Satvir Kaur

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

This consultation seeks views on a number of issues relating to copyright and AI, including on how to give rights holders of creative works greater control over use of their material.

Information and evidence on the impact of a rights-reservation (or “opt-out”), including the impact on digital competition, is welcomed to help shape Government’s thinking.

The consultation closes on 25 February.

Copying protected material will infringe copyright unless it is licensed, or an exception to copyright applies.

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

The consultation seeks views on how to give rights holders of creative works greater control over use of their material. Where rights holders reserve their rights, they can license their works for AI training, if they wish. The consultation seeks views on whether more should be done to support good licensing practice.

The consultation closes on 25 February.

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

One of the proposals in the consultation is for a rights-reservation, or “opt-out”, approach to the use of copyright material for AI training. The government wants to ensure that any measures are practical and effective for businesses of all sizes.

Information and evidence is welcomed from all sizes of business, to help shape the Government’s thinking.

The consultation closes on 25 February.

Copying protected material in the UK will infringe copyright unless it is licensed, or an exception to copyright applies.

The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024.

The consultation seeks views on how to give rights holders of creative works greater control over use of their material, and greater transparency about when their material is used to train AI models, while supporting the development of world-leading AI models in the UK.

The consultation closes on 25 February.

This government recognises that while advertising is a legitimate advantage which licensed operators have over illegal gambling firms, increased exposure to gambling advertising can have an impact on gambling participation. Some forms of advertising can also have a disproportionate impact on particular groups, such as children and those who are already experiencing problems with their gambling.

There are existing robust rules in place to ensure that advertising and marketing, whenever it appears, is socially responsible, with a particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed and exploited. The Gambling Commission is also introducing new requirements for operators to allow customers to have greater control over the direct marketing they receive, and measures to ensure that incentives such as free bets are constructed in a socially responsible manner.

However, we recognise that more can be done to improve protections. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards and this work will be monitored closely.

Those experiencing gambling-related harm in England can access specialist treatment through specialist NHS Gambling Clinics available in every region of the country, including the Southern Gambling Service. There is also a range of support through the National Gambling Support Network.

The Government has introduced a statutory levy on gambling operators to improve and expand the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms. This will include ringfenced funding overseen by NHS England and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales to commission the full treatment pathway, from referral and triage through to aftercare. We will continue to work with NHS England in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh governments, as well as third sector providers, to design and deliver our approach to treatment of gambling-related harms across Great Britain.

Licensing authorities are able to set conditions on premises to mitigate risks posed by anti-social behaviour and crime. This can include imposing enhanced security requirements which take into account risks from their local area profiles. Premises licence holders must also conduct a local area risk assessment for each of their premises which includes risk mitigation around crime and anti-social behaviour. The local area risk assessment is subject to inspection by the licensing authority. There are also schemes such as Betwatch, a community-based crime prevention scheme between the Gambling Commission, the police, local council, and gambling premises, which is designed to tackle localised anti-social and criminal behaviour in and around betting shops.

Those experiencing gambling-related harm in England can access specialist treatment through specialist NHS Gambling Clinics available in every region of the country, including the Southern Gambling Service. There is also a range of support through the National Gambling Support Network.

The Government has introduced a statutory levy on gambling operators to improve and expand the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms. This will include ringfenced funding overseen by NHS England and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales to commission the full treatment pathway, from referral and triage through to aftercare. We will continue to work with NHS England in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh governments, as well as third sector providers, to design and deliver our approach to treatment of gambling-related harms across Great Britain.

Licensing authorities are able to set conditions on premises to mitigate risks posed by anti-social behaviour and crime. This can include imposing enhanced security requirements which take into account risks from their local area profiles. Premises licence holders must also conduct a local area risk assessment for each of their premises which includes risk mitigation around crime and anti-social behaviour. The local area risk assessment is subject to inspection by the licensing authority. There are also schemes such as Betwatch, a community-based crime prevention scheme between the Gambling Commission, the police, local council, and gambling premises, which is designed to tackle localised anti-social and criminal behaviour in and around betting shops.

Sustainability of local journalism is an area of particular concern for this Government, across the country and in Southampton Test. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story.

We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops and will announce further details in due course.

The Government’s Industrial Strategy will support the growth of the creative industries, including publishing which contributes £11.6 billion to the economy and supports 127,000 jobs.

In Southampton, Arts Council England (ACE) supports local writers through Artful Scribe, a not-for-profit development agency. ACE has committed over £184,000 to Artful Scribe through to 2027, including those interested in magazine publishing.

