Written questions by Pritchard.

Innovation and Technology, if he will commission research into (a) the types of (i) messages and (ii) videos promoted by TikTok to UK children and teenage users and (b) the role of promoting such content by malign state actors .

Child online safety is of the utmost importance to the government. Under the Online Safety Act, user-to-user services likely to be accessed by children must protect them from harmful content. Ofcom’s draft codes of practice include recommendations for services to meet these duties, including ensuring that algorithms do not target children with harmful content.Any attempt by malign state actors to interfere in the UK’s information environment is unacceptable. The Foreign Interference Offence is a priority offence in the Online Safety Act, it requires all in-scope companies to take action against a range of state-linked disinformation and interference online.

If he will increase (a) criminal sanctions and (b) financial penalties for breaches of Trading Standards laws.

Local authority trading standards services oversee numerous pieces of legislation, including consumer protection, product safety, weights and measures, food standards, animal health and welfare, environmental protection, estates and lettings, and age-restricted products such as alcohol and tobacco, among other legislative responsibilities.The Department of Business and Trade is responsible for the consumer protection function. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 updated and strengthened civil enforcement powers for public designated enforcers, including the ability for trading standards services to apply to the court for an enforcement order with a monetary penalty of up to 10% of turnover.

If he will take steps to prevent the illegal (a) online sale and (b) importing of skin (i) whitening and (ii) lightening products which cause skin damage.

Cosmetics products must comply with some of the strongest safety standards in the world before they can be placed on the GB market. Government works with local enforcement authorities to take effective action when products are identified that do not meet these safety requirements, ensuring unsafe items are removed from sale.Government has introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which explicitly recognises the role of online marketplaces to ensure consumers are protected from unsafe products. We intend to use the powers in the Bill to introduce requirements on e-commerce models to help prevent the sale of unsafe products online.

What estimate his Department has made of trends in the level of employment in the car manufacturing sector between July and December 2024.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 21st March is attached.

What steps he is taking to protect UK defence personnel at RAF Akrotiri from regional ballistic missile attacks.

The UK takes the security of all our overseas bases seriously and takes appropriate measures for their protection. The UK employs a broad approach to deterring and defeating air and missile threats. We pursue counter-proliferation and military activities to counter threats before an attack is ever launched. However, if those approaches fail, we can employ a range of active and passive defence measures to intercept the threat and increase our resilience. This process remains continually under review. We are committed to enhancing our capabilities and modernising our air and missile defence approach to ensure our Armed Forces, including those in places such as RAF Akrotiri, have the capabilities they need to meet current and future threats. As part of this commitment, a Strategic Defence Review is being conducted with missile defence capabilities forming an important part of our inputs to this review.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Defence to encourage young people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance to seek employment in the armed forces.

The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to working closely alongside the Ministry of Defence to identify and support anyone in receipt of benefits with transferable skills to move into careers within the Armed Forces, with a particular focus on younger customers. We are also committed to promoting and advertising career opportunities across the Armed Forces at our regular recruitment events, dedicated armed forces recruitment days and through our offer of account managing vacancies. This allows us to ensure we are signposting customers to the available opportunities within the Armed Forces.

How many (a) in person and (b) online meetings she had with organisations representing children with special educational needs between 14 July 2024 and 14 October 2024.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education meets with a wide range of external stakeholders who represent children’s interests as part of her ministerial work. Details of ministers’ external meetings are published in quarterly ministerial transparency returns.

If she will commission research into the (a) role of (i) Russia (ii) Belarus (iii) Iran (iv) China and (v) Yemen in the migration of people and (b) potential impact of that migration on national security.

Tackling irregular migration is a key focus for this government and we regularly research and review the drivers behind it to inform our response. National security, including security at our border, is of the highest importance which is why the Border Security Command was launched and works with colleagues across government and with a range of international partners to disrupt the activity of criminal smuggling gangs.

If she will introduce increased criminal sanctions for crypto exchange companies who (a) launder stolen crypto currency and (b) allow (i) criminal gangs and (ii) hostile states to trade cryptocurrencies for other assets.

