Munira Wilson

Information on the disposal of surplus assets by public bodies is not held centrally.

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) publishes updated figures every month.

As of 14 March, IBCA had invited 255 people to start their compensation claim, and 214 of those had started the claim process. 63 offers of compensation had been made, totalling over £73 million, and so far 40 people had accepted their offers with more than £44 million paid in compensation.

No data is held centrally on the total number of Civil Service employees with learning disabilities.

We have already begun working to reset the UK-EU relationship. The Prime Minister has had positive early calls and meetings, including with Ursula von der Leyen, and key leaders in Member States. The Minister for the Cabinet Office has visited Brussels twice in the first two weeks of the new Government and met with his counterpart, Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.

We want to improve the trading relationship with the EU, including on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and we look forward to exploring this further with our European partners.

We have already begun working to reset the UK-EU relationship. The Prime Minister has had positive early calls and meetings, including with Ursula von der Leyen, and key leaders in Member States. The Minister for the Cabinet Office has visited Brussels twice in the first two weeks of the new Government and met with his counterpart, Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.

We want to improve the trading relationship with the EU, including on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and we look forward to exploring this further with our European partners.

We welcome the publication of the report and the contribution to the evidence base used to inform our trade policy. Our number one priority is growing the UK economy, and a positive trading relationship with both the US and with our European partners are part of that approach.

The Government continues to consider ways in which consumers can be supported in accessing redress and regularly reviews how standards of consumer protection within the construction sector could be improved.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 contains measures to improve Alternative Dispute Resolution in consumer markets by raising standards of consistency and quality, and encouraging business take up.

The Government-funded Citizens Advice consumer service offers free advice to consumers on their rights and how to take complaints forward. A list of Alternative Dispute Resolution bodies and their related sector is available on the Chartered Trading Standards Institute website.

The Government regularly reviews how standards of consumer protection within the construction sector could be improved. This includes discussions with industry stakeholders, such as the Federation of Master Builders, and with Members of Parliament on a licensing scheme to protect consumers.

There are advantages and disadvantages to introducing a licencing scheme in the domestic construction market. The advantages may include higher standards of competence and more effective consumer redress. Whilst the disadvantages may include the cost, complexity and additional administrative burden. Any action that the Government takes on licensing to protect customers and standards needs to be robust, proportionate and evidence based.

The Government regularly reviews how standards of consumer protection within the construction sector could be improved. This includes discussions with industry stakeholders, such as the Federation of Master Builders, and with Members of Parliament on a licensing scheme to protect consumers.

There are advantages and disadvantages to introducing a licencing scheme in the domestic construction market. The advantages may include higher standards of competence and more effective consumer redress. Whilst the disadvantages may include the cost, complexity and additional administrative burden. Any action that the Government takes on licensing to protect customers and standards needs to be robust, proportionate and evidence based.

The Building Safety Act requires that all those undertaking work in the built environment must be competent and have the right skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours.

The Government is working with the construction industry to support the development and implementation of competence frameworks for built environment occupations that identify the core skills, qualifications and competence levels needed to undertake work. Engagement with DfE, Skills England and Standard Setting Bodies is a key part of developing the frameworks to align with and improve existing qualification routes to deliver the competence levels required.

The sixth carbon budget will include the UK’s share of international aviation and shipping (IAS) emissions for the first time, in line with the previous administration’s announcement in April 2021. The sixth carbon budget has already been set at 965 MtCO2e in the Carbon Budget Order 2021, which reflects that this will include IAS.

Including IAS in the carbon budget from a legal perspective means making regulations under s.30 of the Climate Change Act 2008. This Government intends to legislate for IAS inclusion at the earliest possible opportunity, subject to Parliamentary scheduling.

The £610m Faraday Battery Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK, supports mission-led academic research on battery recycling technologies through the Faraday Institution’s (FI’s) ReLiB project. ReLiB researchers at the University of Leicester have recently demonstrated algae-derived water miscible anode blinders that can be fully recovered at the end of the batteries life, and are looking to demonstrate an “all” water-soluble binder system that will simplifying battery recycling by the Summer 2025.

ReLiB researchers at the University of Birmingham have also been collaborating with a leading supplier of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) binder on the use of “green” solvents for binder recovery from used batteries. They have also recently demonstrated a new process to recover and reuse PVDF binders in new cells.

The Government is actively coordinating its efforts to ensure a just transition, enabling workers to benefit from the economic opportunities arising from our shift to net zero. To support this, it has established the Office for Clean Energy Jobs, which aims to assist workers and communities at risk of economic displacement by focusing on skill development and training in the clean energy and net zero sectors. The Government’s primary goal is to create quality jobs in Britain’s industrial heartlands, ensuring a fair transition for industries based in the North Sea.

This Government is committed to restoring the UK’s global leadership on climate and nature. We are honouring the existing commitment on our pledge to spend £11.6bn in International Climate Finance between April 2021 and March 2026 including at least £3bn on nature, from which £1.5bn will be dedicated to protecting and restoring forests. In doing so, we can encourage member states at COP29 to follow our example. Public finance will continue to be key, but we cannot act alone. A concerted and sustained global effort to boost finance from all sources is necessary.