Nationally, ACE invests in poetry magazines such as Poetry London (£50,000 annually) and Wasafiri (£60,506 annually), both National Portfolio Organisations. ACE support also extends to writing development agencies like New Writing South (Brighton, £126,477 annually) and Literature Works (Plymouth, £98,333 annually), which offer guidance to writers seeking opportunities in local magazine publishing.

The absence crisis is one of the government's most challenging inheritances. By working alongside school staff and parents, the department is getting absence moving in the right direction with children attending over 3 million more days of school this year compared to last, and over 100,000 fewer children persistently absent.

However, some pupils face complex barriers to attendance, such as those who have mental health conditions, or who have special educational needs and disabilities.

The department knows that pupils and learners with a strong sense of belonging, accomplishment, autonomy and good health are more likely to attend school. New research has shown, for the first time, the link between mental health and school absence. Pupils with mental health problems are seven times more likely to miss more than 15 days of school than their peers. This research can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/681b676c9ef97b58cce3e518/The_relationship_between_mental_ill_health_and_absence_in_students_aged_13_to_16.pdf.

To tackle these issues, the government has made statutory the ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance, which sets out a ‘support first’ approach. The department has published specific guidance for schools on mental health and attendance, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-issues-affecting-a-pupils-attendance-guidance-for-schools. We are also committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). As of April 2025, NHS-funded MHSTs cover 52%, or 5 million, of pupils and learners. An additional 900,000 pupils and learners are expected to be covered by April 2026.

The absence crisis is one of the government's most challenging inheritances. By working alongside school staff and parents, the department is getting absence moving in the right direction with children attending over 3 million more days of school this year compared to last, and over 100,000 fewer children persistently absent.

However, some pupils face complex barriers to attendance, such as those who have mental health conditions, or who have special educational needs and disabilities.

The department knows that pupils and learners with a strong sense of belonging, accomplishment, autonomy and good health are more likely to attend school. New research has shown, for the first time, the link between mental health and school absence. Pupils with mental health problems are seven times more likely to miss more than 15 days of school than their peers. This research can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/681b676c9ef97b58cce3e518/The_relationship_between_mental_ill_health_and_absence_in_students_aged_13_to_16.pdf.

To tackle these issues, the government has made statutory the ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance, which sets out a ‘support first’ approach. The department has published specific guidance for schools on mental health and attendance, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-issues-affecting-a-pupils-attendance-guidance-for-schools. We are also committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). As of April 2025, NHS-funded MHSTs cover 52%, or 5 million, of pupils and learners. An additional 900,000 pupils and learners are expected to be covered by April 2026.

High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.

​In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure, with a further £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support this work. Southampton Test’s nearest English Hub is Springhill English Hub. Further information on Springhill English Hub can be found here: https://englishhubs.net/english_hubs/springhill-english-hub/.

Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.

On 5 February, the government announced a £2 million investment to drive high and rising standards in reading and writing. Building on the success of phonics, teachers will receive additional training to help children progress from the early stages of phonics in reception and year 1 through to reading fluently by the time they leave primary school. This will be delivered through the English Hubs programme. In secondary school, teachers will be offered new training and resources this year to help them support readers at all levels and next year the department will commission further training that will be focused specifically on struggling readers in secondary school who are at risk of falling behind. The department will also publish a writing framework in the summer, which will be a first step to support schools in delivering high quality writing provision across England.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, in line with the government’s ambition for a curriculum that delivers excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics.

School libraries complement public libraries in giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian, and we give headteachers autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. The Autumn Budget announced an additional £2.3 billion for schools for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25, bringing the total core schools budget to almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26.

​The government’s reading framework offers non-statutory guidance for teachers and school leaders, including helpful guidance for schools on how to organise their school library, book corner or book stock to make reading accessible and attractive to readers.

The department recently published its latest research on the cost of school uniforms, surveying parents and carers of children aged 4 to 16 attending state-funded schools in England. The research report assessed the relative changes to the cost of school uniforms since the department’s previous report in 2015. It is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms-survey-2023.​

The research found that the average total expenditure on school uniform, based on the items required in the 2023/24 academic year, was £249.58 compared with £279.51 for a similar period and adjusted for inflation in 2014/15. It was less expensive for parents or carers of children in primary schools (£217.65 for boys and £246.80 for girls) than for those with children in secondary schools (£266.14 for boys and £289.04 for girls).

Too many families still tell the department that the cost of school uniform remains a financial burden. That is why as part of the King’s Speech we have committed to legislate to limit the number of expensive branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require.

The Department recognises the value of the National Park City initiative, which aligns with our priorities to increase access to nature and green spaces for everyone. We continue to engage with the National Park City Foundation to support the initiative's ambition to make urban areas greener, healthier, and more connected to nature.

Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams, is a top Government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works.

Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution, and physical modifications of habitats. Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is part of our overall programme of reforms for the water sector. Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme, over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029.

Natural England is supporting the Environment Agency’s Test and Itchen Restoration Strategy. The aim of the project is to restore the Test and Itchen to a more functioning chalk stream habitat. This involves projects to improve the river habitat and reconnecting the river with its floodplain. The work undertaken to date has improved the chalk stream habitat, creating a more resilient river for the species which rely on it such as southern damselfly, invertebrates and fish species such as Atlantic salmon.

Cleaning up England’s rivers, lakes and seas is a top Government priority. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act. The Act will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.

Urban diffuse pollution including highways drainage accounts for 18% of water quality failures. Highways drainage may contain polluting substances from fuel, oil and tyre wear. The Environment Agency is supporting National Highways in their mitigation of high-risk outfalls and is working with them on joint incident response strategies to minimise risk from road traffic accidents.

The Environment Agency assesses every reported pollution incident and where serious or significant pollution is suspected Officers will attend to investigate and minimise pollution. It will also investigate any serious offending and takes appropriate action under its enforcement and sanctions policy. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-enforcement-and-sanctions-policy/environment-agency-enforcement-and-sanctions-policy

The Government is also working domestically and internationally to implement measures that will prevent plastic and other litter from reaching the environment.

Furthermore, the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers which can be claimed back by customers when the empty container is returned. DRS will reduce litter, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy.

Littering is a crime that blights communities and the environment. This Government is considering what further steps are needed to help local authorities reduce litter and thus prevent it from entering and damaging our waterways and ecosystems.

Marine litter and plastic pollution are transboundary problems, which is why the UK is calling for an ambitious international agreement to end plastic pollution by 2040 and working with our closest neighbours to implement the OSPAR Regional Action Plan for Marine Litter.

Protecting the ocean, and its biodiversity will deliver on our domestic and our international commitments, such as achieving Good Environmental Status in domestic seas and supporting the Global Biodiversity Framework target to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030. Key steps we are taking are set out in the latest UK Marine Strategy ‘programme of measures’ published on 29 January 2025. This includes information about our network of Marine Protected Areas, our Highly Protected Marine Areas, Fisheries Management Plans, actions to eliminate or minimise bycatch of sensitive marine species, and work done under the English Seabird Conservation and Recovery Pathway.

The UK also provides global leadership in marine protection, as chair of the Global Ocean Alliance and Ocean Champion of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, supporting the global target to protect at least 30% of the ocean. In addition to implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention of Biological Diversity, we are delivering conservation and management of cetaceans under the International Whaling Commission, ratifying the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, and are working with international partners to agree an ambitious treaty to end plastic pollution.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure that this access is safe and appropriate. We are committed to increasing access to nature, and have already set out several ambitious manifesto commitments to expand opportunities for the public to enjoy the outdoors, including the creation of nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England.

We are currently developing policy to improve access to nature, working closely with other Government departments and key stakeholders. In addition, we are already delivering key initiatives aimed at increasing access to green spaces and the countryside, including:

• Completing the King Charles III England Coast Path, which will become the longest waymarked and maintained coastal walking route in the world. With over 2,400 miles of the route now approved and 1,430 miles already open, this will also create 250,000 hectares of new open access land within the coastal margin.
• Designating Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route as a National Trail across the north of England.
• Delivering the £16 million ‘Access for All’ programme, which is designed to make our protected landscapes, national trails, forests, and the wider countryside more inclusive and accessible to all.

In addition, the Government has made the decision to repeal the cut-off date for the registration of historic rights of way, preventing the loss of hundreds of miles of unregistered paths. This will ensure that these paths remain available to the public for future generations. This change will be formally enacted when parliamentary time allows.

My Department and I have met with the Batched on-Site Association and engaged with the Volumetric Concrete Mixer (VCM) industry through correspondence.

The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The outcome of this review was published on 18 March 2025. The following factors were considered: reduction in payload per journey, increased waste, and increased vehicle mileage.

Some VCM operators have argued that heavier VCMs could reduce overall trips and emissions, however, the increased road and bridge damage would result in more frequent repairs, offsetting these potential benefits.

