Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued on support that should be made available to children and young people while they are awaiting assessment by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local services are expected to ensure that children and young people awaiting assessment are provided with appropriate advice and information about other sources of support available to them, including self-help resources and online support.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect children in Gaza, with reference to the report from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The impact of the conflict in Gaza on children is a moral outrage. We are clear that children must always be protected, and their rights upheld in accordance with international law. The UK continues to take measures to support Palestinian children. In June the previous Foreign Secretary announced the resumption of UK-supported medical evacuations of critically ill and injured children, as well as eligible students, and their immediate families from Gaza. On 19 May we announced a partnership supporting children with blast injuries caused by the conflict and we continue to provide support to UK-Med field hospitals across Gaza. I also refer the Hon. Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 8 September.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of helping to establish an independent investigation into allegations of political violence and human rights abuses in Bangladesh.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly engages with the Government of Bangladesh on a range of issues, including governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The previous Minister for the Indo-Pacific met Bangladesh Prime Minister Rahman on 17 February and reinforced the UK's commitment to working with the Government of Bangladesh to advance democratic, economic and social reforms.
The UK condemns all acts of violence targeting religious or ethnic minorities and continues to emphasise the importance of protecting the rights of all communities to the Bangladesh Government.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to monitor the human rights situation in Bangladesh.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly engages with the Government of Bangladesh on a range of issues, including governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The previous Minister for the Indo-Pacific met Bangladesh Prime Minister Rahman on 17 February and reinforced the UK's commitment to working with the Government of Bangladesh to advance democratic, economic and social reforms.
The UK condemns all acts of violence targeting religious or ethnic minorities and continues to emphasise the importance of protecting the rights of all communities to the Bangladesh Government.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
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.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
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.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science 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.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
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.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
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.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
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.