James McMurdock

Officials are currently taking forward the implementation of the creation of a new Class Unit and closure of Social Mobility Commission to ensure a smooth, staged transition. All changes will be carried out with appropriate consultation and full support for affected staff. Changes will be handled in line with relevant policies, and in consultation with Trade Unions.

This Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, can thrive. One of the Class Unit’s early priorities will be the socio-economic duty. We are currently working towards commencement, which includes drafting statutory guidance that will clarify how the duty can be applied effectively. Further announcements about the new unit’s role and responsibilities will be shared in due course.

Officials are currently taking forward the implementation of the creation of a new Class Unit and closure of Social Mobility Commission to ensure a smooth, staged transition. All changes will be carried out with appropriate consultation and full support for affected staff. Changes will be handled in line with relevant policies, and in consultation with Trade Unions.

This Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, can thrive. One of the Class Unit’s early priorities will be the socio-economic duty. We are currently working towards commencement, which includes drafting statutory guidance that will clarify how the duty can be applied effectively. Further announcements about the new unit’s role and responsibilities will be shared in due course.

Officials are currently taking forward the implementation of the creation of a new Class Unit and closure of Social Mobility Commission to ensure a smooth, staged transition. All changes will be carried out with appropriate consultation and full support for affected staff. Changes will be handled in line with relevant policies, and in consultation with Trade Unions.

This Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, can thrive. One of the Class Unit’s early priorities will be the socio-economic duty. We are currently working towards commencement, which includes drafting statutory guidance that will clarify how the duty can be applied effectively. Further announcements about the new unit’s role and responsibilities will be shared in due course.

Senior officials from DCMS have regular meetings with the ICO to discuss data protection matters, and additionally the ICO attends the Government Security Board every quarter. The engagement framework between the Government and the ICO is set out in a Memorandum of Understanding between HMG and the ICO published in January 2026.

DCMS is now monitoring personal data breach trends through departmental reporting, cross-government assurance activity and engagement with the ICO. Government has introduced the Model Action Plan for significant personal data breaches to strengthen oversight, enable consistent reporting, lessons learned and risk mitigation. Information on breach volumes, causes and trends will inform the first annual Data Protection and Information Security Assurance Statement, providing a transparent assessment of capability, risks and improvement priorities.

The Government continues to deliver the Shared Rural Network, providing new 4G coverage to rural communities across the UK, addressing mobile not spots.

4G coverage is available outside almost 100% of UK rural premises from at least one mobile network operator, and 95% from all four. Ofcom is responsible for reporting on mobile connectivity across the UK, and the Government continues to monitor outcomes based on this data.

We also continue to monitor technological developments in adjacent markets such as satellite Direct to Device, which has the potential to deliver connectivity in some remote areas.

The Government continues to deliver the Shared Rural Network, providing new 4G coverage to rural communities across the UK, addressing mobile not spots.

4G coverage is available outside almost 100% of UK rural premises from at least one mobile network operator, and 95% from all four. Ofcom is responsible for reporting on mobile connectivity across the UK, and the Government continues to monitor outcomes based on this data.

We also continue to monitor technological developments in adjacent markets such as satellite Direct to Device, which has the potential to deliver connectivity in some remote areas.

The Government recognises the importance of reliable emergency communications in rural communities. If a customer's mobile network is unavailable, all emergency 999 calls automatically switch to another available network where coverage is present.

Where no mobile coverage is available from any operator, residents can continue to use alternative means of communication, including landlines and Wifi calling from mobiles where available.

The Government continues to work closely with mobile network operators to ensure there is high-quality digital infrastructure available right across the UK. Through the Shared Rural Network, a joint deal between government and mobile network operators, we are delivering new 4G coverage in areas where there was no coverage previously.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny. Evidence shows that conversion practices are not just a historic issue. LGBT+ individuals, including young people, continue to report having recently experienced such practices in the UK.

The only way to prevent this abuse is to legislate. There are gaps in the current law which allows this abuse to happen lawfully and that is unacceptable.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny.

The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts.

The pre-legislative scrutiny process will test and strengthen our draft Bill ensuring it is effective in the long term. Once the draft legislation has completed pre-legislative scrutiny and the subsequent parliamentary passage, it would be at this point that the Government would produce any necessary guidance. We would engage with all relevant public sector bodies in developing any such guidance.

I would like to assure you, My officials and I engaged with a wide range of stakeholders from across relevant sectors, this includes the Crown Prosecution Service.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny.

The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts.

The pre-legislative scrutiny process will test and strengthen our draft Bill ensuring it is effective in the long term. Once the draft legislation has completed pre-legislative scrutiny and the subsequent parliamentary passage, it would be at this point that the Government would produce any necessary guidance. We would engage with all relevant public sector bodies in developing any such guidance.

I would like to assure you, My officials and I engaged with a wide range of stakeholders from across relevant sectors, this includes the Crown Prosecution Service.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny.

The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts.

The pre-legislative scrutiny process will test and strengthen our draft Bill ensuring it is effective in the long term. Once the draft legislation has completed pre-legislative scrutiny and the subsequent parliamentary passage, it would be at this point that the Government would produce any necessary guidance. We would engage with all relevant public sector bodies in developing any such guidance.

I would like to assure you, My officials and I engaged with a wide range of stakeholders from across relevant sectors, this includes the Crown Prosecution Service.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny. The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts. Officials have assessed a range of evidence and research to develop and deliver measures that comprehensively protect people from abusive conversion practices.

We welcome further cross-party engagement and scrutiny to ensure our proposed draft Bill is effective in the long-term.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny. The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts. Officials have assessed a range of evidence and research to develop and deliver measures that comprehensively protect people from abusive conversion practices.

We welcome further cross-party engagement and scrutiny to ensure our proposed draft Bill is effective in the long-term.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny. The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts. Officials have assessed a range of evidence and research to develop and deliver measures that comprehensively protect people from abusive conversion practices.

We welcome further cross-party engagement and scrutiny to ensure our proposed draft Bill is effective in the long-term.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny. The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts. Officials have assessed a range of evidence and research to develop and deliver measures that comprehensively protect people from abusive conversion practices.

We welcome further cross-party engagement and scrutiny to ensure our proposed draft Bill is effective in the long-term.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny. The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts. Officials have assessed a range of evidence and research to develop and deliver measures that comprehensively protect people from abusive conversion practices.

We welcome further cross-party engagement and scrutiny to ensure our proposed draft Bill is effective in the long-term.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny. The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts. Officials have assessed a range of evidence and research to develop and deliver measures that comprehensively protect people from abusive conversion practices.

We welcome further cross-party engagement and scrutiny to ensure our proposed draft Bill is effective in the long-term.

The Government published its draft Conversion Practices Bill on 25 June for pre-legislative scrutiny. The draft Bill sets robust thresholds to target clear instances of harmful and abusive acts. Officials have assessed a range of evidence and research to develop and deliver measures that comprehensively protect people from abusive conversion practices.

We welcome further cross-party engagement and scrutiny to ensure our proposed draft Bill is effective in the long-term.

The Office for Equality and Opportunity have 99% of their staff with office based contracts, with the remaining 1% with remote-working contracts (home-workers). We operate a ‘hybrid’ approach, led by business needs, and as a result many employees will work both from home and in the workplace on an informal basis.

The earliest the regulated period for local election candidates can begin is the day following the last day for publication of the notice of poll.

For deferred elections, this will be in March of the year the election is deferred to. There are no ongoing campaign spending restrictions on candidates before this date.

Relevant guidance is available on the Electoral Commission’s website.

The spending limit for a candidate in a combined authority mayoral election, such as the Greater Essex mayoral election in 2028, is not a fixed sum but depends on the number of constituent councils and registered electors at the time of the election.

The formula for a candidate's spending limit during the regulated period is set out in legislation. Currently, this is:

• £3,040 multiplied by the total number of constituent councils, plus
• 8p for every elector registered to vote in the combined authority area.

The Combined Authority Returning Officer will be able to provide the number of constituent councils and registered electors to calculate the spending limit. Relevant guidance is available on the Electoral Commission’s website.

I refer the hon member to the answer given to question 54052 which can be found here

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-05-06/50452

The Supreme Court’s ruling has brought clarity and confidence for women and single-sex services providers. The Government will work closely with the EHRC as they develop definitive guidance. All government departments should follow the clarity the ruling provides.

All medical reports submitted to the Gender Recognition Panel must be supplied by a doctor or a registered psychologist, registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) or the Health and Care Professions Council. The doctor must be both registered with the GMC and also hold a licence to practise. All medical evidence is reviewed by members of the Gender Recognition Panel to ensure its validity.

Each application for a Gender Recognition Certificate is considered on its own merits by the Gender Recognition Panel, informed by the evidence.

It is vitally important that service providers understand the single-sex service exceptions in the Equality Act 2010 and feel confident using them. The Government has committed to ensuring that there is guidance in place which gives service providers assurance about the rights afforded by the Act and how to lawfully apply its single-sex exceptions. We will set out next steps on this work in due course.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th May is attached.

Policy analysis on options for reforming collective agreement is ongoing and we have high ambitions for speeding up the government’s decision making processes. All options are being considered for how this success is measured. There are currently no plans to perform a retrospective assessment of which decisions would have been sped-up as a result of any proposed reforms.

The Department for Health and Social Care is the government department referred to in the press release entitled Ministers rip up consultation culture published 26 March, that consulted on a change to how it produces its Annual Report.

The new accountability framework for Permanent Secretaries does not change the responsibilities of cabinet ministers.

No decision has currently been taken on which requirements have been removed or amended under the reforms.Any removal of statutory consultation duties will require legislation, and so parliament will be able to scrutinise these changes in the ordinary way.

There are currently no plans to publish a list of excessive processes and checks that are clogging up the system. However, we continue to develop policy options for the sludgebusting agenda, and all options are currently open for how we communicate any changes to the public.

The Cabinet Office has launched a programme of work to simplify the state, removing unnecessary bureaucracy and speeding up the timeline from ministerial decision to delivery for citizens, including through the process for collective agreement of government policy.