secretary of State must review the functioning of the Act within 2-5 years of the regime taking effect.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press notice entitled New online safety priorities for Ofcom and launch of study into effects of social media on children, published on 20 November 2024, what progress has been made on research into the impact of social media use on children.

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

The department is developing the evidence base around children’s online safety, including social media use, to continually inform our policy response.

As part of this, DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research on the impact of smartphones and social media on children. This six-month study considered methods to gather causal evidence of any impact and reviewed existing research. It was led by expert researchers from UK universities. We will publish the feasibility study report in due course.

We are considering next steps, based on the study’s findings. They will inform any future research involving young people, parents and carers.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on media literacy.

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

Ministers have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues, including media literacy. The government is committed to a coordinated, cross-government approach to media literacy policy and delivery.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with Valuation Office Agency on its policy not to review the council tax bandings of multiple properties in one request.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Council Tax legislation only allows for a formal challenge of multiple properties in exceptional and very specific circumstances, as set in the Council Tax (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2009.

If the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) finds or is alerted to information that suggests that the Council Tax List may be wrong, it will investigate and make corrections if necessary. Once a decision has been made to alter a property’s Council Tax band, the VOA have a duty to consider whether that decision should be applied to other similar properties in the locality and will take appropriate action as necessary.

The VOA is unable to disclose the outcome of any subsequent reviews of neighbouring properties, due to its strict duty to taxpayer confidentiality under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to review (a) regulations and (b) consumer protections through the Warm Homes Plan.

Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

This government is committed to protecting consumers undertaking home retrofit work, as well as improving the overall consumer journey. We are leading reform of a system which is clearly not fit for purpose. This reform will involve rapidly changing the landscape of regulation and consumer protections, spanning from how installers working in people’s homes are certified and monitored, to where homeowners turn to for rapid action and enforcement if things go wrong. This work is already underway, but we will set out plans for root and branch reform as part of the Warm Homes Plan, which will be published soon.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will reform the current council tax system to reduce localised disparities in property valuations.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The valuation of all properties in England is carried out by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), who undertake this role independently of ministers. The Chancellor makes tax policy decisions at fiscal events. The Government remains committed to keeping all taxes and elements of the local government finance system under review. The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the system and consider where there is clear evidence that change would deliver better outcomes for residents and councils alike.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Ofgem on the adequacy of its counter-fraud policies, in the context of the National Audit Office’s report titled Energy efficiency installations under the Energy Company Obligation, published on 14 October 2025.

Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Ofgem are the administrator for both ECO4 and GBIS and there is regular engagement between Ofgem and DESNZ on all aspects of the schemes. In regard to the NAO report, Ofgem are actively engaged in the review of evidence relating to possible fraud and they have the legal power to demand that energy suppliers pay for a new measure to be installed, where eligibility for the scheme or delivery of measures is found to have been carried out fraudulently.

Therefore suppliers must have robust fraud management plans as part of their obligation, or face losing money. Further, they will engage with any relevant authorities in pursuit of wider enforcement action where that is deemed necessary.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce the risk of schools in disadvantaged areas excluding pupils from Turing Scheme-funded excursions due to the cap on funding.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In the current academic year of the Turing Scheme, we applied a cap to the funding that schools could apply for. Schools could receive funding of up to £50,000 for a single application or, applying as a consortium, up to £50,000 per school to a maximum of £300,000. This will limit how many schools are required to replan their intended placements. Setting a limit means that we can offer schools more certainty that they can be awarded the funding they request, without concentrating the funding in the hands of too few schools.

An estimated 82% of school placements this year will be for students from a disadvantaged background. The proportion of students from a disadvantaged background in a school’s application is a key factor in deciding which applications are funded. More schools than ever before have applied for funding, with 485 applying compared to 333 last year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what contingency plans his Department has in place to support schools during the transition period from the Turing Scheme to Erasmus+.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The UK and EU have agreed to work towards association to the Erasmus+ programme, on mutually agreed financial terms. Negotiations are underway and the terms of any association will be subject to further discussions. The department will have to consider the implications for other programmes, following the outcome of those discussions.

Details on the Turing Scheme for future years will be shared in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools in disadvantaged areas with applications to the Turing scheme; and what assessment she has made of the trends in the level of concern that the current design of the application process incentivises schools to outsource applications to profit-making enterprises.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In order to support schools, especially those in disadvantaged areas, the department provided guidance and webinars to enable potential applicants to find out more about the Turing Scheme, what it could offer their students and how to make their application. Since bringing management of the Turing service in-house for the 2024/25 academic year, in response to feedback from the education sector, the department introduced a streamlined digital application service that was co-designed. The service also includes simplified and shorter guidance and a grant calculator tool to help providers work out how much funding to apply for.

It is up to schools to decide whether they choose to use a third party to support them with an application or scheme administration. However, they cannot use Turing Scheme funding towards the cost of appointing an external organisation to write their application.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to simplify the process for Turing Scheme applications for schools.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Since bringing management of the Turing Scheme in-house for the 2024/25 academic year, in response to feedback from the education sector, the department introduced a streamlined digital application service that was co-designed. The service also includes simplified and shorter guidance and a grant calculator tool to help providers work out how much funding to apply for.

We welcome feedback from providers throughout the year and make changes to the Scheme’s operation where possible to increase access to the opportunities it provides.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that Turing grants to schools take into consideration the additional costs of (a) travel, (b) appropriate (i) clothing and (ii) equipment and (c) other items for children and young people.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Turing Scheme funding is a contribution towards the costs of international educational placements. The scheme provides a contribution to the travel and living costs of students and accompanying staff. Additionally, the Turing Scheme provides readiness to travel funding to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds to prepare to travel, which covers items such as passports, visa applications, vaccines, travel insurance and medical certificates.

The Turing Scheme also covers the additional costs faced by those students with special educational needs or a disability. In line with government spending rules, it does not cover costs relating to acquisitions of any form of asset, such as clothing or luggage.

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Found: Secretary Choi also had a bilateral meeting with the then-Minister for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell

Found: Secretary Choi also had a bilateral meeting with the then-Minister for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell