Written questions by Coutinho.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2025 to Question 21052 on Gender: Public Consultation, if she will publish the submissions to the call for input on single-sex spaces which were determined not to meet the criteria because they contained text which was irrelevant to the request.

The Government has written to the EHRC to confirm that we will share all the submissions with them which met the criteria of the previous Government’s call for input on single-sex spaces guidance in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2025 to Question 21052 on Gender: Public Consultation, if she will publish the submissions to the call for input on single-sex spaces which were determined to have met the submission criteria.

The Government has written to the EHRC to confirm that we will share all the submissions with them which met the criteria of the previous Government’s call for input on single-sex spaces guidance in due course.

If she will publish all submissions to the call for input on single-sex spaces that were determined to have misinterpreted the Equality Act 2010.

The submissions to the previous Government’s call for input on single-sex spaces guidance which seem to have misinterpreted the Equality Act 2010 have been sent to the EHRC, as the relevant independent regulator, for further review.

When his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation entitled NHS Constitution: 10 year review, which closed in June 2024.

In May 2024, the Department consulted on a series of proposed updates to the NHS Constitution as part of the 10-year review. We appreciate the time and care spent by everyone who contributed to the consultation at the time. Following the General Election in 2024, the Department is considering next steps and will provide an update shortly.

With reference to the Response to call for input on single-sex spaces guidance, published on 17 December 2024, if she will publish (a) a list of reasons for submissions being rejected for not meeting the submission criteria and (b) how many submissions were rejected for each reason.

The call for input on single-sex spaces guidance asked specifically for examples of policy or guidance ‘which states that people have a legal right to access single-sex spaces and services according to their self-identified gender’.A total of 3,272 responses (excluding spam or ‘bot’ submissions) were received. Manual review of these responses found that many did not meet the criteria outlined on the call for input gov.uk page under ‘How to respond’. Some responses contained text which was irrelevant to the request (2,160). Some responses did not contain an attachment or a link to a policy or guidance (255). Some responses provided examples that were outside the criteria (196). Some responses met the criteria but provided examples of policies or guidance duplicated by other responses (257). The final sample comprised 404 responses which met the criteria.

With reference to the her Department's publication eneitled Response to call for input on single-sex spaces guidance, published 17 December 2024, how many submissions were received in total.

The call for input on single-sex spaces guidance asked specifically for examples of policy or guidance ‘which states that people have a legal right to access single-sex spaces and services according to their self-identified gender’.A total of 3,272 responses (excluding spam or ‘bot’ submissions) were received. Manual review of these responses found that many did not meet the criteria outlined on the call for input gov.uk page under ‘How to respond’. Some responses contained text which was irrelevant to the request (2,160). Some responses did not contain an attachment or a link to a policy or guidance (255). Some responses provided examples that were outside the criteria (196). Some responses met the criteria but provided examples of policies or guidance duplicated by other responses (257). The final sample comprised 404 responses which met the criteria.

If she will remove Germany from the Gender Recognition Certificate: list of approved countries and territories.

The Gender Recognition (Approved Countries and Territories and Saving Provision) Order 2023 was approved by Parliament in April 2024, the first update to the list of approved countries in 13 years.We are committed to more regularly updating the list of approved countries and territories when applying for gender recognition in the UK. We continue to work with our counterparts in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to ensure that any changes internationally are monitored and noted for future updates.

When he plans to publish his Department's assessment of the full systems costs of a fully decarbonised, renewables-based grid by 2030.

The Government published the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan ‘a new era of clean electricity’ on 13 December 2024 detailing our plan to achieve deliver clean power by 2030.

What estimate he has made of carbon prices in 2030.

The price of carbon allowances in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme is set by the market and not the Government. A market-determined price of carbon is the most efficient way to decarbonise the traded sector.It is the role of the UK ETS Authority to set the scheme’s cap, which sets a limit on the volume of greenhouse gases participants captured by the scheme can emit. This ensures the covered sectors will reduce their emissions in line with net zero and establishes a long-term investment signal.

When his Department plans to respond to the suggested guidance on single-sex spaces in the NHS drafted by the Darlington Nurses Union.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care met with five nurses from the Darlington Nursing Union last month, to hear about their concerns regarding single-sex spaces for staff in National Health Service hospitals Since the meeting the nurses have shared correspondence setting out suggested policy on single-sex spaces for staff in the NHS. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will reply at the earliest opportunity. The Government is clear that everybody deserves to feel safe and to be treated with respect at work.

