Tristan Osborne

HMG officials and Ministers, including myself, regularly engage the EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals.

The UK and the EU allow for visa-free, short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. The UK allows EU citizens visa-free travel for up to six months; the EU allows for visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period which is standard for third nationals travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

The government works with the Hospitality Sector Council to address challenges facing the sector, including community pubs. The Government’s £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme co-funds projects to help community pubs adapt to their communities’ changing needs. The Government is also conducting an exercise to understand potential market barriers for small brewers. Interested parties can contact beermarketreview@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

Tied tenant landlords of pub-owning businesses with 500 or more tied pubs in England and Wales are protected by the Pubs Code which ensures they are treated fairly and lawfully and are no worse off than if not subject to any product or service tie. The third statutory review of the Pubs Code and Pubs Code Adjudicator is underway and the call for inputs is open until 14 August 2025.

On 29 July 2024 the Secretary of State for Business and Trade announced the Government’s intention to deliver negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, India, Israel, South Korea, Switzerland and Turkey.

The Secretary of State has spoken to Minister Barkat a number of times since the July 2024 General Election, including on the Free Trade Agreement.

We are accelerating investment in homegrown clean power to boost energy security and cut exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. In response to this crisis, we’re bringing forward the next renewables auction to July, introducing low‑cost “plug‑in solar” for households, and we will implement the Fingleton Review to speed up delivery of critical zero carbon infrastructure.

We are ensuring our upcoming plan for industrial decarbonisation aligns with the Critical Minerals Strategy and the Circular Economy Growth Plan through joint working across government and coordinated policy development. This approach aims to strengthen supply chain resilience and embeds resource efficiency into policy design, helping industry decarbonise while supporting sustainable growth.

As outlined in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, AI datacentres are a potential new consumer of nuclear power. We see the potential benefits of nuclear-powered datacentres and are considering how to unlock this potential.

Regulatory processes involve multiple steps to demonstrate the nuclear power plant will be safe, secure and can manage its waste, non-proliferation, and environmental obligations. There are multiple variables that drive timelines and costs.

The Department undertakes regular modelling on future energy scenarios, including on demand changes driven by new technology and plans for generating assets. This forms part of the considerations on the wider AI sector.

The Government’s Digital and Technologies Sector Plan outlined £670 million of investment to accelerate the development and adoption of quantum computing through our quantum computing mission. It also backed our flagship National Quantum Computing Centre with a 10-year budget, providing them with long term certainty to expand activity and demonstrating Government’s commitment to the sector.

In 2024 we launched five quantum technology hubs, including a dedicated hub for quantum computing based at the University of Oxford. This brings together researchers from universities across Great Britain with industry partners, collaborating to progress quantum computing research and develop a skilled workforce.

UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act impose obligations on data controllers – including third-party providers - to process data fairly, lawfully, and transparently.

The OSA also requires all providers to give particular regard to the importance of protecting users’ privacy rights when implementing measures to comply with their new safety duties, including age assurance and any content moderation measures.

The ICO has responsibility for monitoring and enforcing the application of data protection legislation in the UK. It has a range of tough criminal and civil enforcement tools at its disposal, including powers of prosecution and powers to issue substantial monetary penalties for serious breaches of the data protection legislation.

While there are legitimate reasons for using VPNs, services that deliberately target UK children and promote VPN use to circumvent online safety measures could face enforcement action under the Online Safety Act. Some VPNs may present security or privacy risks, so users are advised to exercise caution when using VPNs.

Government and Ofcom will monitor the impact of potential circumvention techniques on the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act and will consider further options if necessary.

The forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will strengthen the UK’s existing cyber regulatory framework (the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018) by protecting more digital and essential services, putting regulators on a stronger footing, and increasing reporting requirements.

The NIS Regulations covers five sectors (transport, energy, drinking water, health, digital infrastructure) and some digital services (online marketplaces, online search engines, cloud computing services). Where a public body delivers these services, such as NHS Trusts, they are in scope of the NIS Regulations.

The Bill will include powers that will enable more services and sectors to be brought into scope of regulation in the future, where this is considered necessary to address emerging risks.

The upcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will strengthen our defences and ensure that more essential and digital services are protected than ever.

The Bill will require regulated entities to take proportionate steps to address vulnerabilities in our digital economy and protect our essential services against cyber attacks. We will work closely with industry, public sector organisations and regulators to support organisations in complying with their new obligations under the Bill.

By safeguarding our nation's essential services and digital infrastructure, we will create a stable environment in which investment and innovation can thrive.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That’s why the Government is investing £85 million throughout 2026/27 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme to build and upgrade pitches and facilities UK wide.

Since FY 24/25, DCMS has distributed £12,713 to support the improvement of grassroots footballing facilities in Chatham and Aylesford: supporting investment in floodlights at Wouldham All-Saints CEP School and goalposts at Lordswood Sports and Social Club, Larkfield Sports Club and Swingate Primary School.

We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what grassroots sports facilities each community needs to inform future investment.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out this Government’s 10-year plan to tackle barriers to growth and maximise opportunities across the sector, with the aim of making the UK the number one destination for creativity and innovation by 2035. The plan sets out how Government and industry are working together to grow a creative workforce that supports job creation and drives economic growth in this high-potential sector, through an education and skills system aligned with business needs. The Plan has been designed in collaboration with business, Devolved Governments, and regions, with the Creative Industries Taskforce also playing a crucial role in gathering wider views from across industry.

The Plan includes delivering a curriculum in England that readies young people for life and work, including in creative subjects and relevant skills. The Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is one of the ways that Government will deliver on the commitment to reform the system for the benefit of the creative talent pipeline. The Review has a focus on all subjects in the national curriculum and is being informed by evidence, data and in close consultation with education professionals and other experts. This includes over 7,000 responses to the public call for evidence, including from the creative industries. The Review final report and Government response will be published in the autumn.

The Government recently announced £5.5 million funding for the UK Games Fund (UKGF) for the financial year 2025/26 to support early-stage games studios and talent. This funding will support all existing strands of the UKGF, including the Tranzfuser programme.

The UKGF is administered by UK Games Talent and Finance Community Interest Company which works closely with DCMS on the fund’s design and delivery.

The department is working closely with the Thinking Schools Academy Trust to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete at Holcombe Grammar School, formerly Chatham Grammar School for Boys.

The Trust confirmed in May that the first phase of works has been completed. Proposals for a second, more complex area have been submitted and will proceed shortly.

Departmental officials continue to support the Trust to progress the project as quickly as possible whilst minimising disruption to education.

On 21 May 2026, the government announced that it is investing over £1 billion in school sports over the next three years, including funding for the new Partnerships Network, improvements to school sports facilities and transitional support for primary schools while we move to the new approach.

The Network will provide practical, targeted support to help schools increase participation. This includes coaching, swimming provision and support to open facilities and stronger links to extra‑curricular sport and local clubs. Schools will also receive funding to test and share effective practice, alongside more accessible programmes from National Governing Bodies and clearer pathways into community sport.

Support will align more closely with wider programmes and include competitive sport opportunities and inclusive events for less‑active pupils. Detailed design and funding allocations will be confirmed through the procurement process.

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE), available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2, is the statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must have when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

The statutory curriculum for health education requires all pupils in state-maintained schools to be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and the associated risks to physical and mental wellbeing, including smoking, alcohol use and drug-taking.

By the end of secondary school, pupils should know the facts about which drugs are illegal, the risks of taking illegal drugs, including the increased risk of potent synthetic drugs being added to illegal drugs, the risks of illicit vapes containing drugs, illicit drugs and counterfeit medicines, and the potential health harms, including the link to poor mental health.

This complements content about substances within the national curriculum for science.

To help break down barriers to opportunity, this government will deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative, and ensures that all young people get the opportunity to learn digital and creative skills as part of their education, with digital skills becoming increasingly important to the economy and our growth mission.

To meet this ambition, the government commissioned the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review to advise on how to refresh the curriculum to ensure that young people leave compulsory education with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive, including digital skills. The Review is also looking at whether the current assessment system for young people aged 5 to 19, including qualification pathways, can be improved, while protecting the important role of examinations.

The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.

To help break down barriers to opportunity, this government will deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative, and ensures that all young people get the opportunity to learn digital and creative skills as part of their education, with digital skills becoming increasingly important to the economy and our growth mission.

To meet this ambition, the government commissioned the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review to advise on how to refresh the curriculum to ensure that young people leave compulsory education with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive, including digital skills. The Review is also looking at whether the current assessment system for young people aged 5 to 19, including qualification pathways, can be improved, while protecting the important role of examinations.

The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.