Euan Stainbank

As set out in the King’s Speech, our priorities in this session are to bring forward our draft Bills on banning conversion practices and on race and disability equality, alongside strengthening protections from hate crime for LGBT people and improving trans people’s healthcare.

Conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped. As outlined in the King’s Speech, this Government is committed to bringing forward a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices. We continue to work cross-government on this important issue with a view to publishing our draft Bill later this session.

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) provides public sector organisations with a range of commercial agreements, through which they can procure common goods and services, as well as offering commercial advice and procurement services. CCS does not set a limit on the amount that an individual organisation can spend on a single contract procured using CCS commercial agreements or services. It is the responsibility of each organisation, including the Scottish Government, to determine its own level of spend on each contract.

Places for Growth published a formative evaluation report in October 2024, which outlined that the programme is on track to deliver an estimated £729m in local economic benefits to cross Government locations between 2024 and 2030. Further details on the programme will be set out in the Spending Review after which an assessment will be undertaken. Places for Growth is committed to ongoing programme evaluation.

The government is committed to supporting the UK’s domestic bus manufacturing industry and ensuring a fair, competitive procurement process. The new National Procurement Policy Statement will be focused on our missions, growing the economy, creating high-quality local jobs, driving innovation and opening up opportunities to small businesses and social enterprises. Contracting authorities are encouraged to consider how their procurement strategies can support domestic supply chains, including the bus manufacturing sector.

The Government delivers electricity cost relief schemes to provide support to businesses in energy intensive sectors across the country, including businesses in Scotland, to remain competitive and protect thousands of well paid, British jobs. The British Industry Supercharger cuts electricity costs for around 550 energy intensive businesses, and the Government recently confirmed an uplift in relief through its Network Charging Compensation Scheme from 60% to 90%. This will further reduce the gap in electricity prices between the UK and other countries. Additionally, from 2027, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will cut electricity costs for even more businesses.

Transport infrastructure is an integral part of the UK economy, moving people, goods and enabling economic growth, as recognised in the Industrial Strategy. The security of the sector is of the upmost importance to the government.

Transport is one of the 17 key sectors in the National Security and Investment Act (NSIA). The government has the power to assess, and intervene in, investments in the UK's key transport infrastructure for national security risks. The NSIA is actor agnostic and allows the government to act regardless of an entity's nationality. Each transaction is taken on its own merit.

The Secretary of State made no applications to court for the restoration of a company pursuant to s.1029 of the Companies Act 2006 during the period in question. Within that period, in the context of a petition to wind up a company pursuant to s.124A of the Insolvency Act 1986, the Secretary of State did however request, and was granted, leave of the court to restore one company.

The Government is committed to strengthening the long-term competitiveness of the UK bus manufacturing sector and accelerating the shift to zero-emission vehicles. This includes reforms to bus procurement, supporting the work of the DfT UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panels, and a £15 billion investment over five years to improve local transport in the North and Midlands, supporting sector growth and new zero-emission buses. Through DRIVE35, we are providing funding to support R&D and commercial scaling of zero-emission vehicles, creating skilled jobs and attracting private investment for sustained sector success.

The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 ensures all tips, gratuities and service charges must be passed on to staff in full – except for permitted deductions like tax.

It is estimated this ban on employer deductions ensures workers receive around £200 million worth of tips each year that was previously retained by employers. A statutory code of practice was published to support employers on fair and transparent distribution of tips and ensure the requirements are followed.

This Government will go further, making it mandatory for employers to consult with workers at their place of business when developing their tipping policies.

The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government on options for investment in Grangemouth supported by the Office for Investment and Scottish Enterprise. This is backed by £200 million from the National Wealth Fund for co-investment with the private sector, so far we have received over 100 enquiries.

In line with the Clean Energy Jobs Plan, the Grangemouth Training Guarantee will support the transition for refinery workers into in-demand industries including into clean energy sectors and future project at Grangemouth.

The Department for Transport is supporting the UK sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry through the SAF mandate, providing revenue certainty for SAF producers and the £63 million Advanced Fuels Fund available for SAF producers.

Together these measures will give investors confidence to support commercial scale production of SAF in the UK, creating green jobs and developing skills.

