Sarah Champion

The Government is determined to deliver high quality public services and better value for money for the taxpayer. To further this aim, we have committed to introducing a public interest test to assess whether expiring contracts could be better delivered, and drive better value for money, in-house. This will ensure that we make evidenced-based decisions on the best way to deliver public services.

The Cabinet Office has published extensive risk-based policy and guidance for commercial teams to tackle labour rights abuses in UK and global supply chains. A Procurement Policy Note (PPN), which was recently updated in line with the Procurement Act, sets out instructions to departments on how to tackle modern slavery in supply chains at each stage of the commercial life-cycle. The government has also developed risk assessment tools and promotes e-learning for procurement officials.

The Act provides contracting authorities with stronger powers to exclude suppliers from public procurements where there is compelling evidence of modern slavery within their supply chains.

The Social Value Model has recently been updated to align to the missions, and where relevant and proportionate to do so, authorities can reward suppliers who provide good working conditions for staff working on public contracts

This government is committed to creating jobs that provide security, treat workers fairly, and pay a decent wage. The government’s Social Value Model provides an opportunity to reward suppliers who provide good working conditions for staff working on public contracts.

Creating the Fair Work Agency (FWA) is a complex process that requires primary legislation. The Employment Rights Bill is the first phase of delivering the FWA.

Implementation will occur in phases following Royal Assent to ensure a smooth and effective transition. We will provide more information on timings in due course.

The UK steel industry has a long-term future under this Government. This month we launched the Plan for Steel Consultation, to look at the long-term issues facing the industry. This includes assessing how domestic steel producers could fulfil more UK demand for steel in downstream industries. Britain is open for business, and this Government has committed up to £2.5 billion to the future of steel to protect our industrial heartlands, maintain jobs, and drive growth as part of our Plan for Change

We will continue to assess and monitor the effectiveness of the UK’s existing measures alongside other policy tools to tackle forced labour in supply chains.The Government views import bans as one of a range of tools that could be used to tackle forced labour in global supply chains. The UK continues to raise issues on human rights, including China's repression of the peoples of Xinjiang.

The UK currently applies an anti-dumping measure on imports of Chinese bicycles and certain bicycle parts, and an anti-dumping and a countervailing measure on imports of Chinese e-bikes. All three measures are currently subject to review by the UK’s independent Trade Remedies Authority who will assess the impact of amending the measure on UK producers, importers and consumers. The Secretary of State will have the final decision on the measures, and he will weigh up all the evidence provided. Whilst these reviews remain an ongoing process I cannot comment further.

The Government has noted the EU’s adoption of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and has been in regular contact with the European Commission on this issue through the Trade Specialised Committee on Level Playing Field, which last met on 9^th October 2024. The Directive will apply to UK companies with a turnover generated in the EU of more than €450 million.

We will continue to assess and monitor the effectiveness of the UK’s existing measures, alongside the impacts of new policy tools that are emerging to ensure we can best promote responsible business practices, and take action where appropriate.

The Government is committed to tackling the issue of forced labour in supply chains and is taking robust action. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 places a requirement on businesses with a turnover of £36m or more to publish an annual modern slavery statement, setting out the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chain.

The protection and security of the energy sector is a priority of this Government. We have a range of effective measures in place which give the Government powers to balance an open investment environment to facilitate growth with protecting the parts of our economy that are the most sensitive to national security.

The UK steel industry has a long-term future under this Government. This month we launched the Plan for Steel Consultation, to look at the long-term issues facing the industry. This includes assessing how domestic steel producers could fulfil more UK demand for steel in downstream industries. Britain is open for business, and this Government has committed up to £2.5 billion to the future of steel to protect our industrial heartlands, maintain jobs, and drive growth as part of our Plan for Change.

The Solar Taskforce is working towards the publication of the Solar Roadmap in Spring 2025. This will outline the actions required to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative, and free from forced labour.

Solar Energy UK, the solar industry trade association that co-chairs the Taskforce, is leading the industry response on this matter by developing and launching the Solar Stewardship Initiative, in partnership with Solar Power Europe.

As part of this work, members of the Taskforce are engaging with relevant civil society groups and trade unions.

The Solar Roadmap will set out the Government’s solar deployment ambitions as part of its mission to achieve Clean Power by 2030. It will outline the actions required to develop resilient, sustainable, innovative, and free from forced labour supply chains.

