Freddie van Mierlo

Introducing remote digital voting would be a matter for the House itself and not for the Commission. Remote voting was used for a short period during the pandemic but was replaced by a system of proxies and pass reader voting. The hon. Member could raise the matter with the Procedure Committee or the Modernisation Committee.

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson was confirmed as the next Chair of the EHRC. She will begin her term as EHRC Chair in December and will meet regularly with the Minister for Women and Equalities as part of her role.

We know care leavers have some of the worst long-term life outcomes in society. We are therefore committed to ensuring children leaving care have stable homes, access to health services, support to build lifelong loving relationships and are engaged in education, employment and training. Through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill we will be driving forward our commitments on children’s social care, including improved support for care leavers.

As announced by the Prime Minister on 24 September 2024, care leavers under age 25 will be exempt from rules which require a connection to a local area before accessing social housing. We have also established a care leaver Ministerial Board, which brings together Ministers from key Departments, to improve support for care leavers across Government.

On the specific question of protected characteristics, the Government often receives requests for new characteristics such as "carer experience"” to be added to the Equality Act 2010. While many of these carry merit, it would not be practical to legislate because of the public and private sector burdens that this would create. The Equality Act 2010 will already protect many care leavers under the indirect discrimination provisions, because a disproportionately high number are likely to be from an ethnic minority and/ or have a disability. They may also benefit from the age discrimination protections in the Act.

In June 2025 the CPS began a pilot in the West Midlands which offers victims of rape and serious sexual assault the opportunity to have a separate prosecutor review the case before any final decision is taken to stop the case in court. If that prosecutor concludes that the Full Code Test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors is met, the case will continue.

The number of decisions eligible for review under the pilot have so far been low. These volumes have meant an evaluation of the pilot has not been possible to date. Evaluation is essential, and the pilot will continue to allow enough evidence to be gathered to assess its effectiveness.

Consideration is also being given to expanding the pilot to support a thorough evaluation.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 11,454 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of May.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, including those who have left under the compensation scheme, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans of £5,000 and higher in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

To mitigate member hardship, employers have issued £8.9 million in Transitional Support Loans to 1,665 members and these arrangements continue to be in place.

Interest will be paid on delayed benefits to avoid financial loss by members. In addition, the existing statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial losses, as well as distress and inconvenience caused, on a case-by-case basis to determine whether compensation is due. This ensures that any retiree who provides evidence of extra costs, such as bank penalties or interest charges caused by the delay, is fairly assessed. This process is run in accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026. We are using every commercial lever at our disposal, including withholding payments for deliverables that have not been met. We also reserve the right to take further formal action to ensure the service returns to the required standards. The Cabinet Office continues to closely monitor Capita's progress and performance against all contractual service levels.

Regular updates on the work to recover the service, continue to be posted on the Civil Service Pensions member portal and on Gov.Uk.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 11,454 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of May.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, including those who have left under the compensation scheme, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans of £5,000 and higher in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

To mitigate member hardship, employers have issued £8.9 million in Transitional Support Loans to 1,665 members and these arrangements continue to be in place.

Interest will be paid on delayed benefits to avoid financial loss by members. In addition, the existing statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial losses, as well as distress and inconvenience caused, on a case-by-case basis to determine whether compensation is due. This ensures that any retiree who provides evidence of extra costs, such as bank penalties or interest charges caused by the delay, is fairly assessed. This process is run in accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026. We are using every commercial lever at our disposal, including withholding payments for deliverables that have not been met. We also reserve the right to take further formal action to ensure the service returns to the required standards. The Cabinet Office continues to closely monitor Capita's progress and performance against all contractual service levels.

Regular updates on the work to recover the service, continue to be posted on the Civil Service Pensions member portal and on Gov.Uk.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 9,873 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, including those who have been dismissed with compensation, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026. We are using every commercial lever at our disposal, including withholding payments for deliverables that have not been met. We also reserve the right to take further formal action to ensure the service returns to the required standards.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

The government will launch a public consultation on the design of the new digital ID, and has already started to engage with a range of expert organisations. Stakeholder and public views, including those in response to the future consultation, will inform ongoing policy development and assessments of impacts.

We have been in touch with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and will continue to engage with them to ensure systems work for people on both sides of the border, as committed to in the Good Friday Agreement and the Common Travel Area.

Information for Irish Students accessing higher education in the UK is available at https://www.ucas.com/international/international-students/support-for-international-students/students-from-ireland.

The Review launched on 1 July 2025 and started with a period of discovery to understand the current system and gather evidence and views from stakeholders. We received almost 1,500 responses to the Call for Evidence. These are currently being analysed, and the findings will inform the Review. We are continuing to engage with stakeholders (including business groups, parent groups, and academics) throughout 2026 to inform the Review.

The Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings in which the Government will outline next steps for taking any reforms forward to implementation.

The loss of a loved one is one of the hardest things a person can experience. This is why we have introduced a new right to bereavement leave in the Employment Rights Act which will be available to those grieving the loss of a loved one, including pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.

The Act deals with the introduction of leave only, and we are consulting further on the detail of the entitlement to ensure it supports employees while remaining proportionate for employers. It will remain at employers' discretion to offer pay, as many already do.

The Government has not made a specific assessment of the implications of the report for the upcoming bereavement leave entitlement.

Due to the sensitive nature of bereavement leave we are currently consulting on details of the final entitlement, engaging with key stakeholders to make sure bereavement leave is constructed with the needs of both employers and employees at the forefront.

An impact assessment of the policy has been conducted, which covers the impact on businesses and workers. This is available on gov.uk.

The government is committed to ensuring graduates have the skills and support needed to succeed in the modern economy, which is why the Industrial Strategy will provide an additional £1.2bn of investment in the skills system by 2028-29.

The Department for Work and Pensions has an established network of partnerships to enhance graduate employment opportunities. DWP are reforming Jobcentre Plus to create a new, more personalised employment support service across Great Britain to recognise that individuals - including graduates - have different needs.

However, the Department for Business and Trade has made no specific assessment of the impact of leaving the EU single market on graduate employment opportunities.

The Employment Rights Bill will introduce a new right to Bereavement Leave for those grieving the loss of a loved one or a pregnancy.

A consultation was launched on 23^rd October, and was widely shared. We will invite a range of groups, including business, charities, trade unions and others who represent caregivers and shift workers to roundtables to discuss the questions raised by the consultation and how the entitlement can best be constructed to meet the needs of those they represent.

This approach will ensure the entitlement is constructed with the needs of employees and employers at the forefront.

As set out in the Warm Homes Plan, low-income consumers will benefit from over £5 billion of investment in home upgrades by 2030 to make houses warmer and more comfortable, reduce bills, and improve our energy security.

Over the course of this Parliament, we intend to introduce the most appropriate and cost-effective passive cooling measures into funding schemes focused on improving the homes of low-income consumers and social housing.

Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer law, overseen by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer and my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State recently met with fuel retailers to set out a clear message: unfair practices will not be tolerated.

We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The government has also introduced the statutory Fuel Finder scheme, which will increase transparency for UK road fuel prices, including providing localised data for prices across the UK, and the CMA have the power to take enforcement action for non-compliance.

The Department’s energy and emissions projections include growth in power demand from computing services like data centres. To ensure a comprehensive view of the system, the methodology projects at a broader sector level, not disaggregating specific estimates for data centres.

The Government is committed to ensuring electricity networks can meet rising electricity demand, including from data centres, by deploying new renewable and low-carbon generation in line with the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. The Capacity Market ensures supply continuously meets demand, balancing cost and reliability to maintain adequate electricity security.

Deterring and disrupting the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for the UK, and the UK Government will continue to proactively monitor tanker activity to ensure the safety of seafarers, protect the marine environment, and for national security purposes. The volume of Russian oil transiting the English Channel is not data the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero owns.

Defra is the lead department for domestic adaptation to climate change, responsible for coordinating requirements set out in the UK Climate Change Act 2008. This includes preparing a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme (NAP), setting out actions by relevant government departments to address the risks identified in the latest risk assessment. The next NAP will include local climate adaptation and support public awareness of climate risks.

While Defra coordinates this work, this is a whole of government effort. In DESNZ, we are working to ensure that homes are fit for the future and the Department has been carrying out research to respond to the relevant climate change adaptation risks identified by the third Climate Change Risk Assessment. This research is closing evidence gaps identifying the buildings most vulnerable to extreme heat and where these are located, as well as appropriate adaptation solutions. This is informing the development of the Warm Homes Plan which will be published soon.

Maintaining a secure and resilient energy supply is also a top priority. We work continually with industry to improve and maintain the resilience and security of energy infrastructure, considering a range of evolving risks and hazards as well as future system changes – including changing climate. This includes publishing an Energy Resilience Strategy in 2026, setting out Government’s long-term priorities to maintain energy resilience now and in the future.

The Government recognises the importance of securing value for money for taxpayers and is committed to making the UK a world leader in AI, attracting private investment, supporting growth and creating high-quality jobs.

Commercial arrangements relating to specific projects are for the relevant parties.

This government is committed to achieving nationwide gigabit broadband coverage by 2032. We are making good progress on Project Gigabit, and as of the end of March 2026, over 1.4 million premises in hard-to-reach communities across the UK had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government-funded programmes.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) closely monitors contract performance through regular reporting and governance. Where suppliers are unable to proceed, BDUK acts swiftly to put alternative plans in place to ensure delivery continues wherever possible.

While delivery depends on technical feasibility and planning checks, Project Gigabit contracts provide strong safeguards and oversight to ensure suppliers progress delivery in line with agreed milestones.

Government works in partnership with communications providers to promote networks remaining secure, resilient, and accessible as possible, including during emergencies and service disruption, although we do not hold records of individual incidents. Communication providers are required to take appropriate measures to identify, reduce and prepare for security compromises. They are also required to report significant incidents to Ofcom, who have powers to investigate, rectify and penalise communications providers for any infringement of their duties.

Under Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement Communication Providers are expected to keep customers up to date on disruption to services and when to expect normal service. Ofcom have also published Network and Service Resilience Guidance that provides advice and expectations on how providers can meet statutory obligations.

Any suspected crimes should be reported to the police, and the police’s National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership works with industry and other authorities such as the National Protective Security Authority to investigate and tackle metal theft and other crimes affecting critical infrastructure, strengthening coordination, intelligence sharing, and preventative activity across the UK.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) supports and encourages the development of researchers’ skills and knowledge at all career stages across all its investments through dedicated skills, talents, and training investments.

The table below shows total annual UKRI spend from 2019-20 to 2024-25. Data relating to capacity-building initiatives is not recorded by UKRI.

Expenditure breakdowns are not available for dementia, cancer, stroke and coronary heart disease research.

The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration of the copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for everyone across the UK.

In November 2024, the Government secured additional safeguards from the telecoms industry. These include the provision of free battery back-ups for vulnerable and landline dependent customers to ensure access to emergency services go beyond one hour in a power outage. Many communication providers have gone further, providing battery back-ups of 4-7 hours. This includes Vodafone, BT, KCOM, and Zen Internet. Ofcom, the telecoms regulator, are responsible for setting minimum standards.

In March 2026, the Government and industry agreed a new Fixed Telecoms Charter to extend these safeguards to all future fixed telecoms modernisation programmes.