Written questions by Denyer.

For what reason her department’s July 2025 statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education notes that schools should not teach as fact that all people have a gender identity; and how schools should follow this guidance whilst teaching about the protected characteristic of gender reassignment under the Equality Act 2010.

The statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance makes it clear that, at secondary school, there should be an equal opportunity to explore the features of stable and healthy same-sex relationships when learning about relationships. It strongly encourages primary schools to include same-sex parents when discussing family arrangements. From primary school, children will learn about the importance of kindness and respect, including respect for people who are different from them.We expect schools to ensure that all children and young people, including trans pupils, are treated with the same respect and dignity as their peers, fostering an environment where everyone feels safe, valued and supported. The guidance remains clear that those who share the protected characteristic of gender reassignment also have protection from discrimination by law and should be treated with respect and dignity. It acknowledges that, beyond law and facts about biological sex and gender reassignment, there is significant debate. That is why it sets out that schools should not endorse any particular view or teach it as fact.The new guidance informs teaching from September 2026. We will fund schools to pilot initiatives that enhance teaching of relationships and sex education. Oak National Academy has developed materials across the updated curriculum.

If she will set out the (a) resources and (b) training her Department will make available to support teachers to implement July 2025 statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education.

The statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance makes it clear that, at secondary school, there should be an equal opportunity to explore the features of stable and healthy same-sex relationships when learning about relationships. It strongly encourages primary schools to include same-sex parents when discussing family arrangements. From primary school, children will learn about the importance of kindness and respect, including respect for people who are different from them.We expect schools to ensure that all children and young people, including trans pupils, are treated with the same respect and dignity as their peers, fostering an environment where everyone feels safe, valued and supported. The guidance remains clear that those who share the protected characteristic of gender reassignment also have protection from discrimination by law and should be treated with respect and dignity. It acknowledges that, beyond law and facts about biological sex and gender reassignment, there is significant debate. That is why it sets out that schools should not endorse any particular view or teach it as fact.The new guidance informs teaching from September 2026. We will fund schools to pilot initiatives that enhance teaching of relationships and sex education. Oak National Academy has developed materials across the updated curriculum.

With reference to the Adura joint venture, whether HMRC has investigated potential breaches of loss-buying prohibitions under the Corporation Tax Act 2010.

In 2024-25 HMRC secured £19.7bn in additional tax revenue from the largest and most complex businesses. This is money that would otherwise have gone unpaid. I cannot comment on specific taxpayers or provide comment on individual businesses. In reviewing a large business's tax affairs, HMRC will consider all relevant challenges, including loss-buying provisions where appropriate. HMRC is committed to ensuring everyone pays the right tax under the law, regardless of the size of business.

If she will conduct and publish a comparative assessment of the (a) fiscal returns from the Energy Profits Levy and (b) value of tax reliefs and investment and capital allowances granted to oil and gas producers since 2022.

The Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast at Autumn Budget 2025 estimates that revenues from the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) will be £8.5 billion between 2025-26 and 2030-31. This is in addition to more than £11 billion in tax revenues already raised through the EPL since its introduction in May 2022.A full breakdown of revenue projections for all North Sea oil and gas taxes is available in the OBR’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published at Autumn Budget 2025 (Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility). Information on tax receipts already raised by the EPL is published and regularly updated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) (https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/datasets/appendixdpublicsectorcurrentreceipts). Estimates of the cost of tax reliefs available to oil and gas companies under the Ring-Fence Corporation Tax (RFCT) and the Supplementary Charge (SC) are published at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tax-relief-statistics. Estimates are not available for every relief due to data collection and estimation challenges but are kept under regular review.

Whether his Department's proposed policy on tiebacks in oil and gas drilling allows for the exploitation of new fields via tiebacks to existing infrastructure in fields that have already been licenced.

On 26 November, the Government published its North Sea Future Plan.The plan implements the Government’s manifesto commitments to manage existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan, and to not issue new licences to explore new oil and gas fields. As part of this, the government will introduce new Transitional Energy Certificates which will enable limited oil and gas production on or near to existing fields, so long as this additional production does not require new exploration, is already part of or links back to existing fields and infrastructure, and is necessary for a managed, orderly and prosperous transition.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 86020 on Business: Codes of Practice, what assessment she has made of whether her expectation was met that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (a) engaged (i) widely and (ii) broadly and (b) listened to diverse voices during its engagement on the Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is independent of the government. It was for the EHRC to ensure that the consultation process on its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations was appropriate and meaningfully engaged with varied stakeholders. The Government expected them to do this widely and broadly, listening to diverse voices. The EHRC has revised the Code following the consultation and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities. The Government is considering the updated draft Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Code will be laid before Parliament for a 40 day period.

