Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has any plans to introduce more T-Levels in creative and technical subjects.
Answered by Robert Halfon
T Levels are based on the same employer-led standards as apprenticeships. Where there is strong evidence of employer support and it will be right for potential T Level students, the department will consider whether additional T Levels should be developed in creative subjects.
The BBC and UK Fashion and Textiles Association are among those who have informed the content for the T Level in Media, Broadcast & Production, and for the Craft & Design T Level, which are currently being developed.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help fashion companies become more sustainable.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government's 2018 Resources & Waste Strategy for England identified textiles as a priority sector for action, due to significant waste and environmental impacts. A key part of the strategy is working with industry to reduce their environmental impact and become more sustainable.
Our SCAP 2020 programme, delivered by our partner WRAP, supported signatories to reduce their water and carbon footprints per tonne of clothing by 18.2% and 21.6% respectively (between 2012 and 2020).
In 2021 we funded Textiles 2030, a new ambitious programme with signatories representing more than 62% of all clothing placed on the UK market. Targets include a 50% reduction in carbon footprint of new products and 30% reduction in water footprint, both by 2030.
Complementing this, we are considering what framework of policy options could best help reduce textiles and fashion waste, potentially using a range of powers from our landmark Environment Act 2021.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that the UK fashion sector reduces its stake in overseas emissions.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government’s Net Zero Strategy sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet our net zero target by 2050. The fashion and textiles industry is estimated to account for between 4% and 8% of global emissions. More than 70% of these emissions occur during the production of a garment. Emissions of air pollutants from textiles treatment facilities are controlled through environmental permits, using best available techniques (BAT). Operators must not exceed limits on allowable emissions.
The Government's Resources & Waste Strategy for England identified textiles as a priority sector for action. We fund Textiles 2030, a voluntary partnership with industry to reduce the environmental impact of textiles, with signatories covering over 62% of all clothing put on the UK market. This programme is underpinned by ambitious science-based targets, including halving the carbon footprint of new products and reducing the water footprint by 30%, both by 2030. This initiative is driving forward action on design, circular business models and recycling.
We are considering what wider framework of policy measures could best help reduce the environmental footprint of fashion, potentially using a range of powers from our landmark Environment Act 2021.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he will take to work with COP26 partners to reduce emissions from the global fashion industry.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government’s Net Zero Strategy sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet our net zero target by 2050. The fashion and textiles industry is estimated to account for between 4% and 8% of global emissions. More than 70% of these emissions occur during the production of a garment. Emissions of air pollutants from textiles treatment facilities are controlled through environmental permits, using best available techniques (BAT). Operators must not exceed limits on allowable emissions.
The Government's Resources & Waste Strategy for England identified textiles as a priority sector for action. We fund Textiles 2030, a voluntary partnership with industry to reduce the environmental impact of textiles, with signatories covering over 62% of all clothing put on the UK market. This programme is underpinned by ambitious science-based targets, including halving the carbon footprint of new products and reducing the water footprint by 30%, both by 2030. This initiative is driving forward action on design, circular business models and recycling.
We are considering what wider framework of policy measures could best help reduce the environmental footprint of fashion, potentially using a range of powers from our landmark Environment Act 2021.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the global fashion industry's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government’s Net Zero Strategy sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet our net zero target by 2050. The fashion and textiles industry is estimated to account for between 4% and 8% of global emissions. More than 70% of these emissions occur during the production of a garment. Emissions of air pollutants from textiles treatment facilities are controlled through environmental permits, using best available techniques (BAT). Operators must not exceed limits on allowable emissions.
The Government's Resources & Waste Strategy for England identified textiles as a priority sector for action. We fund Textiles 2030, a voluntary partnership with industry to reduce the environmental impact of textiles, with signatories covering over 62% of all clothing put on the UK market. This programme is underpinned by ambitious science-based targets, including halving the carbon footprint of new products and reducing the water footprint by 30%, both by 2030. This initiative is driving forward action on design, circular business models and recycling.
We are considering what wider framework of policy measures could best help reduce the environmental footprint of fashion, potentially using a range of powers from our landmark Environment Act 2021.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to include details of the global fashion industry and supply chains in the National Curriculum.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department will not be making any changes to the national curriculum for the remainder of this Parliament to provide stability for schools, and enable them to remain focused on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and teaching the broad and rich curriculum.
Over the past decade, the department has reformed the national curriculum to set world-class standards across all subjects. Programmes of study are flexible enough for teachers to be able to add their own content – including taking account of new developments, societal changes, or topical issues, such as global fashion and supply chains – without there being a need for the department to review the national curriculum.
An example of this could be the teaching of textiles in design and technology (D&T). D&T is compulsory in state-maintained schools from key stage 1 to 3 and pupils in maintained schools also have an entitlement to study D&T in key stage 4. The national curriculum is a framework, designed to give teachers the freedom and flexibility to go into greater depth and cover additional topics, such as details of the global fashion industry and supply chains, as they wish, according to the needs of their pupils. The use of textiles is encouraged in the D&T programme of study, though this is non-statutory guidance.
The department believes it vital that young people are taught about global issues such as sustainability and climate change. Topics related to these are covered in the national curriculum, which are mandatory in all state-maintained school, such as the science and geography curricula and GCSEs. For example, secondary geography includes the study of the climate, how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, environments and the climate. Citizenship education, which has been a compulsory subject in maintained schools since 2002, also covers contents on global issues, such as the environment. Furthermore, the department introduced a new environmental science A level in 2017. This will enable pupils to study topics that will support their understanding of the global issues, such as climate change.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the treatment of women in overseas factories producing clothes for the UK market.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles and the UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. This also applies to the fashion industry. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act places a requirement on businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more, to publish an annual modern slavery statement setting out the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. Additionally, we announced in 2021 that financial penalties for non-compliance would be introduced. These measures will be included in the Modern Slavery Bill that was announced as part of the Queen's Speech in May 2022.
We know that women and girls are most at risk of modern slavery, making up approximately 70% of victims. Our work overseas seeks to support women and girls, including in the overseas garment sector. The "Work in Freedom" programme works to reduce vulnerability to trafficking and forced labour of women and girls who want to work in the care, textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors in South Asia and the Arab States. This programme has reached over 380,000 women and girls since 2018.
The UK's Presidency of the G7 in 2021 and the resulting commitments from G7 members to tackle forced labour in global supply chains, demonstrated our continued commitment to ending modern slavery.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure UK fashion brands are not complicit in exploitative labour practices in their overseas supply chain.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles and the UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. This also applies to the fashion industry. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act places a requirement on businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more, to publish an annual modern slavery statement setting out the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. Additionally, we announced in 2021 that financial penalties for non-compliance would be introduced. These measures will be included in the Modern Slavery Bill that was announced as part of the Queen's Speech in May 2022.
We know that women and girls are most at risk of modern slavery, making up approximately 70% of victims. Our work overseas seeks to support women and girls, including in the overseas garment sector. The "Work in Freedom" programme works to reduce vulnerability to trafficking and forced labour of women and girls who want to work in the care, textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors in South Asia and the Arab States. This programme has reached over 380,000 women and girls since 2018.
The UK's Presidency of the G7 in 2021 and the resulting commitments from G7 members to tackle forced labour in global supply chains, demonstrated our continued commitment to ending modern slavery.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to work with partners abroad to improve workplace rights for people employed in the fashion industry.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles and the UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. This also applies to the fashion industry. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act places a requirement on businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more, to publish an annual modern slavery statement setting out the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. Additionally, we announced in 2021 that financial penalties for non-compliance would be introduced. These measures will be included in the Modern Slavery Bill that was announced as part of the Queen's Speech in May 2022.
We know that women and girls are most at risk of modern slavery, making up approximately 70% of victims. Our work overseas seeks to support women and girls, including in the overseas garment sector. The "Work in Freedom" programme works to reduce vulnerability to trafficking and forced labour of women and girls who want to work in the care, textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors in South Asia and the Arab States. This programme has reached over 380,000 women and girls since 2018.
The UK's Presidency of the G7 in 2021 and the resulting commitments from G7 members to tackle forced labour in global supply chains, demonstrated our continued commitment to ending modern slavery.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government plans to take to (a) reduce textiles waste in the UK, (b) improve the environmental sustainability of materials and production processes used in the production of textiles sold in the UK, (c) tackle exploitative labour practices used in the supply chains of textiles sold in the UK, (d) tackle lack of access to clothing in the context of the rise in the cost of living and (e) support consumers to make sustainable clothing choices.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government’s Resources & Waste Strategy for England identified textiles as a priority sector for action. We fund Textiles 2030, a voluntary partnership with industry to reduce the environmental impact of textiles, with signatories covering over 62% of all clothing put on the UK market. This programme is underpinned by ambitious science-based targets, including halving the carbon footprint of new products and reducing the water footprint by 30%, both by 2030.
Our landmark Environment Act 2021 provides general powers to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility schemes, design standards and require information on the resource efficiency of products, which will enable us to act more effectively
With those powers in mind, we are considering what wider framework of policy measures could best help reduce the environmental footprint of fashion and building our evidence base. This could include options to reduce waste through increased producer responsibility for goods at end of life, measures to drive increased reuse and longevity of garments as well as better product design and information standards to support consumers to make the most environmentally friendly choice.