Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make it her policy that types of pornographic content that it would be illegal to distribute offline, such as scenes depicting incest and scenes of simulated child abuse, are subject to equivalent controls online.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act (OSA) already places robust duties on online platforms to tackle illegal and harmful pornographic content. Platforms are required to prevent users from encountering such content, and services that host or allow access to pornography must have effective measures, such as age verification, to protect children. In 2025, the government announced that strangulation will be made a priority offence under the OSA, requiring platforms to take swift action against this content.
Following the Independent Pornography Review, a cross-government joint team has been established to inform the government’s approach to pornography policy.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, on what date the cross-departmental team established to address the findings of Baroness Bertin’s Independent Pornography Review formally commenced its work; and when is that team expected to provide its findings and recommendations.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The ‘Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ committed to creating a joint team to address the issues in Baroness Bertin’s Review. The team is now established and is formed by the Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Justice, and Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The team is examining the evidence to inform the government’s approach to pornography policy carefully.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to ensure ongoing independent expert scrutiny of police conduct and the full transparent investigation of this conduct where required.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is currently reforming the statutory systems for investigating allegations of police misconduct (whether these are identified internally or via public complaints).
The most serious and sensitive matters including deaths and serious injuries and allegations of serious corruption must be referred immediately to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for assessment and, where IOPC deems it necessary, immediate, independent investigation.
The IOPC publishes summaries and reports on its work, wherever it is possible to do so and regularly publishes press releases providing updates on high profile cases. We introduced reforms to these systems via the Policing and Crime Bill and announced further steps in Chapter 4 of the Police Reform White Paper published on 26 January 2026, including working with the IOPC to increase transparency further.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how much how her Department spent on external legal advice primarily relating to transgender equality policy since 16 April 2025.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Expenditure on external legal advice is recorded by the Department in line with standard accounting practices. Since 16 April 2025, the Office for Equality and Opportunity has incurred costs for legal advice on a range of policy matters, including the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many biologically male prisoners were held in E Wing of HMP Downview as at 1st February 2026.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
As of 1 February 2026, seven biologically male prisoners were being held on E Wing.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many full-time equivalent staff are currently assigned primarily to policy work relating to transgender matters within the Office for Equality and Opportunity.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Office for Equality and Opportunity has responsibility for a range of equalities matters. The specific number of staff allocated to work on any particular issue is based on resource need at any one time.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 15.27 of the Valuation Office Agency's technical manual, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of widening the provision to allow landlords to serve blight notices for their properties.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Section 168 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 legislates how Blight Notices can be used. This legislation and any revisions to it fall within the remit of MHCLG.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether her Department has submitted any proposed amendments to the revised Code of practice for services, public functions and associations to the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament over a 40 day period.
As set out in Equality Act 2006, the EHRC operates independently of the Government and is responsible for drafting and consulting on the Code. The Secretary of State is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and is consulting the Welsh and Scottish Ministers at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9).
The Government does not comment on legal advice it may have received. We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which external organisations or groups her Department has engaged or consulted with on the draft Code of Practice for services, public functions, and associations.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament over a 40 day period.
As set out in Equality Act 2006, the EHRC operates independently of the Government and is responsible for drafting and consulting on the Code. The Secretary of State is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and is consulting the Welsh and Scottish Ministers at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9).
The Government does not comment on legal advice it may have received. We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how much she has spent on legal advice pertaining to the revised Code of practice for services, public functions and associations.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament over a 40 day period.
As set out in Equality Act 2006, the EHRC operates independently of the Government and is responsible for drafting and consulting on the Code. The Secretary of State is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and is consulting the Welsh and Scottish Ministers at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9).
The Government does not comment on legal advice it may have received. We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.