We are working as quickly as possible to understand what we can do to support investors interested in developing projects at Grangemouth, including what policy or regulatory support is needed to enable investment. The inaugural Grangemouth Investment Taskforce, jointly chaired by the HMG and the Scottish government took place on May 21, 2025, to drive forward potential investment propositions.

The National Wealth Fund stands ready, and we encourage investors to come forward to join us in this major opportunity to secure a long-term industrial future in Grangemouth.

Project Willow – an independent feasibility study led by Ernst and Young and jointly funded by the UK and the Scottish Governments – evaluated over 300 technologies to identify those that could be effectively deployed in Grangemouth. This included options to produce hydrogenated vegetable oil products, such as sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel.

We are now ready to take these opportunities forward. Backed by £200 million from the National Wealth Fund, our UK and Scottish Government investment agencies are working together to find investors for clean energy proposals in the Grangemouth area.

As sustainable biomass is a limited resource, the Government expect to prioritise its use in sectors like aviation, which have fewest options to decarbonise. Renewable liquid heating fuels are also much more expensive to use than other heating solutions.

Before taking decisions on whether to support the use of renewable liquid fuels in heating, the Government would require stronger evidence on their affordability for consumers, and the availability of sustainable feedstock.

As sustainable biomass is a limited resource, the Government expect to prioritise its use in sectors like aviation, which have fewest options to decarbonise. Renewable liquid heating fuels are also much more expensive to use than other heating solutions.

Before taking decisions on whether to support the use of renewable liquid fuels in heating, the Government would require stronger evidence on their affordability for consumers, and the availability of sustainable feedstock.

Achieving the best outcomes for our citizens from our investment in R&D requires us to collaborate internationally. We are actively strengthening ties with key partners through:

- Funding, including through Horizon Europe, the International Science Partnerships Fund and our core support to UK research institutions. DSIT’s overall R&D budget will grow in real terms over the SR period, totalling £58.5 billion from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

- Our Science and Technology Network which operates in 65 locations across the world to build partnerships and collaborations on science, technology and innovation.

- Dialogues and bilateral agreements with more than 20 international partners, including with the US, Australia, India, Germany, EU and Japan which cover issues including data adequacy, future technologies, and institutional co-operation.

- Being an active member of G7, G20, OECD through which we seek to align norms and standards.

- Collaborations with global partners on shared research infrastructures including world-leading facilities like CERN and new capabilities like the Square Kilometre Array Observatory – headquartered near Manchester with telescopes under construction in Australia and South Africa.

The Online Safety Act requires user-to-user and search services to take proportionate steps to tackle illegal content – and protect children from harmful content – on their services. The Act does not prevent adults from seeking out legal content including health content, and it is not about specific applications.

The regulator Ofcom will instead look at the systems and processes that in-scope services have in place for tackling illegal content and protecting children. There are also protections against the ‘over removal’ of content, where platforms take down content they should leave on their sites.

The UK’s data protection legislation applies to technology companies providing services to people in the UK, if they are processing personal data. The legislation sets out general rules on how such data should be processed and safeguarded. This includes ensuring that any processing is lawful, fair and transparent. Organisations must also carry out a data protection impact assessment, when processing activities involving new technologies that are likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms. The legislation is independently regulated by the Information Commissioner's Office. We recently strengthened their powers in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 to help them investigate suspected breaches of the legislation.

The Advanced Research and Invention Agency’s (ARIA) ‘Exploring Climate Cooling’ programme, backed by £56.8 million, has been designed to build an evidence base which will enable scientists to better understand and properly assess whether or not Earth cooling approaches could help to mitigate climate change safely.

ARIA is an independent research body, and they are conducting cautious, controlled research aimed at improving understanding of the risks and impacts of Solar Radiation Modification. This will produce important information for decisions around the world.

ARIA have put in place an independent oversight committee, made up of international experts, to support effective governance of outdoor experiments and communication of their findings. Projects with field trial components will be subjected to risk and impact assessment by an independent team of experts and subjected to a degree of co-design with local communities; the results of both exercises will be publicly available prior to any outdoor experiment taking place. An independent assessment will also take place on completion of any outdoor experiment, also to be made publicly available.

