Patrick Hurley

Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees, customers and suppliers, and also to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. Large companies must report annually on how their directors have met this duty. Section 172 also enables companies to amend their articles of association to adopt a purpose of their own choosing, which may include placing particular weight on environmental, stakeholder or other interests.

The United Kingdom Government is an active member of the OECD Corporate Governance Committee which regularly discusses and shares good practice on corporate governance.

Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees, customers and suppliers, and also to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. Large companies must report annually on how their directors have met this duty. Section 172 also enables companies to amend their articles of association to adopt a purpose of their own choosing, which may include placing particular weight on environmental, stakeholder or other interests.

The United Kingdom Government is an active member of the OECD Corporate Governance Committee which regularly discusses and shares good practice on corporate governance.

The government recognises the importance of access to post for all users, including those that are without a secure address. The universal postal service is intended to provide an accessible postal service for all.

An address and collect service solution involving Royal Mail and the Post Office would be an operational matter for those businesses but their further joint working, including with Ofcom, on this issue would be welcomed by government.

It is for Ofcom to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards, and to decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action. While the government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions, in January I met with representatives from Ofcom who gave their reassurance that Ofcom is closely monitoring Royal Mail’s performance and its action plan to drive improvement in quality of service.

In December 2024, following its investigation of Royal Mail’s performance in the 2023-24 financial year, Ofcom fined the company £10.5m because of its failure to significantly improve service levels. The government expects that Ofcom will continue to closely monitor Royal Mail’s performance and take action where appropriate.

The Postcode Address File is owned by Royal Mail, not the Government. Royal Mail’s terms of access to the Postcode Address File are regulated by Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services.

The Department has regular discussions with energy suppliers on a range of issues.

The Government is unable to comment on individual tariffs offered by energy suppliers, and we recommend that consumers contact their energy supplier directly to discuss their tariff.

The only way to accurately reflect the individual usage of each tenant in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) would be if they each had a submeter. This would mean that their energy usage would be reflected in how much they pay the landlord for their energy. If an individual wishes to have this implemented, they should speak to their landlord to see if this is an option for them.

In order to protect consumers in HMOs, there is legislation which sets a maximum price that can be charged for electricity and gas which has already been bought from a licensed supplier. The maximum resale price guidance is available on Ofgem’s website and if a tenant upon reviewing this guidance believes their landlord to be in contravention of it, they should raise it with them.

Ofgem is exploring options for easier routes to access support where non-compliance with the guidance has taken place. Ofgem continues to work to have vulnerable consumers added to the Priority Services Register in order that they can more easily access support where needed.

We will continue to engage with stakeholders and consider whether any further actions are required.

Cancer research is a critical priority for the Government. The Government is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients across the UK have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research Institute (UKRI) have made research inclusion a condition of its funding. Applicants to domestic research programmes are required to demonstrate how inclusion and health inequalities are being built into their research. NIHR’s Be Part of Research service on the NHS App, will provide patients with access to life-changing clinical trials and innovative therapies across the UK.

Under the Communications Act 2003, as amended by the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021, public telecoms providers are required to identify and mitigate risks to the security and resilience of their networks and services. This includes risks to physical infrastructure, such as telegraph poles and other above-ground infrastructure. Ofcom monitors and enforces public telecoms providers’ compliance with their obligations in the Act.

As the independent regulator for telecommunications operators, Ofcom is able to take enforcement action and have stated that they would investigate any complaints from local planning authorities about telegraph poles sited in a way which is not consistent with the requirements and guidelines in place, including where they block residents’ drives or where operators systematically fail to engage with local planning authorities’ suggestions. Ofcom has opened two investigations in the past 12 months into whether specific operators have failed to comply with their obligations when installing apparatus. These can be found on Ofcom’s enforcement page here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/enforcement

Permitted development rights enable telegraph poles to be deployed without case-by-case approval from the local planning authority. However, local authorities can raise complaints with Ofcom where poles are not sited consistently with the requirements set out in the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003 and the relevant guidelines, including the new best practice recommendations published by the industry’s Telecommunications Poles Working Group. My Department is monitoring the impact of this new guidance before considering taking any further steps. I have made it clear that disregarding the views of local communities is counterproductive for the industry and that we reserve the right to change regulations if there is continued significant non-compliance.

The Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003 include requirements for operators to share apparatus where practicable, to use underground lines where reasonably practicable and to minimise the impact on the visual amenity of properties as far as reasonably practicable.

In addition, following my call for operators to consider revising the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice, the industry’s Telecommunications Poles Working Group has published best practice recommendations setting out expectations that operators should explore existing sharing opportunities and minimise the visual impact of poles. It also includes guidance on how to enhance communication with the public.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That’s why the Government is investing £98 million into the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme throughout 2025/26 to build and upgrade pitches and facilities UK wide.

On top of this, we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, and will then set out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK, including in Southport.

The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sports and health club facilities in England, through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.

The Football Association (FA) is the governing body for football and futsal in England and is responsible for the sport's strategic direction and development, including grassroots participation, coaching, and elite pathways.

The FA is an autonomous member of both FIFA and UEFA. Its relationships and level of influence within these international governing bodies are primarily a matter for the FA itself.

Sport England has mechanisms to address concerns, either in relation to Sport England funding conditions and/or the Code for Sports Governance via their published complaints procedure.

Sport England require their funding awards to be reconciled on a regular basis. This means that they have oversight of any misuse of funding, and can challenge funding recipients if this is detected.

England Futsal is a private company, licensed by the Football Association (FA).

In the first instance, participants should follow the complaints process of the relevant National Governing Body (NGB), including any procedures for appeal. UK Sport’s and Sport England’s complaints procedures set out how they handle complaints falling within their remits.

The Code for Sports Governance sets out the levels of transparency, diversity and inclusion, accountability and integrity that are required from sporting governing bodies, including the FA, who seek, and are in receipt of, Government and National Lottery funding from either Sport England or UK Sport.

Ensuring schools and colleges have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every young person the best start in life.

This government has given a long-term commitment to improve the condition of our schools and colleges. We are investing almost £20 billion in the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme, including two schools in the constituency of Southport, with a further 250 schools to be selected within the next two years.

We are also investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance for schools and colleges, rising from £2.4 billion this year.

The department is determined to break down barriers to opportunity by supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university, regardless of their background, where they live and their personal circumstances. Part-time student premium funding allocated through the Strategic Priorities Grant, is an important part of delivering on this vision and our Opportunity Mission.

This funding is allocated to higher education providers in England which are on the Office for Students (OfS)’ Approved (fee cap) register, to support them to provide part-time courses for students. This recognises that the flexibility part-time courses offer is important, especially for older learners and those from underrepresented groups.

This is why my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s recent guidance to the OfS explicitly directs the OfS to retain the per-student funding rates for the student premiums, including the part-time student premium, where affordable. Funding allocations for individual higher education providers for the forthcoming academic year will be published by the OfS in due course.

The government is committed to delivering the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) in the 2026/27 academic year for courses starting from 1 January 2027. We shall share further details and plans for LLE delivery alongside the multi-year spending review in June, including information on maintenance loans, supplementary grants, priority courses and additional entitlement, and information on the expansion and regulation of modular funding, together with the Office for Students. Parliamentary time allowing, the department plans to lay the secondary legislation necessary for the LLE, including that made under powers in the Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Act 2023 in 2026.

This government is determined to break down barriers to opportunity for all children and young people, ensuring they have access to the brilliant education and care they need to achieve and thrive. This includes ensuring that wraparound care is available and accessible. The government is improving access to before and after school care through the National Wraparound Childcare Programme.

The programme is being delivered through local authorities, given their existing sufficiency duty. The Childcare Act 2006 places a legal duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents or parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. All local authorities should be able to demonstrate how they have discharged this duty and should include specific reference to how they are ensuring there is sufficient childcare to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as per the statutory guidance. This should be available from the local authority.

The department has also taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every state-funded school in England with primary aged pupils will offer a breakfast club. Departmental officials are working closely with schools and sector experts to develop a breakfast club programme that meets the needs of all children, including those with SEND.

On 23 September 2024, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that up to 750 state-funded schools with primary aged pupils will begin delivering free breakfast clubs from April 2025. The funding will allow these schools to run free breakfast clubs for their pupils starting in the summer term as part of a ‘test and learn’ phase to inform delivery of a national rollout, this will include testing approaches to supporting children with SEND.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need.

Late last year the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) became aware of an error in its Annual Report and Accounts for 2023/24 and immediately notified the Department for Transport. The Department for Transport officially put this error right by means of a correction slip. This was laid in both Houses of Parliament on 16 December 2024, alongside the original report which had been laid on 12 September 2024. This corrected error has had no implications for regulatory decisions, charging models or future projections made or to be made by the CAA. The CAA has since taken steps to further strengthen its Annual Report and Accounts auditing process to confirm the accuracy of all the statistics in future Annual Reports and Accounts before they are laid in Parliament.

We are committed to tackling the increased costs of motor insurance to deliver on our manifesto commitment, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities.

The cross-government Motor Insurance Taskforce, including the stakeholder panel, met for the first time on 16 October 2024. The Taskforce is currently exploring short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover.

As it takes this work forwards, the Taskforce will continue to work closely with the independent Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Competition and Markets Authority. The FCA has launched a market study into the premium finance market and is undertaking work to analyse the cause of increased claims costs in the motor insurance market.

