Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has held with the Minister for Women and Equalities, on safeguarding measures in place for the protection of NEET young people engaged in government sponsored hospitality work placements from i) sexual harassment, ii) racism and iii) bullying in the workplace.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is committed to ensuring that young people participating in government-supported work experience opportunities are able to do so in a safe, inclusive and supportive environment.
As part of the Youth Guarantee, the Government is expanding work experience opportunities and creating up to 150,000 additional work experience placements across Great Britain by 2029, with priority referrals for young people. In addition, hospitality businesses have committed to providing over 100,000 job opportunities for 18 to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training, alongside work experience opportunities through DWP's hospitality work experience programme.
Work experience placements operate within DWP's established work experience framework. Employers are responsible for providing an appropriate workplace environment and for meeting relevant health, safety, welfare and equality obligations. Participants undertaking work experience placements are covered by the same workplace protections as other workers, including protections against harassment, discrimination and bullying.
The Department undertakes due diligence when establishing and maintaining partnerships with employers. This includes requiring employers to sign an employer agreement confirming compliance with relevant workplace safety and safeguarding legislation and maintaining ongoing engagement through Jobcentre Plus employer and partnership teams. Where concerns are raised, placements can be reviewed and appropriate action taken.
Participants remain supported by Jobcentre Plus throughout their placement and are encouraged to raise concerns directly with the employer in the first instance. They may also raise concerns with their work coach, who can escalate issues through the appropriate channels where necessary.
The detailed operational arrangements for the new hospitality work experience programme are being developed with UKHospitality. Work to agree and implement these arrangements is ongoing.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to implement recommendation 2 of Lord Mann’s review of antisemitism and other forms of racism in the NHS and healthcare regulatory system on including Jewish and Sikh as ethnicities in NHS data collection.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the impacts highlighted by Lord Mann arising from the failure to record the ethnicities of Jewish and Sikh people in National Health Service data.
We have committed to consult on the inclusion of Jewish and Sikh identities within NHS protected characteristic datasets, and the findings from that consultation will inform our decisions on future implementation.
Asked by: Jon Pearce (Labour - High Peak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress her Department has made since June 2026 on implementing the recommendations of Lord Mann's review on antisemitism and other forms of racism in the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I have this week made a written ministerial statement to the House providing an update on that progress, which is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-27/hcws424
I thank the Hon. Members for their work on these issues and their specific interest in progress with implementation of Lord Mann’s recommendations. I will keep the Hon. Members and the rest of Parliament informed as the implementation programme continues.
Asked by: Zubir Ahmed (Labour - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress her Department has made since June 2026 on implementing the recommendations of Lord Mann's review on antisemitism and other forms of racism in the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I have this week made a written ministerial statement to the House providing an update on that progress, which is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-27/hcws424
I thank the Hon. Members for their work on these issues and their specific interest in progress with implementation of Lord Mann’s recommendations. I will keep the Hon. Members and the rest of Parliament informed as the implementation programme continues.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what reviews and actions she has taken to tackle misinformation, posts and comments of race hate and the incitement of racism on social media platforms operating in Northern Ireland during public disorder in June 2026.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Online Safety Act requires platforms to tackle illegal content, including that which incites violence and racial hatred. Following the Belfast disorder, Ofcom wrote to platforms to remind them of their duties to assess and mitigate illegal content.
From 2 November, platforms will have new ways to comply with their OSA duties during a crisis. This includes a crisis response protocol that monitors crisis indicators, analysing platforms' response, and maintain communications channel with law enforcement.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to support healthcare professionals at Basingstoke Hospital following the declaration of a critical incident in 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local employers across the National Health Service have arrangements in place to support staff, including occupational health provision, employee support programmes, and a focus on healthy working environments. At a national level, National Health Service staff have access to the SHOUT helpline for crisis support alongside the National Staff Mental Health Treatment Service (Practitioner Health) for more complex mental health and wellbeing support, including trauma and addiction.
On 3 June 2026, we introduced a series of staff standards for modern employment in the NHS covering issues that are important to staff such as health and wellbeing, tackling racism, preventing and reducing violence, and promoting flexible working. The standards are mandatory and will be measured through the NHS Oversight Framework to ensure much stronger board accountability for staff experience.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to support community cohesion in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Recent events in Portadown have shown that despite the huge progress made in Northern Ireland over the last thirty years, deep trauma still exists and a number of contentious issues remain. The UK Government is investing more than £730 million into the PEACEPLUS programme to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and both I and my Ministerial colleagues meet regularly with the Northern Ireland Executive and the PSNI to discuss a range of issues in Northern Ireland, including community cohesion and reconciliation.
I know my Hon. Friend is also concerned about the issue of racism toward the Roma community, including those affected in his constituency.
I utterly condemn it. There is no place for racism of any kind in Northern Ireland, nor across the UK. Those who have chosen to make Northern Ireland their home and contribute to its social and economic development should never have to face any form of disgraceful racist abuse or prejudice.
Asked by: Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative - Solihull West and Shirley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when her Department intends to publish the outcome of the Reforming the General Medical Council legislative framework consultation.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is currently analysing the responses to the consultation.
The Government intends to undertake a further, targeted consultation in the autumn on certain aspects of the draft General Medical Council Order. This will include proposals relating to Lord Mann’s review of antisemitism and other forms of racism in the National Health Service and healthcare regulatory system.
A Government response covering both consultations will be published in due course.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to ensure Dr Rahmeh Aladwan is struck-off the medical register; and whether she has contacted the General Medical Council about Dr Rahmeh Aladwan.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
While it would not be appropriate to comment on any specific individuals, we commissioned Lord Mann’s review to root out the cancer of antisemitism and other forms of racism from our health service, and as well as implementing the recommendations from Lord Mann’s review that are for the Department and the National Health Service, we expect the General Medical Council to take the strongest possible action where the evidence demands it in relevant fitness to practise cases. The United Kingdom’s model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support and training is available to school leadership teams to help tackle incidents of a) racism and b) other forms of discrimination against i) pupils and ii) staff.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
There is no place for any form of discrimination in our schools, and we are committed to ensuring that pupils and staff feel safe and supported.
The department’s Educate Against Hate website provides free, quality assured resources and guidance to help teachers challenge prejudice and build resilience to racism and other forms of discrimination. When incidents occur, we work closely with schools, trusts and local partners to provide timely and proportionate support.
The department also publishes guidance on preventing and tackling harassment against school staff, including discriminatory behaviour and bullying.
As part of the department’s wider commitment to combating discrimination, we have allocated £7 million to strengthen action against antisemitism in education, which includes a £1 million innovation fund. Sir David Bell’s review into antisemitism in schools and colleges will also provide further support and guidance for school leaders on preventing and responding to antisemitism.