We know that to achieve net zero, we must look at how we can accelerate the potential of all low carbon technologies including geothermal. The Government understands that geothermal can play a role in our decarbonisation ambitions particularly as a low carbon source for heat via heat networks. We have commissioned research into the potential costs of geothermal heat in the UK and will use this to understand how the government can support the sector to achieve its potential.

The Government received over 11,500 responses to the consultation on copyright and AI. It is now carefully considering these responses, and a Government response will be published when this work is complete. Government amendments to the Data (Use and Access) Bill commit the Government to publishing a full report on some of the issues covered in the consultation within 12 months of Royal Assent.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with ARIA on a range of matters. As set out in ARIA’s Framework Agreement, ARIA has unique operational freedoms, including over its research and project choice and its procedures. This independence allows ARIA to take bold steps to better understand the world we live in, and the Government supports ARIA exploring critical areas like this.

The government is not in favour of using Solar Radiation Modification. ARIA is an independent research body and they are conducting cautious, controlled research aimed at improving understanding of its risks and impacts. The government supports ARIA’s mission to fund transformational research programmes with long-term benefits.

For further detail on ARIA’s ‘Exploring Climate Cooling’ programme specifically, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I provided on 2 May 2025 to Question UIN 47970.

DSIT published an impact assessment for the Online Safety Act which contains estimates on the number of firms in scope. DSIT has not made a specific estimate in these areas nor has set specific targets.

The Act will require in-scope services to prevent all users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content including illegal eating disorder content, as well as protecting children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instruction for suicide, self-injury or eating disorders online.

Ofcom, responsible for the Act’s implementation, will provide guidance or codes of practice relating to the safety duties.

DSIT is developing a framework to evaluate the Act’s implementation and core outcomes.

DSIT published an impact assessment for the Online Safety Act which contains estimates on the number of firms in scope. DSIT has not made a specific estimate in these areas nor has set specific targets.

The Act will require in-scope services to prevent all users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content including illegal eating disorder content, as well as protecting children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instruction for suicide, self-injury or eating disorders online.

Ofcom, responsible for the Act’s implementation, will provide guidance or codes of practice relating to the safety duties.

DSIT is developing a framework to evaluate the Act’s implementation and core outcomes.

DSIT published an impact assessment for the Online Safety Act which contains estimates on the number of firms in scope. DSIT has not made a specific estimate in these areas nor has set specific targets.

The Act will require in-scope services to prevent all users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content including illegal eating disorder content, as well as protecting children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instruction for suicide, self-injury or eating disorders online.

Ofcom, responsible for the Act’s implementation, will provide guidance or codes of practice relating to the safety duties.

DSIT is developing a framework to evaluate the Act’s implementation and core outcomes.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is leading the Government’s contribution to the VE and VJ Day 80 and is working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to ensure appropriate representation at official events. The guest list for the commemorations has not been finalised.

Ofcom, the independent regulator, is responsible for drafting and maintaining the Broadcasting Code, which outlines standards for television and radio broadcasting in the United Kingdom. The Government has no plans to make an assessment of the potential impact on the protection of children by including online podcasts in the Broadcasting Code.

The Government has no plans to widen the scope of the Broadcasting Code to include all online podcasts.

The government wants to see remuneration arrangements that create the right conditions for sparking and driving innovation and investment, whilst rewarding creators for their work.

The governments response to the CMS Committee’s report on Creator Remuneration acknowledges the challenges facing creatives. In responding, the government has committed to exploring the case for a Freelance Commissioner and highlights the new provisions in the Employment Rights Bill. The government is also committed to finding the right balance between fostering innovation in artificial intelligence and ensuring protection for creators and investment in the creative industries. We intend to proceed carefully but with a degree of urgency in this area and hope to announce next steps soon.

On music streaming specifically, the government believes all artists and creators should be appropriately remunerated for the use of their works, as this is what allows them to invest their time, effort, and money into creating music. That is why this government is engaging with music stakeholders, including through a working group to pursue industry-led actions on remuneration from music streaming. We will continue to bring industry and creator representatives together to address issues and find solutions.

The table below shows the number of rejected applications for the adoption and special guardianship support fund by financial year:

The reduction in rejected applications is largely the result of improved systems, and of close working between local authorities, Regional Adoption Agencies and the department’s delivery partner to address queries and support re-work of applications. This means that, although some applications are withdrawn for a range of reasons, few are ultimately rejected.

The new criteria for the adoption and special guardianship support fund will enable as many children and families as possible to access the available funding. The department always assesses the impact of changes on vulnerable children. This includes reviewing the equalities impact assessment.

Ministers and departmental officials have regular discussions with Ofsted on a wide range of matters, including special educational needs and the proposed reforms to the inspection of schools and colleges.

The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.

The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.

A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.

The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.

The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.

A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.