Sam Carling

The Online Safety Act has safeguards for freedom of expression and will give platforms that cross a certain threshold (known as ‘Category 1’ services under the framework) specific duties to safeguard news journalism and content of democratic importance. Ofcom will be able to review providers’ compliance with these duties when they come into effect. As an independent regulator, any investigations and enforcement decisions are a matter for Ofcom.

The Government recognises the influence major online platforms can have on public discourse. This is why the Online Safety Act gives platforms over a designated threshold (known as ‘Category 1 services’) new duties to protect journalism and other content of democratic importance on their services. These duties are designed to safeguard pluralism in online debate and ensure that platforms in scope treat democratic content consistently and transparently.

Defra is working hand in hand with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, make sure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and that the full force of the law is applied.

Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, licensed dog breeders and pet sellers, who breed and sell puppies and kittens, must meet and maintain strict license conditions designed to protect their animals from pain, suffering, injury and illness.

Licensed dog breeders are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies.

Defra provides a national communications campaign (Petfished) to help consumers to make well-informed choices. The campaign’s step-by-step guide on buying a dog includes a reminder to ensure that the dog’s physical features have minimal adverse impacts on their physical well-being and welfare.

The Government recently announced its support for the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP. The Bill will give the Government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to Great Britain’s pet market. We will use these powers to prohibit the bringing into Great Britain of dogs and cats with non-exempted mutilations such as cropping ears, docking tails and declawing.

We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through both Houses as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare.

The Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to promote the highest food production standards.

The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare.

The Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to promote the highest food production standards.

We currently do not screen those younger than 50 years old for breast cancer due to the lower risk of women under this age developing breast cancer, and the fact that women below 50 years old tend to have denser breast tissue, which reduces the ability of getting an accurate mammogram. It may also increase the risk of overtreatment and distress for women who do not have breast cancer, but who would be subject to invasive and painful medical treatments and diagnostic tests.

United Kingdom guidelines recommend that women with a moderate or high risk of breast cancer, because of their family history, should start having screening mammograms every year in their forties. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on the management of people with a family history of breast cancer was introduced in 2004, and has changed over time. The current version of this guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg164

There is a large trial, Age Extension, which is exploring whether an additional screen before 50 years old would meet the UK National Screening Committee’s criteria. Results are expected in 2026.

In our public statements, we urged for an end to the violence and a de-escalation of the situation. We were clear that a full and independent UN-led investigation into recent events is important. The UK Government welcomed the appointment of the Interim Government in Bangladesh, and it has the UK's support as it works to restore peace and order as well as ensure accountability and promote national reconciliation. The UK is committed to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, as guaranteed under international human rights law.

The UK condemns recent acts of terrorism and violence in Balochistan and extends condolences to those families affected. The UK is deeply concerned about reports of human rights abuses and violations in Pakistan, including in Balochistan province. The British High Commission regularly raises these issues with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level, including the need to address allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

In order to comply with 2015 Pension Remedy legislation (The Armed Force Remediable Service Regulations 2023), updated guidance is required from the Government Actuary's Department (GAD) to enable the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) to respond to requests for Cash Equivalent Transfer Valuations (CETVs) and to implement Pension Sharing Orders that relate to a member's remediable service.

Given the complexity of the 2015 Pension Remedy, the necessary guidance has been compiled in two stages.

The revised methodology has been finalised for individuals who are active or deferred members, or are pensioners who have made their remedy choice and whose relevant under/over payments have been settled. Work on requests received on or after 1 October commenced at the end of May 2024. These cases continue to be dealt with as swiftly as possible in order of the date they were received.

The calculation method is not yet confirmed for pensioner members who are yet to make their remedy choice within their election period, or where a remedy choice has been made, but any relevant under/overpayments have not been settled. The MOD is therefore currently unable to issue CETVs to these members.

Once the Ministry of Defence (MOD) receives these calculation instructions, the process and quality assurance checks will be put in place to process the outstanding cases. To mitigate the impact on those individuals affected, the MOD will, on receipt of a valid request for a CETV, prioritise the issue of the Remediable Service Statement.

Information has been published on the AFPS pages on Gov.UK at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/668cf40cd9d35187868f46a9/2015_Pension_Remedy_-_Divorce_Information_Note.pdf

The government wants to ensure more tenants can experience the benefits of pet ownership – including the benefits to mental and physical health. Many social landlords set out their pet policies in their tenancy agreements and will allow tenants to keep pets where it is appropriate to do so. Consideration is given to whether the pets can be well looked after and any adverse effects on the lives of neighbours and those living nearby. We encourage all social landlords to adopt similar policies. The circumstances in which pets may be kept is, however, for social landlords to determine locally, taking account of the views of their tenants.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will give private tenants the right to request a pet and ensure that landlords cannot unreasonably withhold consent. Landlords will be required to respond to any requests by a tenant to keep a pet within 28 days, instead of the 42 that had been proposed by the previous Government. Tenants will also be able to challenge unfair decisions by either going to the courts or the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman.