Becky Gittins

Tackling intimate image abuse, and violence against women and girls, is a priority for this government.

We made changes to the Online Safety Act to strengthen online platforms’ duties for intimate image abuse.

These broadened the scope of intimate image abuse that providers need to address under the Act.

The Government’s manifesto included a commitment to ban the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes. We are working to identify the most appropriate legislative vehicle for this change.

Pet microchipping policy is a devolved matter. In 2021, Defra carried out a post implementation review of the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015. This review concluded that microchipping had had a positive effect on reunification rates and was identified as a leading means of reunification.

Defra endorses the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) to combat growing concerns regarding the irresponsible advertising of pets for sale, rehoming, and exchange. Defra have backed a set of Advertising Standards that PAAG developed which several of the UK’s largest classified websites have agreed to meet.

Under current regulations, anyone who is in the business of selling animals as pets or breeding and selling dogs needs a valid licence from their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities. Any licensee advertising animals for sale must list certain details in the advert, including their licence number and the local authority which issued the licence.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

There are no plans to commission a review into the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) related to qualifying recognised overseas pension schemes (QROPS).

A QROPS is the name for any pension scheme located outside the UK which meets the criteria to receive transfers of UK tax relieved pension savings.

Those overseas schemes are required to be regulated by a pensions regulator in the overseas country where they are established in order for them to receive UK tax relieved pensions.

The Government is committed to ensuring that consumers can access high-quality, affordable and suitable financial advice, as well as free-to-access financial guidance, when they need it.

HM Treasury works closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent regulator of the financial advice market, to ensure that this market works well, competitively and fairly for both firms and consumers.

The Government also sponsors the Money and Pensions Service to provide free, impartial money and pensions guidance directly to consumers online and by telephone.

However, the Government recognises that there are challenges around the cost and availability of financial support.

To address this, the Government and FCA are conducting a joint review of the regulatory boundary between financial advice and guidance, with the objective of improving access to helpful support whilst maintaining strong protections for consumers.