Rachel Blake

My Department is responsible for routinely updating the Prescribed Persons Order, a list of relevant bodies to which a worker can make a protected disclosure about a wrongdoing. Recent whistleblowing disclosures have been highly concentrated in health, public administration, and the financial and insurance sectors. We continue to regularly review the list and address gaps to support more workers to qualify for whistleblowing protections.

Online food delivery companies, like all companies, must comply with their legal obligations to ensure those they engage receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled.

However, we recognise the complexity of the UK’s current three-tiered employment status framework, and have committed to consult in detail on moving towards a simpler two-part framework that differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed. This consultation will include how to implement measures to strengthen protections for the self-employed including a right to a written contract and extension of health and safety and blacklisting protections to self-employed workers.

The Government is committed to ensure energy is affordable for all households, including those who are on prepayment meters. For some consumers, prepayment meters are a useful tool for managing budgets.

In 2023, Ofgem introduced stringent rules for the involuntary installation of prepayment meters. Under these rules, energy suppliers are required to make at least 10 attempts to contact an indebted customer, carry out a site visit prior to any involuntary installation, and refrain from installations in households where a vulnerable person is present.

Energy suppliers are only able to restart involuntary prepayment meter installation when they can demonstrate to Ofgem that they are able to comply with the new rules.

We are aware that some consumers on heat networks are not currently getting a fair deal, which is why DESNZ is introducing heat network regulation which aims to provide consumers with comparable protections to existing gas and electricity regulations.

The first part of this new regulatory framework was signed into law earlier this year, establishing Ofgem as the market regulator with consumer interests as its highest priority.

When Ofgem formally commence this role in January 2026, they will have powers to investigate unfair pricing, require suppliers to institute protections for vulnerable consumers, and establish guaranteed standards of performance to ensure that a minimum quality of service is provided at all times.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

Non-domestic consumers with contracts agreed at higher prices may benefit from approaches such as ‘blend and extend’ contracts where the original, higher, unit rate is ‘blended’ with a new lower rate, spreading the cost over the course of a longer contract.

Since 19 December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees have also been able to access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards.

The £5 million Heat Training Grant is supporting existing heating engineers in England taking training relevant to heat pumps and heat networks. Since July 2023, nearly 5,500 individuals have gone through heat pump installation training funded through the scheme. We are also supporting new entrants through apprenticeships, to build a diverse and sustainable skills pipeline.

To keep up with future demand, the Heat Pump Association estimates that we need to train at least 6,600 installers a year until 2028. Around 9,000 individuals completed training in 2024, so we are well on track with current workforce needs.

The Government is introducing heat network regulation in January 2026 which aims to provide heat networks consumers with comparable protections to existing gas and electricity regulations.

The heat network regulator, Ofgem, will have powers to investigate and intervene where heat network prices charged to consumers appear to be disproportionate or unfair.

We are also introducing mandatory technical standards, building on existing industry-led initiatives to ensure that new and existing heat networks are designed, built, and operated at a high standard.

Ofgem’s regulatory oversight will be supplemented by statutory redress through the Energy Ombudsman who, from April 2025, will have the same powers to hear complaints and make legally binding decisions as they do in gas and electricity markets.

The Royal Parks are Crown Land managed on behalf of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by The Royal Parks Charity (TRP). The current principal regulations relating to the parks are The Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997. These help balance the needs of all park users and support the maintenance and conservation of the parks’ natural and built environments.

The operation of policing services in the Royal Parks and enforcement of by-laws and regulations, was undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), through a dedicated Parks Operational Command Unit (OCU). As part of wider changes to MPS operations, an option to close the OCU is being considered. TRP are working directly with the MPS to understand any implications arising from the potential closure of the OCU, on the enforcement of by-laws within the Royal Parks.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in the process of designing and delivering a short-term lets registration scheme for England. The data collected by the registration scheme will help local authorities understand the number and location of short-term lets in their areas, enabling them to address housing impacts in their communities. The scheme will ensure providers comply with their legal responsibilities, particularly regarding health and safety standards including gas, fire, and electrical safety. While the specific details of information to be collected are still being determined, we are committed to designing a scheme that supports a thriving Visitor Economy.

