Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
These initiatives were driven by Yasmin Qureshi, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Yasmin Qureshi has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Yasmin Qureshi has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
A Bill to make provision in relation to the right of employees and other workers to request variations to particular terms and conditions of employment, including working hours, times and locations.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 20th July 2023 and was enacted into law.
Neurodivergent conditions (screening and teacher training) Bill 2023-24
Sponsor - Matt Hancock (Ind)
Working Time Regulations (Amendment) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Peter Dowd (Lab)
Criminal Appeal (Amendment) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Barry Sheerman (LAB)
Smoking Prohibition (National Health Service Premises) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Tracy Brabin (LAB)
Plastics Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Geraint Davies (Ind)
The Government has been liaising with territorial offices and the devolved administrations including the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on this important issue.
Officials will continue to work with their counterparts across the devolved administrations to discuss the UK Government’s approach to protecting everyone in England and Wales from conversion therapy practices.
The Government has been liaising with territorial offices and the devolved administrations including the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on this important issue.
Officials will continue to work with their counterparts across the devolved administrations to discuss the UK Government’s approach to protecting everyone in England and Wales from conversion therapy practices.
We are clear that the Equality Act 2010, which provides protection against direct and indirect discrimination across a range of fields, including employment, service provision and housing, already offers some protection for single parents.
Given that significantly more women than men, and disproportionately more members of particular ethnic groups, have single parent responsibilities, employers in particular must ensure that their rules and practices which may affect single parents do not indirectly discriminate on grounds of sex or race. We continue to keep the effectiveness of the Act under review.
The recent rise in reports of spiking is incredibly concerning and is being investigated by the police. The CPS will always treat maliciously administering poison as a high harm offence and is working in close partnership with the police to bring perpetrators of this offence to justice.
Between 2020-2021 there were 222 prosecutions for cases charged under Section 24, which was an increase of 22% on the previous year.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of defendants whose prosecution is carried forward or waiting to be completed at the end of each year. The table below shows the number of these, in cases where the CPS made a decision to charge, at the end of each year since 2014-15.
| 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 |
Total Defendants Carried Forward | 87,530 | 77,200 | 69,676 | 59,422 | 53,631 |
Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System
Records are also held showing the number of finalised (or resolved) prosecution outcomes (by defendant) where the CPS authorised a charge. The table below provides the volumes of these in each year since 2014-15. The 21% reduction in the number of CPS authorised charges since 2014-15 follows the falling caseload trend. Police charged CPS prosecutions reduced by 28% and total finalised prosecutions by 26% in the same time period.
| 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 |
Total Finalised Prosecution Outcomes | 233,959 | 234,124 | 223,079 | 211,154 | 183,917 |
Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of defendants whose prosecution is carried forward or waiting to be completed at the end of each year, representing a snapshot in time. The table below shows the number of these, in cases where the CPS had made a decision to charge.
2018-2019 | |
Total Defendants Carried Forward | 53,631 |
Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System |
Records are also held showing the number of finalised (or resolved) prosecution outcomes (by defendant) where the CPS authorised a charge. The table below provides the volumes of these.
2018-2019 | |
Total Finalised Prosecution Outcomes | 183,917 |
Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System |
The Cabinet Office operates a policy requiring all employment opportunities to be made readily available to all.
The current selection process is designed to be fair and objectively identify the best candidates.
There are a number of safeguards built in to the process:
Applications are anonymised until after the sift stage.
All sifters are expected to act in accordance with the Civil Service Code.
We would also expect an independent presence during any sift exercise. Each panel should include at least one member from outside of the line of business to provide an independent view.
We are committed to providing services and developing policies which promote equality of opportunity and eliminate unlawful discrimination. We are an equal opportunities employer and will not unlawfully discriminate in any aspect of employment, including how employees are selected or how employees are treated.
We have a range of schemes to encourage people from lower all backgrounds to join the civil service including:
Apprenticeships, a new strategy was launched in April 2022 and included a target for lower-socio economic backgrounds.
Accelerated development schemes like the Fast Stream. (Representation from lower socio-economic backgrounds in the Fast Stream has increased annually since 2016.)
Civil Service Commission’s Going Forward into Employment Scheme: Life Chances scheme, uses innovative approaches to recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service with targeted recruitment of care leavers, prison leavers and veterans.
Internships such as the Summer Diversity Internship Programme, the scope of which has been broadened to include lower-socio economic backgrounds.
Mentoring and sponsorship such as the Ministry of Justice Graduate Aspiration programme.
Outreach is carried out by many of our departments within Schools, Colleges and Universities to raise awareness of the broad range of Civil Service careers available.
Work experience placements such as Movement to Work which supports employers to provide work placements that combine employability skills training with on-the-job experience.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon Lady’s Parliamentary Question of 27 March is attached and the completed answer will be deposited in the House of Commons Library.
The Government is grateful for the many suggestions received to commemorate the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II. We will carefully consider these suggestions, including those that relate to Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth, as part of thinking about how we remember Her extraordinary legacy.
Following the passing of the Deregulation Act 2015, consent from the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is no longer required to erect statues in London.
Work is currently underway and I will update Parliament as soon as possible on this.
The ‘Explain or Change’ communications campaign concluded in June last year, and the Race Disparity Unit (RDU) continues to work with other Government departments to address disparities. This includes working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education (DfE). This work includes, for example, considering recommendations from an independent review of the Mental Health Act, acting on the recommendations of the Lammy Review and taking forward recommendations from the Timpson Review into school exclusions. As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
The ‘Explain or Change’ communications campaign concluded in June last year, and the Race Disparity Unit (RDU) continues to work with other Government departments to address disparities. This includes working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education (DfE). This work includes, for example, considering recommendations from an independent review of the Mental Health Act, acting on the recommendations of the Lammy Review and taking forward recommendations from the Timpson Review into school exclusions. As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
The ‘Explain or Change’ communications campaign concluded in June last year, and the Race Disparity Unit (RDU) continues to work with other Government departments to address disparities. This includes working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education (DfE). This work includes, for example, considering recommendations from an independent review of the Mental Health Act, acting on the recommendations of the Lammy Review and taking forward recommendations from the Timpson Review into school exclusions. As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
The ‘Explain or Change’ communications campaign concluded in June last year, and the Race Disparity Unit (RDU) continues to work with other Government departments to address disparities. This includes working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education (DfE). This work includes, for example, considering recommendations from an independent review of the Mental Health Act, acting on the recommendations of the Lammy Review and taking forward recommendations from the Timpson Review into school exclusions. As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
The ‘Explain or Change’ communications campaign concluded in June last year, and the Race Disparity Unit (RDU) continues to work with other Government departments to address disparities. This includes working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education (DfE). This work includes, for example, considering recommendations from an independent review of the Mental Health Act, acting on the recommendations of the Lammy Review and taking forward recommendations from the Timpson Review into school exclusions. As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
‘Explain or Change’ was a short-term communications campaign that was launched in 2018, on the one year anniversary of the Race Disparity Audit. The campaign concluded in June last year, and the Race Disparity Unit continues to work with other Government Departments, to address disparities highlighted by the Audit. This includes work with the Home Office to improve trust between police forces and the local communities they serve, increasing diversity in the police workforces themselves, and developing a new strategy to act on and prevent hate crime.
The Unit engages local authorities to support their work to use data to identify and act on areas of local challenge. It is working to improve local authority data it holds to give an overview on the experiences and outcomes of different ethnic groups, and to support delivery of the levelling-up agenda.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards leads a national programme of regulatory action to tackle risks from unsafe and non-compliant goods, including from online marketplaces.
This includes test purchasing to assess compliance and removal of non-compliant products; engagement with marketplaces to understand the steps they are taking to meet their responsibilities under law; and taking enforcement action including serving Withdrawal Notices.
The recent Product Safety Review consultation includes additional proposals to ensure products bought online are as safe as on the high street. A Government response will be published this year.
In 2019, the Government consulted on high-level options for reforming parental leave and pay. The Government is currently considering responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.
We have published an overall impact assessment for the Bill which is available on gov.uk. Going forwards, departments will identify how they will reform their REUL using the powers in the Bill. In doing so they will conduct proportionate analysis of any economic impacts, including the impact on costs for businesses. The Government remains committed to engaging with stakeholders to ensure policy decisions are well informed and result in benefits for UK businesses and the wider population.
We have published an overall impact assessment for the Bill which is available on gov.uk. Going forwards, departments will identify how they will reform their REUL using the powers in the Bill. In doing so they will conduct proportionate analysis of any economic impacts, and where relevant this will include the impact on the competitiveness of UK businesses.The Government remains committed to engaging with stakeholders to ensure policy decisions are well informed and result in benefits for UK businesses and the wider population
The 2022 interim evaluation of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) found the fund had increased productivity, employment and skills across the North of England.
Of the businesses surveyed, 73% had increased workforce skills, and 62% reported additional investment in research and development. In total 6,071 new jobs have been created through the fund – almost 1,000 more than originally planned.
For 68% of surveyed businesses, the NPIF investment had funded the development of new products or services. Of these, 48% said their innovations would reduce carbon emissions, and 42% said they would improve health or the delivery of health services.
The Department for Business and Trade works closely with MPs to encourage exports and attract foreign direct investment including through our network of Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys.
At an Export Showcase for parliamentarians in March we shared information about export support available to business and guidance on signposting businesses to the department. We published an ‘MP Toolkit’ to help members support and encourage exporters in their constituencies.
We provide a range of support and guidance to help small and medium-sized enterprises grow, including the free Business Support Helpline and newly-launched Help to Grow website. Businesses of all sizes can access government-backed finance from the British Business Bank.
The Department for Business and Trade offers a range of nationwide export support services which can be adapted to meet local needs. The department has recently in-housed a team of International Trade Advisors, a number of whom are based in the North- West and offer one to one export advice and support to businesses. Initiatives such as the Export Academy, the Foreign Direct Investment strategy and the Export Champions scheme offer knowledge and practical help to local businesses.
The department works closely with local partners in the North-West such as the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce which covers the Bolton area.
The Government has established a Government/industry taskforce focussing on rooftop solar to drive forward solar deployment. The Government recently consulted on proposals to amend permitted development rights to support commercial solar and will publish practical guidance to support the installation of rooftop solar on its own estate and the wider public sector estate.
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides grants for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures, including solar.
The Department does not collect data with the level of granularity required to discuss green employment figures for the North West, the Borough of Bolton and Bolton South East.
ONS figures show there were over 400,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country in 2020.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is working with the Green Jobs Delivery Group, exploring how government and businesses can support local areas to deliver a successful transition. For example, ensuring green skills are considered through Local Skills Improvement Plans and setting out skills needs and priority changes required in an area.
The Government is committed to ensuring gigabit broadband is available across the country as soon as possible. To support this, we are working to support efficient network deployment and promote market competition in a variety of ways. Permitted Development Rights for telegraph poles form part of this strategy, enabling operators to deploy their infrastructure without costly and disruptive roadworks, increasing the speed of rollout, and increasing competition and consumer choice.
Separately to the Permitted Development Rights regime, we have introduced a number of changes to legislation aimed at making it easier for operators to upgrade and share the use of existing infrastructure, reducing the need for future installations. These measures came into force in February and April of last year and we will continue to promote their use and monitor their impact.
Since the Permitted Development Rights regime forms part of a wider deployment strategy and legal framework, it would be extremely difficult to assess the impact of that regime on the commercial performance of operations in isolation. Furthermore, while creating the right environment to attract investment is a key pillar of our strategy, we do not set operational targets for commercial projects which are privately funded and managed.
DSIT is looking closely at the way operators install fixed networks and as part of this, will consider whether additional guidance is needed.
I am aware that IX Wireless is in the process of rolling out its network in your constituency and surrounding areas, making use of permitted development rights to install telegraph poles.
This issue was debated in the House on 15 March 2023. During that debate I said the Government is looking closely at how to ensure all operators are aware of, and adhere to, their responsibilities when under both the legislative framework and the associated code of practice on pole siting. In addition we are looking at whether additional work is needed to ensure local authorities understand their role in the process, including their ability to impose conditions on where poles and cabinets are sited and the ability to escalate issues to Ofcom.
Increasing competition and investment in the fixed telecoms market is integral to the Government’s strategy to deliver nationwide coverage of gigabit-capable broadband. In the 2018 Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review and the 2019 Statement of Strategic Priorities, we brought forward substantive proposals to make it easier for new firms to enter the market and compete with the incumbent provider, such as granting competitors access to Openreach’s national network of ducts and poles.
As a result of our pro-competition policies, there is now a thriving market of over 80 providers investing nearly £35bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK. In Lancashire, 73% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just 5.6% in November 2019.
It is for Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) licensees to determine the tariff rates they offer to eligible generators who may seek to sell their exported electricity. There are a range of different tariffs available to generators.
Further details on tariffs offered in the second year of the scheme can be found within Ofgem’s Annual Report ( https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/smart-export-guarantee-seg-annual-report-2021-22) or third party comparison websites such as https://solarenergyuk.org/resource/smart-export-guarantee/ that provides current market offerings.
Tips earned by workers should go to the workers they were intended for. The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Private members bill sponsored by the Hon. Member for Yns Môn, and supported by the Government, will require employers to pass all tips to workers.
This Bill has just passed Committee stage in the House of Commons and is expected to move to the House of Lords in January. We expect new rules to commence no earlier than one year after legislation is given Royal Assent, giving employers sufficient lead-in time to adjust their business practices.
In the British Energy Security Strategy, the Government committed to look into facilitating low-cost finance from retail lenders to drive rooftop solar deployment. Rooftop solar is supported in a range of schemes such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Energy Company Obligation, and the Home Upgrade Grant, subject to certain requirements. The Smart Export Guarantee introduced in January 2020, allows households with rooftop solar to receive payment for electricity they export to the grid.
There is a comprehensive regulatory framework in place for fireworks which aims to strike the right balance for people to enjoy fireworks, whilst aiming seeking to reduce risks and disturbances to people, animals, and property.
The Government will continue to keep this area under review to ensure we promote the safe and considerate use of fireworks.
The Government is aware of the proposal of the EU for a single charging solution for certain electronic devices. There are currently no plans to introduce similar requirements in domestic law, but we will monitor developments in this area.
The Government is committed to supporting businesses and individuals to work flexibly. Our consultation on making flexible working the default closed on 1 December 2021, receiving over 1,600 responses. The Government is analysing these responses and will issue its consultation response in due course.
The 555 sub postmasters involved in the Group Litigation Order (GLO) agreed a settlement of £42.75m plus costs. In bringing this case they performed a public service; I understand their frustration that they have received less compensation than others.
BEIS officials have recently met their representatives to understand the harms which they have experienced, and we will continue to work with sub postmasters in the GLO to see what can be done.
Tips earned by workers should go to the workers they were intended for. We will bring forward legislation requiring employers to pass all tips to workers as soon as parliamentary time allows.
This legislation will require employers to pass on all tips, gratuities, and service charges to workers without any deductions. Employers will be required to distribute tips in a fair and transparent manner, where employers have control or significant influence over tip distribution. We will introduce a new right for workers to make a request for information relating to an employer’s tipping record, to enable them to bring forward a credible claim to an employment tribunal.
We expect new rules to commence no earlier than one year after legislation has passed, giving employers sufficient lead-in time to adjust their business practices.
The Government is committed to protecting customers, especially the most vulnerable. The price cap will ensure millions of households pay a fair price for energy this winter. Low income and fuel poor households will continue to be supported with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount, which provides eligible households with a £140 discount. Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments will also ensure that the most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months.
Additionally, the Government announced an extra £500 million for local authorities through the new Household Support Fund to help millions with their household bills.
Ministers and officials continue to engage constructively with businesses to understand, and to help mitigate the impacts of, high global gas prices. The Government’s priority is to ensure costs are managed and energy supplies maintained.
I have frequent discussions with the Minister for Disabled People, who has responsibility for these issues.
Pay gaps are caused by a range of factors. To address them, we must ensure that everybody has equal access to opportunities.
We support disabled people to enter employment and stay in work through a range of initiatives such as the Work and Health Programme, Access to Work and Employment Advice in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services. One of the key transformational elements of Universal Credit is that it provides us with the opportunity to support people who are in work to progress and increase their earnings.
In November 2018, we published a voluntary reporting framework on disability, mental ill health and wellbeing. This is aimed at large employers (with over 250 employees) and it is recommended that they publicly report on the pay and progression of disabled people at regular intervals. The framework can also be used to support smaller employers who are keen to drive greater transparency in their organisation or industry.
The Government will publish a National Strategy for Disabled People which will take into account the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on disabled people. The strategy will focus on the issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects of life, including employment.
More broadly, while our current focus, rightly, is on helping to get people into work, our longer-term ambition, based on clear evidence about the importance of work in tacking poverty, remains to build an economy that gives everyone the opportunity to progress out of low pay.
Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith is leading a time-limited Commission looking at how DWP, wider Government and employers can best support people to progress out of low pay, especially for those groups more likely to be in persistent low pay, such as disabled workers. The Commission has recently launched a call for evidence to help inform their report, which will be published in the new year: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/call-for-evidence-and-good-practice-on-in-work-progression.
The BEIS Local Energy Programme is supporting Local Authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the clean energy economy. BEIS has allocated £500k directly to Greater Manchester Combined Authority since 2017, through devolution, to develop innovative business models (for decarbonisation) and public sector leadership (for climate change and zero carbon targets) in support of their 2038 target, which are then shared with other Local Authorities.
As we recover from COVID-19, the Government intends to deliver a UK economy which is stronger, cleaner, more sustainable and resilient. My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Summer Statement included investments which will both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the economic recovery, reflecting the Government’s commitment to build back greener, deliver a green recovery and reach our net zero ambition.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State will publish an Energy White Paper in the Autumn which will address these issues. The White Paper will drive economic recovery and help deliver our climate goals.
The UK’s Gender Equality Act 2014 (an amendment to the International Development Act 2002), legally requires all overseas development funding to meaningfully consider the impact of how it will contribute to reducing gender inequality.
The Department works with trusted delivery partners, such as the World Bank, to ensure that women and girls are accounted for throughout the delivery process. The Department uses its position as a Board member to ask all delivery partners to disaggregate the data they receive, to show how each project levels the playing field for women and girls.
Our two research and innovation funds, the Newton Fund and the Global Challenges Research Fund, recognise the importance of women and girls. Both funds define gender equality as an eligible research for development objective and all funding calls require applicants to submit their Gender Equality Statement, against which funding applications are assessed.
Some examples of the Funds’ gender work include: the Gender, Justice and Security Hub, which delivers innovative, interdisciplinary research on the challenge of achieving gender justice and inclusive security in conflict-affected societies; the Newton-Bhabha partnership with India, which has funded research into maternal care across a range of eight lower- and middle-income countries; and a project in Brazil with Sempreviva Organizção Feminista, which aims to develop skills in sustainable agriculture and commerce to help women in rural Brazil have better access to markets, both as producers and consumers.
We have prioritised helping the greatest number of people as quickly as possible and it is difficult to come up with reliable criteria that apply to all the relevant sectors of the economy. We are aware some people will not be eligible for the scheme, but they may still benefit from a number of other support schemes available.
The Department is engaging a wide range of stakeholders in relation to Covid-19, and in addition to the Business Secretary’s regular meeting with business representative organisations, I recently hosted a call with stakeholders on support for the self-employed and will continue to engage on the issue.