Claire Young
Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate
3,014 (5.6%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 4th July 2024
Division Voting information
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(9 debate interactions)
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(3 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(9 debate contributions)
(9 debate contributions)
(6 debate contributions)
(5 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(1,030 words contributed)
Thornbury and Yate Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 124,355 signatures (0.26%)
of 43,681 signatures (0.24%)
of 145,664 signatures (0.22%)
of 84,670 signatures (0.20%)
of 145,664 signatures (0.22%)
of 124,355 signatures (0.26%)
of 206,863 signatures (0.15%)
of 153,532 signatures (0.17%)
Latest EDMs signed by Claire Young
Afghan women and girls
Tabled by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)That this House deplores the systemic and violent subjugation of women and girls in Afghanistan by the Taliban, including extensive restrictions on speech, education, working, and unaccompanied travel or movement in the public sphere; notes that this is described by the United Nations special rapporteur as amounting to a gender …
(Most recent: 17 Jan 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 22
Independent: 2
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 2
Green Party: 2
Alliance: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
Conservative: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Protecting children from sexual abuse
Tabled by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)That this House believes that no child should ever be subjected to sexual abuse or exploitation; recognises that any perpetrators must face the full force of the law; emphasises that to fully deliver justice for survivors, steps must be taken at all levels of Government to better protect children from …
(Most recent: 15 Jan 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 51
Green Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Labour: 1
Independent: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Claire Young, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Claire Young has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Claire Young has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Claire Young has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Claire Young has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Latest 41 Written Questions
(View all written questions)1 Other Department Questions
We want all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision to receive the support they need. This government will listen to and work with families and the sector to deliver reform, improving inclusivity in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools help those with the most complex needs.
Minister for Women and Equalities
In October 2024, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments jointly commissioned the NESO to produce a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) for Great Britain. This more strategic approach to planning will help accelerate the government’s clean energy superpower mission, including through the development of offshore wind.
This first SSEP will cover infrastructure for power generation, including offshore generation in Great British waters, so that the government can create a more efficient electricity network and reduce waiting times for generation projects to connect to the grid. This will move to a whole energy system plan in future iterations.
The SSEP will sit alongside the existing Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme, as well as wider planning reform, whilst respecting devolved competencies.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our recently announced Clean Industry Bonus will help to drive investment in our heartland and coastal communities, and in cleaner supply chains – creating economic opportunities in the supply chains of the future. We have also set up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs, which will work closely with businesses and unions to map skills needs and ensure we have the workforce needed to take advantage of the clean energy transition.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has set an ambitious target of clean power by 2030 as part of its mission to become a clean energy superpower. We have received advice from the NESO on how to achieve this target. We will review this advice and outline our approach to clean power by 2030 in our Action Plan, expected later this year. The role of different low carbon technologies in the future electricity system, including biomass, will be considered as part of that.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is fully committed to protecting nature. That’s why as part of the SSEP we are requiring NESO to give due consideration to environmental impacts and statutory environmental duties throughout all stages of its production. The SSEP will also be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and plan-level Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA).
Wider energy planning frameworks such as the Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) will take a whole energy system approach to strategic network planning and balance environmental impact as a key priority alongside economic cost, deliverability, and community impact.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy will be operationally independent and will deliver in line with a statement of strategic priorities. Its projects will be subject to all relevant environmental legislation, which the Secretary of State regularly engages cabinet colleagues on. This includes the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which aims to accelerate infrastructure delivery, while protecting nature, to achieve clean power by 2030.
Government wants improved outcomes for our environment. We are committed to protecting 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030, halting biodiversity decline by 2030, and expanding nature-rich habitats such as wetlands, peat bogs, and forests.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
11 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Claire Young's Defra questions)Over the last five years highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed at seven premises (five in England, one in Scotland and one in Wales) where commercial gamebirds have been kept, out of a total of 411 premises were HPAI has been confirmed in poultry or other captive birds. Under avian influenza rules gamebird covers any pheasant, partridge, ptarmigan, grouse or moor game, black (or heath) game and ducks bred for shooting.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) holds records of how many poultry or other captive birds including kept gamebirds are culled for disease control purposes by Government. In addition, the outcome of veterinary investigations conducted by APHA at all sites where HPAI has been confirmed in kept birds including any cases in kept gamebirds are published on gov.uk in APHA’s outbreak epidemiology reports. These reports include information on the number and type of birds present at infected premises.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The current research my Department is conducting on the impacts of gamebird release does not include looking at impacts of mallard releases.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Wild waterbirds of the orders Anseriformes (for example, ducks, geese, and swans) and Charadriiformes (for example, gulls, terns, and waders) are considered the natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses. Their migratory patterns and interactions with kept birds form the backbone of most established avian influenza transmission networks worldwide enabling the virus to spread across international boundaries. This includes the UK despite robust controls preventing the movement of potentially infected poultry and poultry products from infected areas.
International collaboration and knowledge exchange on global dynamics of avian influenza are facilitated through discussions between the UK Chief Veterinary Officer and representatives from Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) avian influenza national and international reference laboratories, and their global counterparts through the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Quadripartite Organisations and allied projects. This includes working through the joint WOAH-FOA Scientific Network on animal influenza OFFLU. In addition, international collaboration is ongoing through specific research projects, such as KAPPA-FLU project which is focusing on understanding the connectivity and dynamics of avian influenza.
Information and guidance for bird keepers and members of the public are published and available via gov.uk/birdflu and the international research network FluGlobalNet platform founded by APHA which facilitates information and science exchange on animal influenzas.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over the last five years highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed at seven premises (five in England, one in Scotland and one in Wales) where commercial gamebirds have been kept, out of a total of 411 premises were HPAI has been confirmed in poultry or other captive birds. Under avian influenza rules gamebird covers any pheasant, partridge, ptarmigan, grouse or moor game, black (or heath) game and ducks bred for shooting.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) holds records of how many poultry or other captive birds including kept gamebirds are culled for disease control purposes by Government. In addition, the outcome of veterinary investigations conducted by APHA at all sites where HPAI has been confirmed in kept birds including any cases in kept gamebirds are published on gov.uk in APHA’s outbreak epidemiology reports. These reports include information on the number and type of birds present at infected premises.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
My Department holds information on the release of Pheasants and Red-legged partridges on and within a 500m buffer of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in England for the last four years for SACs and two years for SPAs.
In addition, the outcome of veterinary investigations conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) at all sites where highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in poultry or other captive birds including any cases in kept gamebirds are published on gov.uk in APHA’s outbreak epidemiology reports. These reports include information on potential pathways to infection at the infected premises.
Once gamebirds have been released, they are classed as wild birds for avian influenza rules. Reports of mortality in release gamebirds are investigated through APHA’s wild bird surveillance programme. Details of findings of HPAI in wild birds are published on gov.uk and are available to view and interrogate via APHA’s interactive wild bird surveillance map and dashboard.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of England’s peatlands, and in our manifesto, we committed to expanding nature-rich habitats such as peatlands. Our peatland restoration targets will support the Government’s mission to make Britain a clean-energy superpower and accelerate towards net zero.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We know that experiencing a TB incident (or breakdown) in a cattle herd can be particularly stressful. To help cattle keepers in this situation, comprehensive guidance on how TB breakdowns are monitored and dealt with can be found on the TB Hub website: (https://tbhub.co.uk/advice-during-a-tb-breakdown/).
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) follow well-established protocols in all herds affected by a TB breakdown, working closely with the affected herd keeper to contain and eradicate the infection, enabling the herd to regain its Officially TB Free (OTF) status. Several steps are taken, including:
- Immediate application of herd movement restrictions. Only limited and controlled movements of TB-restricted cattle are permitted. Cattle from TB-restricted holdings can only move to slaughter and certain other limited destinations under a licence issued by APHA.
- All animals over 42 days old in the affected herd are tested at 60-day intervals (often using a more severe interpretation of the tuberculin skin test), until two consecutive test results are achieved.
- Supplementary interferon-gamma blood testing is used alongside the skin test in some TB breakdown herds.
- All TB test reactors (and, in some cases, non-reactor animals in direct contact with known infected cattle) are rapidly removed to designated slaughterhouses, triggering statutory compensation payments to the keeper. Alternatively, keepers can opt for private slaughter of their TB reactors if they prefer.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the impact that movement controls can have on animal keepers and other affected businesses and seeks to minimise burdens as far as practically possible, while maintaining the integrity of measures to mitigate risk of spread. To that end, movements from restricted zones to designated slaughterhouses are permitted under a general licence, and keepers can apply to move animals to live outside restricted zones under individual licences if pre/post movement tests indicate these moves are safe.
The situation, including the need for and size of movement controls, remains under continuous review.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since August 2023, cattle brought into herds in the annual testing part of the Edge Area from higher-risk areas in England (and from Wales) have been subject to post-movement TB testing. This measure has strengthened the mandatory TB post-movement testing regime for cattle in England, originally introduced in April 2016 for animals joining herds in the Low Risk Area (LRA) of England from other parts of England or Wales.
Between September 2020 and July 2021, the default frequency of mandatory TB surveillance testing throughout the High Risk Area (HRA) of England was increased from annual to every six-months, with some exceptions for lower-risk cattle herds (whose owners would have the option to remain on annual TB testing). In March 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) introduced two relatively minor changes to the process used to identify herds in the HRA that are eligible for annual TB testing:
- the regular review of the eligibility lists switched from six-monthly to quarterly.
- keepers of herds newly qualifying for annual testing were given the opportunity to delay their next scheduled TB tests as long as the window for completion of the next routine herd test had not started.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise the serious impacts that bovine TB (bTB) breakdowns can have on the affected farm businesses and on local rural communities. In addition to statutory payments to compensate farmers for the loss of any animals removed for TB control reasons, Defra provides support and help to affected livestock keepers (and their families) in different ways:
The Defra-funded TB Advisory Service (TBAS) (https://www.tbas.org.uk/) offers free, bespoke, practical and cost-effective advice to all livestock keepers in England. This can be provided by way of farm visits by qualified specialists, over-the phone advice and badger sett surveys to help reduce the risks associated with TB.
Grant funding for the Farming Community Network (FCN), which provides an on-demand support service for those impacted by a TB breakdown, with specially trained volunteers providing business as well as emotional and pastoral support.
ibTB (https://www.ibtb.co.uk/) is a free-to-access, online interactive mapping tool set up to help cattle farmers and their vets to understand the level of bTB in their area and to manage the risks when purchasing cattle. IbTB is updated on a regular basis to enhance its functionality and the quality of information it offers to users.
The TB Hub (https://tbhub.co.uk/) is a joint industry-government initiative, also provides cattle farmers with practical advice and information on dealing with bTB on their farm, covering everything from biosecurity measures to TB testing.
The Five Point Plan (https://tbhub.co.uk/preventing-tb-breakdowns/protect-your-herd-from-bovine-tb/), developed in partnership by industry and Defra, provides clear and practical guidance on good practice for bTB biosecurity.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The government knows that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs to the communities who rely on them, including in rural areas. We plan to empower local transport authorities through reforming bus funding and introducing local network safeguards, giving local transport authorities enhanced accountability over bus operators.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Customers who are new to gainful self-employment are eligible for a 12-month 'start-up period’, during which the Minimum Income Floor does not apply. This means that if a customer experiences a drop in their earnings, their Universal Credit award will increase. This gives customers the opportunity to adjust to the characteristics of the sector in which they work, such as seasonal or fluctuating earnings patterns.
Where a customer reports a loss from their self-employment, the value of the loss is considered when assessing earnings in future assessment periods. If the sum of any unused losses exceeds the amount of earnings in the subsequent monthly assessment period, the remaining value of the loss is carried forward to be offset against future earnings, until the loss is used up or the customer ceases self-employment. This may result in a customer receiving a higher Universal Credit award in the future.
