Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 145 of the skeleton argument of the Secretary of State in Al-Haq v Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Claim No: AC-2023-LON-003634, if he will publish all relating documents.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We currently do not have plans to publish these assessments. Information on these assessments has been provided to the relevant Parliamentary committees and more detailed information on this assessment can be found in the judgement the High Court handed down on 30 June. The action we have taken, as announced to Parliament, is consistent with our legal obligations and we remain wholly committed to international law.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to implement a national exemption from council tax for foster carers; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of such a policy on the recruitment and retention of foster carers.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Councils already have the power to offer council tax discounts and exemptions in their area where appropriate. Some councils use these powers to provide council tax reductions and exemptions for foster carers.
All fostering providers should have a clear policy around remuneration of foster carers. Many fostering service providers provide incentive schemes as rewards, and we encourage the use of these.
Government has published a plain English guide to council tax, which sets out the support available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/paying-the-right-level-of-council-tax-a-plain-english-guide-to-council-tax/paying-the-right-level-of-council-tax-a-plain-english-guide-to-council-tax#am-i-entitled-to-a-reduced-council-tax-bill.
The department recognises the need to recruit and retain more foster carers, and the need for sufficient financial support to carry out their role. Foster carers pay varying levels of council tax across the country, therefore a nationwide exemption would result in inconsistent financial support, with some foster carers receiving significantly less financial support than others.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to review (a) government contracts with and (b) the Business Appointments Rules for Former Crown Servants in relation to the Boston Consulting Group.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Government contracts are awarded in line with procurement regulations as set out in the Procurement Act 2023. Each contracting authority is responsible for monitoring supplier performance in accordance with the contract.
Contracting authorities may exclude suppliers for a range of mandatory and discretionary measures under the exclusion regime in the Procurement Act, which came into force in February 2025. Those suppliers may also be added to a central debarment list by the Cabinet Office.
Ministers and Crown servants at all levels, including all civil servants, special advisers, members of the armed forces and diplomats, are subject to the business appointment rules when accepting new appointments after Crown service.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to support (a) landscapes, (b) nature and (c) parks to contribute to the achievement of Environmental Improvement Plan targets through the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Saving natural heritage and protecting the environment are key elements of two of the Heritage Fund's four investment principles included in their current ten-year strategy.
Since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded over £2.2billion of National Lottery and other funding to 5,100 land, nature and biodiversity projects across the UK. The Heritage Fund is the largest investor in landscape conservation and nature recovery.
Of the ten goals cited within the Environmental Improvement Plan for England, the Heritage Fund is helping to support Goal 1 - thriving plants and wildlife, Goal 2 – clean air, Goal 3 – clean water, Goal 7 – mitigating and adapting to climate change, and Goal 10 – enhanced beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of National Lottery Heritage Fund funding has been allocated to support (a) areas, buildings and monuments, (b) cultures and memories, (c) industrial, maritime and transport, (d) landscapes, nature and parks and (e) museums, libraries and archives in each year since 2020.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
In the 2020/2021 financial year, £62,088,694 was allocated to support areas, buildings and monuments, £22,044,536 to cultures and memories, £34,917,985 to industrial, maritime and transport, £41,776,356 to landscapes, nature and parks, and £31,483,385 to museums, libraries and archives.
In the 2021/2022 financial year, £55,291,190 was allocated to support areas, buildings and monuments, £34,467,219 to cultures and memories, £8,871,702 to industrial, maritime and transport, £39,432,434 to landscapes, nature and parks, and £23,718,858 to museums, libraries and archives.
In the 2022/2023 financial year, £67,482,420 was allocated to support areas, buildings and monuments, £30,533,072 to cultures and memories, £11,596,595 to industrial, maritime and transport, £62,120,641 to landscapes, nature and parks, and £32,305,861 to museums, libraries and archives.
In the 2023/2024 financial year, £119,527,190 was allocated to support areas, buildings and monuments, £46,126,014 to cultures and memories, £16,612,998 to industrial, maritime and transport, £94,863,960 to landscapes, nature and parks, and £53,782,270 to museums, libraries and archives.
