Tracy Gilbert Portrait

Tracy Gilbert

Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith

7,268 (14.7%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024


Tracy Gilbert is not a member of any APPGs
Tracy Gilbert has no previous appointments


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Tracy Gilbert has voted in 71 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Tracy Gilbert Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Ed Miliband (Labour)
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
(4 debate interactions)
David Lammy (Labour)
Foreign Secretary
(4 debate interactions)
Yvette Cooper (Labour)
Home Secretary
(3 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(3 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Tracy Gilbert has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debate
View all Tracy Gilbert's debates

Edinburgh North and Leith Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Tracy Gilbert has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Tracy Gilbert

11th December 2024
Tracy Gilbert signed this EDM as a sponsor on Monday 16th December 2024

Bonnybridge railway station

Tabled by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
That this House supports the campaign to re-establish a railway station in Bonnybridge, recognising the community’s long-standing efforts over the past 25 years to improve transport connectivity; notes the significant population growth in the area and the pressing need for better public transport links to boost local economic development and …
7 signatures
(Most recent: 17 Dec 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 4
Independent: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
29th November 2024
Tracy Gilbert signed this EDM on Friday 29th November 2024

Treating retail workers with kindness during the festive trading period

Tabled by: Chris Kane (Labour - Stirling and Strathallan)
That this House welcomes the press and social media campaign from the Scottish Retail Consortium and Usdaw which is urging Scots to be kind, considerate and respectful to retail workers and fellow customers when shopping this Christmas; notes that the festive period can be an especially complex and challenging time …
25 signatures
(Most recent: 16 Dec 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 16
Independent: 3
Liberal Democrat: 3
Scottish National Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Tracy Gilbert's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Tracy Gilbert, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Tracy Gilbert has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Tracy Gilbert has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

1 Bill introduced by Tracy Gilbert


A Bill to make provision about absent voting in connection with local government elections in Scotland and Wales, elections to the Scottish Parliament and elections to Senedd Cymru; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Wednesday 16th October 2024
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 17th January 2025
Order Paper number: 3
(Likely to be Debated)

Tracy Gilbert has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 35 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
7th Oct 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans she has for the reporting to Parliament of the work of the Council of Nations and Regions.

The inaugural Council of the Nations and Regions met on 11 October in Edinburgh to discuss growth and investment.

The UK Government will be publishing the Terms of Reference for the Council and a communique summarising the discussion shortly.

A communique will be published following each meeting of the Council.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to tackle the potential security threat posed by Chinese state-linked companies in the Government supply chain.

The Procurement Act 2023 introduces new powers to exclude and debar suppliers from public sector contracts if they pose a national security risk. To implement these powers, the Cabinet Office has established the new National Security Unit for Procurement, responsible for investigating suppliers on national security grounds, both within the government supply chain and for the wider public sector.

We have also taken action to remove surveillance equipment supplied by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of China from sensitive government sites. A timeline for removal was published on 29 April 2024. The Cabinet Office is monitoring progress against this timeline and departments are on track to replace all such equipment by April 2025.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
22nd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to page 20 of the King’s Speech Background Briefing Notes, published by the Prime Minister's Office on 17 July 2024, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of people who will be affected by the proposals to ban exploitative zero-hour contracts (a) nationally and (b) in Edinburgh North and Leith constituency.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (for January to March 2024) suggest that around 1,030,000 people (representing 3.1% of total employment) were employed on a zero-hours contract in the UK.

Over the same period there were approximately 71,000 people (equating to 2.7% of total employment) employed on a zero-hours contract in Scotland.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
22nd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to page 20 of the King’s Speech Background Briefing Notes, published by the Prime Minister's Office on 17 July 2024, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of people who will be affected by the proposals to deliver a genuine living wage (a) nationally and (b) in Edinburgh North and Leith constituency.

The minimum wage has been one of the most effective and successful policy interventions of the last 25 years. The Government is committed to delivering a genuine living wage for working people, and removing the discriminatory age bands, so that all adults can benefit.

The Low Pay Commission (LPC) will complete its April 2025 rate recommendations by the end of October 2024. The government will then announce the rates this Autumn and publish an impact assessment when the regulations are laid which will include estimates of the number of people who will benefit from the uprating. This approach will put more money in working people’s pockets to spend, boosting economic growth, resilience and conditions for innovation.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Transmission Network Use of System charges.