Work Coaches can signpost customers in the start-up period to national and local support where available, such as business advice, mentoring or training. This may also include connecting self-employed customers with other government support including:
- The Start Up Loans scheme, run by the British Business Bank
- The Business Support Helpline
Local Growth Hubs in England, Business Wales and Find Business Support and Business Gateway in Scotland, which offer support, advice and guidance to new and existing businesses.
If a self-employed customer has earnings below £2,600 (or £3,600 if in a couple) in the six months prior to an application, they may be eligible for a budgeting advance to help finance intermittent/ unforeseen expenses or expenses. This ensures low-income families that have an emergency financial need and do not have access to adequate savings or affordable loans can access funding to meet the emergency.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No assessment has been made.
The level of the MIF is equivalent to what a person in employed work in similar circumstances to the customer could expect to earn at living or minimum wage for their age. The MIF is therefore tailored to a customer’s individual circumstances; where a person has limitations on the hours they can reasonably be expected to work, for example because they have a health condition or caring responsibilities, the level of their MIF can be reduced.
Short-term health conditions experienced by a customer, such as colds, flu, strains, and sprains, are regarded as part of the normal pattern of self-employment. Therefore, customers must plan for these periods as part of their ordinary business cycle.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It has been a long-standing policy of successive governments to encourage people to save for their retirement. Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit and takes occupational and personal pensions into account when the customer receives that income under the scheme rules.
Where someone reaches the age where Pension Credit is payable, the pension may be treated as available under the long-standing notional income rules. This means that a notional income is taken into account which has the effect of reducing the award of Universal Credit.
Means-tested benefits are paid for out of general taxation, and it is only right that a customer avails themselves of their own financial resources before relying on benefits. These rules provide a fair balance between the needs of the customer and the taxpayer who pays for the cost of means-tested benefits.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
NHS England has recently refreshed the RightCare Dementia Scenario. This sets out best practice for supporting people with dementia. NHS England has also funded an evidence-based improvement project to fund two trusts in each region, 14 sites in total, to pilot the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate tool to improve the diagnosis of dementia and the provision of support in care homes. All pilots completed at the end of May 2024, and it is anticipated that learning will be shared in early 2025. The Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis, and prevention, to treatment, and care and support, including for carers.
The Government is committed to ensuring that both the person with dementia and their family have the support that they need. In April 2025, the Government will increase the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This represents the largest increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976. It means carers can earn up to £10,000 a year whilst still retaining Carer's Allowance, which is approximately an additional £2,000 a year.
On 28 November 2024, the Government also announced that the Accelerating Reform Fund's (ARF) second tranche of funding worth £22.6 million will shortly be released for 2024/25. More than half of the ARF projects, and at least one in each integrated care system area, are focussed on identifying, recognising, and supporting unpaid carers.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In terms of the Department’s policy on rechargeable hearing aids on the National Health Service, audiology services are locally commissioned and as such the responsibility for meeting the needs of non-hearing adults lies with local NHS commissioners. In July 2016, NHS England published a framework which supports clinical commissioning groups and assists integrated care boards (ICBs) to make informed decisions about what is good value for the populations they serve, and to provide more consistent, high quality, integrated care. The Framework for Clinical Commissioning Groups is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/HLCF.pdf
NHS England supports ICBs to make informed decisions about the provision of hearing services so that they can provide consistent, high quality, and integrated care to adults with hearing loss.
ICBs commission services to provide hearing aids, and service specification indicates that the NHS will provide up to two packets of hearing aid batteries per hearing aid at a time. If an individual has to have an NHS hearing aid, they can get free batteries and repairs from the NHS hearing aid service who fitted the hearing aids. Both rechargeable and battery powered devices are available on the NHS Supply Chain Framework Agreement, as are the batteries, and over the last 12 months, approximately £4.63 million was spent on batteries by trusts via NHS Supply Chain Framework Agreements, although this may not include all spend by the NHS.
