Toby Perkins

The Government has suspended all export licences for equipment that we assess could be used in military operations in Gaza, with the exception of the special measures that we have taken with regard to the global F-35 programme. We have implemented that suspension and continue to refuse all relevant licence applications on the same basis.

The Government recently published extensive information on extant export licences to Israel, available at: Export control licensing management information for Israel - GOV.UK. Specific detail on the assessment of individual companies’ licences is not regularly provided as this is commercially sensitive and provided in confidence by companies acting fully within the law – but all licences granted to UK exporters for Israel are within the scope of our current suspension, and in line with the requirements of our Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.

The entitlement to Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay represents a floor, not a ceiling, and the Government strongly encourages employers to go beyond the statutory minimum wherever they are able to.

The Government is also committed to taking a holistic look at the parental leave and pay system to consider how it can better support working families via the Parental Leave Review, which launched in July and will run for 18 months.

All current parental leave and pay entitlements are in scope of the review, including Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay.

The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.

The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.

The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.

The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.

The government is clear that it wants any future requirements to be proportionate and that the focus will be on economically significant entities where there is likely a significant investor and public interest. As a result, small to medium-sized companies are not envisaged as being within the scope of any future requirements set by the government. The FCA has independent decision-making powers for companies in scope of any future transition plan requirements they set.

Space is a priority for this Government, supporting national security, economic growth, and scientific excellence. The integration of the UK Space Agency (UKSA) into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is a strategic opportunity to strengthen the UK’s position as a leading space power.

This transformation will better align our space capabilities with the wider science and technology agenda, enabling stronger links between space, innovation, and industry. We are committed to maintaining the Agency’s specialist expertise and operational focus, while unlocking new opportunities through DSIT’s broader reach and ministerial oversight.

ARIA is a small body with limited administrative capacity to handle Freedom of Information Act requests. It is important that ARIA is focused on funding long-term transformational research for the benefit of the UK.

ARIA is, however, dedicated to transparency. ARIA has other statutory commitments to transparency, including requirements for it to submit an annual report and a statement of accounts, which are laid before Parliament and audited by the National Audit Office or a commercial auditor. In addition to this, ARIA regularly publishes transparency information on its website, including on its financial transactions, contracts and funding recipients.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the nation following the Spending Review.

We will now work closely with sporting bodies - including the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) - and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England provides long term investment to the LTA, which receives up to £10.2 million for 5 years from 2022 to invest in tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis initiatives.

The Government has also announced another £400 million to transform facilities across the UK following the Spending Review. We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the nation following the Spending Review.

We will now work closely with sporting bodies - including the Lawn Tennis Association - and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England provides long term investment to the LTA, which receives up to £10.2 million for 5 years from 2022 to invest in tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

The department has collected data on compulsory school-aged children in elective home education from local authorities on a termly basis since autumn 2022. Figures are available by local authority in the publication available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education/2024-25-autumn-term.

In most cases, there is no legal obligation on parents to request permission or notify the school or local authority that they are withdrawing their child from school to home educate them.

As parents currently have no legal duty to inform local authorities when they are home educating, local authorities cannot be assured that they are fulfilling this duty towards all children living in their areas.

This is why the Children’s Wellbeing and School Bill, which is currently at Committee Stage in the House of Lords, will introduce compulsory Children Not in School Registers in every local authority in England and Wales. These measures will help local authorities to identify all children not in school in their areas, including those not in receipt of safe or suitable education, and to act where this is the case.

The department has collected data on compulsory school-aged children in elective home education from local authorities on a termly basis since autumn 2022. Figures are available by local authority in the publication available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education/2024-25-autumn-term.

In most cases, there is no legal obligation on parents to request permission or notify the school or local authority that they are withdrawing their child from school to home educate them.

As parents currently have no legal duty to inform local authorities when they are home educating, local authorities cannot be assured that they are fulfilling this duty towards all children living in their areas.