In the 2024/2025 financial year, £157,482,458 was allocated to support areas, buildings and monuments, £29,868,938 to cultures and memories, £9,345,500 to industrial, maritime and transport, £67,829,997 to landscapes, nature and parks, and £89,669,798 to museums, libraries and archives.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to tackle the gender pay gap for young women.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The landmark Employment Rights Bill is set to have a transformative impact, ensuring workplace rights are fit for a modern economy and empowering working people, including young women.
As part of the Bill we are increasing the time limit within which employees are able to make an Employment Tribunal claim from 3 months to 6 months.
We are also strengthening protections against harassment; requiring employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their employees; and introducing an obligation on employers not to permit the harassment of their employees by third parties. Furthermore, we have announced that we will ban non-disclosure agreements used by employers to silence employees subjected to harassment and abuse. These changes will give workers confidence that inappropriate behaviour in the workplace will be dealt with, not hidden.
Finally, the Bill will establish the Fair work agency, to enforce labour rights and promote fairness in the workplace. This will be a single place where workers and employers can turn for help.
With regard specifically to the gender pay gap, we know that ensuring every employer harnesses the talent, creativity and brilliance of women in their workforce is a crucial part of achieving economic growth. That is why, as part of the Employment Rights Bill, we are additionally taking the first steps towards requiring employers to publish action plans detailing the evidence based steps they are taking to narrow their gender gap. In requiring employers to produce a plan, this will prompt them to better understand the drivers of their gap, and the experiences of women in their workforce, including young women.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to ensure the effective enforcement of young women’s rights at work.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The landmark Employment Rights Bill is set to have a transformative impact, ensuring workplace rights are fit for a modern economy and empowering working people, including young women.
As part of the Bill we are increasing the time limit within which employees are able to make an Employment Tribunal claim from 3 months to 6 months.
We are also strengthening protections against harassment; requiring employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their employees; and introducing an obligation on employers not to permit the harassment of their employees by third parties. Furthermore, we have announced that we will ban non-disclosure agreements used by employers to silence employees subjected to harassment and abuse. These changes will give workers confidence that inappropriate behaviour in the workplace will be dealt with, not hidden.
Finally, the Bill will establish the Fair work agency, to enforce labour rights and promote fairness in the workplace. This will be a single place where workers and employers can turn for help.
With regard specifically to the gender pay gap, we know that ensuring every employer harnesses the talent, creativity and brilliance of women in their workforce is a crucial part of achieving economic growth. That is why, as part of the Employment Rights Bill, we are additionally taking the first steps towards requiring employers to publish action plans detailing the evidence based steps they are taking to narrow their gender gap. In requiring employers to produce a plan, this will prompt them to better understand the drivers of their gap, and the experiences of women in their workforce, including young women.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
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 an assessment of the potential merits of requiring intensive poultry units to hold private insurance to cover losses in excess of DEFRA’s statutory compensation for poultry culls.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We would like to refer the honourable member for North Herefordshire to the response UIN 63221 published on 3 July 2025.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the the Fair Work Agency is taking with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to ensure the effective enforcement of young women’s rights at work.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Fair Work Agency will deliver a much-needed upgrade to the enforcement of workers’ rights. It will ensure better enforcement of rights at work for all workers, including young women.
The Agency will work closely with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, including to share information relevant to the Commission’s role. We have provided for that by including the Commission in the list of bodies that the Fair Work Agency can share information with, at Schedule 9 of the Bill.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the Overseas Territories introduce public registers of beneficial ownership.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Please refer to my Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July which provides an update and details of next steps.
We have made very clear to our partners in the remaining Overseas Territories the importance of delivering on the previously committed to deadlines, and have offered technical support to achieve this. We have communicated that we expect rapid and robust action to be taken, given the crucial importance of tackling illicit finance and increasing transparency. We have set out that we expect access to be granted to a wide range of legitimate users, that registers should enable proactive investigations and should act as a deterrent to those seeking to conceal illicit gains.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have conducted an in-house assessment of the latest policies and proposals from these Overseas Territories against the discussions at the Joint Ministerial Council in November 2024. In addition, we have reviewed feedback from a range of external stakeholders including expert NGOs and parliamentarians. We have also considered emerging international modalities which cover legitimate interest access registers. I have recently discussed this issue with a range of Overseas Territory leaders and will continue to do so.