Graham Leadbitter

The Government regularly engages with its counterparts in Scotland on fireworks. These discussions include antisocial use and the impact of noise. The current regulatory framework is designed to support people to enjoy fireworks whilst lowering the risk of dangers and disruption to people, pets, and property.

No assessment has been made in bringing forward legislative proposals to protect wildlife parks and zoos from the impacts of fireworks. To inform any future decisions on fireworks policy I intend to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues and impacts with fireworks, including on animal welfare.

The Government regularly engages with its counterparts in Scotland on fireworks. These discussions include antisocial use and the impact of noise. The current regulatory framework is designed to support people to enjoy fireworks whilst lowering the risk of dangers and disruption to people, pets, and property.

No assessment has been made in bringing forward legislative proposals to protect wildlife parks and zoos from the impacts of fireworks. To inform any future decisions on fireworks policy I intend to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues and impacts with fireworks, including on animal welfare.

DSIT is made aware when there has been an online-related death by suicide through Coroner’s ‘Reports to Prevent Future Deaths’ and has responded to nine reports in the past 12 months. The department is very concerned about the number of reports of deaths.

Under the Online Safety Act, which is coming into effect in the coming months, all in-scope services must proactively prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide content, and children from encountering legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instructions for suicide.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the independent body responsible for regulating advertising in the UK across traditional forms of media (print, radio, TV) and online. The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), sister organisations of the ASA, are responsible for codifying the standards for advertising to the marketing industry as part of their CAP and BCAP Codes. The government is not involved in these codes, nor in the investigations and enforcement delivered by the ASA.

However, as part of the Gambling Commission’s licence conditions, gambling operators who advertise in the UK must comply with the advertising Codes. The ASA has the power to take action where there is evidence of advertising in breach of the Codes, wherever it appears, and the ASA can and does refer operators’ advertising to the Gambling Commission for possible regulatory action.

The Government is committed to protecting human health and the environment.

Requirements for the export of hazardous chemicals are agreed at the international level under the Rotterdam Convention. In GB, the export of certain hazardous chemicals is regulated through the GB Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Regulation.

The regulatory requirements under GB PIC are the same as under the EU PIC Regulation but the UK now makes its own decisions under PIC and other chemicals legislation.

We continue to monitor developments in other countries and learn from their experiences.

We recognise the importance of audible and visible route and destination information in helping disabled people and other passengers to use bus services with confidence. On 1^st October 2024 the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 (“Accessible Information Regulations”) came into force, requiring vehicles first used on local services since October 2019 to comply. The majority of local services should be compliant by October 2026.

The most recent annual bus statistics indicate that 37.2% of buses in Great Britain incorporated audible and visible route and next stop information provision as at 31^st March 2024, but these statistics do not yet reflect the implementation of the Accessible Information Regulations.

The Government is committed to making EV charging infrastructure more affordable and accessible, particularly for those without off-street parking. The Government confirmed in the October 2024 Budget that it will continue to support the uptake of EVs by investing over £200 million in 2025/26 to further accelerate chargepoint rollout.

Alongside support for public charging, the Department is also supporting the installation of cross-pavement charging solutions through the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking. Eligible applicants can receive 75% off the cost of purchasing and installing a socket, up to a maximum of £350 when installed alongside a cross-pavement solution.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of 1 November, there are over 71,000 publicly available charging devices in the UK, supporting drivers to switch to EVs.

Alongside support for public charging, for those without off-street parking, the Government offers the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking. Eligible applicants can get up to £350 off the cost of installing a domestic chargepoint, when paired with a cross-pavement solution.

To support the electric vehicle transition more charging infrastructure will be needed across the country. The exact number in a location will depend on a variety of factors such as availability of off-street parking, future charging behaviour and local driving patterns.

Alongside support for public charging, for those without off-street parking, the Government offers the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking. Eligible applicants can get up to £350 off the cost of installing a domestic chargepoint, when paired with a cross-pavement solution.

The Government’s Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking provides up to £350 off the cost of purchasing and installing a chargepoint, when paired with a cross-pavement solution.

The Government keeps all grants for chargepoint infrastructure under review.

DWP reviews forecasted telephony demand and plans resourcing accordingly to keep wait times down. Wait time performance is frequently reviewed and where DWP’s telephony is delivered by an outsourced provider we use the Key Performance Indicator of percentage of calls answered. All DWP customer telephone lines are Freephone numbers.

The Department is investing in a new capability that aims to better route customers to the right offer at the right time. This will help to reduce waiting times by supporting customers to utilise digital alternatives where appropriate, which enables telephony agents to speak to our customers that really need to speak to someone. If a customer indicates they may be at risk of physical or mental harm e.g. suicide, terminal illness, homelessness, and clinical mental health, they will be routed to a telephony agent in as short a journey as possible.

The Department offers a wide range of reasonable adjustments for customers, including production of communications in a range of alternative formats. We are currently testing further digital solutions for British Sign Language interpreter connectivity within our jobcentre environment.

The Government's view is that Israel's presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is governed by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, to which Israel is a state party. The Government is also clear that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and harm prospects for a two-state solution. We stand opposed to expansion, to settler violence, and to any talk of annexation, which would breach international UN resolutions that successive UK Governments have supported. Annexation only undermines the prospects for peace, would lead to greater instability and would be illegal under international law.

The risk of rising instability in the West Bank is serious, and the need for de-escalation urgent. The UK has been clear that it is in no-one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. Settler violence is unacceptable, and the UK continues to urge the Israeli government to act to stop settler violence. We continue to raise violence in the West Bank with Israeli counterparts. As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 15 January, much remains to be done - to implement all phases of the deal in full and establish a pathway to lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

As the Prime Minister said in the House on 22 January, we are deeply concerned by what is happening in the West Bank. We have raised this a number of times in the various exchanges that we have had with Israel at both ministerial and official level. It is in no one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. We are clear that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and harm prospects for a two-state solution. The UK strongly condemns settler violence. On 15 October, the Foreign Secretary announced new sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. These measures will help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights.

As the Prime Minister said in the House on 22 January, we are deeply concerned by what is happening in the West Bank. We have raised this a number of times in the various exchanges that we have had with Israel at both ministerial and official level. It is in no one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. We are clear that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and harm prospects for a two-state solution. The UK strongly condemns settler violence. On 15 October, the Foreign Secretary announced new sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. These measures will help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights.

Stability in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is crucial to ensure that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza can last. The UK will continue to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the US and regional partners to build consensus for a post-conflict Gaza governance and security framework that supports conditions for a permanent and sustainable peace.

The ceasefire marks the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability. Our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people - grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state.