Written questions by McCarthy.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) parental leave allowances and (b) childcare entitlements for PhD students in the context of the parental leave and pay review.

The Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, including the needs of working families who do not currently qualify. There are a number of areas where there are clear links and interdependencies with the parental leave and pay system, including childcare provision. The Review will consider these in its policy development, but it is not within its scope to make findings on childcare entitlements. Officials are working closely across government, including with the Department for Education and His Majesty’s Treasury. The Review will conclude in early 2027.

If he will provide an update on the next steps he will take to reform the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 to reduce the use of chemical flame retardants.

The policy paper 'The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture', published on 22 January 2025, set out that the Government is committed to delivering reforms to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 that maintain a high level of fire safety while also facilitating a reduction in the use of chemical flame retardants (CFRs).Since publication, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken targeted engagement to inform next steps, including a roundtable in July 2025 that considered issues such as CFR labelling and open-flame testing. The Government will provide an update on this in due course.

With reference to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, what steps his Department plans to take to improve labelling on chemical flame retardants in upholstered furniture to assist consumers and waste disposal.

The policy paper 'The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture', published on 22 January 2025, set out that the Government is committed to delivering reforms to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 that maintain a high level of fire safety while also facilitating a reduction in the use of chemical flame retardants (CFRs).Since publication, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken targeted engagement to inform next steps, including a roundtable in July 2025 that considered issues such as CFR labelling and open-flame testing. The Government will provide an update on this in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a statutory right to paid leave for kinship carers.

The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings which outline next steps for implementing any reforms.In addition to considering, all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, the Review is considering the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers.The Government is also supporting kinship carers through other mechanisms and has recently launched a kinship pilot to support up to 5,000 kinship families by paying eligible carers an allowance equivalent to the Fostering National Minimum Allowance.

When he plans to publish his response to the Grocery Code Adjudicator statutory review, which closed on 5 August 2025.

The fourth statutory review of the effectiveness of the GCA covers the period from 31 March 2022 – 1 April 2025. The review commenced on 1 April 2025 and a consultation to gather stakeholder views and evidence closed 5 August. The government is currently analysing responses to the consultation, alongside other publicly available evidence, and will publish a report on the findings of the review as soon as practicable..