Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
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).
These initiatives were driven by Dawn Butler, 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.
Dawn Butler has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
A Bill to require the Leader of the House of Commons to move a Motion asserting the equal right of all Members of the House of Commons to participate in proceedings and establishing mechanisms for MPs unable to attend Westminster to vote remotely and to participate remotely in proceedings, including debates and general committees.
A Bill to make provision in connection with coronavirus; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to require the Leader of the House of Commons to move a Motion asserting the equal right of all Members of the House of Commons to participate in proceedings and establishing mechanisms for MPs unable to attend Westminster to vote remotely and to participate remotely in proceedings, including debates and general committees.
Clean Air Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Geraint Davies (Ind)
Bullying and respect at work Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Rachael Maskell (LAB)
Flexible Working Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Tulip Siddiq (Lab)
Housing and Homelessness (Local Accommodation Duty) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Karen Buck (Lab)
Football (Regulation) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Helen Grant (Con)
Business Standards Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - John McDonnell (Lab)
As our world-leading creative sectors continue to grow and recover from the pandemic, the Government understands the importance of ensuring that the creative industries and the arts have the skills they need, both now and in the future. The DCMS-led Creative Industries Sector Vision, due to be published soon, will set out our long-term strategic vision for the sector to 2030. Focused on promoting growth, this vision will include consideration of the opportunities and challenges regarding the skills, workforce and talent pipeline for the sector.
The Schools White Paper (2022) also set out that the Department for Education would publish a Cultural Education Plan, working with DCMS and our arms-length bodies, in 2023. The Plan aims to articulate and highlight the importance of high-quality cultural education in schools; promote the social value of cultural and creative education; outline and support career progression pathways; address skills gaps; and tackle disparities in opportunity and outcome. The crossbench peer, Baroness Bull, has been appointed to chair the independent advisory panel helping to inform the plan.
The Government continues to support initiatives to boost training and employment opportunities in the arts and creative sectors. For example, DCMS supports the industry-led Creative Careers Programme, which between 2018 and 2020 showcased creative career pathways to over 115,000 pupils at over 1,500 schools across England. The programme, relaunched in 2022 with £950,000 of Government funding, will specifically target young people from under-represented backgrounds. It will do so in 77 priority areas across England, selected using data from the Government’s education and careers opportunity areas, and Levelling Up for Culture priority places.
Officials in the Equality Hub are in discussion with international policy counterparts, to fully understand the detail and impact of other jurisdictions’ measures and to inform the Government’s next steps. However, we must ensure a ban on conversion therapy works here and that is why we have committed to launching a consultation in September. We want to hear from a wide range of voices on how best to protect people from conversion therapy while ensuring the medical profession can continue to work in line with best practice, defending freedom of speech, and upholding religious freedom. This will be vital for ensuring the action we take is informed, effective and proportionate.
This Government is committed to supporting all LGBT people, tackling discrimination and improving the lives of all citizens.
We have been clear in the response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation in September 2020 that there are no plans to make changes to the 2004 Act.
Following a considerable amount of consultation with the public, the Government decided that the current provisions within the GRA allow for those that wish to legally change their sex to do so safely and fairly. The consultation did not bring forward any proposals to extend the GRA to provide legal recognition to a third, or non-binary, gender.
As set out in the Queen’s Speech earlier this month, we will bring forward legislation to ban conversion therapy. We will also launch a consultation before details of the ban are finalised to hear from a wide range of voices on how best to protect people from conversion therapy while protecting the medical profession, defending freedom of speech, and upholding religious freedom. We are considering all options for the scope of a ban and will be engaging the appropriate stakeholders, including organisations who support survivors of conversion therapy, to gather views. We have also already met with conversion therapy survivors, to hear about their experiences.
We have also undertaken research to understand practices, experiences and impacts associated with conversion therapy and will publish this in due course. Officials are also in discussion with international policy counterparts, to fully understand the detail and impact of other jurisdictions’ measures, in order to inform the UK’s next steps.
The Government is focused on delivering justice for victims of domestic abuse including through providing training resources to new prosecutors. Since November 2019, when figures became available, 568 prosecutors have attended instructor-led domestic abuse training as part of their induction programme to the CPS. Additionally, between 2017 and March 2022 online self-guided domestic abuse training courses were accessed on 6,184 occasions.
To support prosecutors outside of training, the CPS publishes Legal Guidance on Domestic Abuse which can be accessed at any time (https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/domestic-abuse).
Further details on the producers and/or suppliers associated with the official portrait will be confirmed in due course in coordination with the Royal Household.
Those public authorities who are eligible will be offered the opportunity to request one free framed portrait once the scheme is opened later this year, following the taking and release of the official photographic portraits of His Majesty The King.
The Government considers it is right that public authorities as part of the fabric of our nation, have the opportunity to commemorate this moment and reflect the new era in our history.
On 1 April we announced that public authorities throughout the United Kingdom will, in due course, be able to apply for a free portrait of His Majesty The King as part of a scheme to celebrate the new reign. The Government considers it is right that public authorities as part of the fabric of our nation, have the opportunity to commemorate this moment and reflect the new era in our history.
The scheme will be opened later this year following the taking and release of the official photographic portraits of His Majesty by the Royal Household. Further details on the official portrait will be confirmed in due course in coordination with the Royal Household.
The UK Civil Service People Survey 2022 did not ask trans individuals to provide details of their gender recognition certificate, and so those details are not recorded and nobody has access to them.
The UK Civil Service People Survey 2022 did not ask trans individuals to provide details of their gender recognition certificate, and so those details are not recorded and nobody has access to them.
The Ventilator Challenge has manufactured safe, easy-to-use and effective devices to meet the UK’s need for mechanical ventilators to fight COVID-19. The Challenge is a key part of the UK’s overall strategy to rapidly increase the number of mechanical ventilators for the NHS. This includes buying more ventilators from abroad, stepping up UK production and calling on the best of British manufacturing to build new devices. We have exceeded our target of building up ventilator stocks to 18,000 and everyone who has needed a ventilator has been able to access one.
Dyson were the manufacturing partner for The Technology Partnership (TTP), a specialist medical consultancy, who were funded to develop a new ventilator design. As we announced on 8 May, the Government ceased support for the product. No monies have been paid to Dyson.
I refer the Hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2020, which outlines the plans for a new cross-government Commission to review inequality in the UK. This Commission has superseded the proposals from the last Administration to create an Office for Tackling Injustice.
I refer the Hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2020, which outlines the plans for a new cross-government Commission to review inequality in the UK. This Commission has superseded the proposals from the last Administration to create an Office for Tackling Injustice.
I refer the Hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2020, which outlines the plans for a new cross-government Commission to review inequality in the UK. This Commission has superseded the proposals from the last Administration to create an Office for Tackling Injustice.
I refer the Hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2020, which outlines the plans for a new cross-government Commission to review inequality in the UK. This Commission has superseded the proposals from the last Administration to create an Office for Tackling Injustice.
I refer the Hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2020, which outlines the plans for a new cross-government Commission to review inequality in the UK. This Commission has superseded the proposals from the last Administration to create an Office for Tackling Injustice.
I refer the Hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2020, which outlines the plans for a new cross-government Commission to review inequality in the UK. This Commission has superseded the proposals from the last Administration to create an Office for Tackling Injustice.
I refer the Hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2020, which outlines the plans for a new cross-government Commission to review inequality in the UK. This Commission has superseded the proposals from the last Administration to create an Office for Tackling Injustice.
These networks are led by civil servants on a voluntary basis, and the network leaders themselves felt that maintaining separate networks was important.
Further to the answer given to PQ 1870 on 7 April 2020, announcements will be made in the usual way.
Further to the answer given to PQ 1870 on 7 April 2020, announcements will be made in the usual way.
Further to the answer given to PQ 1870 on 7 April 2020, announcements will be made in the usual way.
Our message to the British public is clear: stay at home, in order to protect the NHS and save lives. The position remains, as outlined on gov.uk, that everyone who can work from home should do so.
Where that is not possible, people should go into work where it is safe and they are not symptomatic, isolating or shielding. Relevant guidance including from Public Health England should be followed.
In terms of the provision of education for certain workers, it is already the case that cleaners working in, for example, hospitals and social care could be eligible as long as "their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service". This is set out here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision.
The Government has placed restrictions on the operations of certain businesses as part of the strategy to ensure people stay at home and away from others. Separate guidance has been published on this and is also available on gov.uk. Scientific evidence supporting the government’s response is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response.
It is a long established precedent that detailed information about internal discussions are not shared publicly.
The Civil Service is committed to being an LGBT+ inclusive employer. Information about the composition of the Civil Service workforce, including representation by sexual orientation, is published on gov.uk. Results of the annual Civil Service People Survey, including a breakdown by sexual orientation, are also published.
The Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy (2017) committed to increasing the number of civil servants who record their sexual orientation data on HR systems. Reporting rates are steadily increasing, and have risen to 57% in 2019. In addition, the Civil Service People Survey has since 2018 included questions to allow analysis of the experiences of transgender civil servants.
The Civil Service is also working with the Office for National Statistics and the Government Equalities Office to develop standardised questions to collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity, ensuring that data on LGBT inclusion is collected by all departments, and can be reported centrally, in a consistent way.
The draft Census (England and Wales) Order 2020 will be presented to both Houses in due course.
The Office for National Statistics recommendations for the next Census are set out in the White Paper 'Help Shape our Future: The 2021 Census of Population and Housing in England and Wales' published in December 2018. This includes the recommendation that the 2021 Census includes for the first time a voluntary gender identity question, in addition to retaining a binary female/male sex question. The relevant considerations are set out at paragraphs 3.34 to 3.45 of the White Paper.
The content of the 2021 Census for England and Wales will be set in secondary legislation, beginning with the Census Order, which will be laid before Parliament in due course.
The Government does not hold data on the proportion of wind turbines switched off in 2021 and 2022 to manage network capacity constraints.
Energy suppliers are obligated under licence conditions to follow strict rules when switching a smart meter from credit to prepayment mode, to safeguard consumers.
Suppliers must only provide a prepayment service when a consumer is in debt where they assess that it is safe and reasonably practicable to do so. The supplier's assessment should include identifying any vulnerability, such as a disability that prevents a consumer from being able to use appropriately a prepayment meter or customers that require a continuous energy supply for health reasons.
If energy suppliers assess it is safe and reasonably practicable, they must then give at least seven days’ notice in advance of the change from credit to prepay mode on the smart meter.
The regulator, Ofgem, is reviewing energy supplier compliance with these requirements and has made it clear it will take strong action where suppliers have failed to follow them.
My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State wrote to suppliers on 4 February asking them to outline what steps they will take to identify consumers with an inappropriately installed prepayment meter. He confirmed the Government’s expectation that where such customers are identified, appropriate steps will be taken to rectify the situation.
In October 2023 the Counter Disinformation Unit became the National Security and Online Information Team (NSOIT). The name more accurately reflects the team’s revised remit and function, which is to tackle the greatest national security risks facing the UK from mis and disinformation, specifically looking at threats posed by foreign states, risks to elections and from the use of AI and deepfakes. This revised remit is kept under regular review.
It would not be appropriate to publicly comment on NSOIT’s funding levels, as doing so would give malign actors insight into the scale of the Government’s capabilities in this area. Nevertheless, DSIT continues to account to parliament for the use of public funds in relation to the NSOIT and other teams within the department.
The Department engages regularly with relevant stakeholders to ensure there are adequate plans in place to inform consumers and protect the most vulnerable consumers. This includes, but is not limited to, quarterly progress meetings with individual providers, quarterly meetings with Communications Providers and all government departments, and quarterly meetings with Ofcom. The Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure also convened a roundtable with the largest providers in January 2023.
Ofcom, the UK’s telecommunications regulator, is also monitoring the progress of Communications Providers. Ofcom is responsible for ensuring telecoms providers adhere to their regulatory obligations throughout the migration process.
According to Ofcom’s latest figures, as of August 2023, more than 50% of the UK’s 30 million premises have been moved from the PSTN. The premises that are no longer on the PSTN have moved to various technological options, including 8 million (27%) that have moved to a broadband based Digital Voice solution.
According to Ofcom’s latest figures, as of August 2023, more than 50% of the UK’s 30 million premises have been moved from the PSTN. The premises that are no longer on the PSTN have moved to various technological options, including 8 million (27%) that have moved to a broadband based Digital Voice solution.
Ofcom is responsible for ensuring telecoms providers adhere to their regulatory obligations throughout the migration process. Ofcom has published guidance which states that providers must take steps to identify and protect at-risk consumers who are dependent on their landline. Providers have a range of solutions to ensure vulnerable consumers receive additional support. These options include, among others, free battery back-up units to engineer supported installations or hybrid landline phones. The Government is working together with Ofcom to ensure customers receive appropriate levels of communication and vulnerable consumers are protected.
Furthermore, the Department meets regularly with Communications Providers to discuss the progress made in migrating their customers, and to ensure they have adequate plans in place to inform and protect vulnerable consumers.
While the PSTN migration is an industry-led process, industry is accountable to Ofcom in ensuring the security of any new technologies used in their network.
The Government is committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications networks and services. Since October 2022, public telecommunications providers have been required under the Communications Act 2003 (as amended by the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021) to identify and reduce the risk of a wide range of security compromises. The specific requirements providers must follow are set out in the Electronic Communications (Security Measures) Regulations 2022, with accompany technical guidance in a code of practice. Ofcom has also been given powers and duties to investigate, rectify, and penalise any infringement of the statutory security and resilience obligations of network providers.
DSIT also works closely with the National Cyber Security Centre, the UK’s technical authority for cyber security, on issues related to the cyber security of the UK's telecoms network. The NCSC is responsible for helping to protect the UK’s critical services from cyber attacks, manage major incidents, and improve the underlying security of the UK's telecoms networks through technological improvement and advice to citizens and organisations. The NCSC issues a range of guidance on its website to support organisations in ensuring secure design and management of their networks.
We have published a public dashboard cataloging retained EU law on the UK statute book. This dashboard will also document the Government’s progress on reforming retained EU law and will be updated regularly to reflect plans and actions taken.
There will be different considerations for consumers depending on their circumstances and the way in which they pay their energy bills.
All domestic electricity customers, who have a direct relationship with a licensed electricity supplier, will be automatically eligible for this Scheme.
The Government continues to work with consumer groups and suppliers on the delivery of the Scheme and is exploring options for other ways in which customers who do not have a domestic electricity contract might receive similar support. The full suite of help from the government, including for vulnerable people, is covered here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-support-for-the-cost-of-living-factsheet/government-support-for-the-cost-of-living-factsheet.
The Government has committed to a new standard for diversity and inclusion in the Civil Service which will promote a diversity of backgrounds and opinions. We are committed to fair, inclusive workplaces which draw on the talents of the widest possible range of backgrounds, especially people from non-traditional educational routes and from outside London and the South East. It is fundamental that everyone is able to seize opportunities in the workplace without fear of discrimination or harassment.
Memberships of external schemes are kept under review, to ensure value for taxpayers’ money. A number of public bodies, including the BBC and EHRC, have resolved to best champion inclusion through internal programmes. Ministers believe that the underlying aims of supporting all staff, including those with protected characteristics, can be achieved in a different way to funding external pressure groups, without adverse equality impacts.
The Civil Service’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy-2022-to-2025/civil-service-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy-2022-to-2025-html.
The Government has committed to a new standard for diversity and inclusion in the Civil Service which will promote a diversity of backgrounds and opinions. We are committed to fair, inclusive workplaces which draw on the talents of the widest possible range of backgrounds, especially people from non-traditional educational routes and from outside London and the South East. It is fundamental that everyone is able to seize opportunities in the workplace without fear of discrimination or harassment.
Memberships of external schemes are kept under review, to ensure value for taxpayers’ money. A number of public bodies, including the BBC and EHRC, have resolved to best champion inclusion through internal programmes. Ministers believe that the underlying aims of supporting all staff, including those with protected characteristics, can be achieved in a different way to funding external pressure groups, without adverse equality impacts.
The Civil Service’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy can be found at:
The Government has committed to a new standard for diversity and inclusion in the Civil Service which will promote a diversity of backgrounds and opinions. We are committed to fair, inclusive workplaces which draw on the talents of the widest possible range of backgrounds, especially people from non-traditional educational routes and from outside London and the South East. It is fundamental that everyone is able to seize opportunities in the workplace without fear of discrimination or harassment.
Memberships of external schemes are kept under review, to ensure value for taxpayers’ money. A number of public bodies, including the BBC and EHRC, have resolved to best champion inclusion through internal programmes. Ministers believe that the underlying aims of supporting all staff, including those with protected characteristics, can be achieved in a different way to funding external pressure groups, without adverse equality impacts.
The Civil Service’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy-2022-to-2025/civil-service-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy-2022-to-2025-html.
Royal Mail has publicly stated that it is aware of the reduction in service levels in some areas and is taking action to reduce delays to deliveries. Its contingency plans to mitigate disruption to postal services are overseen by the Office of Communications (Ofcom) as the independent regulator for the sector.
Ofcom continues to monitor Royal Mail’s performance to ensure it is providing the best service it can to customers and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action if Royal Mail fails to achieve its performance targets.
While the Government is not presently taking any specific steps in relation to these matters, it keeps the copyright framework under constant review to ensure it remains fit for purpose and that changes are driven by the evidence.
For example, the Government is currently consulting on potential changes to the intellectual property framework in relation to the trade of parallel goods into the UK. It welcomes evidence and submissions from all those who might be affected, including authors, publishers, and the book trade.
The UK’s IP framework is consistently rated as one of the best in the world. A good copyright framework alongside an effective enforcement regime provides the best environment for creators, including authors and publishers, to thrive.
The Government has recently published a strategy, Sustainable Warmth – supporting vulnerable households in England, which sets out our plans to support fuel poor households in more detail.
As of 2019, there are 1.2 million fewer low-income households living in the least energy efficient homes (Band E, F or G) compared to 2010. There are a number of Government schemes which make funding available to support low-income families make their homes energy efficient.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a GB-wide scheme currently worth around £640m per year, which provides energy efficiency and heating measures to low income and vulnerable households. We have committed to expanding ECO from 2022 to 2026 to a value of £1bn per year.
The Government is investing £1.3 billion in energy efficiency, up from the £1 billion announced in my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan. The Green Homes Grant (Voucher) low-income scheme had issued 26,281 vouchers by the end of March, worth over £156 million. We have also provided support for Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery and for Social Housing – £500 million worth of works is already being delivered and additional funding will be disbursed this summer.
The Home Upgrade Grant has been allocated an initial £150 million to specifically support low-income households with energy efficiency and low carbon heating upgrades to the worst-performing off-gas-grid homes in England. The Home Upgrade Grant is due to commence delivery in early 2022.
We recently consulted on strengthening the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for private landlords. These new standards would require landlords to invest up to £10,000 towards improving their property to energy efficiency Band C, or register an exemption. For social housing, the Government has also invited experts to review whether the Decent Homes Standard should be refreshed.
In addition to help with energy efficiency measures, over 2 million households get direct assistance with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount. We have committed to expanding that scheme from 2022 to 2026 so that it will reach around 3 million households across Great Britain.
Under UK company law, directors may pay dividends only where a company has sufficient distributable reserves, based on the company’s realised profits minus any realised losses.
In the event of insolvency, it is part of the administrator’s role to scrutinise payments made to shareholders in the period before the insolvency to identify any payments which may have been illegal. In such cases, the courts have wide powers to apply a variety of sanctions and remedies, including ordering the recovery of amounts from recipients and compensation orders against directors enforceable against their personal assets.
The Government is currently consulting on proposals to increase transparency in how companies demonstrate that dividends are affordable, as part of the White Paper on Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance. This includes a proposed requirement that directors of large companies should disclose at a minimum the company’s known distributable reserve before paying any dividend, and state that it is their reasonable expectation that the proposed dividend would not threaten the company’s insolvency over the following two years.
We expect safety data from all trials to set out how the COVID-19 vaccines work in different types of people.
The NHS COVID-19 vaccine research registry, developed in partnership with NHS Digital, will help facilitate the rapid recruitment of large numbers of people into trials. The government has been encouraging a diverse pool of people to volunteer to help researchers better understand the effectiveness of each vaccine candidate
Specific questions on individual vaccines are for vaccine developers.
Officials regularly meet with representatives from employer bodies and discussions have included recent changes in the advice to the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable.
More generally, BEIS leads for Government on the Safer Working Guidance. This sets out the steps employers can take to ensure that the workplace is secure for everyone. This guidance is updated as necessary following changes in public health advice. Individuals and organisations, including those with interest in specific conditions such as arthritis, are able to comment on the guidance through safer.workplaces@beis.gov.uk.
The Government ran a consultation from October 2018 to January 2019 on Ethnicity Pay Reporting and received over 300 detailed responses. The Government has met with businesses and representative organisations to understand the barriers towards reporting and what information could be published to allow for meaningful action to be taken. We have also run voluntary methodology testing with a broad range of businesses to better understand the complexities outlined in the consultation using real payroll data.
BEIS Ministers have regular discussions with FTSE 100 company chairs and CEOs and with business representative organisations and stress the Government’s priority of improving diversity at board and leadership levels, especially in support of the Hampton-Alexander and Parker Reviews. We do all we can to promote business leadership diversity and inclusion.
In that wider context, LGBT+ people should be able to be themselves in the workplace, so that they can do their best work and achieve their full potential. Many British businesses, charities and voluntary organisations are leading the way on LGBT+ equality at work; this is regularly highlighted by activities such as the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, which showcases the UK’s top 100 LGBT employers.
At the Government’s request, the Financial Reporting Council revised the UK Corporate Governance Code in 2018 which requires companies to report fully on their diversity and inclusion policies, and how the objectives of these policies relate to wider company strategy.
The Government Equalities Office LGBT Action Plan published in July 2018 has over 75 commitments regarding the representation of LGBT people in the workplace. This action plan was informed by the National LGBT Survey of 108,000 respondents and sets out commitments to improve the lives of LGBT people in the workplace.