Parliament legislated for a registration scheme for short-term lets in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, and we are committed to introducing such a scheme as soon as possible. , We will soon publish the government’s response to the 2023 consultation including on the specific requirements for registration. The government is also considering what additional powers might be given to local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures that can be created by short-term lets.

The government has published an Equality Impact Assessment of changes to fees and student support on groups with protected characteristics for the 2025/26 academic year, which is available here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2025/14/pdfs/ukia_20250014_en.pdf.

The government recognises the impact that the cost-of-living crisis has had on students. However, we need to ensure that the student funding system is financially sustainable. Maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2025/26 academic year will be increased by forecast inflation, which is 3.1% based on the RPIX inflation index (Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest), with the most support paid to students from the lowest income backgrounds.

Cigarette butts are the most littered item according to a survey commissioned by Defra. Littered filters are not just an eyesore, they can also release toxins into the environment. The best way to reduce cigarette litter is to reduce smoking rates and we continue to support all measures that do so. We will however continue to monitor the available evidence on the prevalence of littered cigarette filters.

Dropping litter, including cigarette butts, is a crime and councils can issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500. An effective and proportionate local enforcement strategy can deter people from littering.

Local authorities are responsible for investigating noise brought to their attention under Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990. If they agree that a statutory nuisance is happening, has happened or will happen in the future, councils must serve an abatement notice.

No assessment has been made of the adequacy of noise regulation enforcement in residential areas.

The department does not hold data on the number of residences that are ineligible for Floor Re support due to qualifying policy five in Cities of London and Westminster constituency. Tenants and leaseholders can however, obtain contents insurance supported by Flood Re, regardless of the size of the block.

I am grateful to all those who stepped into danger to keep Londoners safe and we will all remember the tragic deaths of 52 innocent people.

Former British Transport Police officers are entitled to support from the Police Care UK charity who specialise in providing services for retired and serving officers including psychological support and therapy. The families of officers can also access this support.

No assessment has been made of the potential merits of applying speed limits for motor vehicles to (a) pedal bicycles and (b) e-bikes.

Like all road users, people who cycle have a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner and follow the rules of the road.

While speed limits set under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 only apply to motor vehicles, cyclists can still be charged with careless or dangerous cycling offences depending on the circumstances.

E-bikes that do not comply with the Electrically Pedal Assisted Cycles regulations, which include a requirement for power assist to cut off at 15.5 miles per hour, are classed as mechanically propelled vehicles. So, riders are already subject to speed limits while riding these bikes if power assist is being used. Riders may cycle faster than 15.5 miles per hour using pedal power.

Cyclists are in practice seldom able to exceed the speed limits that apply to motorised vehicles.

The department works closely with local authorities and their representative organisations to deliver our shared transport objectives.

My officials regularly meet with local authority officials to discuss specific transport challenges and better understand how to identify and tackle problems that arise as well as how to make the most of opportunities. Dockless e-bikes are a good example of this.

I also correspond frequently with local leaders on the use of dockless e-bikes in their area and would like to take this opportunity to further encourage such dialogue. The experience and expertise shared by local authorities in correspondence with me and with officials is invaluable as I carefully consider the next steps on policy in this area.

The Pedicabs (London) Act 2024, which received Royal Assent on 25 April 2024, confers powers onto Transport for London (TfL) to regulate London’s pedicab industry for the first time. TfL is preparing to consult on these prospective regulations, which will include enhanced disclosure and barring service checks for pedicab drivers.

The Department does not hold the information requested. The Department collects information on personal injury road collisions reported to police via the STATS19 data collection system. STATS19 data does not require information on whether the vehicle was hired, or who the operator of a hired vehicle was.

The shared accommodation rate does not apply in temporary accommodation.

Temporary Accommodation is defined as housing that a claimant has been placed in by a local authority or housing association to meet the local authority’s statutory homelessness duty or to prevent homelessness.

Costs for housing support to those in private rental accommodation are subject to the Local Housing Allowance. The Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR) applies to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit claimants who are under 35 years of age, living on their own, and renting privately.

DWP pays local authorities a Housing Benefit subsidy for temporary accommodation cases. There are restrictions on the amount paid, including a subsidy cap which is £500 per week in certain areas of London or £375 elsewhere.

We appreciate these are difficult times and local authorities are subject to many funding pressures. However, any increases to the Housing Benefit subsidy paid to local authorities would need to be taken in the context of the government’s missions, goals on housing, and the fiscal position.