The UK’s main solar industry trade association – Solar Energy UK, who co-chair the Solar Taskforce - is leading the industry’s response on this matter by developing and launching the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), in partnership with Solar Power Europe. Members of the SSI have committed to applying its traceability standards and audits, while encouraging its adoption throughout their supply chain.

The Government opposes all forms of forced labour, including the use of Uyghur forced labour, and is determined to ensure that all UK business do everything in their power to remove any instances of it from their supply chains.

Through the reconvened Solar Taskforce, the Government is working widely across Whitehall and closely with industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative, and free from forced labour. These actions will be set out in the Solar Roadmap, which is expected to be published in Spring 2025.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The government has been consulting industry, academia and civil society as this process unfolds.

The Government is drafting a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. As part of this, we are considering how we harness expertise in the use of animals in science and their replacement, which is of interest to a variety of government departments and bodies. We will make any announcements when the strategy is published later this year.

The Government is committed to the development of New Approach Methodologies and non-animal alternatives. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has a portfolio of investments that support research which can lead to alternatives, such as organ on a chip and computer modelling. In addition they invest £10m annually to the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs). UKRI also supports ‘human-specific’ research, for example a £15m call on Novel human in vitro models with NC3Rs and Wellcome.

The Government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal.

The Government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods in basic, applied, translational and regulatory research and testing later this year. As part of this we are engaging with regulators including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and international medicines regulators such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) as to how we will take this commitment forward.

The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. The Government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year. Regarding the monitoring and reporting on progress on commitments made, the plan will include arrangements for governance of delivery.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal.

The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year, which will set out clear objectives and measurable milestones. Any work to phase out animal testing must be science-led, in lock step with partners, so we will not be setting interim targets or arbitrary timelines for reducing their use.

The Government welcomes Ofcom's research and the report published earlier this year and intends to use this alongside our own research to ensure a robust evidence base to inform our ongoing project on the future of TV distribution.

'Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’, published in November 2024, sets out this government’s approach to reforming the system of support for children and families, including the national rollout of Family Help, multi-agency child protection and family group decision-making reforms through the Families First Partnership programme.

From April 2025, the government will make over £500 million available to local authorities to roll out the Families First Partnership programme. The funding, announced as part of the local government funding settlement (LGFS), will be allocated across all 153 local authorities in England in two grants:

• £253.5 million, previously for the Supporting Families programme, consolidated with other grants into a single Children and Families Grant.
• £270 million of additional investment in the Children’s Social Care Prevention Grant.

The final LGFS for both of the grants, including grant determination letters and local authority by local authority allocations, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2025-to-2026#grant-determinations-2025-to-2026.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, aimed at reducing trade barriers and facilitating the safe and efficient movement of trade. With the principles and framework of a deal agreed, we will now negotiate the detail of an agreement that reduces administrative burden by streamlining SPS checks and certification, while upholding the UK’s commitment to ensure its biosecurity is protected within this future framework.

We continue to work with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and a wide range of stakeholders, including the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), to address immediate challenges regarding EU trade – such as the availability of Export Health Certificates and Border Control Post capacity.

Fishing for sandeel in UK waters of the North Sea and all Scottish waters has been prohibited since March 2024. Fisheries management is largely devolved. In England, the prohibition of fishing for sandeel in the North Sea is implemented through fishing vessel license restrictions. There are currently no plans for to enforce this prohibition in England through legislation.

The Prime Minister welcomed President of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen and President of the EU Council António Costa to London for a UK-EU Summit on 19 May.

At that Summit we have agreed the parameters for a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement making agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers, and increasing choice in the shops.

This agreement will reduce delays and paperwork at the border, make it easier and cheaper to take pets on holiday into the EU, and trade in products such as fresh sausages and burgers will be able to resume.

The holistic merits of an SPS agreement could see an increase in the volume of UK exports of major agricultural commodities to the EU by around 16% and increase imports from the EU by around 8%; the agreement could also add up to £5.1 billion a year to our economy in the long run. Specifically, GB goods such as dairy, fish, eggs and red meat currently subject to 100% documentary checks and up to 30% physical checks will see these removed entirely; further merits can be found at UK-EU Summit - Explainer - GOV.UK.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gareth Snell on 23 December 2024, PQ UIN 20692.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department is engaging with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare.

The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are considering very carefully.

A public consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous Government. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.

We await the EU Commission proposals on phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals and animal welfare labelling with interest.