Kate Osamor

The Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all parental leave and pay entitlements as well as the support available for those who do not currently qualify for existing protections, including kinship carers. This is an evidence-based Review and is taking a wide array of evidence into account. The Review is expected to report in early 2027, setting out next steps for taking forward any reforms to implementation.

The Government is also supporting kinship carers and has recently launched a kinship pilot to support up to 5,000 children by paying eligible carers an allowance equivalent to the Fostering National Minimum Allowance.

The government is committed to creating an economy that delivers for working people and businesses alike. The National Living Wage is set by the government, following recommendations from the independent Low Pay Commission, which considers a range of factors, including the cost of living, business impacts and employment levels; this ensures that the right balance is struck between the needs of workers, affordability for businesses and the impact on the economy.

In contrast, the voluntary Real Living Wage is set independently by the Living Wage Foundation and is based on living costs. We welcome employers paying above statutory minimum rates, including the Real Living Wage, where they can afford to do so.

I refer the member for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill to the response I gave to UIN 125751 on 20 April.

A cancer diagnosis is distressing at any stage of life, and especially for mothers on maternity leave, at a time that should be focused on recovery, bonding and family life.

The Department of Health and Social Care’s National Cancer Plan sets out how people with cancer, including pregnant and postnatal women, are supported before, during and after treatment, including supporting mothers to stay in work.

Alongside this, the Parental Leave and Pay Review is examining how maternity leave and the wider parental leave and pay system can better support working families. The Review will report in early 2027.

The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings which outline next steps for implementing any reforms.

In addition to considering all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, the Review is considering the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers.

The Government is also supporting kinship carers through other mechanisms and has recently launched a kinship pilot to support up to 5,000 children by paying eligible carers an allowance equivalent to the Fostering National Minimum Allowance.

The Government is aware of the interest in ISDS, and is engaging with energy and climate stakeholders on its impact on UK priorities. In line with HMG’s Trade Strategy, the UK will continue to work with partners through multilateral forums, including the OECD and the UN system, to identify opportunities to improve ISDS practice.

The Government remains supportive of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility and is proud to have assisted Brazil to develop the initiative. TFFF is an important opportunity and we want to see it succeed. We will continue to provide support to TFFF, including through co-funding the World Bank programme that will operationalise the Facility, and through the AIM4Forests programme, which will provide critical technical assistance to support delivery of TFFF.

The Government is committed to reducing emissions from road transport, aviation and high carbon products in support of our national missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower. This includes overhauling public transport services to make sustainable choices more convenient for more transport users, turbocharging the rollout of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, and making the UK a world-leader in the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels. The government will set out further detail on its plans for reducing emissions from all sectors later this year.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is 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 to the ASA, are responsible for codifying the standards for advertising to the marketing industry as part of their UK Broadcast Advertising Code (‘BCAP Code’) and UK Non-Broadcast Advertising Code (‘CAP Code’), which include standards regarding environmental claims. The government is not involved in these codes, nor in the investigations and enforcement delivered by the ASA.

On 15 June, the government published a progress statement following the ‘Growing up in the Online World’ consultation.

This set out a package of new measures including banning social media platforms from offering their services to under 16s and restricting harmful functionalities, including stranger communication, across a wider range of services for under 16s. Restrictions on harmful functionalities will also be on by default for 16 and 17 year olds.

The government has been clear that it will consider the case for exemptions when it sets out the final detail in regulations.

Under the Online Safety Act, services designated as Category 1 and 2A (large user-to-user and large search services respectively) will have additional duties to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising.

Categorisation of online services is a statutory duty for Ofcom and one that is important to get right. Ofcom’s assessment process is still ongoing, and the regulator aims to publish its register and consult on the additional duties – including on fraudulent advertising – in summer 2026. The Secretary of State wrote to Ofcom in October and November last year urging the independent regulator to look at where its categorisation process could be expedited.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal. The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year. The Government will also be hosting a roundtable shortly with representatives from animal welfare organisations to discuss the strategy.

As fraud offences are ‘priority offences’ under the Online Safety Act (OSA), all user-to-user services in scope must prevent illegal fraudulent content from appearing on their platforms and swiftly remove if it does. They must also effectively mitigate the risk of their service being used to facilitate fraud.

The OSA also requires in-scope platforms to provide accessible complaints and appeals procedures for their users. Additionally, those services over the designated threshold (Category 1 services) must uphold their terms of service.

The Government is aware of the Stop Killing Games campaign and concerns relating to the continued access to video games, including licensed, online-only video games, and we appreciate the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has spoken with the video games industry and has responded to a recent petition on this issue.

There are no plans to amend existing consumer law on disabling video games. Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), giving clear advice to consumers. Video game sellers must not omit or hide material information, or provide it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner.

Collective worship remains an important part of school life, supporting pupils to reflect on the concept of belief and the role it plays in our country’s traditions and values. We are clear the guidance in Circular 1/94 needs to be updated. We recognise that this is sensitive work requiring care, and we will consult with stakeholders to ensure that we get it right. It is a matter for schools themselves to ensure they meet their legal duties.

