Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the "Letter from The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP to the Prime Minister", published 10 June 2026, if he will publish the minute of the meeting of 31 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

No. An overview of the purpose of all ministerial meetings, rather than the minutes of meetings is provided as part of the transparency returns on GOV.UK.

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 potential impact of energy regulation policies on the decision of OpenAI to terminate the Stargate UK investment programme.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The UK continues to be an attractive destination for AI investment as reflected in OpenAI’s ongoing and expanding presence here through its recent announcement for a large permanent office in London, doubling the current OpenAI headcount here.

The UK Government announced measures to provide price support and accelerate planning and grid connections for AI Growth Zones in November, improving the environment for AI infrastructure in the UK.

OpenAI will continue operating in the UK and have confirmed they will bring their second HQ forward in London - a clear recognition of the UK as a global hub for AI innovation. The Government recognises OpenAI’s decision to pause Stargate UK as part of a wider recalibration of its global Stargate programme, rather than a reflection of conditions specific to the UK.

The Government remains committed to supporting large-scale AI infrastructure through the AI Growth Zone programme, including action to reduce energy costs and address regulatory barriers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of proposed revisions to jam on the (a) taste and (b) cost of jam.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement is still being negotiated and the final list of legislation in scope remains subject to negotiations. The Government has begun publishing sector specific information to help businesses get ready.

Changes to jam rules may require some businesses to change the composition or labelling of their products. The scale of these impacts on taste and cost will be dependent on the nature of the business, and type of jam products they produce. Hence the proportion of products affected, and the extent of change will vary, and in some cases, businesses may not need to change anything at all.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the answer of 10 April 2026 to Question 122498, what the names and membership are of the delivery-focused forums other than the departmental board.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan, published in July 2025, is delivering our Health Mission. Ministers and officials are involved in a range of meetings to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan. Oversight is maintained by the Departmental Board.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will list the names of the organisations that have (a) had departmental Civil Servants seconded to them since July 2024, and (b) seconded organisational staff to the department.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

DSIT has hosted secondees from and sent secondees to a wide variety of organisations since 2024. As a matter of policy, we do not comment on individual secondment circumstances to ensure GDPR compliance.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026, to Question 4161, on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spend on branded goods and merchandise by his Department since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

The Department’s Communications Directorate has not approved or incurred any expenditure on branded goods and merchandise since April 2025. We have implemented this policy across the wider Department, but do not collate this data centrally.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay (1.0 FTE) in the department work compressed hours over a four day week.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

470 full-time employees are recorded as working compressed hours, representing 12.0% of all full-time employees. However, the department cannot determine from Oracle how many of these employees work their hours over four days rather than another compressed-hours arrangement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate has been made of the cost incurred by accountable persons for time spent by the Building Safety Regulator to determine building assessment certificate applications.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The cost of a Building Assessment Certificate application varies due to the application's complexity and quality. For applications submitted and determined between 1st January 2025 and 31st March 2026, the average cost is £15,561.

The Building Safety Regulator’s recent announcement of a reset in its approach to Building Assessment Certificates will result in a more proportionate and efficient approach, with more support for Principle Accountable Persons (PAPs). These changes are expected to result in lower average costs for PAPs and, ultimately, residents and leaseholders.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the status is of the Certification Officer’s investigation into the Unite trade union and the hotel development.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Certification Officer has appointed an inspector to investigate the financial affairs of Unite the Union. The inspector's work is continuing and upon its conclusion, the Certification Officer will publish the report on the Certification Officer's website.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts, Data for October to December 2025 for all departments, published on 31 March 2026, what the title and description are of the two social value KPIs only labelled as social value.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The table below presents the two Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for which ‘Social Value’ was included in the KPI descriptions within the October–December 2025 KPI Commission period

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Areas of Research interest gov.uk page published by the Government Office for Science, what plans she has to update her Department's area of research interests, last published in February 2024.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is currently undertaking a refresh of its Areas of Research Interest (ARIs). The work is being led by the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser’s Office, and the updated ARIs are expected to be published on GOV.UK by autumn 2026.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps Ofcom is taking to implement the Supreme Court judgment in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

