Nadia Whittome

The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to consider actively how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

We know that the duty will only succeed if central Government works in partnership with public sector leaders, communities and other partners up and down the country. We will therefore work closely with relevant organisations to ensure that implementation of the duty is as effective as possible. We will update further on our work to commence the socio-economic duty in due course.

The time limit to bring discrimination cases to a tribunal is being extended from 3 to 6 months through the Employment Rights Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament. This measure will allow certain claims to be made that currently are either (a) being made but which require, at the tribunal’s discretion, an extension over the 3-month period or (b) not being made as a result of the length of the time limit.

This supports the Government’s commitment to making work pay by strengthening employment rights and providing quicker and more effective resolutions, to the benefit of all parties. The change will align the timelines across different cases, simplifying the process for applicants and employers.

This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped.

Through the development of the Conversion Practices Bill, this Government will deliver on our manifesto commitment to bring forward a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, implementing key safeguards for LGBT people.

We are committed to listening to all viewpoints as this work progresses, and to engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, organisations and all LGBT communities.

It is crucial that all LGBT+ people are safe and protected from discrimination, including those from ethnic minority and/or faith communities.

Work is underway to deliver the Government’s Manifesto commitments that will enhance legislative protections for LGBT+ individuals. In particular, the Government is committed to delivering a trans-inclusive ban on abusive conversion practices and ensuring that all existing strands of hate crime constitute an aggravated offence.

We are committed to continuing to listen to all viewpoints as this work progresses, and engage with a wide range of stakeholders, organisations and all LGBT+ communities.

The Government renewed its commitment to the 60% office attendance expectation on 24 October, emphasising the importance of collaboration through face-to-face interactions. This decision is supported by a variety of studies highlighting the benefits of hybrid working.

By colocating departments and fostering great workplaces tailored to support local communities, Places for Growth is helping improve office attendance in regional areas. This strategic approach not only enhances collaboration among civil service staff but also strengthens ties within the local community, making the office a more attractive and supportive environment for employees.

The Government has ensured that the potential takeover of Royal Mail has been properly scrutinised and that appropriate guarantees have been put in place to protect the interests of the workforce, customers and the country. These guarantees include the bidder’s agreements with the unions and commitments to the Government to ensure the ongoing provision of services and the protection of the network required to deliver those services. Additionally, the company has an ongoing requirement to fulfil its statutory and regulatory responsibilities, regardless of its ownership.

The Government is invested in protecting and enhancing the rights of vulnerable groups in the workplace.

The Equality Act 2010 requires employers to accommodate the needs of disabled em-ployees through reasonable adjustments. This is likely to include provision for disability-related absence.

In addition, changes proposed by the Employment Rights Bill include making it easier for employees to negotiate a flexible working arrangement which suits their needs. This will benefit, among others, employees with long-term physical or mental health condi-tions and disabilities.

DESNZ does not hold detailed data on the sourcing of biomass.

Drax’s compliance with sustainability criteria is overseen by Ofgem, the independent energy regulator, and the Low Carbon Contracts Company as the counterparty for the Contract for Difference Scheme.

Government works closely with LCCC and Ofgem to ensure that generators only receive subsidies for biomass that meets our sustainability criteria.

Ofgem’s recent investigation related to a breach of annual profiling reporting requirements. Whilst Drax complied with sustainability standards, it had failed to report data accurately. This is a serious matter and Government expects full compliance with all regulatory obligations. Drax’s subsequent £25 million redress payment underscores the robustness of the regulatory system.

Under the End-of-Life Vehicles (Producer Responsibility) Regulations 2005, vehicle manufacturers and importers have a responsibility to establish free collection systems.

The regulations require that by weight, at least 85% of the materials from end-of-life vehicles must be reused or recycled. Additionally, another 10% by weight must be reused, recycled or used for energy recovery, bringing the overall target to 95%.

Vehicle manufacturers must ensure that the vehicles they place on the market are recyclable to those levels.

Currently, there are some city level scrappage schemes operating in the UK, which are administered and publicised by the relevant local authorities.

As a priority, the Government will support Ofgem to review the rules around billing accuracy and supplier billing practices to understand where improvement is needed and whether compliance action is required. Ofgem is also considering new rules to improve and incentivise better billing accuracy and debt support, including default monthly bills for households and reviewing the back billing rules to reduce how far back a supplier can bill a customer where the error was the supplier’s fault.

We believe that when things go wrong, suppliers should successfully resolve issues as quickly as possible. Ofgem will work to review and improve the current complaint handling standards regulations to ensure that suppliers take ownership to manage and resolve complaints effectively and efficiently. It will also ensure there is better automatic customer compensation for failure to deter poor service and drive improvements. Under the guaranteed standards of performance (GSOPs), suppliers are required to make automatic compensation payments to customers if they fail to meet specific customer service standards.

The vast majority of AI systems are regulated at the point of use, and the UK's existing expert regulators are best placed to do this. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government has committed to supporting regulators in evaluating their AI capabilities and understanding how these can be strengthened.