With reference to her letter to the Chair of the Education Select Committee dated 22 October 2025, when she will begin (a) to seek views through listening sessions in every region of the country and (b) fortnightly Ministerial meetings with key parent and expert groups; and if she will provide a list of those groups.

In early December, the department launched a national conversation on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform, building on extensive engagement over the past year with children, young people, parents and professionals.We are hosting nine regional face‑to‑face events and five open online conversations focused on the five principles of reform. These began on 2 December and provide thousands of opportunities for families and the sector to share their views. We are also running a wide range of roundtable discussions with young people, parents and practitioners, including sessions with KIDS, Speech and Language UK and the Council for Disabled Children. We are encouraging wider participation through our Citizen Space portal.The department also convenes a weekly development group of SEND parent organisations and key stakeholders, representing a broad range of voices across the sector. Membership includes:• Council for Disabled Children• Disabled Children’s Partnership• National Network of Parent Carer Forums• National Association for Special Educational Needs• The Difference• Dingley’s Promise• The Athelstan Trust• Let Us Learn Too• The SEND Sanctuary. Additional organisations will be invited on a rolling basis, aligned with the topics under discussion.

What discussions she has had with the Equality and Human Rights Commission on the adequacy of the scope of its engagement on the Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an independent regulator, and the Government respects its independence and the role it plays as the equalities regulator. It was for the EHRC to ensure that the consultation process meaningfully engaged with different stakeholders - including a variety of legal and subject matter experts.The Government made clear that our expectation was for the EHRC to engage widely and broadly, listening to diverse voices.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of mechanisms to safeguard against a residential address being fraudulently used to register a company without the knowledge of the resident of the address.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 strengthened Companies House’s powers to query or reject inaccurate or suspicious addresses, enabling the Registrar to act swiftly and decisively against misuse of residential addresses.Many fraudulent or misused registered office addresses have been removed and replaced with default addresses and companies without appropriate addresses are struck off, protecting those whose details were used without permission.Companies House’s systems improve continuously to detect and prevent unauthorised address use. The Government is considering the Public Accounts Committee’s recommendation for increased powers to verify new and existing company addresses and will respond in November.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2025 to Question 76417 on Carbon Emissions, whether the Financial Policy Committee (a) is (i) monitoring and (ii) assessing evidence on the likelihood of planetary boundaries being breached and (b) has used its stress testing frameworks to assess the potential impact of climate tipping points on financial stability.

The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for identifying, monitoring and taking action to mitigate systemic risks to the UK financial system. In its November 2024 Financial Stability Report, the FPC explained its approach to assessing climate-related financial stability risks; it recognised the potentially irreversible impact of passing through climate tipping points; and it highlighted that the Bank of England was considering incorporating risks caused or exacerbated by climate change into future bank and insurance stress tests. This followed the Chancellor’s remit to the FPC in 2024 recommending the FPC to use its stress testing frameworks, where appropriate, to consider how climate risks could impact financial stability.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of ending the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme after 2028 on (a) commitments to reach 100% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and (b) public sector (i) emissions and (ii) climate resilience.

By the time the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme concludes in 2028, it will have delivered approximately £3.5 billion in capital funding to over 1,400 projects across England. These investments have supported heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency upgrades in public sector buildings, contributing to emissions reductions and progress toward net zero as well as climate resilience. The Government will shortly publish its Carbon Budgets and Growth Delivery Plan, which will outline plans for non-domestic buildings, including the public sector. The Warm Homes Plan will also set out plans to support the decarbonisation of buildings. No estimate has been made of the impacts on public sector climate resilience resulting from not decarbonising the public sector.

If he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the (a) funding required to fully decarbonise the public sector and (b) adaptation costs from not fully decarbonising that sector.

The internal estimate made by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in 2022 suggests that fully decarbonising the public sector would cost between £25–30 billion. The Department is currently updating this based on more recent cost assumptions. No estimate has been made regarding the adaptation costs that may arise from not decarbonising the public sector.

For what reason he plans to end grant funding for the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme after 2028; and if he will provide funding to support the decarbonisation of the public sector beyond 2028.

The decision not to provide further funding for the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme was taken in the context of wider fiscal pressures and competing priorities which required difficult choices during the 2025 Spending Review. In addition to the £1bn for public sector decarbonisation between 2025/26 and 2027/28, the Government and Great British Energy Solar programme is investing £255 million to fund around 250 schools, 260 NHS sites and 15 military sites to install solar panels. Additional detail on the Government’s approach will be set out in the forthcoming Carbon Budgets and Growth Delivery Plan.

With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Policy paper Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, published on 12 May 2025, whether she consulted civil society organisations providing services to (a) migrants experiencing (i) poverty and (ii) destitution and (b) other migrants prior to designing the (1) settlement and (2) citizenship changes proposed.

The Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, sets out the government's plans to create an immigration system that promotes growth but is controlled and managed.We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Following that, we will provide details of how this initiative will work, including on any transitional arrangements for people already in the UK.The citizenship proposals will be developed in line with the settlement ones and further details on the proposed citizenship scheme will be provided at a suitable stage.

What estimate (a) her Department and (b) HS2 Limited have made of the cost of construction of HS2 in each of the last five years.

Construction of HS2 Phase One started following notice to proceed in April 2020. Since October 2020, the cost to date of delivering HS2 is set out in the 6 monthly Parliamentary Report. Capital expenditure on Phase One is reported in the HS2 Ltd Annual Report and Accounts – expenditure for each of the last 5 years is summarised in the table below: YearCapital Expenditure on HS2 Phase One2020/21£3.1 billion2021/22£4.8 billion2022/23£6.6 billion2023/24£7.2 billion2024/25£6.8 billionThe Spending Review settlement has also provided £25.3 billion to progress delivery of HS2 from the West Midlands to London Euston covering financial years 2026-2027 to 2029-2030. The programme is currently undergoing a fundamental reset under the leadership of CEO of HS2 Ltd, Mark Wild. As part of this reset, a revised cost estimate will be agreed and reported to Parliament in due course.

What steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) assess the risk posed by climate emissions to UK (i) financial stability and (ii) pension funds.

The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for identifying and addressing risks to the UK financial system. The FPC’s latest remit was set out by the Chancellor in November 2024. It sets out that the Committee should regard the risks posed by climate change, including physical and transition risks, as relevant to its primary objective, and consider how these risks could impact financial stability over the near and long term, including where appropriate through its stress testing frameworks. The remits for the Financial Policy Committee and Prudential Regulation Committee also make clear that they should support the Government’s approach to accelerate the transition to a climate resilient, nature positive, and net zero economy.

How many asylum seekers were dispersed in the asylum system while in the late stages of pregnancy in (a) 2022, (b) 2023 and (c) 2024; and how many of those dispersals were at the request of (i) the pregnant woman and (ii) her treating clinician.

The Home Office did not record this data in a reportable format for the years requested but has since developed a tool that should enable the Department to do so in the future. This is still being tested given the complexities involved.

What recent progress his Department has made to develop the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce.

Defence is developing a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce to provide a clear, trauma-informed and survivor-centred approach to tackling sexual harassment and abuse, simplifying access to support and strengthening partnerships with NHS Sexual Assault Referral Centres, local authorities and specialist charities. We have identified two regional locations that will each have a small team of specialised posts dedicated to delivering initiatives focussed on prevention, education and support; these have an anticipated pilot launch date of December 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the £120m funding increase for Sudan is going to (a) local and (b) national organisations; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the funding strengthens the longer-term resilience of communities.

National organisations in Sudan are leading the humanitarian response to the brutal conflict. Recognising their critical role in delivery, the UK's humanitarian programme partners with national organisations. For example, the UK is one of the largest contributors to the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund and the Mercy Corps Cash Consortium, which provides vital support to Mutual Aid Groups and Emergency Response Rooms who operate on the ground. In addition, through our Sudan Stability and Growth Programme, we are supporting long-term efforts to promote community resilience and poverty reduction by enabling reforms in economic growth, governance, and local conflict management.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) respond to the humanitarian situation in Somalia and (b) help mitigate (i) regional and (ii) humanitarian impacts.

The UK is a major humanitarian donor to Somalia. Last financial year the UK contributed £65 million to humanitarian efforts in Somalia, reaching over 1.6 million people. These funds provide emergency cash support, water and sanitation services and specialised health and nutrition treatment. They will also fund efforts to boost the climate resilience of communities, to mitigate the risk of natural disaster, and provide assistance for people already displaced by extreme weather. The UK is driving efforts to reform the humanitarian system in Somalia to improve impact and value for money, including increasing Somalia's access to international climate finance.