As part of its consideration of the evidence, the Department for Transport also assessed the potential environmental impacts in accordance with the Environment Act 2021 which requires Ministers of the Crown to have ‘due regard’ to the environmental principles policy statement when making policy.

VCMs will continue to be permitted on our roads, but as planned, a temporary weight limit exemption for this type of vehicle (via vehicle special orders) will end on 31 March 2028, after which VCMs must operate at the legal weight limits applicable to other heavy good vehicles. This is not a ban or change in policy.

Data on the number of undiagnosed cardiovascular diseases and conditions in young people is not held centrally as these conditions are undiagnosed. The National Health Service, however, offers screening to young persons, those aged under 35 years old, where a family member has suffered from a sudden cardiac death. The charity Cardiac Risk in the Young offers subsidised cardiac screening to all young people aged between 14 and 35 years old and may hold data on the number of young people requesting screening outside of the NHS.

NHS England published in 2017 a national service specification for Inherited Cardiac Conditions (ICC), which defines the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England. This specification covers young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease. The aim of the ICC services is to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of patients with ICCs.

NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification, working with a broad range of stakeholders as part of the review, including NHS clinical experts, the Association of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Cardiomyopathy UK, Heart Valve Voice, and the British Heart Foundation. NHS England does not have a national audit programme for ICCs, and therefore no treatment data is held centrally.

NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Programme on gastroenterology aims to reduce variations in care, increase early diagnosis and proactive management of Crohn’s disease and colitis, and increase access to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specialist nurses. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has also produced a range of guidance on IBD, Crohn’s disease and colitis, to support early diagnosis and effective management of these conditions. It ensures that the care provided to people with IBD is based on the best available evidence. In the last two years, NICE has recommended four new drugs for the treatment of moderate to severe Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, namelt Upadacitinib, Risankizumab, Mirikizumab and Etrasimod.

NHS England’s National Bladder and Bowel Health Project is delivering better care for people with IBD, with a focus on developing clinical pathways. NHS England commissions specialised colorectal services nationally to support equity of access to high-quality treatment for patients with IBD requiring complex surgery. This work is supported within NHS England by the clinical leadership of the Specialised Colorectal Services Clinical Reference Group, which is made up of experts in surgery, medicine, radiology, pathology and nursing, alongside patient and public voice representatives.

To raise awareness of IBD among general practitioners and other primary care staff, the Royal College of General Practitioners has produced an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Toolkit. The toolkit outlines when to suspect IBD, the appropriate investigative tests and diagnostic tools for IBD, how to manage a flare-up of symptoms and how to support patients with IBD.

The Government is committed to tackling the biggest killers, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), and our Health Mission sets an ambition to reduce premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade. The 10-Year Health Plan, once published, will set out the Government's overarching vision for delivering the critical shift from a focus on treating illness to preventing conditions such as CVD.

Specific national strategies targeting the improvement of CVD diagnostic rates in children and young people are not featured in current public health programs. However, NHS England’s work emphasises the importance of early intervention and prevention across all age groups, and is committed to improving CVD care and outcomes through enhanced diagnostic support in the community, better personalised planning, and increased access to disease-specific rehabilitation.

Southampton City Council’s Children and Young People’s Strategy 2022-2027 outlines how they will invest in prevention, working with schools and communities to identify needs and deliver services as early as possible. The Health and Wellbeing Strategy similarly focuses on promoting healthy choices and behaviours in children to reduce CVD risk factors. The Government and NHS England will support local leaders to make the best choices to meet the needs of their local populations.

Improving early diagnosis of cancer, including lobular breast cancer, is a priority for NHS England. We will improve cancer survival rates and hit all National Health Service cancer waiting time targets, so that no patient waits longer than they should.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme offers all women in England between the ages of 50 years old and their 71st birthday the opportunity to be screened every three years for breast cancer, to help detect abnormalities and intervene early to reduce the number of lives lost to invasive breast cancer.

The Department invests £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

We are proud to have invested £29 million into the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NIHR Biological Research Centre in 2022, supporting their efforts to strengthen research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. Wider investments into breast cancer research include a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, including lobular breast cancer.

The NIHR funds research on cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment and care, which saves lives. NIHR funds research in response to proposals received and would welcome applications from researchers on lobular breast cancer.

NHS England has commissioned a rapid evidence review of vision based monitoring systems, which is available at the following link:

https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-024-03673-9

These insights have been used to work in partnership with people with lived experience, clinicians, and stakeholders to develop national guidance, which will be published imminently.