The department is committed to ensuring that people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their families and carers, and the professionals who support them are meaningfully represented in our communications, and their experiences reflected. This includes our social media, work with the press, paid for campaigns, communications partnerships, stakeholder engagement and our direct engagement. That has recently included case studies with children with SEND, their families, nurseries, schools and colleges, as part of the Schools White Paper communications. We have spoken to a broad range of young people, parents and carers, and are working with SEND professionals and campaigners to deliver webinars and explainer social media content on reforms to parents of children and young people with SEND.

We have also engaged people with lived experience in behind-the-scenes development of communications, so that messaging, tone and content reflect real experiences. We continue to work with SEND organisations, giving us a route to engagement with parents, carers and young people who do not follow us.

We recognise that good communication on SEND must go beyond information sharing. By involving those with direct experience and expertise from the outset, we can produce communications that better serve children and young people with SEND, their families, and the workforce supporting them.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, to the answer of 27 March 2026 to Question 112385.

Schools, academies and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers, which includes deciding whether to use private supply agencies to fill temporary posts or cover teacher absence.

The department recognises the role that agencies play in helping to keep schools running when they face teacher shortages and absences. We are committed to helping schools achieve better value for money when using agencies, which is why we have established the agency supply deal in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service. The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge. Our most recent announcement on maximising value for pupils is available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximising-value-for-pupils/maximising-value-for-pupils.

The department has no plans to take steps to introduce a national supply register for teachers.

Schools, academies and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers, which includes deciding whether to use private supply agencies to fill temporary posts or cover teacher absence.

The department recognises the role that agencies play in helping to keep schools running when they face teacher shortages and absences. We are committed to helping schools achieve better value for money when using agencies, which is why we have established the agency supply deal in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service. The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge. Our most recent announcement on maximising value for pupils is available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximising-value-for-pupils/maximising-value-for-pupils.

The department has no plans to take steps to introduce a national supply register for teachers.

The Government's animal welfare strategy was published on 22 December 2025 and is available here on GOV.UK.

As set out in the strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.

We are also committed to working with stakeholders in ongoing discussions about further improving transparency and consumer trust in country-of-origin labelling.

The Government recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. The Government is actively considering the best regulatory approach to address deforestation in UK supply chains; we will set out this approach in due course.

This is a multifaceted issue with many factors that need to be carefully considered.

The Department has initiated a series of meetings with key stakeholders as part of the development of an overarching approach to animal welfare. We will be outlining more detail of plans in due course.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives. This Government is currently considering the actions that can be taken to promote repair and reuse and address the challenges associated with excessive consumption and waste reduction.

Defra recognises the importance of assessing the impacts of high carbon advertising and the work of AdGreen in this space. As we develop our Circular Economy Strategy for England, we will consider the evidence for action from right across the economy and evaluate what interventions may be needed. Sheffield Council has already introduced policy on this issue.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives. This Government is currently considering the actions that can be taken to promote repair and reuse and address the challenges associated with excessive consumption and waste reduction.

Defra recognises the importance of assessing the impacts of high carbon advertising and the work of AdGreen in this space. As we develop our Circular Economy Strategy for England, we will consider the evidence for action from right across the economy and evaluate what interventions may be needed. Sheffield Council has already introduced policy on this issue.

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Later this year, the department will publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS) and set the long-term vision for transport across England, placing people at the heart of how we plan, build, and operate transport. The Strategy will aim to address fragmentation and inefficiency across the transport system to ensure that people can easily, reliably, and safely carry out the journeys they want to make, however they choose to travel.

We have conducted extensive engagement with stakeholders and members of the public, including motorcyclists and motorcycle user representative groups, through a Call for Ideas, Regional Roadshows, and targeted sessions with seldom heard groups. As the Strategy is still in development, I am unable to comment on specific policy questions, but all the insights gathered through our engagement activities have been analysed and are being considered as the Strategy continues to evolve.

The Government supports the transition of L-category vehicles to zero emission and has been helping people transition to zero emission motorcycles. The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant helps bridge the price gap between zero emission and petrol motorcycles and will continue until at least April 2026 for L3-category motorcycles.

The department will publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy later this year and set the long-term vision for transport across England, putting people and the journeys they make at the heart of how transport is planned, built and operated. We have conducted extensive engagement with stakeholders and members of the public at an official level to inform the Strategy and heard directly from motorcyclists and motorcycle representative groups including Motorcycle Action Group (MAG). As the Strategy is still in development, I am unable to comment on specific policy questions, but the insights gathered through our engagement activities have been analysed and are being considered as the Strategy continues to evolve.

On 20 January, I attended the first part of the first meeting of the reconstituted Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group (MSFG), chaired by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, to demonstrate my support and commitment to the motorcycling community and to the work of that group, of which MAG is a member and were in attendance. I think that the MSFG is best placed for MAG to feed in their concerns and requests about Government policy as it affects motorcyclists.

Improving road safety is a key priority of this Government. For road users who choose to travel by motorcycle, the Department remains committed to ensuring that they are equipped with the specialist skills necessary to stay safe on the road.

Too many people are killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. The Department is developing the Government’s Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for uprating.

The policy on uprating UK State Pension paid overseas is a longstanding one and has been in place for over 70 years. Over many years, priority has been given to those living in the United Kingdom when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

The Department routinely keeps its policies under review and we are always interested in views from customers and stakeholders.

The current review of Universal Credit is looking closely at how the benefit supports self-employed people.