Regarding an assessment of the potential risk to vulnerable people of the accidental ingestion of hearing aid batteries, all users of hearing aids should be provided with the manufacturer’s user guide and appropriate guidance on hearing aid and batteries management. Guidance on hearing aid and battery management based on the national safety alert is available at the following link:
There is a known risk to paediatric and vulnerable patients of accidentally ingesting hearing aid batteries, but in the case of paediatric patients, there has to be a tamperproof battery door on the device to meet the product specification. These devices are physically evaluated by a team of audiologists, ahead of being available through the framework agreement. There are also adult devices that have this same provision, so again this mitigates the risk.
Any button and coin batteries can pose a severe health risk, particularly to children, if inserted, swallowed, or ingested. All consumer products must be safe before they can be placed on the market, and the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published guidance for businesses on the steps to take to mitigate potential battery-related risks in products that incorporate or are powered by button and coin batteries. The guidance for businesses on the use of button and coin batteries, published by the OPSS, is available at the following link:
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In terms of the Department’s policy on rechargeable hearing aids on the National Health Service, audiology services are locally commissioned and as such the responsibility for meeting the needs of non-hearing adults lies with local NHS commissioners. In July 2016, NHS England published a framework which supports clinical commissioning groups and assists integrated care boards (ICBs) to make informed decisions about what is good value for the populations they serve, and to provide more consistent, high quality, integrated care. The Framework for Clinical Commissioning Groups is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/HLCF.pdf
NHS England supports ICBs to make informed decisions about the provision of hearing services so that they can provide consistent, high quality, and integrated care to adults with hearing loss.
ICBs commission services to provide hearing aids, and service specification indicates that the NHS will provide up to two packets of hearing aid batteries per hearing aid at a time. If an individual has to have an NHS hearing aid, they can get free batteries and repairs from the NHS hearing aid service who fitted the hearing aids. Both rechargeable and battery powered devices are available on the NHS Supply Chain Framework Agreement, as are the batteries, and over the last 12 months, approximately £4.63 million was spent on batteries by trusts via NHS Supply Chain Framework Agreements, although this may not include all spend by the NHS.
Regarding an assessment of the potential risk to vulnerable people of the accidental ingestion of hearing aid batteries, all users of hearing aids should be provided with the manufacturer’s user guide and appropriate guidance on hearing aid and batteries management. Guidance on hearing aid and battery management based on the national safety alert is available at the following link:
There is a known risk to paediatric and vulnerable patients of accidentally ingesting hearing aid batteries, but in the case of paediatric patients, there has to be a tamperproof battery door on the device to meet the product specification. These devices are physically evaluated by a team of audiologists, ahead of being available through the framework agreement. There are also adult devices that have this same provision, so again this mitigates the risk.
Any button and coin batteries can pose a severe health risk, particularly to children, if inserted, swallowed, or ingested. All consumer products must be safe before they can be placed on the market, and the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published guidance for businesses on the steps to take to mitigate potential battery-related risks in products that incorporate or are powered by button and coin batteries. The guidance for businesses on the use of button and coin batteries, published by the OPSS, is available at the following link:
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In terms of the Department’s policy on rechargeable hearing aids on the National Health Service, audiology services are locally commissioned and as such the responsibility for meeting the needs of non-hearing adults lies with local NHS commissioners. In July 2016, NHS England published a framework which supports clinical commissioning groups and assists integrated care boards (ICBs) to make informed decisions about what is good value for the populations they serve, and to provide more consistent, high quality, integrated care. The Framework for Clinical Commissioning Groups is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/HLCF.pdf
NHS England supports ICBs to make informed decisions about the provision of hearing services so that they can provide consistent, high quality, and integrated care to adults with hearing loss.
ICBs commission services to provide hearing aids, and service specification indicates that the NHS will provide up to two packets of hearing aid batteries per hearing aid at a time. If an individual has to have an NHS hearing aid, they can get free batteries and repairs from the NHS hearing aid service who fitted the hearing aids. Both rechargeable and battery powered devices are available on the NHS Supply Chain Framework Agreement, as are the batteries, and over the last 12 months, approximately £4.63 million was spent on batteries by trusts via NHS Supply Chain Framework Agreements, although this may not include all spend by the NHS.
Regarding an assessment of the potential risk to vulnerable people of the accidental ingestion of hearing aid batteries, all users of hearing aids should be provided with the manufacturer’s user guide and appropriate guidance on hearing aid and batteries management. Guidance on hearing aid and battery management based on the national safety alert is available at the following link:
There is a known risk to paediatric and vulnerable patients of accidentally ingesting hearing aid batteries, but in the case of paediatric patients, there has to be a tamperproof battery door on the device to meet the product specification. These devices are physically evaluated by a team of audiologists, ahead of being available through the framework agreement. There are also adult devices that have this same provision, so again this mitigates the risk.
Any button and coin batteries can pose a severe health risk, particularly to children, if inserted, swallowed, or ingested. All consumer products must be safe before they can be placed on the market, and the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published guidance for businesses on the steps to take to mitigate potential battery-related risks in products that incorporate or are powered by button and coin batteries. The guidance for businesses on the use of button and coin batteries, published by the OPSS, is available at the following link:
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department and the National Health Service continue to support the work of air ambulance charities, including through the NHS ambulance trusts’ provision of key clinical staff and medical equipment, which supports the operation of air ambulances.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK is committed to working with partners bilaterally, and at the UN, to end arbitrary detention, advocate for those who have been arbitrarily detained, and demand accountability. The UK is a vocal supporter of the Canadian initiative against the use of arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations. Minister Falconer recently met the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs to discuss this issue. Through the Rule of Law Expertise (ROLE UK) programme the FCDO is working in partnership with stakeholders across the legal, judicial and development sectors to promote and strengthen the rule of law around the world.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
For the purposes of defining support for Employer NICs costs, the Government has used the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary. This is the usual approach for classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt, as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
For the purposes of defining support for Employer NICs costs, the Government has used the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary. This is the usual approach for classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt, as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Digital Forensics Programme (DFP) scopes, develops and delivers innovative solutions to ensure policing can use high quality technology to tackle the rising volumes of digital forensics work, including forensic examinations of mobile phones, more efficiently.
We have allocated up to £13m to forensics in 2024/25 to help forces access, develop, and deliver more integrated, sustainable and efficient forensic services, improve various aspects of the investigatory process, speed up the time it takes the police to analyse data, including data from mobile phones, and enhance the victim experience.
The Government intends to consult on a new National Centre of Policing to bring together crucial support services, including forensics, that local police forces can draw upon, to raise standards, and improve efficiency.
Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring there are consistent, high standards for entry into the police and that police training is of the highest quality. Maintaining professional standards in policing is key to ensuring the workforce is equipped to respond to the crime challenges they face daily as well as improving public trust and confidence.
The College of Policing regularly reviews the national policing curriculum for new recruits, to ensure that it is delivering for both policing and for recruits. This applies to all entry routes including the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship.
The College is currently working with the policing sector and other partners to ensure that all police constable entry routes are as effective as they can be, to improve the experience of forces and participants and to enable streamlined, practical training with reduced cost to forces.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office recognises the significant delays in the courts system and the impact that this has on victims. The Home Office works closely with the Ministry of Justice and other criminal justice partners to deliver improvements and build a criminal justice system the public can have confidence in.
The Ministry of Justice has overall responsibility for the courts, but we will continue to work collaboratively to support the Ministry of Justice in ensuring that justice can be delivered in a timely manner for all involved.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The government will consider police funding, including the allocation of funding to forces including, in the round as part of phase 2 of the Spending Review.