What her planned timetable is for the publication of the response to the call for evidence on single-sex spaces; and how many responses to the call for evidence have been received.

We will publish a response to the call for input on single-sex spaces guidance, including the number of valid responses, in due course.

What guidance the Office for Equality and Opportunities has produced on whether positive discrimination on the basis of gender identity is permitted under the Equality Act 2010.

Positive discrimination is treatment which favours someone solely because he or she has a particular protected characteristic such as their sex or race. Positive discrimination is generally unlawful under the Equality Act 2010 and therefore guidance has not been issued.

What legal costs have been incurred by her Department for the appeal by the Freedom of Speech Union against her decision to pause the implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 as of 1 November 2024.

The requested information is not known while this claim is in process and it is not appropriate to comment on live legal proceedings.

If she will meet the senior Jewish academics who wrote to her on 11 August 2024 on the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills Baroness Smith confirmed to the House of Lords on 10 October 2024 that she will meet with the Jewish academics who wrote to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education on 11 August. That meeting has now been arranged by her office. Departmental officials and Minister Smith have met with over 40 individuals to discuss the future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, including academics with concerns about constraints on freedom of speech and academic freedom, as well as representatives from minority groups. These meetings will inform decision making on the future of the Act.

What steps her Department is taking to help counter the influence of the Chinese state in British universities.

The UK welcomes international partnerships and students, including from China, who make a very positive impact on the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, our economy and society as a whole. However, the government will always protect its national security interests, human rights and values.There are a set of measures that protect against undue foreign interference in our universities. These range from the Academic Technology Approval Scheme, which vets students and researchers seeking to study in sensitive areas, to the provisions of the Education Act 1986, which require HE providers to uphold freedom of speech within the law for staff, students and visiting speakers. In England, all registered providers must also uphold applicable public interest governance principles to meet the regulatory requirements of the Office for Students, including principles on academic freedom and accountability, such as operating openly and with integrity.To support the HE sector to maximise the opportunities of international collaboration whilst managing the risks, the government offers practical advice through the National Protective Security Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre and the Research Collaboration and Advice Team. The department works alongside these partners and engages directly with the sector to increase their understanding of the risks and their ability to respond to them.This government will take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. The department will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must. We are contributing towards the government’s audit of the UK’s relationship with China as a bilateral and global actor, to improve our ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses.

How many unfilled state-funded (a) primary and (b) secondary school places there are in East Surrey.

Information on unfilled state-funded school places as at May 2023 is published at local authority level in the annual School Capacity statistics publication found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity. The number of unfilled primary and secondary school places in Surrey can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f7aaa7c5-c62c-4112-40d8-08dce44cbd16. School Capacity data is also published at school level. This can be combined with information from ‘Get Information About Schools’ (GIAS) to identify parliamentary constituency, which can be accessed here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/. GIAS currently reflects the changes made following the general election parliamentary constituency changes.

What is the average length of time taken for an employment tribunal for those seeking redress over a freedom of speech dispute.

The department has not collected data on individual cases of employment tribunals related to freedom of speech. Cases such as these are rare and are rightfully seen as a last resort. The department has heard concerns from many in the sector, including minority groups, that the Act and its implementation may have unintended consequences. Many raised concerns that the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act could push providers to overlook the safety and wellbeing of minority groups over fears of sanction and costly legal action.

What the evidential basis is for the statement by her Department's spokesman quoted in the Telegraph of 24 August 2024 that the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 could expose students to harm and appalling hate speech on campuses.

The department has not collected data on individual cases of employment tribunals related to freedom of speech. Cases such as these are rare and are rightfully seen as a last resort. The department has heard concerns from many in the sector, including minority groups, that the Act and its implementation may have unintended consequences. Many raised concerns that the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act could push providers to overlook the safety and wellbeing of minority groups over fears of sanction and costly legal action.

Whether she had discussions with relevant stakeholders on the potential impact of pausing the implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on income from China for UK universities as part of discussions relating to that decision.

Departmental officials and my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders on the future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. This includes representatives of higher education providers and academics, including from the Committee for Academic Freedom, Academics for Academic Freedom and the London Universities’ Council for Academic Freedom, who jointly set up the open letter.

Whether she has had discussions with the signatories of the open letter by Academics for Academic Freedoms, published on 2 August 2024, on the implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.

Departmental officials and my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders on the future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. This includes representatives of higher education providers and academics, including from the Committee for Academic Freedom, Academics for Academic Freedom and the London Universities’ Council for Academic Freedom, who jointly set up the open letter.