We will continue to keep the subsidy arrangements under review.

The Department started moving customers who were claiming Employment Support Allowance with Child Tax Credits to Universal Credit from July. From September we will begin moving across customers receiving Employment and Support Allowance only or those with ESA with housing benefit. These plans are informed by learning, which started in June, where 500 ESA customers were invited to claim Universal Credit.

For DWP customers in receipt of ESA, DWP has agreed to continue to pay customers their legacy benefit for a further two weeks from when their legacy benefit stops to support a seamless continuation of payments. All customers will automatically receive a two-week run on of those benefits.

The DWP continues to learn and iterate its approach as we continue to move people to Universal Credit. We remain committed to ensuring that the transition to Universal Credit works as smoothly as possible for all customers, including the most vulnerable in society.

In June we invited 500 ESA customers to claim Universal Credit. This trial helped us learn and will allow us to start moving across customers receiving Employment and Support Allowance only or those with ESA with housing benefit at scale from September 2024.

In addition, DWP has developed an enhanced support journey for ESA and Income Support customers and remains confident that this provides effective support for our most vulnerable customers.

The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulator of all medical doctors, anaesthesia associates (AAs), and physician associates (PAs) practising in the United Kingdom. It sets and enforces the standards all doctors, AAs, and PAs must adhere to. The GMC is independent of the Government, is directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties.

The GMC’s core guidance, Good medical practice, sets out what is expected of all registrants, including ‘Acting with honesty and integrity’ and ‘Sharing information with patients’ which requires that medical practitioners be ‘open and honest with patients about any interests’ that may affect, or could be seen to affect, the way they propose, provide, or prescribe treatments, or refer patients. This guidance is made under powers in the Medical Act 1983. The GMC can take action against professionals who fail to meet these requirements, and serious or persistent breaches that pose a risk to patient safety and/or public trust may put a registrants’ registration at risk. The GMC’s core guidance, Good medical practice, is available at the following link:

https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/good-medical-practice-2024---english-102607294.pdf

Although the Department is not currently taking steps to minimise conflicts of interest, all medical professionals are expected to be open and transparent about any relevant interests, to enable patients to make informed decisions about their treatment and care.

Transparency and value for money are key priorities in elective care, including where care is delivered by independent sector providers. Contracts between commissioners and providers have to comply with the NHS Payment Scheme, a set of prices and rules used to deliver the most efficient, cost-effective care to patients. These unit prices are consistent across independent providers and National Health Service providers.

Contracts are awarded to independent sector providers in line with the NHS England Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The PSR was introduced by regulations made under the Health and Care Act 2022, and it helps us ensure that these decisions are made in the best interest of patients and service users. Further information on the NHS England PSR is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/how-commissioning-is-changing/nhs-provider-selection-regime/

Where a contract is awarded, commissioners are mandated to adhere to the NHS Standard Contract. Where a PSR direct contract is awarded, the award notification must be published as part of the tender process, ensuring the process is transparent. Further information on the NHS Standard Contract is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-standard-contract/

Where patient choice applies to a service, commissioners cannot restrict the number of providers that contracts are awarded to. Any contract awarded in relation to a service that is within the scope of patient choice must be done so under the Direct Award Process B of the PSR Regulations, and commissioners must comply with the transparency notice publication requirements set out in those regulations.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. This involves ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support whenever they need it.

NHS England published Excellence in Continence Care on 23 July 2018, bringing together evidence-based resources and research for guidance for commissioners, providers, and health and social care staff. This guidance covers both urinary and bowel, also known as faecal, incontinence, and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/excellence-in-continence-care/

In 2023, NHS England published the guidance, National clinical constipation pathway for primary care for children, for clinicians for the prevention and management of constipation in children and young people. This work involved developing the national constipation pathway alongside ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity, with the final guidance available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-clinical-constipation-pathway-for-primary-care-for-children/

To make children’s services better, we are changing the National Health Service through our 10-Year Health Plan to make it fit for the future. The plan will be published in June.

To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to National Health Service dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

There are no perfect payment systems and careful consideration needs to be given to any potential changes to the complex dental system, so that we deliver a system better for patients and the profession.

We are continuing to meet with the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector to discuss how we can best deliver our shared ambition to improve access for NHS dental patients.