Cryptoassets exchanges, like all businesses who launder funds, can be prosecuted under the money laundering offences in Part 7 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and fined accordingly. In April 2024, new powers came into force to enable law enforcement to more effectively investigate, seize, and recover the proceeds of crime within the cryptoasset ecosystem.Since 2020, businesses providing cryptoasset services that fall under the scope of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLRs) in the United Kingdom have also been required to register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and comply with the requirements of the regulations. They must also comply with the UK sanctions regime and are obliged to report any breach of these regimes to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). They should further consider their obligation to submit a suspicious activity report (SAR) to the UK Financial Intelligence Unit.More widely, the government has bolstered law enforcement’s capacity and capability to tackle money laundering through cryptoassets. This includes new specialist capability in the NCA and partner agencies, funding public-private crypto collaboration teams in police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units, and the development of a multi-agency operational crypto cell to ensure that knowledge and abilities in investigating cryptoassets are pooled together and all available tools and powers are exploited efficiently.

Communities and Local Government, if she will require housing developers to promptly complete remedial works required to new build properties after completion.

Most new build warranties cover damages caused by structural defects for a 10-year term. The developer is often held accountable for the first two years of this period. The terms of warranty should give more detail on what developers would be expected to cover in this timeframe, but generally this will cover most aspects of workmanship carried out by the developer.New build homeowners can also contact the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) (Homepage (nhqb.org.uk) if they are dissatisfied with the standards of conduct or quality of work in their new build homes. While the scheme is currently voluntary for developers, just over half of all developers have signed up. The full register of developers is held on the NHQB website.New build homeowners can also contact a consumer code scheme provider if their developer has signed up to one. There are several codes, the largest of which is the Consumer Code for Home Builders. The code the developer signs up to is determined by the warranty provider. The consumer code scheme provider will handle complaints about the conduct or workmanship of a developer, provided that the developer is a member of the relevant code.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his Georgian counterpart on the detention of the Mzia Amaghlobeli.

The Foreign Secretary and I have consistently raised our concerns about the violence used by the authorities against protesters and journalists in the course of ongoing protests in Georgia. We will continue to do so. Mzia Amaghlobeli's detention is another worrying example of how journalists are intimidated in Georgia in a way which limits media freedom and freedom of expression. Our Embassy in Tbilisi is following Amaghlobeli's case very closely. On 30 January 2025, our Embassy led a statement on behalf of 14 Media Freedom Coalition members, calling for her immediate release and a review of her case.

If she will increase sanctions for people who make fake (a) bomb threats and (b) calls to the emergency services.

Making a bomb threat or other any other type of hoax phone call to the emergency services is a criminal offence. All calls to the emergency services are recorded and the number can be traced, even if withheld. Local services regularly remind the public of the serious consequences of hoax calls.Emergency services may also request a Communications Provider to place a temporary restriction on the account of the hoax/nuisance caller. However, contact management, including the management of hoax calls, is an operational matter for services. Any decision is for the emergency authority to take.There are existing mechanisms in place for emergency services to share information on hoax callers and where hoax calling is deliberate, policing may use legislation to prosecute persistent offenders.The Home Office currently has no plans to review the sanctions against those making bomb threats or hoax calls to emergency services.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will bring forward proposals to agree sanctions against (a) hon. Members and (b) members of staff employed by (i) the House of Commons and (ii) hon. Members who share security advice received from House authorities with (A) media organisations, (B) third parties and (C) other external audiences.

The security of Parliament and its Members is a priority for the Commission, and it expects everyone in the parliamentary community, including Members, Members’ staff and House Administration staff, to support this aim and manage sensitive information appropriately. As the Commission and parliamentary authorities have repeatedly made clear, unauthorised disclosure of confidential security advice can pose a direct risk to the security of those we are trying to protect.The House of Commons Commission has not discussed sanctions on Members who share security advice. However, unauthorised disclosures may also amount to a breach of the Code of Conduct for Members, in which case it would be for the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards or the Committee on Standards to consider penalties on a case-by-case basis.House Administration staff who make an unauthorised disclosure would be subject to disciplinary action as set out in the House of Commons staff handbook.Staff employed by Members are not the direct responsibility of the Commission, as they are employed by their Member. However, the Commission would call upon the Member to set standards for conduct and behaviour, and to determine disciplinary action where appropriate. Unauthorised disclosure of confidential information by their staff could be considered gross misconduct.Beyond formal sanctions, the Parliamentary Authorities engage extensively with Members, their staff and House Administration staff to ensure they understand the crucial role they have to play in the security of the parliamentary community, including information security.

If she will take steps to ensure domestic companies with UK-based shareholdings are prioritised to offer (a) ground and (b) air services for potential expansions at (i) Heathrow and (ii) Gatwick airports.

The Government is committed to an open and competitive aviation sector, ensuring choice and value for passengers. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are responsible for the effective operation of the aviation market for consumers. The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. Airports invest in their infrastructure to attract passengers and airlines, while airlines take their own decisions on the routes and services they provide. Prioritising UK-based shareholdings within this private market is not planned as international agreements ensure fair competition. What matters most is that companies operate safely, securely and are properly regulated.

If she will take steps to commission an investigation into trends in the level of competition amongst airlines flying in and out of UK airports.

The Government is committed to an open and competitive aviation sector, ensuring choice and value for passengers. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are responsible for the effective operation of the aviation market for consumers. The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. Airports invest in their infrastructure to attract passengers and airlines, while airlines take their own decisions on the routes and services they provide. Prioritising UK-based shareholdings within this private market is not planned as international agreements ensure fair competition. What matters most is that companies operate safely, securely and are properly regulated.

If she will take steps to increase competition among airlines operating in the UK.

The Government is committed to an open and competitive aviation sector, ensuring choice and value for passengers. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are responsible for the effective operation of the aviation market for consumers. The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. Airports invest in their infrastructure to attract passengers and airlines, while airlines take their own decisions on the routes and services they provide. Prioritising UK-based shareholdings within this private market is not planned as international agreements ensure fair competition. What matters most is that companies operate safely, securely and are properly regulated.

Innovation and Technology, if he will implement stronger penalties for creating non-consensual deepfake content.

Government is committed to tackling the harm posed by the creation of non-consensual intimate images. We are bringing forward legislation to criminalise this behaviour in the Data (Use and Access) Bill. The new legislation will ensure that offenders face the appropriate punishments for this atrocious harm.The sharing of or threatening to share a deepfake intimate image without consent is already a criminal offence under the Online Safety Act and was designated as a priority offence in November 2024. Companies in scope of the Act’s illegal safety duties will be required to proactively tackle this type of content, preventing its proliferation online.

Innovation and Technology, if he will ensure that law enforcement agencies have sufficient resources and training to identify and prosecute creators of non-consensual deepfake content.

Non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes are degrading and harmful. We refuse to tolerate the violence against women and girls that stains our society, which is why we’ve brought forward legislation in the Data (Use and Access) Bill to ban their creation as quickly as possible.The Home Office is funding the police to detect and remove illegal deepfake images and are working closely with them to improve officers understanding of this emerging threat.

Communities and Local Government, if she will undertake a review of the estate agency sector to assess the effectiveness of existing legislation on ensuring (a) transparency in pricing, (b) accurate descriptions of properties and (c) bans on rogue (i) lettings and (ii) sales agents.

The government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents.Legislation is currently enforced by National Trading Standards’ Lettings and Estate Agency Team, who have the power to issue warnings and banning orders to rogue estate and letting agents.The previous government committed to regulate the property agent sector in 2018 and asked a working group chaired by Lord Richard Best to advise them on how best to do it.However, they failed to respond to the recommendations set out in the working group’s 2019 Regulation of Property Agents: working group report which can be found on gov.uk here.Managing agents play a key role in the maintenance of multi-occupancy buildings and freehold estates, and their importance will only increase as we transition toward a commonhold future. As a result, we are looking again at the 2019 report.We will set out our full position on regulation of estate, letting and managing agents in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require imports of (a) meat, (b) dairy and (c) eggs to meet the same animal welfare standards as the UK.

The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. Unfortunately, it inherited trade deals signed by the Conservative government that created unfair disadvantages for British farmers. British farming has been let down by 14 years of Tory decline with 14,000 farming businesses closing under Conservative governments. This Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to support economic growth and promote the highest standards of food production.