The Advanced Research and Invention Agency’s (ARIA) ‘Exploring Climate Cooling’ programme, backed by £56.8 million, has been designed to build an evidence base which will enable scientists to better understand and properly assess whether or not Earth cooling approaches could help to mitigate climate change safely.

ARIA is an independent research body, and they are conducting cautious, controlled research aimed at improving understanding of the risks and impacts of Solar Radiation Modification. This will produce important information for decisions around the world.

ARIA have put in place an independent oversight committee, made up of international experts, to support effective governance of outdoor experiments and communication of their findings. Projects with field trial components will be subjected to risk and impact assessment by an independent team of experts and subjected to a degree of co-design with local communities; the results of both exercises will be publicly available prior to any outdoor experiment taking place. An independent assessment will also take place on completion of any outdoor experiment, also to be made publicly available.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.

The majority of grassroots sport policy is devolved. Sportscotland, the national agency for sport in Scotland, receives funding from the Scottish Government to support more people to get active. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with Scottish counterparts to discuss the importance of sport and tackling physical inactivity.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.

The majority of grassroots sport policy is devolved. Sportscotland, the national agency for sport in Scotland, receives funding from the Scottish Government to support more people to get active. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with Scottish counterparts to discuss the importance of sport and tackling physical inactivity.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Park Tennis Court Programme was a joint investment between the UK Government and Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) that started in 2022 and concluded in 2024.

All future funding of sports facilities will be considered as part of the Spending Review.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport, including tennis, at grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all. Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis initiatives that will benefit everyone.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

There are existing frameworks and legal powers in place to safeguard children participating in extracurricular activities.

The Children Act 1989 places legal obligations on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their areas and protect them from harm. There are also similar safeguarding responsibilities placed on local authorities regarding vulnerable adults under the Care Act 2014. Where concerns arise, the department expects their services to intervene using the wide range of powers available to them.

The department’s statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ also makes clear that child protection arrangements apply where extracurricular activities are provided by a school or college’s governing body, under their direct supervision or management. Where this is not the case, safeguarding requirements should be included in any lease or hire agreement for the premises.

Providers of extracurricular activities also have a legal duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children attending their settings and protect them from harm. To support them, the department has published safeguarding guidance and free-to-access e-learning.

However, we are actively considering how to further enhance safety in this sector, and as part of our recent call for evidence, which closed on 21 September, we sought views on proposals to strengthen safeguarding in out-of-school settings.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The majority of out-of-school settings providers do a good job of delivering safe and enriching education and activities.

These providers have a legal duty of care to ensure the safety of children that attend their setting and protect them from harm. Local authorities are also legally responsible for safeguarding children in their areas and, when there are concerns, we expect them to intervene using the wide range of powers available to them. Similarly, local authorities have a statutory duty to make enquiries about safeguarding concerns under the Care Act 2014. Statutory guidance for the Care Act 2014 makes clear that local authorities must ensure that the services they commission are safe, effective, and of high-quality.

We have acted to improve sector safety by updating the safeguarding code of practice for out-of-school setting providers and accompanying guidance for parents and carers. We also published new e-learning for out-of-school providers and strengthened guidance for local authorities.

We are seeking to further improve safeguarding standards and have published a call for evidence to help improve our understanding of safeguarding within the sector. This will help gather evidence required to inform potential approaches, such as a national framework, and enhance the safety of these settings.

This government is clear that no teacher should feel unsafe or face violence or abuse in the workplace.

The department will always support teachers to ensure they can work in safe and calm classrooms. All school employers, including trusts, have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their employees.

​For schools in England, the department expects schools to take immediate and robust action if incidents of violence occur. Any decision on how to sanction the pupil involved is a matter for the school. In the most serious cases, suspension and a permanent exclusion may be necessary to ensure that teachers and pupils are protected from disruption and to maintain safe, calm environments. Should the incident constitute a criminal offence, the school should report it to the police.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has met representatives from the devolved administrations on a number of occasions including at the UK Education Ministers Council. Whilst behaviour has not been the primary focus of these conversations, different government policies and approaches have been discussed and the department continues to be interested in the approaches taken in the devolved nations.

Defra regularly engages with the devolved Governments on a range of animal welfare issues.