Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of stray dogs being euthanised in the latest period for which figures are available.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Department does not collect data on the euthanasia of stray dogs.

The obligations for dealing with stray dogs are laid down in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the responsibility for implementing these obligations lies with each local authority.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of granting permissions for shelters to allow the public to adopt stray dogs as a means to reduce the number being euthanised.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environmental Protection Act 1990, sets out a minimum hold period of seven days for stray dogs that are brought into shelters. After this time if the owner has not been identified, the dog may be rehomed or humanely euthanised. Under the Act, local authorities have powers in certain circumstances to transfer stray dogs to rehoming centres.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57065 on Leasehold: Ground Rent, what her planned timetable is for that proposed legislation.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation. Further details will be announced in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of powers held by local authorities to remove travellers from unauthorised encampments on public land.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 46336 on 30 April 2025.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when he plans to introduce the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill was announced at the King’s Speech. It will be introduced in this session of Parliament, as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60731 on Elections: Essex, which local elections will take place on that day.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Elections are scheduled to elect Councillors to Basildon Borough Council, Brentwood Borough Council, Castle Point Borough Council, Colchester City Council, Epping Forest District Council, Essex County Council, Harlow District Council, Rochford District Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council.

The government's consultation on Devolution Priority Programme areas closed on 13 April. We are now carefully considering the evidence collected to determine whether the statutory tests have been met in each of the areas, including Greater Essex.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60731 on Elections: Essex, which local elections will take place on that day.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Elections are scheduled to elect Councillors to Basildon Borough Council, Brentwood Borough Council, Castle Point Borough Council, Colchester City Council, Epping Forest District Council, Essex County Council, Harlow District Council, Rochford District Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council.

The government's consultation on Devolution Priority Programme areas closed on 13 April. We are now carefully considering the evidence collected to determine whether the statutory tests have been met in each of the areas, including Greater Essex.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the new Maritime and Coastguard Agency proposed safety code for small vessels on microbusinesses.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

My department works closely with the Maritime Coastguard Agency on regulations, including the new proposals for small commercial vessels, to ensure that they evolve alongside technology and alternative fuels while maintaining safety. The UK is committed to supporting a robust UK maritime sector — recognising that 99% of businesses in the industry are SMEs — and is dedicated to fostering their growth. Support is available through UK Export Finance, export campaigns and through Department for Transport initiatives including UK SHORE, which has funded decarbonisation projects involving over 150 SMEs, together with the new SME support hub launched by the Ministry of Defence.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on their new proposed safety code for small commercial vessels.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

My department works closely with the Maritime Coastguard Agency on regulations, including the new proposals for small commercial vessels, to ensure that they evolve alongside technology and alternative fuels while maintaining safety. The UK is committed to supporting a robust UK maritime sector — recognising that 99% of businesses in the industry are SMEs — and is dedicated to fostering their growth. Support is available through UK Export Finance, export campaigns and through Department for Transport initiatives including UK SHORE, which has funded decarbonisation projects involving over 150 SMEs, together with the new SME support hub launched by the Ministry of Defence.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support small commercial vessels.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

My department works closely with the Maritime Coastguard Agency on regulations, including the new proposals for small commercial vessels, to ensure that they evolve alongside technology and alternative fuels while maintaining safety. The UK is committed to supporting a robust UK maritime sector — recognising that 99% of businesses in the industry are SMEs — and is dedicated to fostering their growth. Support is available through UK Export Finance, export campaigns and through Department for Transport initiatives including UK SHORE, which has funded decarbonisation projects involving over 150 SMEs, together with the new SME support hub launched by the Ministry of Defence.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that people living in Essex who are digitally excluded have full access to the healthcare services they need.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are working to improve access to digital services, outcomes, and experiences for the widest range of people, based on their preferences. Digital health tools should be part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support, with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services.

NHS England has successfully run a number of programmes to support patients, carers, and health service staff with their digital skills. These include:

- the Digital Health Champions programme, a proof of concept to support citizens who have no or low digital skills with understanding how to access health services online;

- the Widening Digital Participation programme, aimed to ensure more people have the digital skills, motivation, and means to access health information and services online; and

- the NHS App ‘Spoken Word’ Pilot project, designed to test the efficacy of promoting National Health Service digital health products and services in languages other than English.