This is why the Children’s Wellbeing and School Bill, which is currently at Committee Stage in the House of Lords, will introduce compulsory Children Not in School Registers in every local authority in England and Wales. These measures will help local authorities to identify all children not in school in their areas, including those not in receipt of safe or suitable education, and to act where this is the case.

The department has collected data on compulsory school-aged children in elective home education from local authorities on a termly basis since autumn 2022. Figures are available by local authority in the publication available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education/2024-25-autumn-term.

In most cases, there is no legal obligation on parents to request permission or notify the school or local authority that they are withdrawing their child from school to home educate them.

As parents currently have no legal duty to inform local authorities when they are home educating, local authorities cannot be assured that they are fulfilling this duty towards all children living in their areas.

This is why the Children’s Wellbeing and School Bill, which is currently at Committee Stage in the House of Lords, will introduce compulsory Children Not in School Registers in every local authority in England and Wales. These measures will help local authorities to identify all children not in school in their areas, including those not in receipt of safe or suitable education, and to act where this is the case.

Support for high quality science teaching mainly comes from core school budgets which will increase by £2.3 billion in the 2025/26 financial year.

Funding allocations for continuing professional development in science were £8,385,649 for the 2022/23 financial year, £8,384,137 for the 2023/24 financial year and £4,455,281 for the 2024/25 financial year.

This government is focused on fixing our economy after inheriting a £22 billion black hole in our public finances. That means we must take difficult decisions across our public services.

All children should have high quality science teaching, which is why at the Autumn Budget education was prioritised with a £2.3 billion increase to core school budgets for the 2025/26 financial year. Schools can use this funding for continued professional development, which evidence suggests can support teacher retention.

In addition, the department will continue to fully fund the Subject Knowledge for Physics Teachers programme to support the uptake and teaching of physics in the 2025/26 financial year.

However, along with other tough decisions to support cross-government efforts to rebuild economic stability, the department has taken the difficult decision to cease funding the Stimulating Physics Network beyond the end of its current contract in March 2025.

There is a range of other support for science education in schools, including free, optional materials from Oak National Academy in all three sciences.

The number of fly-seine vessels operating in English waters including the Channel increased from 29 to 54 vessels between 2019 and 2024, while landings of non-quota stocks increased by some 50% between 2018 and 2023.

Many non-quota stocks are data limited and have little management. It is for this reason Defra prioritised the development of Fisheries Management Plans for Non Quota stocks.

In 2023 Defra published the Channel Demersal Non-Quota Stock Fisheries Management Plan to protect 19 vulnerable species and improve data collection. We also introduced precautionary measures including a minimum 100mm mesh size restriction for fly-seine vessels.

The Marine Management Organisation does not issue specific licences for fly-seining. The MMO issues a domestic fishing vessel licence which allows English registered vessels to fishing using various stipulated gear types. A list of registered and licensed vessels can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-vessel-lists.

EU vessels are eligible to fish in UK waters under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement if they hold a UK Foreign Vessel licence. The EU notify the vessel details and proposed gear type. Currently, there are 56 EU vessels licensed to use fly-seines in UK waters. A list of EU vessels approved to fish in UK waters can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/united-kingdom-single-issuing-authority-uksia#approved-eu-vessels.

Although UK and non-UK commercial fishing vessels are required to report catches in UK waters, they are not required to report whether those catches occurred in English waters or waters between six and twelve nautical miles. As such, this data is not collected. Catch statistics are regularly published by the MMO on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quota-use-statistics

Although UK and non-UK commercial fishing vessels are required to report catches in UK waters, they are not required to report whether those catches occurred in English waters or waters between six and twelve nautical miles. As such, this data is not collected. Catch statistics are regularly published by the MMO on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quota-use-statistics

Although UK and non-UK commercial fishing vessels are required to report catches in UK waters, they are not required to report whether those catches occurred in English waters or waters between six and twelve nautical miles. As such, this data is not collected. Catch statistics are regularly published by the MMO on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quota-use-statistics