Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the judgment in the matter of an application by JR87 and another for Judicial Review (Appellant) UKSC/2024/0095, if she will review the enforcement of collective worship in schools following that judgment.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

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.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Fifth Special Report of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee of Session 2024-26 on The Funding and Sustainability of Local Government Finance: Government Response, HC1355, published on 21 October 2025, what progress his Department has made in implementing the recommendations on adult social care.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement, published on 9 February 2026, makes over £4.6 billion additional funding for available adult social care in 2028-29, compared to 2025-26, including £500 million for the first-ever Fair Payment Agreement.

The Independent Commission into adult social care remains on course to issue its first report in 2026. The Department of Health and Social Care responded to Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CBE on 5 March 2026 setting out the immediate action on adult safeguarding, dementia and motor neurone disease that would be taken forward.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department of Health and Social Care are working closely to manage the impact of Integrated Care Board reforms, including through engagement with local authority and Integrated Care Board chief executives.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent human rights abuses and atrocities in Amhara in Ethiopia.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The ongoing conflict in Amhara has led to significant humanitarian needs, including rising food insecurity, and widespread conflict-related human rights violations and abuses. In coordination with international partners, the UK continues to use its voice in multilateral fora, including the Human Rights Council, to call for accountability for the abuses and atrocities committed in the conflict to date, and we raise these issues on a regular basis with the Government of Ethiopia.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, about the steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) fairness and (b) transparency of the Single Justice Procedure.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Fairness and transparency remain a Government priority for the Single Justice Procedure. This is why the Ministry of Justice consulted on “Regulation and oversight of private prosecutions and strengthening safeguards in the Single Justice Procedure”, which closed in May 2025.

The consultation generated a significant number of detailed responses, reflecting the complexity of the issues involved. The Government is considering these carefully, alongside related policy and delivery issues, to ensure that the response is fully informed. The Government response will be published in due course.

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 introducing statutory paid leave for kinship carers on levels of recruitment and staff retention.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

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.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the level of engagement with and representation of people with SEND, carers and SEND professionals in future government campaigns and communications on SEND.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

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.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 6 August 2025 to Question 68333 on Hussam Abu Safiya, what recent steps he has taken to help ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are aware of recent reporting that Dr Safiya has been moved to solitary confinement. We have raised our concerns about this case on a number of occasions.

We will continue to monitor developments closely and raise issues where appropriate. As and when there is anything further to report, I will update the Hon Member accordingly.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the proposals by the Living Wage Foundation, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of all publicly funded institutions paying staff the real living wage as calculated by the Living Wage Foundation and the Resolution Foundation.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

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.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help students from Gaza who hold places at UK universities to come to the UK for studies beginning this year.

Answered by Mike Tapp

As confirmed in the Foreign Secretary’s statement of 24 June 2026, the Government has renewed support for high achieving students from Gaza to take up fully funded scholarships at UK universities for the 2026/27 academic year.

The Government will work closely with Devolved Governments, universities, international partners and relevant authorities to facilitate departures and onward travel. However, departures from Gaza remain highly complex and dependent on factors outside the UK Government’s control. As such, travel and timelines cannot be guaranteed.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure new restrictions on stranger communications on online services do not negatively impact online learning platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

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.

VAT for UK hospitality