NHS England has published a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion and is developing further resources to support practical actions. All programmes are actively considering how they can contribute to improvements in healthcare inequalities and digital inclusion.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of smoke emissions from Battery Energy Storage Systems fires on (a) the environment and (b) public health.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. DEFRA will consult shortly on including grid-scale BESS as an activity within environmental permitting to manage the environmental and public health risks from fires at BESS sites.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking through the National Curriculum to ensure that children in school are taught (a) practical digital safety skills and (b) how to (i) block and (ii) filter harmful online content.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

​​The Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report notes the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and trends in digital information, and it is necessary the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills.

​Currently, in the computing curriculum pupils are taught how to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, how to keep their personal information private, how to recognise unacceptable behaviour, and where they can go for help and support.

​Media literacy is currently taught through the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship, using non-statutory programmes of study at key stages 1 and 2. Teaching of citizenship equips pupils to identify misleading and malicious information and to counter the effects of negative and harmful news, events and information, including online.

​Within the statutory guidance for relationships and health education in primary schools and relationships, sex and health education in secondary schools, pupils are taught about online safety and harms.

​The department appointed a task and finish group to advise on digital, AI and technology. We will consider how best to develop and implement any of their recommendations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure fire and rescue services keep pace with (a) international best practice and (b) technological advancements.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) maintains a proactive approach to identifying international best practices through its established workstreams. These workstreams encompass areas such as technological innovation, operational tactics, and strategic response, providing valuable insights that can inform the continuous improvement of Fire and Rescue Services.

Fire and Rescue Authorities are operationally independent from central government. Decisions on how resources are deployed—including the adoption of new technologies—are made locally. Each authority assesses its own risks and local circumstances to determine the most effective ways to protect its communities.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of funding fire and rescue services in the same way as police and ambulance services in order to meet changes in employers' National Insurance.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As part of the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced an additional £515 million to help councils manage the impact of employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) changes from the Autumn Budget.

Payments to councils are un-ringfenced to give Local Authorities discretion over the use of funds in their area. This funding can be used to support councils to mitigate the additional costs of employer NICs within direct, commissioned, and externally provided local services, for example.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure consistent communication between (a) developers of BESS sites and (b) local fire and rescue services during the planning and approval processes.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Planning Practice Guidance encourages developers who are promoting BESS and for local planning authorities to engage with local fire and rescue services and National Fire Chiefs Council guidance.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 35249 on 12 March 2025 and Question UIN 5520 on 11 October 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take steps to introduce a statutory requirement for local fire and rescue services to be consulted during the planning process for BESS installations.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Planning Practice Guidance encourages developers who are promoting BESS and for local planning authorities to engage with local fire and rescue services and National Fire Chiefs Council guidance.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 35249 on 12 March 2025 and Question UIN 5520 on 11 October 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of changing the rules to allow prison officers who retire after failing their annual physical fitness test to receive their full pension.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Prison officers are members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS), for which the policy is owned by HM Treasury and applied to the scheme by Cabinet Office.

Like all public sector pension schemes, a member of the CSPS can consider taking retirement at any time after reaching the age of 55 (increases to 57 from 2028).

If there is an underlying medical condition which significantly impacts a prison officer from carrying out their role, they may be considered for Ill Health Retirement.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prison officers aged 60 or over were dismissed from service after failing an annual fitness test in each of the last 5 years.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The information requested is not held centrally.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has plans to review leasehold arrangements to prevent charities leasing buildings from having to deal with the costs of failed (a) heat pumps and (b) other infrastructure.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

No such assessment has been made. However, The Law Commission is conducting a review of business tenancies to ensure the commercial leasehold market is accessible and functions effectively. In addition, through High Street Rental Auctions, we are creating opportunities for these groups to secure property opportunities.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of being liable for the repair or replacement of heat pumps in leased premises on (a) charities and (b) non-profit organisations.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

No such assessment has been made. However, The Law Commission is conducting a review of business tenancies to ensure the commercial leasehold market is accessible and functions effectively. In addition, through High Street Rental Auctions, we are creating opportunities for these groups to secure property opportunities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HMRC has made of the potential merits of using alternative data sources on smoking incidence to calculate tobacco tax estimates.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The tobacco duty forecast starts by generating an in-year estimate for receipts in the current year based on the year-to-date performance of receipts. Future tobacco duty receipts are then forecast from that starting point based on inflation (CPI and RPI), real household consumption and underlying trends in tobacco consumption. Smoking incidence rates impact receipts and are accounted for via the in-year receipts estimate and underlying trends in tobacco consumption.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) provide further details on the tobacco tax receipt forecast on their Tobacco duties forecast webpage.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prisons have rats: and what steps she taking to tackle this.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has specialist contractors to tackle any rodent activity, when it occurs.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many violent attacks on prison officers on prison estates have occurred in each of the last 10 years.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Reducing the levels of violence in prisons is a key priority and we are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible.

In response to recent serious assaults on our brave and hardworking prison officers, we are mandating the use of Protective Body Armour in the highest risk units and this summer we will trial the use of tasers by specialist staff in adult male prisons.

To protect our staff from serious assaults, PAVA – a synthetic pepper spray – is available in the adult male closed estate and a limited rollout in three Youth Offender Institutions is planned to commence in the summer period, to be used as a last resort in response to an immediate threat of serious harm. We are also committed to removing wet shave razors, that can be used as weapons. Electric shavers are in 31 priority sites in the adult male closed estate and this rollout continues.

All new staff receive violence reduction training and prisoners who pose a raised risk of violence are supported through a case management approach to address the underlying causes of their violence. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 doubled the maximum penalty to two years’ imprisonment for those who assault prison officers.

We publish Safety in Custody statistics quarterly covering deaths, self-harm and assaults in prison custody in England and Wales. Statistics on assaults on staff can be found in Table 4 of the Safety in Custody summary tables to December 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment she has made of the level of violence against prison officers in prisons.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Reducing the levels of violence in prisons is a key priority and we are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible.

In response to recent serious assaults on our brave and hardworking prison officers, we are mandating the use of Protective Body Armour in the highest risk units and this summer we will trial the use of tasers by specialist staff in adult male prisons.

To protect our staff from serious assaults, PAVA – a synthetic pepper spray – is available in the adult male closed estate and a limited rollout in three Youth Offender Institutions is planned to commence in the summer period, to be used as a last resort in response to an immediate threat of serious harm. We are also committed to removing wet shave razors, that can be used as weapons. Electric shavers are in 31 priority sites in the adult male closed estate and this rollout continues.

All new staff receive violence reduction training and prisoners who pose a raised risk of violence are supported through a case management approach to address the underlying causes of their violence. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 doubled the maximum penalty to two years’ imprisonment for those who assault prison officers.

We publish Safety in Custody statistics quarterly covering deaths, self-harm and assaults in prison custody in England and Wales. Statistics on assaults on staff can be found in Table 4 of the Safety in Custody summary tables to December 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to improve (a) working conditions and (b) infrastructure for prison officers.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We recognise that the serious problem of over-occupancy which we inherited has meant that conditions for those living and working in prisons are not those we would expect. We are determined to rectify this. The steps we are taking include action in response to the independent Sentencing Review and our prison building programme. Together, these measures are designed to balance demand for prison places with supply over the longer term.

Our 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy makes a commitment to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places: we aim to do this by 2031. This involves the construction of four new prisons, including the recently delivered HMP Millsike, as well as the expansion and refurbishment of the existing estate and temporary accommodation.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment she has made of the appropriateness of the retirement age for prison officers given the (a) mental and (b) physical health challenges of the role.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The Lord Chancellor has requested advice from officials on the pension age of prison officers, and we will continue to engage with trade unions as this is considered.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing the retirement age for prison officers in line with (a) police officers and (b) firefighters.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The Lord Chancellor has requested advice from officials on the pension age of prison officers, and we will continue to engage with trade unions as this is considered.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of promoting (a) The Chadwell Way and (b) other character education models to teach children (i) core values and (ii) practical life skills.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and to thrive are the foundation stones of the government’s Opportunity Mission. This government is committed to giving children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity. We have set a milestone of a record proportion of children (75%) starting school ready to learn in the classroom.

Physical development is one of the three prime areas of learning and development in the early years foundation stage and includes fine motor skills. Practitioners should support children to develop fine motor skills including manipulating objects and eating with cutlery.

