To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Postal Services: Universal Service Obligation
Tuesday 16th December 2025

Asked by: Jen Craft (Labour - Thurrock)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on reforming the Universal Service Obligation.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider.

Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, has a duty to secure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service that meets the reasonable needs of users and it is permitted to make limited changes to its regulation accordingly.

Written Question
Postal Services: Standards
Tuesday 16th December 2025

Asked by: Jen Craft (Labour - Thurrock)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of Royal Mail's proposed Optimised Delivery Model.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Royal Mail and the Communication Workers’ Union agreed to run pilots in selected offices to design, test and review the operation of the proposed delivery model in response to the changes made by Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services, to Royal Mail’s universal service obligation.

The government does not have a role in the operational decisions of the business.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 15 Dec 2025
Violence against Women and Girls Strategy

"I look forward to seeing the strategy in full on Thursday. In advance, I hope the Minister is able to give some assurances that the often overlooked issue of child sexual abuse in the home and in the family will be included in the strategy and addressed. As she is …..."
Jen Craft - View Speech

View all Jen Craft (Lab - Thurrock) contributions to the debate on: Violence against Women and Girls Strategy
Division Vote (Commons)
15 Dec 2025 - Employment Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Jen Craft (Lab) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 304 Labour Aye votes vs 0 Labour No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 311 Noes - 96
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 11 Dec 2025
Business of the House

"I would like to pay tribute to my constituent Henry Nowak, who sadly lost his life in an incident a few days ago. He was 18 years old, had just started university and had his whole life ahead of him. My thoughts, and I am sure those of the whole …..."
Jen Craft - View Speech

View all Jen Craft (Lab - Thurrock) contributions to the debate on: Business of the House
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 10 Dec 2025
Resident Doctors: Industrial Action

"My mum, a former shop steward, always drummed it into me that there are no winners in a strike. Never is that as stark as in the situation we are facing now. There will be healthcare workers in my constituency, already under tremendous pressure, who will be looking at the …..."
Jen Craft - View Speech

View all Jen Craft (Lab - Thurrock) contributions to the debate on: Resident Doctors: Industrial Action
Division Vote (Commons)
10 Dec 2025 - Seasonal Work - View Vote Context
Jen Craft (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 311 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 98 Noes - 325
Division Vote (Commons)
10 Dec 2025 - Seasonal Work - View Vote Context
Jen Craft (Lab) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 312 Labour Aye votes vs 0 Labour No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 320 Noes - 98
Division Vote (Commons)
10 Dec 2025 - Conduct of the Chancellor of the Exchequer - View Vote Context
Jen Craft (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 290 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 90 Noes - 297
Written Question
Treasury: Sign Language
Wednesday 10th December 2025

Asked by: Jen Craft (Labour - Thurrock)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps (a) her Department and (b) its public bodies are taking to (i) develop and (ii) use artificial intelligence approaches to British Sign Language.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Across government, there are opportunities to use AI to accelerate the creation of accessible content across public services. If public bodies trial the use of AI in approaches to BSL (British Sign Language), they would be required to conform with both WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and the Service Standard, and must conduct research with disabled people, including deaf users and where appropriate to the service provision, those who use sign language or a sign language interpreter to interact with the service.