The government is also developing legislative proposals which will allow the UK to safely realise the benefits of the most powerful AI systems. These proposals will be highly targeted, build on the voluntary commitments secured at the Seoul and Bletchley AI Summits, and be future-proofed against this fast-evolving technology.

Digital inclusion is a priority for Government. It means ensuring everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to engage in our modern digital society, whatever their circumstances. Digital exclusion disproportionately impacts certain demographics, creating new inequalities and exacerbating existing ones. As we develop our approach on tackling this issue we will be working closely with local communities, local authorities, businesses and charities to ensure everything we do is well targeted. We hope to announce more on this in the near future.

The government is focused on implementing the Online Safety Act as quickly as possible working with Ofcom. Ofcom has consulted on its draft Children’s Safety codes of practice which set out the steps companies must take to protect children on their platforms under the Online Safety Act. Ofcom will publish the finalised codes and guidance in Spring 2025 and the government will work to ensure these codes are in effect as soon as possible.

Deepfakes and other forms of manipulated media are captured by the Online Safety Act where they constitute user generated content that is illegal content, or content which is harmful to children. Services that are likely to be accessed by children will need to take steps to protect children from harmful content and behaviour on their services, including AI-generated or enabled content.

We are in the early stages of the new Government and we are considering the full range of policy options to support the arts and creative industries, and help the cultural sectors to thrive.

This government is committed to supporting culture, and making sure the arts and cultural activities will no longer be the preserve of a privileged few. Although individual decisions on financial support for arts bodies are rightly subject to the arm’s-length principle and a matter for Arts Council England, we are keen to ensure that funding for the arts is fairly distributed across the country.

We are working with Arts Council England and others to understand what the challenges and opportunities are for our sectors. As part of the Government’s “Creating Growth” plan, DCMS is undertaking a review documenting current and past funding for the arts, culture, and heritage sectors.

There is no place for racism in our education system or anywhere else in society. Students, regardless of their background, should be able to study in a safe and supportive environment that allows them to thrive.

The Equality Act 2010 enshrines in law that all public sector bodies, including schools and higher education institutions, must not discriminate against a student because of their protected characteristics. All educational institutions have a responsibility to take a zero-tolerance approach to any racism towards students and staff. They have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to adopt robust policies and procedures that enable them to investigate and address reports of racism swiftly. The department has published guidance for schools on how to comply with their duties. This guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools.

Schools should actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. Actively promoting these values means challenging opinions or behaviours in school that are contrary to fundamental British values. Schools should further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures. Promotion of these values plays an important role in preparing our children and young people for life in a modern and diverse Britain. Ofsted inspects how schools and colleges develop their pupils' understanding of these values. The Educate Against Hate website features more than 150 free resources to help pupils, teachers and parents tackle sensitive topics with students, including in relation to discrimination and hatred.

In universities, the Office for Students (OfS) is introducing a new condition of registration for preventing, addressing and investigating incidents of harassment with effect from 1 August 2025. The government is working with the OfS and sector bodies to help providers prepare to implement the new measures. The condition will enable the OfS to do more to ensure that universities are taking appropriate and timely action to prevent and tackle harassment of all kinds, including anti-Palestinian racism.

The statutory duty on local authorities to provide alternative provision applies to children of compulsory school age. If any alternative provision schools would like to offer post-16 placements, they should approach the department to discuss this. Funded post-16 education has a variety of different provider types which deliver different provision, relevant to the different aspirations and needs of post-16 students. In addition, 16-19 study programmes should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the young person.

Ensuring that every young person has a pathway through further and higher education and into employment is a key pillar of the government’s opportunity and growth missions. The department wants to build a world class further education (FE) system which delivers for the whole nation and supports these missions. A key part of this is ensuring colleges are fit for the future, with better facilities and good quality, sustainable buildings.

At the Autumn Budget 2024, the department announced £950 million of skills capital funding for 2025/26, including £300 million of new funding to support FE colleges to maintain, improve and ensure suitability of their estate. It will be for colleges to decide how to prioritise funding in line with guidance which the department will publish. However, spend could include investment in low-carbon infrastructure in line with the Further Education Generic Design Brief and Technical Annexes, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-requirements-for-college-projects-part-a-and-part-b.

As part of the FE Capital Transformation Programme, which is a six-year programme investing more than £1.5 billion to upgrade the FE college estate, the department is working in partnership with sixteen colleges to address some of the worst condition sites in the country. These schemes are being built to the above specifications. One of these projects is the Ashington Campus of Northumberland College, which is a Gen-Zero development, designed to be ultra-low carbon in both construction and operation.

FE colleges are also able to apply to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, administered by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. A number of FE colleges have benefitted from this scheme to invest in measures to achieve net zero in operation at some or all of their sites.

Future investment will depend on the outcomes of the spending review which will be announced later this year.

The government has agreed that public sector employers will receive compensation in recognition of the increase in their National Insurance contributions (NICs). That compensation will be additional to the £2.3 billion increase to the core schools budget for the 2025/26 financial year announced at the Autumn Budget 2024. Due to timing constraints, it will be provided as a separate grant, alongside the dedicated schools grant, in 2025/26. Further arrangements for this will be shared with schools as soon as is practicable.

On 10 December 2024, the department published its written evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body, to inform their recommendations for school teachers’ pay in the next academic year. This included a proposed pay award of 2.8% for teachers for the 2025/26 academic year. In the context of the challenging national economic picture, a 2.8% award would be appropriate, ensuring teachers’ pay remains competitive and continues to reflect the vital contribution they make to children’s life chances.

The whole public sector, including schools, is being expected to drive better value from existing budgets to help rebuild public services. Schools will be expected to fund the 2025 pay award from the additional investment provided at the Budget, alongside their existing funds. The department will support schools to use their funding as efficiently as possible with a suite of new productivity initiatives. The department will soon publish a national affordability estimate for schools in the School Cost Technical Note. This estimate will be equivalent to the position of an average school.

Final decisions on the teacher’s pay award for 2025/26 will be made following recommendations from the independent pay review body process, which is on-going. The government will consider its response to the Pay Review Body’s recommendations with regard to the overall financial position. The written evidence sets out the department’s expectations about what schools will want to consider in their budget plans.

Littering and fly-tipping are crimes which blight our communities and harm the environment. Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group which aims to develop and disseminate various practical tools on tackling fly-tipping. These include a guide on how local authorities can raise awareness of the household waste duty of care, which helps to prevent householders from giving their waste to a fly-tipper. The guide provides suggested messaging, including the impact of fly-tipping locally.

Defra is also proud to support and endorse national clean-up initiatives such as the Great British Spring Clean, and we will continue to use our influence to encourage as many people and businesses as possible to participate in these types of events.

At this time, the Government is not planning to implement a new national litter strategy. This Government is committed to reducing waste by transitioning to a circular economy. To support the government in achieving this goal we have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising experts from across government, industry, academia and civil society, to help us develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England.

As part of this we remain focused on delivering the Collection and Packaging Reforms including the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The DRS will go live in October 2027. It will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers which can be claimed back by customers when the empty container is returned. This will reduce litter, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy. We remain committed to supporting local authorities to tackle littering and are currently examining what further steps we can take to aid them.

As part of the Government’s consideration of the Climate and Nature Bill, on 24 January 2025, I committed to strengthen relationships between the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) and the Special representative for Nature. There is already a strong working relationship between JNCC and CCC. We intend to build on this at a more strategic level and work has commenced to integrate the Special Representative for Nature into this engagement.

This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the climate and nature crises and has agreed steps to take forward the spirit and substance of the Climate and Nature Bill with the Bill’s Sponsors. An update on these steps will be set out in a Ministerial Statement by the autumn.

Information about the Carbon footprint for the UK – including UK consumption emission figures from imported goods and services - is published by Defra and is available up to 2021 : Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2021 - GOV.UK . Figures are due to be updated in the Spring.

National Highways is responsible for litter collection on motorways and some ‘A’ roads whilst the relevant local authorities manage litter collection on the rest of the roads in England.

National Highways is committed to keeping its roads predominantly free from litter, without compromising safety and delivering affordably. National Highways pick litter on a section of the Strategic Road Network (SRN) every day and is consistently working to deliver an improved and more rapid clean up using innovative interventions such as industrial vacuums, as well as undertaking a number of anti-littering interventions to influence behaviours and attitudes of road users towards litter. These include anti-littering messaging through social media, trialling AI enforcement cameras to capture those throwing litter on the SRN, using geofencing to send targeted anti-littering messages to mobile devices around identified litter hotspots, as well as putting up anti-littering posters and signs and installing car and lorry height bins at motorway service areas, to encourage drivers and passengers to dispose of their litter appropriately.

In 2020, the Department undertook a public consultation on options for changing the way pavement parking is managed outside London. The consultation asked specific questions about impacts on people with protected characteristics and we will use the information to undertake an equality analysis of the chosen policy option, in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty. Our plan is to publish a formal response to the consultation, summarising the views received and announcing the Government’s next steps for pavement parking policy.

The formal consultation response will be available to view at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking.

This Government is committed to accelerating the roll out of charge points for electric vehicles. Guidance for local authorities to develop policies on the safe use of cross-pavement solutions will be published in due course.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. Local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as extending the times at which concessionary passes can be used.

No assessment has been made as to the standardisation of training, as the training that an individual receives is dependent upon which licence they are seeking - such as a Private Pilots Licence (PPL) or Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL). The competencies required to be demonstrated may differ depending on the licence type being issued but are standardised within each licence type.

The decision on whether to unilaterally allow UK licenced pilots to operate EU registered aircraft is entirely a decision for the European Union (EU) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Article 445(1) in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement outlines the areas in which both the UK and EU may cooperate in aviation safety. Under these terms, any future mutual recognition of personnel licencing would require an expansion to the TCA.