Ofgem is legally responsible for network charging arrangements and both Government and Ofgem recognise the importance of transmission network charges in considering wider electricity system reform. There are both near- and long-term proposals being considered for reform of Transmission Network Use of System charges and Government officials will continue to work closely with Ofgem as these proposals develop.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to extend Contract for Difference terms in future allocation rounds.

The Government reviews the Contracts for Difference scheme before every round to ensure it continues to deliver our objectives. We are currently working with industry to accelerate ways to build upon the successful outcome of the last auction so that we can deliver our goal of clean power by 2030.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Transmission Network Use of System charges on the viability of potential renewable energy projects in Scotland.

Ofgem is legally responsible for network charging arrangements. Government and Ofgem recognise the importance of transmission charges to the development of renewable generation in Scotland. This is why Ofgem established an industry Taskforce to consider near-term improvements to transmission charges and has proposed a temporary cap and floor to alleviate the projected rise, and increasing volatility, in Transmission Network Use of System charges. This is expected to provide generators with greater certainty in time for future Contracts for Difference allocation rounds, including the next - Allocation Round 7.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to consult with stakeholders ahead of the Contract for Difference Allocation Round 7.

We are currently working with industry to accelerate ways to build upon the successful outcome of the last Contracts for Difference auction, so that we can deliver our goal of clean power by 2030. We will also consult formally with stakeholders on any changes to the scheme ahead of Allocation Round 7.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
28th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to regulate non-domestic energy prices.

The Government does not currently have plans to introduce an energy price cap for non-domestic energy consumers.

The Government believes the only way to protect billpayers permanently, including non-domestic organisations, is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

From 19 December we are expanding the remit of the Energy Ombudsman services so that small business consumers with fewer than 50 employees can resolve issues with their supplier through this service. This expands the level of support to 99% of businesses in Great Britain. In September we also launched a public consultation on regulating Third Party Intermediaries for non-domestic consumers, seeking views on different potential regulatory options for this market.

Heat network consumers are not currently protected by the energy price cap, that is why the Government is introducing regulations to give them comparable protections that existing gas and electricity regulations provide. We are appointing Ofgem as heat network regulator who will have the power to intervene if prices appear to be disproportionate or unfair.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
7th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with representatives in the energy sector on the development of an offshore energy passport.

The Secretary of State welcomes the delivery of an industry-led Skills Passport. This is an important step to help workers transition from carbon-intensive industries to new clean energy sectors as part of the Government's clean energy mission 2030.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
30th Aug 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of pensioners who will be in fuel poverty in winter 2024-25.

The latest statistics on fuel poverty in England cover 2023 and can be found in the published Official Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics. Table 23 and Table 30 provide estimates of the number of households in fuel poverty by age of the oldest person in the household, and by employment status of the household reference person, respectively. Statistics for 2024 will be published in early 2025.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
29th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help consumers of district heating schemes.

The Department is taking action to improve outcomes for heat network consumers, so that they receive similar levels of protection as gas and electricity consumers. The Heat Network Market Framework will address issues faced by consumers, such as excessive pricing and poor standards. The regulations will:

  • Save money for consumers through price regulation and improved network quality.
  • Protect vulnerable consumers by setting out clear standards of conduct.
  • Give more control to consumers by setting up clear complaint procedures.
  • Increase transparency for consumers and investors through improved data collection.

Work is underway to lay initial regulations later this year and my officials are preparing to consult on additional policy proposals this winter to further support consumers.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
29th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to announce the location for the headquarters of Great British Energy.

Scotland is the heart of energy in Great Britain and in recognition of the leading role that it plays in the UK’s clean energy revolution, Great British Energy will be headquartered and run from Scotland. We will announce the location in Scotland, of Great British Energy headquarters, in the coming months.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
18th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to prevent children being exposed to pornography.

The Government is committed to keeping children safe online. Our priority is the effective implementation of the Online Safety Act so that children benefit from its wide-reaching protections.

The Act requires that all in scope services that allow pornography use highly effective age assurance to prevent children from accessing it, including services that host user-generated content, and services which publish pornography. Ofcom has robust enforcement powers available against companies who fail to fulfil their duties.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
18th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle pornography harms.

Under the Online Safety Act, all in-scope services that allow pornography must use highly effective age assurance to prevent children accessing it, including user-to-user services and services which publish pornography. Under the Act, platforms must proactively tackle the most harmful illegal content including extreme pornography.

Separate to provisions in the Online Safety Act, the Pornography Review, led by Independent Lead Reviewer Baroness Gabby Bertin, will explore the effectiveness of regulation, legislation and the law enforcement response to pornography. The government expects the Review to present its final report by the end of the year.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
4th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of VAT on private schools on children with special educational needs in Scotland.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

HM Treasury (HMT) is responsible for UK wide VAT policy. HMT has published its assessment of the impacts of removing the VAT exemption that applied to private school fees. This assessment also considers impacts on Scotland and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#summary-of-impacts.

While VAT is a reserved tax and the VAT policy will apply across the UK, education policy is devolved. The Scottish government will be able to provide further details of special educational needs support available to pupils in Scotland.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
6th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support British pensioners residing overseas.

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, based on a person’s National Insurance record and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.

People move abroad for many reasons and may have access to their host country’s benefit system or other sources of income such as an occupational pension.

Information about the impact on State Pensions of moving abroad is available on Gov.uk.

Emma Reynolds
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
6th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to uprate the state pension for British pensioners residing overseas.

The UK's policy on the up-rating of the UK State Pension for recipients living overseas is a longstanding one. The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and is only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.

Over many years, priority is given to those living in the United Kingdom when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

Emma Reynolds
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
17th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Nursing and Midwifery Council's review entitled Independent Culture Review, published in July 2024, if his Department will launch an independent review into that organisation.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England. The NMC is independent of the Government, directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties.

The Department has no current plans to launch an independent review, but we expect the NMC to ensure swift and robust action is taken to deliver against the 36 recommendations set out in the Independent Culture Review report.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has been discussing the new United Kingdom-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill with Neil Gray, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care for Scotland, and will send formal correspondence prior to its introduction. As the bill covers the whole of the UK, the Department will stay in close contact with all our devolved government counterparts, throughout the passage of the bill.

Department officials have engaged frequently with officials from Public Health Scotland, and the rest of the devolved governments, to help shape and develop proposals for new legislation. Each of the devolved governments, including the Scottish Government, are in support of a new and strengthened bill, and the benefits it will provide to the health of our nations. Once the bill has been introduced to the UK Parliament, the devolved governments will seek consent motions from their respective legislatures, including the Scottish Parliament.

Andrew Gwynne
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he last discussed women's rights with the Iranian ambassador to the UK.

There is currently no Iranian ambassador to the UK. However, we regularly deliver robust messages on human rights directly to the Iranian regime, including through our Ambassador in Tehran. On 13 August, I highlighted, via X, the UK’s continued support for Iranian women and girls and our commitment to calling out the regime’s unacceptable behaviour.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
21st Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the New Lines Institute’s publication entitled Genocide in Tigray: Serious Breaches of International Law in the Tigray Conflict, Ethiopia, and the Paths to Accountability.

The 'Genocide in Tigray' report by the New Lines Institute has drawn attention to the conduct of actors during the conflict of 2020-2022. The report is consistent with UN investigations which concluded that all sides committed major human rights violations and abuses, some of which might amount to crimes against humanity. UK policy is that genocide can only be determined by a credible international court. The UK has consistently called for accountability for victims of the conflict in northern Ethiopia and is supporting Ethiopia's transitional justice efforts, including by working with national human rights organisations to enhance evidence collection that could support criminal procedures.

Anneliese Dodds
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
15th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement of 2 September 2024 on Middle East Update, Official Report, column 37, whether his Department has undertaken a further review of export licenses.

Export licence applications continue to be assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The UK's robust export licensing criteria state that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Following our review into Israel's compliance with IHL in Gaza, this Government has concluded that a clear risk does exist, and we have suspended certain export licences for items that could be used in the current conflict in Gaza.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
5th Dec 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how the National Wealth Fund will support developing port capacity.

The National Wealth Fund (NWF) will create a step change in our ability to mobilise private capital in the UK’s most important sectors and assets. At least £5.8 billion of the NWF’s additional capital will focus on the five sectors announced in the manifesto: green hydrogen, carbon capture, ports, gigafactories and green steel and will be committed over this Parliament.

The NWF is actively engaging across a number of opportunities where financing support for ports could have a catalytic effect on the floating offshore wind market.

Tulip Siddiq
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
5th Nov 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to provide additional funding to GPs for the cost of the increase in employers' National Insurance Contributions.

Resource spending for the Department of Health and Social Care is set to increase by £22.6 billion in 2025-26 compared to 2023-24 outturn, providing a real-terms growth rate of 4% for the NHS, the largest since before 2010 excluding Covid-19 years. The Government will support local authority services through a real terms increase in core local government spending power of around 3.2%, including at least £600 million of new grant funding to support social care.

The government recognises the need to protect the smallest businesses and charities, which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of businesses with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year. Our tax regime for charities, including exemption from paying business rates, is among the most generous of anywhere in the world with tax reliefs for charities and their donors worth just over £6 billion for the tax year to April 2024.

The Budget will provide support for government departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer NICs costs only. Private sector firms or charities including hospices or social care providers that are contracted by central or local Government will not be exempt from these changes. General Practitioners are independent contractors and therefore will not be exempt from these changes.

This is consistent with the approach to previous Employer NICs changes, as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.

DHSC will confirm funding for General Practice for 25/26 as part of the usual GP contract process later in the year, including through consultation with the sector.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to continue to fund the Support for Migrant Victims Scheme beyond March 2025.

We keep under constant review the support we provide to migrant victims of domestic abuse, including how we can increase their confidence to report to the police and their ability to access help from specialist agencies.

This government continues to support the Support for Migrant Victims scheme which provides vital support for migrant victims of domestic abuse, including accommodation, subsistence, counselling and legal advice. All decisions on funding for the next financial year will be made in due course as part of the Spending Review process.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support migrant victims of domestic abuse.

We keep under constant review the support we provide to migrant victims of domestic abuse, including how we can increase their confidence to report to the police and their ability to access help from specialist agencies.

This government continues to support the Support for Migrant Victims scheme which provides vital support for migrant victims of domestic abuse, including accommodation, subsistence, counselling and legal advice. All decisions on funding for the next financial year will be made in due course as part of the Spending Review process.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
4th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to make wildlife crimes notifiable.

This Government recognises the importance of tackling wildlife crime, which is why, along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit to help tackle these crimes.

There are currently no plans to make wildlife crimes notifiable. Any non-notifiable wildlife crime reported to the police can still be investigated where appropriate, as Chief Constables have operational independence to tackle the crimes that matter most to their communities.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
21st Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral statement by the Prime Minister of 7 October 2024 on Anniversary of 7 October Attacks: Middle East, Official Report, column 38, what steps her Department is taking to support Lebanese nationals with temporary leave to remain to stay in the UK during the current conflict.

We are deeply concerned by the continuing tensions and civilian casualties in Lebanon.

I know how important it is for Lebanese nationals in the UK to have certainty on their immigration status, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in their home country.

Lebanese nationals who are already living in the UK and have permission to stay should continue to follow their immigration conditions. For those whose permission to stay is due to expire, there are a variety of existing routes under the Immigration Rules to allow a person to extend, or vary, their permission in the UK, which are set out on gov.uk.

We are monitoring the situation in Lebanon closely and keeping all existing pathways under constant review for Lebanese nationals currently in the UK.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
18th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is providing to help victims of sexual exploitation in Edinburgh North and Leith constituency exit prostitution.

The trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation is a truly horrific crime. This Government has committed to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, and we will use all of our levers to deliver this.

The criminal justice system and support for victims are devolved matters. However, given the cross-border nature of sexual exploitation, the Home Office works closely with the Scottish Government and law enforcement partners to ensure our approach to victim identification and support, and our pursuit of perpetrators is joined up.

We have several ways to estimate the scale of sexual exploitation. Victims of sexual exploitation make up a significant proportion of referrals to the National Referral Mechanism (the framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery to appropriate support). The most recent statistics show that in 2023, sexual exploitation accounted for 10% (1,679) of all referrals, a 2% increase from the previous year, with 9% (1,470) of referrals relating to women. The Home Office does not hold data specific to Edinburgh North and Leith. However, between January and June 2024, there were 13 potential victims of modern slavery referred to the NRM who reported (either part or whole) sexual exploitation which was disclosed as occurring in the City of Edinburgh. We understand this will not be the full extent.

Available academic research on prostitution highlights the challenges in estimating prevalence. Research conducted by the University of Bristol focusing on England and Wales was unable to identify a single prevalence estimate. However, it assessed a number of existing national estimates made over the last 20 years which ranged from 35,882 to 104,964, across England and Wales.

Online platforms are a significant enabler of sexual exploitation. The Online Safety Act 2023 sets out priority offences, including sexual exploitation and human trafficking offences, and companies will need to adopt measures and put in place systems and processes to identify, assess and address these offences based on a risk assessment.

Jess Phillips
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
18th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the level of commercial sexual exploitation in Edinburgh North and Leith constituency.

The trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation is a truly horrific crime. This Government has committed to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, and we will use all of our levers to deliver this.

The criminal justice system and support for victims are devolved matters. However, given the cross-border nature of sexual exploitation, the Home Office works closely with the Scottish Government and law enforcement partners to ensure our approach to victim identification and support, and our pursuit of perpetrators is joined up.

We have several ways to estimate the scale of sexual exploitation. Victims of sexual exploitation make up a significant proportion of referrals to the National Referral Mechanism (the framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery to appropriate support). The most recent statistics show that in 2023, sexual exploitation accounted for 10% (1,679) of all referrals, a 2% increase from the previous year, with 9% (1,470) of referrals relating to women. The Home Office does not hold data specific to Edinburgh North and Leith. However, between January and June 2024, there were 13 potential victims of modern slavery referred to the NRM who reported (either part or whole) sexual exploitation which was disclosed as occurring in the City of Edinburgh. We understand this will not be the full extent.

Available academic research on prostitution highlights the challenges in estimating prevalence. Research conducted by the University of Bristol focusing on England and Wales was unable to identify a single prevalence estimate. However, it assessed a number of existing national estimates made over the last 20 years which ranged from 35,882 to 104,964, across England and Wales.

Online platforms are a significant enabler of sexual exploitation. The Online Safety Act 2023 sets out priority offences, including sexual exploitation and human trafficking offences, and companies will need to adopt measures and put in place systems and processes to identify, assess and address these offences based on a risk assessment.

Jess Phillips
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
18th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent organised crime groups advertising victims of (a) trafficking and (b) other sexual exploitation offences on websites advertising prostitution in Edinburgh North and Leith constituency.

The trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation is a truly horrific crime. This Government has committed to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, and we will use all of our levers to deliver this.

The criminal justice system and support for victims are devolved matters. However, given the cross-border nature of sexual exploitation, the Home Office works closely with the Scottish Government and law enforcement partners to ensure our approach to victim identification and support, and our pursuit of perpetrators is joined up.

We have several ways to estimate the scale of sexual exploitation. Victims of sexual exploitation make up a significant proportion of referrals to the National Referral Mechanism (the framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery to appropriate support). The most recent statistics show that in 2023, sexual exploitation accounted for 10% (1,679) of all referrals, a 2% increase from the previous year, with 9% (1,470) of referrals relating to women. The Home Office does not hold data specific to Edinburgh North and Leith. However, between January and June 2024, there were 13 potential victims of modern slavery referred to the NRM who reported (either part or whole) sexual exploitation which was disclosed as occurring in the City of Edinburgh. We understand this will not be the full extent.

Available academic research on prostitution highlights the challenges in estimating prevalence. Research conducted by the University of Bristol focusing on England and Wales was unable to identify a single prevalence estimate. However, it assessed a number of existing national estimates made over the last 20 years which ranged from 35,882 to 104,964, across England and Wales.

Online platforms are a significant enabler of sexual exploitation. The Online Safety Act 2023 sets out priority offences, including sexual exploitation and human trafficking offences, and companies will need to adopt measures and put in place systems and processes to identify, assess and address these offences based on a risk assessment.

Jess Phillips
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
19th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the availability of co-housing for older people.

The Government recognises that the community-led housing sector - of which cohousing is an important part - delivers a wide range of benefits, including strengthening community participation in local decision-making, engendering community cohesion, achieving high quality design and strengthening the co-operative economy. Cohousing in particular has been shown to provide an excellent solution to meeting the housing needs of some older people.

A range of funding and finance is available which can be used to support the development of community-led housing (though eligibility may depend on the nature of specific developments). This includes the Levelling-Up Home Building Fund, which provides affordable loan finance for the development of sites of 5 units or more and the Affordable Homes Programme, which provides grant funding to support the capital costs of developing affordable housing in England.

Beyond funding, our recent consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework, to which we will be responding shortly, specifically included proposals designed to strengthen support for community-led housing, including changes to the size limit on community-led exception sites and a broadening of the definition of organisations able to deliver community-led housing.

As we develop our Long Term Housing Strategy, we will consider how the Government may further support the growth of the community-led housing sector, helping to deliver the additional homes the country needs.

Matthew Pennycook
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)