All schools have specific duties to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of their pupils and to prepare them for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life in modern Britain. This includes ensuring pupils understand the society in which they are growing up and the importance of respect for other people.

Through compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught how to build respectful and empathetic relationships as well as how to support their own and others’ health and wellbeing, including simple self-care techniques, personal hygiene, prevention of health and wellbeing problems and basic first aid. Citizenship education is also important for ensuring pupils have the knowledge and skills for life that they need to grow into responsible and caring adults.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support primary schools in teaching (a) manners, (b) personal responsibility, (c) basic self care and (d) other life skills alongside the national curriculum.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and to thrive are the foundation stones of the government’s Opportunity Mission. This government is committed to giving children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity. We have set a milestone of a record proportion of children (75%) starting school ready to learn in the classroom.

Physical development is one of the three prime areas of learning and development in the early years foundation stage and includes fine motor skills. Practitioners should support children to develop fine motor skills including manipulating objects and eating with cutlery.

All schools have specific duties to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of their pupils and to prepare them for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life in modern Britain. This includes ensuring pupils understand the society in which they are growing up and the importance of respect for other people.

Through compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught how to build respectful and empathetic relationships as well as how to support their own and others’ health and wellbeing, including simple self-care techniques, personal hygiene, prevention of health and wellbeing problems and basic first aid. Citizenship education is also important for ensuring pupils have the knowledge and skills for life that they need to grow into responsible and caring adults.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including lessons on (a) tying shoelaces, (b) using cutlery and (c) other life skills in primary schools.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and to thrive are the foundation stones of the government’s Opportunity Mission. This government is committed to giving children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity. We have set a milestone of a record proportion of children (75%) starting school ready to learn in the classroom.

Physical development is one of the three prime areas of learning and development in the early years foundation stage and includes fine motor skills. Practitioners should support children to develop fine motor skills including manipulating objects and eating with cutlery.

All schools have specific duties to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of their pupils and to prepare them for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life in modern Britain. This includes ensuring pupils understand the society in which they are growing up and the importance of respect for other people.

Through compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught how to build respectful and empathetic relationships as well as how to support their own and others’ health and wellbeing, including simple self-care techniques, personal hygiene, prevention of health and wellbeing problems and basic first aid. Citizenship education is also important for ensuring pupils have the knowledge and skills for life that they need to grow into responsible and caring adults.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her plans are for the asylum seekers housed in hotels, in the context of the Chancellor’s recent pledge to end all hotel accommodation for asylum seekers by 2029.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil our statutory obligations and deliver our commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support (a) parents and (b) teachers who are concerned about smartphone use (i) children and (ii) teenagers.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

By the end of this month the Online Safety Act will bring in protections for children to make sure their experiences are appropriate for their age.

Ofcom – the Act’s regulator - has set out measures for services to take to comply with the Act’s child safety duties, and will consider parental controls for future iterations Codes.

The Department for Education has issued guidance on mobile phones in schools to support teachers, and the UK Chief Medical Officers have published advice to support parents on children’s screen use.

This is the foundation, we will not hesitate to go further, to ensure the children’s safety online.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of parental controls on (a) social media platforms and (b) smartphones.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

By the end of this month the Online Safety Act will bring in protections for children to make sure their experiences are appropriate for their age.

Ofcom – the Act’s regulator - has set out measures for services to take to comply with the Act’s child safety duties, and will consider parental controls for future iterations Codes.

The Department for Education has issued guidance on mobile phones in schools to support teachers, and the UK Chief Medical Officers have published advice to support parents on children’s screen use.

This is the foundation, we will not hesitate to go further, to ensure the children’s safety online.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of raising the minimum age for social media access.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

By the end of this month the Online Safety Act will bring in protections for children to make sure their experiences are appropriate for their age.

Ofcom – the Act’s regulator - has set out measures for services to take to comply with the Act’s child safety duties, and will consider parental controls for future iterations Codes.

The Department for Education has issued guidance on mobile phones in schools to support teachers, and the UK Chief Medical Officers have published advice to support parents on children’s screen use.

This is the foundation, we will not hesitate to go further, to ensure the children’s safety online.

Mass deportation of illegal migrants

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