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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support mental health services in journalism.

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

Ministers and officials regularly meet stakeholders to discuss a range of issues which affect media organisations and journalists. Officials in my department would be pleased to meet with Media Strong.

The Government is not currently taking specific steps to support mental health services in journalism. However, we are taking steps to strengthen our national, regional and local press, which includes action aimed at supporting journalists.

I also chair the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, together with the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls. It brings together representatives from government, journalism, policing, prosecution services and civil society to make sure that journalists in the UK are able to operate free from threats and violence. Its National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists sets out how the safety of journalists in the UK can be protected.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if will meet with Media Strong.

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

Ministers and officials regularly meet stakeholders to discuss a range of issues which affect media organisations and journalists. Officials in my department would be pleased to meet with Media Strong.

The Government is not currently taking specific steps to support mental health services in journalism. However, we are taking steps to strengthen our national, regional and local press, which includes action aimed at supporting journalists.

I also chair the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, together with the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls. It brings together representatives from government, journalism, policing, prosecution services and civil society to make sure that journalists in the UK are able to operate free from threats and violence. Its National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists sets out how the safety of journalists in the UK can be protected.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to ensure that funding derived from Extended Producer Responsibility fees will be ringfenced to support local authorities to improve their recycling provision.

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

We have instructed PackUK to exercise its existing powers within the pEPR regulations to ensure local authorities in England only receive pEPR funds that are spent on household packaging, waste management, and recycling. When local authority payments are confirmed in July, PackUK will write directly to all English local authority chief executives setting this out. If a local authority does not spend the funds as specified, PackUK will use its regulatory powers to deduct funds accordingly for the following year’s payment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to take to ensure that local authorities use funding from the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme to improve recycling provision.

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

We have instructed PackUK to exercise its existing powers within the pEPR regulations to ensure local authorities in England only receive pEPR funds that are spent on household packaging, waste management, and recycling. When local authority payments are confirmed in July, PackUK will write directly to all English local authority chief executives setting this out. If a local authority does not spend the funds as specified, PackUK will use its regulatory powers to deduct funds accordingly for the following year’s payment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing the set-up costs for the Deposit Return Scheme.

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

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England is industry-led, funded by producers and delivered by producers and retailers collectively through the Deposit Management Organisation. Most international schemes follow this model.

The appointment of UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd (UK DMO) was made by the UK Government in May 2025 as the operator of the Deposit Return Scheme in England.

DRS costs are the responsibility of UK DMO.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Israeli government on the prevention of aid entering Gaza from the sea.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government of Israel has halted the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza for over four months. We have repeatedly called on the Government of Israel to abide by its obligations under International Humanitarian Law to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza.

We are clear, the only way to meet the desperate needs of the Gazan people at the speed and scale is via full use of overland routes. The Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his recent calls with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Ofcom’s proposals to remove the prohibitions on (a) matching rights and (b) bundling.

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

As we set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government wants a healthy and mixed TV ecology. This includes public service broadcasters providing an engine room of creativity whilst our independent production sector continues to create more intellectual property and British content that can be exported globally.

Ofcom, as the independent media regulator, is responsible for the guidance to public service broadcasters on commissioning codes of practice and has consulted on their proposals and will be carefully considering all of the responses they have received.

Proposal for a wealth tax

Contribution of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers

Repair Cafés

UK-based medical charities in Palestine

Funding for training of professional journalists

Parliamentary approval for UK military action against Iran

Found: meeting Members present: Tonia Antoniazzi (Chair); Dan Aldridge; Chris Bloore; Sorcha Eastwood; Claire Hanna

Found: Ms Diane Abbott Adrian Ramsay Rebecca Long Bailey Kate Osborne Carla Denyer Emma Lewell Claire Hanna

Found: Ms Diane Abbott Adrian Ramsay Rebecca Long Bailey Kate Osborne Carla Denyer Emma Lewell Claire Hanna

Found: Ms Diane Abbott Adrian Ramsay Rebecca Long Bailey Kate Osborne Carla Denyer Emma Lewell Claire Hanna

Found: Ms Diane Abbott Adrian Ramsay Rebecca Long Bailey Kate Osborne Carla Denyer Emma Lewell Claire Hanna

Found: Ms Diane Abbott Adrian Ramsay Rebecca Long Bailey Kate Osborne Carla Denyer Emma Lewell Claire Hanna

Found: Ms Diane Abbott Adrian Ramsay Rebecca Long Bailey Kate Osborne Carla Denyer Emma Lewell Claire Hanna

Found: Cameron Thomas Zöe Franklin Edward Morello Rachel Gilmour Steve Witherden Sarah Russell Claire Hanna

Submit Evidence (by 19 Sep 2025)

Kickstarting economic growth is the number one mission for this Government’s term in office. In this inquiry, the committee will examine plans to deliver economic growth in Northern Ireland, including the recent UK Industrial Strategy, with a particular reference to emerging sectors or ‘industries of the future’. Read our call for evidence here  for more detail about the inquiry and how to contribute your views.