Funding was recently announced to boost bone density scanning capacity, to support improvements in bone health and early diagnostics for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, such as osteoporosis. This will provide an estimated 29,000 extra scans per year.

As announced in the Get Britain Working white paper, we are delivering the joint Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health and Social Care, and NHS England’s Getting It Right First-Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme. With a £3.5 million funding boost, GIRFT teams will deploy their proven Further Faster model to work with integrated care board leaders to further reduce MSK community waiting times, including for those with osteoporosis, and improve data, metrics, and referral pathways to wider support services.

The Government is already committed to strengthening support for British nationals abroad, including through a right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations. The government is considering its response to the "Consular Assistance (Journalists) Bill" and will respond to the Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee in due course.

We call on Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution of Jimmy Lai. The Prime Minister raised his case with President Xi at last week’s G20 Summit; the Foreign Secretary raised with China’s Foreign Minister last month; and I raised with Hong Kong officials earlier this month. Diplomats from our Consulate-General in Hong Kong are attending his court proceedings on a regular basis. We continually press for consular access and progress on broader human rights concerns.

As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement to the House on 28 October, the UK is gravely concerned at legislation against United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) passed by Israel's Knesset. This risks making UNRWA's essential work providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians impossible, jeopardising the entire international humanitarian response in Gaza and delivery of essential health and education services in the West Bank. We have joined with our partners in expressing our concerns, issuing a joint statement with partners on 27 October. The Foreign Secretary reiterated his deep concern to Israel's Foreign Minister Katz on 27 October. We will continue working with our international partners and through the UN to press Israel to ensure that UNRWA can continue its vital operations.

Resourcing decisions for the next 4 financial years are to be taken at the upcoming Spending Review, with this due for publication in June this year.

At Budget 2024, it was confirmed that the 2025-26 Settlement for HM Treasury ensures that sanctions implementation work will “continue to be supported through the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI)”.

The government recognises the value of the UK’s world-leading creative industries and arts sectors.

On 1 April 2024, several administrative changes to Orchestra Tax Relief took effect, following legislation being passed in Finance Act 2024.

In accordance with standard practice, HMRC published a tax information and impact note about the legislation, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creative-industry-tax-reliefs-administrative-changes/administrative-changes-to-the-creative-industry-tax-reliefs

As set out in the note, the administrative changes are expected to have a negligible impact on businesses claiming the creative tax reliefs.

eGates continue to provide a safe, secure and efficient way for millions of British and Irish citizens, and nationals of the EU/EEA, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA and Registered Traveller service members to enter the UK each year. The Government keeps eGate and Registered Traveller service eligibility under review to ensure we are balancing border security with passenger flow.

As set out in the ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System White Paper’, we have an ambitious vision to revolutionise the UK Border by using technology and increasing the use of automation to make visible changes to border security, flow and the passenger experience.

The Metropolitan Police face increased demands on resources from policing the capital city and, as part of the 2025-26 police funding settlement, the Metropolitan Police will receive £248.7 million through the National and International Capital City grant, an increase of £63.3 million when compared to the 2024-25 settlement.

Overall, the Metropolitan Police will receive up to £3.8 billion in funding in 2025-26, an increase of up to £226.9 million when compared to the 2024-25 police settlement.

Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing, crimes which commonly involve the theft of mobile phones, we have announced a Home Office Mobile Phone Theft Summit, drawing together tech companies and law enforcement to see what more can collectively be done to break the business model of mobile phone thieves.

As part of our Safer Streets Mission, this government is determined to crack down on theft and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities, including strengthening neighbourhood policing, tackling anti-social behaviour and restoring public confidence.

Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and Special Constables.

This Government is committed to supporting the National Crime Agency in the fight against serious and organised crime. A strong pay framework is vital to enable the Agency to deliver its role of disrupting and dismantling the most harmful organised crime groups in and impacting on the UK.

As announced alongside the National Crime Agency pay award on 29 July 2024, measures are underway to develop a set of comprehensive proposals for reform of the existing pay structure at the Agency. Once finalised, the government will seek to implement these proposals in a timely fashion.

The government is considering a range of appointments following the election, including that of the Prime Minister's Anti-Corruption Champion. When there are appointments to announce, this will be done in the usual way.