Ofcom is reviewing the Code of Practice on Services, Public Functions and Associations guidance in detail following the commencement order which was made in parliament on 14 July 2025, in order to make the right decisions for Ofcom and its employees. Ofcom continues to take expert external legal advice on this.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release, social media to be banned for under-16s in landmark government move to give kids their childhood back, 15 June 2026, whether the Government’s new Digital ID will be used for age verification.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

Following the Government’s announcement that it will restrict social media access for under-16s, the Secretary of State asked Ofcom to conduct a rapid assessment of what will constitute highly effective age assurance and what is fair and accessible. Ofcom will publish its findings in October.

Government is considering a range of options. Any use of digital identity services would remain voluntary.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2026 to Question 9341 on Ofwat: Equality, for what reason Ofwat was not requested to report EDI spending details prior to that reporting period.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra and its arm’s-length bodies did not begin reporting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) expenditure until 2025/26, after internal processes for collecting and reporting this information had been established. As a result, Defra did not ask Ofwat to report EDI expenditure in 2024/25.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether any Non-Legally Binding Instruments have been signed by her Department and its Arms Length Bodies since July 2024 other than those subject to sensitive diplomatic, security and defence interest provisions.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

There is no consolidated list of the number of Non-Legally Binding Instruments across the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and its arm’s length bodies. We do not routinely publish or collate this information.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many headcount staff in her Department are (a) members of the Government Communication Network and (b) embedded communicators but are not counted as members of the Government Communication Network.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department's communications team comprises 53.7 FTE, all of whom are members of the Government Communication Service. The Department has no embedded communications staff.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission on a timetable for a new permanent appointment for its chief executive.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The timetable for appointing a permanent Chief Executive to the Gambling Commission is a matter for the Gambling Commission’s Board. Any appointment will be subject to the Secretary of State agreeing terms and conditions.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 17 April 2026 to Question 123653 on Gambling Commission: Staff, whether Gambling Commission staff are (a) civil and (b) crown servants.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Gambling Commission staff are neither civil nor crown servants. They are public servants who act on behalf of the Crown to regulate the commercial gambling industry.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161 on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by the Department since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent; and on what items.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) can confirm that it has incurred no expenditure on branded goods and events.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much the National Gallery spend on the citizen's assembly provided by the Sortition Foundation.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The National Gallery report that the total budgeted cost for their Citizens Assembly is expected to be £250,000 over five years from 2025 to 2029. As part of this, the National Gallery contracted the Sortition Foundation to recruit a panel reflective of the UK population.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the National Gallery has planning permission to fly the Progress flag.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Government guidance published by MHCLG sets out that the provision of planning permission related to flag-flying is a matter for the relevant local authority.

As such, the Member should direct this question to Westminster City Council and the National Gallery.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether any Non-Legally Binding Instruments have been signed by her Department and its Arms Length Bodies since July 2024 other than those subject to sensitive diplomatic, security and defence interest provisions.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Department does not hold a single central register of all non-legally binding instruments signed by Defra and its Arm's Length Bodies. Some non-legally binding instruments signed since July 2024 include environmental cooperation memoranda of understanding with China and Indonesia; a fertilisers cooperation memorandum with Brazil; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew memoranda with Chinese scientific and botanical institutions; a Defra-RBG Kew Seeds to Trees memorandum; a UK-China Food Safety, Animal and Plant Quarantine memorandum; and bilateral arrangements reached with Vietnam, Uruguay and Canada under Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in connection with establishing the UK’s independent WTO Goods Schedule.

Memorial plaque for Ann Widdecombe

Found: (Chair) Sarah Bool (Conservative; South Northamptonshire) Juliet Campbell (Labour; Broxtowe) Charlie Dewhirst

Found: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Members present Alistair Carmichael, in the Chair Sarah Bool Charlie Dewhirst