Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of the recommendations of the Sullivan Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender, published on 19 March 2025.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Sex and gender in data, statistics and research is an important area of discussion, and this review contributes to this ongoing dialogue. Given the wide breadth of recommendations, the government has ensured that the review has been shared with all the relevant departments and policy teams, who will consider the findings in light of their ongoing policy work.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with the DVLA on the timeliness of drivers receiving licence renewal reminder letters.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sends reminders for vocational licences and ten-year photocard licence renewals 56 days before the licence is due to expire. For those renewing their licence at the age of 70 and those renewing a short-period medical licence, reminders are sent 90 days before the licence is due to expire. There are no plans to change these timescales.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Australian government's introduction of tax relief for distillers from July 2026 on the UK spirits industry.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
No formal assessment has been made by the department regarding this specific policy.
As with all taxes, the Government keeps alcohol duty under review as part of its Budget process.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he has held meetings with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to discuss his policy on legacy since July 2024; and what was discussed at each meeting.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I have met the Chief Constable of the PSNI on a number of occasions since I was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, including this week, to discuss a range of issues including the Government’s approach to legacy reform. This is in addition to written correspondence between the Chief Constable and I regarding legacy matters.
Northern Ireland Office officials have also regularly met police officers in the PSNI’s Legacy Investigation Branch to discuss mutually relevant issues relating to legacy.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent progress her Department has made in ensuring women and girls have access to (a) safe and (b) fair play in gender-affected sports at all levels.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We want to break down the barriers that prevent women and girls from being active, including but not limited to kit, facilities, time and cost. As a government, we are investing £123 million in inclusive grassroots sport facilities that will support more women and girls to take part in the sports that they love.
Sporting bodies have a responsibility to protect the integrity and fairness of women's sport and the safety of all participants, particularly when it is not possible to balance those factors with inclusion.
National Governing Bodies set their own policies for who can participate in their sports in domestic competitions. Our UK sports councils have produced guidance to help domestic sports bodies determine the right position for their sport.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will revise guidance on the maximum alcoholic strength at which a drink should be described as alcohol free from 0.05% to 0.5% ABV.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.
The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by No and Low alcohol alternative drinks. While the department has not made a specific assessment of the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) threshold on British brewers we will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential role of no and low alcohol products in supporting the Government’s public health objectives on alcohol harm reduction.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.
The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by No and Low alcohol alternative drinks. While the department has not made a specific assessment of the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) threshold on British brewers we will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the alcohol-free threshold from 0.05% ABV to 0.5% ABV.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.
The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by No and Low alcohol alternative drinks. While the department has not made a specific assessment of the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) threshold on British brewers we will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the economic impact of the UK’s 0.05% ABV threshold on British brewers.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.
The Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by No and Low alcohol alternative drinks. While the department has not made a specific assessment of the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) threshold on British brewers we will continue to consider how alcohol labelling can be improved to support consumers make informed decisions about the products they are purchasing, whilst also promoting responsible consumption.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential role of youth services in (a) preventing and (b) tackling violence against women and girls.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government has set an ambitious target to halve VAWG in a decade. To achieve this, we must reduce the current levels of offending and reoffending but also prevent abuse from happening all together.
The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy will set out our strategic direction and concrete actions to deliver this ambition. We are considering a range of policy options across Government to prevent these crimes including education for young people around healthy relationships and consent, community interventions and tackling online VAWG.
That includes looking at how we can work most effectively with youth services and through the Young Futures programme to deliver this ambition.