Written questions by Smart.

Innovation and Technology, how many online platforms the Ofcom online safety small, but risky, taskforce has engaged with to date.

The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these services. The task force sits in Ofcom’s Online Safety Group. Ofcom has previously stated that there are 202 full-time equivalent posts in that wider Group. Ofcom published details of the taskforce’s work, including its priorities, in a letter to the Secretary of State on 11 September 2024.Ofcom started enforcing the Online Safety Act in March. Sections 149 and 150 of the Act require publication of enforcement action. As an independent regulator, Ofcom does not report directly to government but publishes bulletins of all enforcement actions. Ofcom has confirmed that some companies are currently under investigation and some small services with harmful content have voluntarily blocked access to their sites for UK users since the Act came into effect.

Innovation and Technology, what criteria is used by Ofcom's online safety small but risky, taskforce to identify which online platforms pose a sufficient risk to warrant (a) engagement, (b) investigation and (c) enforcement action.

The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these services. The task force sits in Ofcom’s Online Safety Group. Ofcom has previously stated that there are 202 full-time equivalent posts in that wider Group. Ofcom published details of the taskforce’s work, including its priorities, in a letter to the Secretary of State on 11 September 2024.Ofcom started enforcing the Online Safety Act in March. Sections 149 and 150 of the Act require publication of enforcement action. As an independent regulator, Ofcom does not report directly to government but publishes bulletins of all enforcement actions. Ofcom has confirmed that some companies are currently under investigation and some small services with harmful content have voluntarily blocked access to their sites for UK users since the Act came into effect.

Innovation and Technology, how many staff are currently deployed as part of Ofcom's online safety small but risky taskforce.

The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these services. The task force sits in Ofcom’s Online Safety Group. Ofcom has previously stated that there are 202 full-time equivalent posts in that wider Group. Ofcom published details of the taskforce’s work, including its priorities, in a letter to the Secretary of State on 11 September 2024.Ofcom started enforcing the Online Safety Act in March. Sections 149 and 150 of the Act require publication of enforcement action. As an independent regulator, Ofcom does not report directly to government but publishes bulletins of all enforcement actions. Ofcom has confirmed that some companies are currently under investigation and some small services with harmful content have voluntarily blocked access to their sites for UK users since the Act came into effect.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Ofcom on which external stakeholders have been consulted by Ofcom's online safety small but risky taskforce.

The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these services. The task force sits in Ofcom’s Online Safety Group. Ofcom has previously stated that there are 202 full-time equivalent posts in that wider Group. Ofcom published details of the taskforce’s work, including its priorities, in a letter to the Secretary of State on 11 September 2024.Ofcom started enforcing the Online Safety Act in March. Sections 149 and 150 of the Act require publication of enforcement action. As an independent regulator, Ofcom does not report directly to government but publishes bulletins of all enforcement actions. Ofcom has confirmed that some companies are currently under investigation and some small services with harmful content have voluntarily blocked access to their sites for UK users since the Act came into effect.

Innovation and Technology, whether he expects Ofcom to publish updates on the (a) progress and (b) outcomes of the investigations conducted by the online safety small but risky taskforce.

The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these services. The task force sits in Ofcom’s Online Safety Group. Ofcom has previously stated that there are 202 full-time equivalent posts in that wider Group. Ofcom published details of the taskforce’s work, including its priorities, in a letter to the Secretary of State on 11 September 2024.Ofcom started enforcing the Online Safety Act in March. Sections 149 and 150 of the Act require publication of enforcement action. As an independent regulator, Ofcom does not report directly to government but publishes bulletins of all enforcement actions. Ofcom has confirmed that some companies are currently under investigation and some small services with harmful content have voluntarily blocked access to their sites for UK users since the Act came into effect.

If he will list the dates on which patients who were invited to a first appointment for NHS Children and Young People's Gender Services in April 2025 were first referred, broken down by each service.

Data is not collected in this format. The most recent figures show that the number of children and young people on the waiting list for gender services is 6,225.

What steps his Department is taking to support the employment of qualified counsellors in paid roles within mental health services.

The Department welcomes the appointment of qualified counsellors to roles within National Health Service mental health services. However, employment decisions are for individual employers, and we would expect any such appointments to be based on the successful candidate’s abilities and skills.