Minister of State (Home Office)
3 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Questions
(View all Claire Young's MHCLG questions)The Government has made £15 million available to the places most severely affected by disorder through the Community Recovery Fund to support the immediate recovery. Officials from my department have also carried out an extensive engagement process with these places to understand the underlying causes of the unrest.
The disorder that affected communities across the UK following the Southport tragedy this summer has made clear that a new approach to community cohesion is urgently needed. This is a priority for the Government and I have stood up a cross-government Communities & Recovery Steering Group to oversee this work.
We are listening to communities across the country to understand the challenges they face and this will inform how this government works to empower communities and build greater cohesion.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government made clear in its manifesto that it intended to review the increased right to buy discounts introduced in 2012 and reiterated this in a Written Ministerial Statement on 30 July. The Right to Buy discounts review was published alongside the Budget on 30 October, and we announced that discounts would reduce to between £16,000 and £38,000 (varying by region).
We have taken a number of steps to communicate this announcement to social landlords and tenants. We wrote to both councils and registered providers through the National Housing Federation. We ensured the government’s helpline, the Right to Buy Agent Service, immediately had the new information. We also updated all relevant online materials, including the Right to Buy summary booklet, and the guidance documents that we provide for both tenants and landlords.
All the documents explained that the changes would come into force on 21 November, whilst making it clear that applications received by social landlords from eligible tenants before 21 November 2024 would be eligible for the previous maximum cash discounts. We also released press notices highlighting the discount changes and the timeframe for their implementation.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government recognises the pressures on councils delivering social care services. Including the £600 million of new grant funding announced at the Autumn Budget, the Government is providing over £10 billion in 2025-26 Settlement funding for social care through the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund (MSIF), the Better Care Fund (including discharge funding), Social Care Grant, Children’s Social Care Prevention Grant and Children and Families Grant.
This funding, alongside income from unringfenced sources including council tax, can be used to address the range of pressures facing the social care sector. We provided more information on funding for local government in the Policy Statement published on 28 November, and further details will be included in the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Prisoners serving non-violent custodial sentences currently can access community service work through Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) during the custodial element of their sentence. Prisoners are eligible to be considered for ROTL once they have served at least half of the custodial element of their sentence, provided they are within two years of release, or once they transfer to an open prison.
ROTL is an important rehabilitation tool which allows prisoners to participate in activities in the community which have been identified as serving a particular purpose in meeting their individual resettlement objectives. Suitable, risk assessed prisoners may be allowed out during the day to, for example: work, attend college, attend an interview or maintain/re-establish links with their family. This helps them develop responsibility and gain valuable skills so that they can turn their lives around upon leaving prison.
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Ministry of Justice has a comprehensive whistleblowing policy which all staff can access via the intranet. The policy sets out the protections and support available to a whistleblower. Protections include protection under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) and the assurance that the Department will take disciplinary action if a whistleblower is subject to detrimental treatment as a result of having raised a concern.
Sources of support include Nominated Officers, who can advise on how to raise a concern, and specialist teams including Counter Corruption, the HM Prison and Probation Service Tackling Unacceptable Behaviours Unit, and the Department’s employee assistance provider.
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Staff must be able to expect a safe and decent work environment. We will not tolerate any violence against prison officers and prisoners who are violent towards staff will face the full consequences of their actions.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 doubled the maximum penalty to up to two years’ imprisonment for those who assault emergency workers, including prison officers. There are higher maximum penalties in place for more serious offences, including ABH, GBH and sexual assault.
We are providing targeted support to adult male prisons with the highest assault rates to tackle local drivers of violence.
We are continuing with plans for a phased removal of wet-shave razors in up to 30 prisons in the adult male estate in 2024/25.
To protect staff from serious assaults, prison officers in the adult male estate are provided with PAVA, a synthetic pepper spray. Every prison officer across public sector prisons can wear a Body Worn Video Camera whilst on shift, providing high-quality evidence to support prosecutions against those who commit assaults against staff.
We are implementing measures to ease prison crowding as we know that crowded conditions can increase violent incidents in prisons.
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury