Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 10 May 2023 to Question 182611 on Teachers: Qualifications, if she will take steps to make the Education Accreditation Scheme available to online education providers for adult learners.

Answered by Robert Halfon

The Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS) was launched by the department in April 2023. The objective of the scheme is to bring regulatory oversight to an unregulated part of the education sector. The scheme is not designed to cover all forms of online education but to focus where the need for quality assurance is most pronounced, which is to pupils of compulsory school age. The OEAS is only open to applications from those providers offering full-time education online to pupils of compulsory school age. The government has no plans to expand the scheme to online education providers for adults.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to investigate the installation of (a) biomass boilers and (b) solar panels by (i) A Shade Greener and (ii) other commercial rent-a-roof companies.

Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon Member for Islwyn (Chris Evans) on 18 March to question UIN 18120.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she plans to improve processes for reporting businesses selling age-restricted products to underage customers.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Enforcement of sales of age-restricted products is governed by distinct legislation and the respective lead department.

The Department supports enforcement efforts in England and Wales through funding for Citizens Advice Consumer Service, to relay crucial intelligence to local Trading Standards. To report suspected illegal sales to minors, the public is encouraged to contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133, or Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000.

Additionally, individuals can report suspected traders to the police using the non-emergency number, 101.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to prevent the closure of local post offices.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Government is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Post Office network and has provided over £2.5 billion in funding to support the Post Office network over the past decade and is providing a further £628 million for the Post Office between 2022 and 2025.

The Post Office network is not in decline. As CEO Nick Read confirmed recently, the network is as large as it has been for about five years with around 11,700 branches. Government continues to monitor Post Office's network numbers and performance, and Post Office publishes an annual network report.

Alleged comments by Frank Hester