The new Crisis and Resilience Fund will be introduced from 1 April 2026. This represents the first ever multi-year settlement for locally delivered crisis support. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities – working with the voluntary and community sector – as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis

We are working closely with local authorities and external stakeholders on the detailed design of the Crisis and Resilience Fund and we will issue further information on our planned approach in due course.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper announced that we would be scrapping the Work Capability Assessment and moving to a single assessment for financial support related to health and disability benefits.

The UC and PIP payment Bill currently before Parliament sets out that existing claimants will continue to receive additional financial support for health on Universal Credit health (the LCWRA addition), frozen at its current cash value, until 2029-30.

We are currently considering how the future system will operate and will provide further information, including on transitioning to a reformed system, in a White Paper in the autumn.

Disabled people in Southport deserve the same choices and chances to work as anyone else.

That is why we will transform support for disabled people who can work to get the jobs they want and deserve, including by investing an additional £1 billion a year through our Pathways to work employment programme.

The Child Maintenance Service operates on the principle that both parents have financial responsibility for their child, including their food and clothing, as well as contributing towards the associated costs of running the home that the child lives in.

Reductions can be made for the extra cost of care where it is shared by the paying parent. The paying parent must have overnight care of any qualifying children for at least 52 nights a year, equivalent of 1 night per week. The amount payable is reduced by a maximum of fifty per cent within bands based on the number of nights overnight care is provided over a 12-month period. The bands are used to give greater stability to maintenance payments and as a result there is greater reliability of payments, which contributes towards the welfare of the children in the case.

If evidence shows that both parties are providing equal day-to-day care of a qualifying child, in addition to sharing overnight care, there is no requirement for either parent to pay child maintenance.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer as one of its largest areas of spend reflecting its high priority.

An example of this is the NIHR investing £2.4 million into the miONCO-Dx trial, which seeks to develop a blood test designed to detect 12 different cancers, that could transform how cancer is diagnosed in the National Health Service.

The NIHR is also funding a new artificial intelligence (AI) powered radiology analysis service, designed to develop and evaluate the use of AI in medical imaging to improve the detection of cancers. The use of this technology will help to speed up response times and provide more accurate diagnoses and better-targeted treatments, ultimately improving outcomes for patients.

Whist no assessment has been made specifically on the adequacy of the research into less survivable cancers, the NIHR continues to welcome further high-quality proposals from researchers to inform approaches to prevention, treatment, and care in relation to less survivable cancers.

Furthermore, the Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with rare cancers, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the NHS will improve diagnosis and outcomes for all cancer patients in England, including for rare and less common cancers.

We recognise that there is more to do to improve cardiac arrest survival rates, including in the North West. The National Health Service 10-Year Health Plan addresses cardiac arrest at a national level through a broad focus on cardiovascular disease detection and prevention. Key initiatives include improving the early detection and treatment of high-risk conditions like atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, known as the ABCs, to prevent heart attacks and strokes, which can lead to cardiac arrest.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is one of the largest areas of spend at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

These investments are pivotal to informing our efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment, and outcomes. An example of this investment is Imperial College London’s research on breath tests to detect less survivable cancers, including pancreatic cancer. Further information on the research is available at the following link:

https://imperialbrc.nihr.ac.uk/2023/06/05/imperial-led-uk-cancer-breath-tests-reach-final-stages/

Another example of Government investment was the launch of the NIHR’s national Brain Tumour Research Consortium in September 2024, which is bringing together researchers from a range of different disciplines and institutions with the aim of making scientific advances in how we prevent, detect, manage, and treat rare and less-survivable brain tumours in adults and children.

The NIHR welcomes further high-quality proposals from researchers to inform approaches to prevention, treatment, and care in relation to less survivable cancers. Furthermore, the Government is committed to ensuring that all patients have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. The Government supports the Rare Cancers Bill and its ambitions to incentivise clinical trials and access to innovative treatments for rare cancers.

The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the National Health Service will improve diagnosis and outcomes for all cancer patients in England, including for less common cancers.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. In light of broader pressures on the NHS and ongoing changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.

Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand NHS-funded fertility services and the effectiveness of these services including the issue for LGBTQ+ people and specifically same-sex female couples. This work will take time to develop, however, the Department is keen to ensure there will be stakeholder engagement during this process beginning in the new year.

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10263/consultation/html-content-2

Both the license and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance for these medicines specify that they should be prescribed alongside a reduced calorie diet and physical activity. NICE guidance also states that healthcare professionals should arrange information, support, and counselling on additional diet, physical activity, and behavioural strategies when these medicines are prescribed.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning health services within their area in line with local population need and taking account of relevant guidance. NHS England has, however, also made a central wraparound service available that ICBs can use, known as Healthier You: Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing, for patients to be referred into, with a procurement underway for a longer-term offer. This central service focuses on nutrition, physical activity, and psychological support.