What recent assessment his Department has made of Royal Mail’s compliance with its Universal Service Obligation in areas experiencing delivery delays of 7 to 10 days between mail deliveries.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards, and to decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action.In December 2024, following its investigation of Royal Mail’s performance in the 2023-24 financial year, Ofcom fined the company £10.5m because of its failure to significantly improve service levels. The government expects that Ofcom will continue to closely monitor Royal Mail’s performance and its action plan to improve its quality of service.

What steps he has taken to hold Royal Mail accountable when local delivery services fall below the standard expected under its regulatory obligations.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards, and to decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action.In December 2024, following its investigation of Royal Mail’s performance in the 2023-24 financial year, Ofcom fined the company £10.5m because of its failure to significantly improve service levels. The government expects that Ofcom will continue to closely monitor Royal Mail’s performance and its action plan to improve its quality of service.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of local authority funded early years places for children with SEND under the age of 9 months.

The department does not fund places for children under the age of nine months. This is because the earliest a child can take up their government-funded place is the term after a child turns nine months old.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of public funding for local leisure facilities.

The Department works closely with local government and other government departments to understand specific demand and cost pressures facing local government on an ongoing basis. This involves looking at a range of cost and demand data, as well as regular engagement with local authorities.The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash-terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25. The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced, and can be used to address the range of pressures facing the local government sector. Spending decisions beyond 2025-26, including on funding for local leisure facilities, are a matter for the upcoming Spending Review.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the long-term development of (a) speech, (b) language and (c) social skills for early years children.

Substantial work has been conducted on the impact of the pandemic on child development and the department recognises the impact of the pandemic on critical speech, language and social skills.That is why, as part of the early years education recovery programme, the department provided funding of over £20 million to deliver Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), which is an evidence-based programme for children needing extra support with their speech and language development.The department is also continuing to improve access to speech and language therapy by funding the Early Language and Support for Every Child pathfinder project, in partnership with NHS England. This programme aims to improve capacity and knowledge among the workforce who support children in early years and school settings with mild to moderate speech, language and communication needs, by utilising therapy support assistants.In addition, the department has launched some online child development training, which includes modules dedicated to supporting children’s personal, social and emotional development and early language. More information on the training can be found here: https://child-development-training.education.gov.uk/.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent reductions in NHSP overtime pay rates for Band 5 nurses on NHS staff (a) retention and (b) morale.

NHS Professionals, a limited company wholly owned by the Department, contracts on an arm’s length basis with National Health Service trusts to provide flexible workforce solutions, including managed bank services and its National Bank offering.Shifts made available by trusts through NHS Professionals are not classed as overtime. Trusts request that NHS Professionals fill a shift from its bank membership and specify the pay rate, as it may be at the Agenda for Change rate for that assignment, or may be at an enhanced rate.Enhanced rates were initially introduced in response to competition from higher cost agencies, and were always intended to be a temporary measure. A decision to amend the rates was made by the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust following a detailed review of the enhanced bank rates in nursing and midwifery services across the Greater Manchester area. The Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work, to ensure we retain more of our skilled and dedicated staff. NHS England is leading work nationally through its retention programme to drive a consistent, system-wide approach to staff retention across NHS trusts. This ensures trusts have access to proven retention strategies, data-driven monitoring, and can foster a more stable, engaged, productive, and supported workforce.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent reductions in NHSP overtime pay rates on the NHS's ability to meet (a) existing and (b) projected patient demand.

The Department has not made this specific assessment.NHS Professionals Ltd (NHSP) is a company, wholly owned by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, providing temporary staffing services to National Health Service trust clients. NHSP’s client trusts determine the rates payable to bank staff supplied by NHSP, and it is a matter for those NHS trusts to assess the impact of bank pay rates on their ability to meet existing and projected patient needs.Shifts made available by trusts through NHS Professionals are not classed as overtime. Trusts request that NHS Professionals fill a shift from its bank membership and specify the pay rate.

What funding her Department is providing to early years providers to help meet increases in staffing costs.

I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 42009.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in (a) business rates and (b) employer National Insurance contributions on the early years sector.

I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 42009.

If she will make it her policy to include digital financial literacy in the national curriculum.

I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.

What steps her Department is taking to support teachers in teaching financial education in schools.

I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.

What steps their Department is taking to help ensure that schools are held accountable for the provision of financial education in accordance with the national secondary curriculum.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

If she will make it her policy to incorporate financial literacy as a mandatory component of GCSE qualifications.

I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.