Written questions by Race.

With reference to the Equality and Human Rights Commission document entitled An interim update on the practical implications of the UK Supreme Court judgment, published on 25 April 2025, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of implementing the EHRC's update for academies.

The government has set out its expectation that organisations follow the clarity the ruling provides. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) interim update provides a perspective on how the judgment and Equality Act are practically applied in some areas, but it is neither official guidance nor comprehensive.The EHRC is updating their Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations and seeking views from affected stakeholders through their consultation which closes on 30 June. We would encourage people to ensure their views are heard by submitting a response to the consultation. We will then consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it.We are currently reviewing the draft statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance and the draft non-statutory guidance on gender questioning children, ensuring that children’s wellbeing is at the heart of both. We are analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering the evidence, including the Cass Review, before deciding next steps.

Media and Sport, with reference to the Equality and Human Rights Commission document entitled An interim update on the practical implications of the UK Supreme Court judgment, published on 25 April 2025, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the EHRC's update on the arts and cultural sector.

The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Service providers and those delivering public functions should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to all the services they need whilst in keeping with the ruling. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), as Britain’s Equalities watchdog, is developing updated guidance to support service providers and is consulting on its code of practice for services, public functions and associations. This consultation will close on 30 June 2025. The Government is considering the further implications of the Supreme Court's judgment.

With reference to the Equality and Human Rights Commission document entitled An interim update on the practical implications of the UK Supreme Court judgment, published on 25 April 2025, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of implementing the EHRC's update for primary schools.

The government has set out its expectation that organisations follow the clarity the ruling provides. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) interim update provides a perspective on how the judgment and Equality Act are practically applied in some areas, but it is neither official guidance nor comprehensive.The EHRC is updating their Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations and seeking views from affected stakeholders through their consultation which closes on 30 June. We would encourage people to ensure their views are heard by submitting a response to the consultation. We will then consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it.We are currently reviewing the draft statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance and the draft non-statutory guidance on gender questioning children, ensuring that children’s wellbeing is at the heart of both. We are analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering the evidence, including the Cass Review, before deciding next steps.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of replicating the Wave Energy Scotland model across the UK.

The department has not undertaken a formal assessment of the potential merits of replicating the Wave Energy Scotland (WES) model across the UK. WES primarily utilizes a competitive pre-commercial procurement (PCP) model to drive innovation and development in the wave energy sector. However, the Government has provided innovative support for wave energy though a suite of a suite of research funding programmes, operated both by DESNZ centrally, and, by UK Research and Innovation, including competitive funding schemes programmes such as the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund.

Media and Sport, with reference to the Equality and Human Rights Commission document entitled An interim update on the practical implications of the UK Supreme Court judgment, published on 25 April 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential financial impact of the EHRC's update on the night time economy.

We appreciate that any reinterpretation or clarification of the Equality Act 2010 may raise operational considerations for businesses, including in the night time economy. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)'s update aims to support understanding and inform future dialogue rather than mandate specific changes. Employers and other duty bearers should continue to follow the law and take appropriate legal advice where necessary. The EHRC has launched a consultation on their Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations which closes on 30 June. We encourage stakeholders to engage with the EHRC consultation and make their views heard. The Government is committed to engaging with both the EHRC and sector stakeholders to ensure that any changes in interpretation or practice are understood and implemented in a proportionate way. The Government will consider the EHRC's updated draft Code of Practice once it has been submitted, to help provide greater clarity for service providers, in line with the Supreme Court ruling.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department has taken to support the addition of an ocean energy pilot farms call to the 2026-2027 Horizon Europe Work Programme.

As an Associated Country to Horizon Europe, the UK actively contributes to the programme’s governance and development, including through participation in programme committees. This enables the UK to shape the direction of international research and maximise collaboration on areas of mutual interest in Horizon Europe, including within Cluster 5 of the programme which focuses on Climate, Energy and Mobility.The Government cannot comment on the 2026-2027 Horizon Europe Work Programme, as it is still in development by the European Commission.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the interim statutory code of practice on services, public functions and associations, published on 20 May 2025, on costs to the hospitality industry.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), as Britain’s Equalities watchdog, is developing updated guidance to support service providers and is currently consulting on its code of practice for services, public functions and associations. This consultation will close on 30 June 2025. The Government is considering the further implications of the Supreme Court's judgment.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of innovation funding on the Levelised Cost of Energy of marine energy technologies; and what steps he is taking to support these emerging renewables.

The department has not directly undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of innovation funding on the Levelised Cost of Energy of marine energy technologies, However, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult in their 2018 Tidal Stream and Wave Energy Cost Reduction and Industrial Benefit study examined the potential impact of additional focus on innovation on cost reduction of marine technologies. The Government continues to provide innovative support for marine energy technologies though a suite of a suite of research funding programmes, including through UK Research and Innovation.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that an adequate justification is provided when animals are used in antibody production.

Following a review by the Animals in Science Committee in 2022 on licences for the production of antibodies, the Animals in Science Regulator implemented published changes to strengthen the requirement for robust justifications. This included an additional condition placed on all new antibody project licence applications that requires applicants to justify they have fully considered all recommendations in the report. Further actions of communicating the report, embedding changes in the Regulator and conducting Regulatory Reform that will strengthen delivery of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) have also been implemented.Project licence proposals for research on animals for which there is no non-animal alternative must comply fully with the 3Rs. This assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation who fund the National Centre for the 3Rs and research into the development of alternatives through Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The Government will publish a strategy to support accelerating the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods in basic, applied, translational and regulatory research and testing later this year.

What recent progress her Department has made on replacing the use of animals with non-animal methods for antibody production; and whether her Department is taking steps to accelerate this process.

Following a review by the Animals in Science Committee in 2022 on licences for the production of antibodies, the Animals in Science Regulator implemented published changes to strengthen the requirement for robust justifications. This included an additional condition placed on all new antibody project licence applications that requires applicants to justify they have fully considered all recommendations in the report. Further actions of communicating the report, embedding changes in the Regulator and conducting Regulatory Reform that will strengthen delivery of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) have also been implemented.Project licence proposals for research on animals for which there is no non-animal alternative must comply fully with the 3Rs. This assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation who fund the National Centre for the 3Rs and research into the development of alternatives through Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The Government will publish a strategy to support accelerating the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods in basic, applied, translational and regulatory research and testing later this year.

With reference to the report by the Animals in Science Committee entitled Review of antibody licences, published on 20 October 2022, whether the Animals in Science Committee plans to publish an updated review; and whether her Department plans to provide funding for further research on this issue.

Following a review by the Animals in Science Committee in 2022 on licences for the production of antibodies, the Animals in Science Regulator implemented published changes to strengthen the requirement for robust justifications. This included an additional condition placed on all new antibody project licence applications that requires applicants to justify they have fully considered all recommendations in the report. Further actions of communicating the report, embedding changes in the Regulator and conducting Regulatory Reform that will strengthen delivery of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) have also been implemented.Project licence proposals for research on animals for which there is no non-animal alternative must comply fully with the 3Rs. This assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation who fund the National Centre for the 3Rs and research into the development of alternatives through Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The Government will publish a strategy to support accelerating the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods in basic, applied, translational and regulatory research and testing later this year.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase referral rates to the Pharmacy First service.

In February 2025, approximately 75% of general practices (GPs) in England made at least one referral into the NHS Pharmacy First Service.There are regional differences in terms of GP engagement, NHS 111, and urgent and emergency care settings with the Pharmacy First service, with some integrated care boards (ICBs) performing better than others. To help increase the uptake, NHS England is working closely with ICBs, GP stakeholders, and the community pharmacy sector.We continue to promote the Pharmacy First service. This includes two targeted public communication campaigns with associated media materials, coordinated communications across the healthcare system, and sharing best practices where the service is already working well. Action is also being taken to drive further engagement and referrals from GPs, with targeted engagement through regional and ICB channels and regular data to support performance management. In addition to this, funding has been provided to ICBs to recruit primary care network engagement leads who will be well placed to support practice teams to refer into the service.NHS England is also improving digital systems to make the referral process better integrated, including further development of electronic referral systems. Most pharmacies can now also receive Pharmacy First referrals from GPs straight into their NHS England assured pharmacy IT systems.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that a future UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary veterinary agreement supports the role of (a) zoos and (b) aquariums in international conservation breeding programmes.

While we continue to work with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) to address immediate challenges regarding EU trade– such as the availability of Export Health Certificates and Border Control Post capacity – our primary focus is on securing a long-term, sustainable solution through the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement with the EU. The SPS Agreement will establish a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone aimed at reducing trade barriers and facilitating the safe and efficient movement of terrestrial and aquatic zoo animals. Our ambition is to reach an agreement that reduce administrative burden by streamlining SPS checks and certification, while upholding the UK’s commitment to ensure its biosecurity is protected within this future framework.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent engagement he has had with (a) zoos and (b) aquariums on the inclusion of conservation animal transfers in a future UK-EU veterinary agreement.

We have worked closely with zoos and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) to address challenges related to the movement of animals between the UK and the EU. This includes the availability of Export Health Certificates and to expedite requests for new EHCs, for breeding programmes where welfare concerns may arise. Our future priority is to secure the long-term UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to reduce trade barriers and enable the safe and efficient movement of zoo animals. Our ambition is to reach an agreement that reduce administrative burden by streamlining SPS checks and certification, while upholding the UK’s commitment to ensure its biosecurity is protected within this future framework. Ministers have actively engaged with the zoo and wildlife sector through multiple visits and discussions to understand it’s challenges and opportunities. This dialogue will continue as we work together to support ongoing improvements.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) Health Certification Requirements and (b) other veterinary and customs requirements on the cross-border movement of endangered species between the UK and the EU.

Defra continues to work closely with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) to address immediate challenges to the cross-border movement of endangered species, including the availability of Export Health Certificates and Border Control Post capacity. An SPS Agreement will establish a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone aimed at reducing trade barriers and facilitating the safe and efficient movement of terrestrial and aquatic zoo animals. Our ambition is to reach an agreement that reduces administrative burden by streamlining SPS checks and certification, while upholding the UK’s commitment to ensure its biosecurity is protected within this future framework.

What steps his Department is taking to promote the Pharmacy First service.

In February 2025, approximately 75% of general practices (GPs) in England made at least one referral into the NHS Pharmacy First Service.There are regional differences in terms of GP engagement, NHS 111, and urgent and emergency care settings with the Pharmacy First service, with some integrated care boards (ICBs) performing better than others. To help increase the uptake, NHS England is working closely with ICBs, GP stakeholders, and the community pharmacy sector.We continue to promote the Pharmacy First service. This includes two targeted public communication campaigns with associated media materials, coordinated communications across the healthcare system, and sharing best practices where the service is already working well. Action is also being taken to drive further engagement and referrals from GPs, with targeted engagement through regional and ICB channels and regular data to support performance management. In addition to this, funding has been provided to ICBs to recruit primary care network engagement leads who will be well placed to support practice teams to refer into the service.NHS England is also improving digital systems to make the referral process better integrated, including further development of electronic referral systems. Most pharmacies can now also receive Pharmacy First referrals from GPs straight into their NHS England assured pharmacy IT systems.

What steps he is taking to align the General Practice and Community Pharmacy funding and operating frameworks.

General practice and community pharmacy have separate funding and operating arrangements, reflecting the differences in the way patients use these services.For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding for any part of the National Health Service, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26.We are also investing an additional £889 million in general practice to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26, the biggest increase in over a decade. The 7.2% boost to the GP Contract in 2025/26 is faster than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget overall, helping to reverse the decade-long trend of general practices receiving an ever-decreasing percentage of NHS funding.NHS England is improving digital systems to make the referral process better integrated between pharmacies and general practices, which includes further development of electronic referral systems. Most pharmacies can now also receive Pharmacy First referrals from general practitioners straight into their NHS England assured pharmacy IT systems.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the US National Institutes of Health's new initiative to expand human-based science while reducing animal use in research; and whether this could be replicated in the UK.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods in basic, applied, translational and regulatory research and testing later this year. As part of this, we continually monitor international developments such as those at the US National Institutes of Health, and are in discussion with our overseas colleagues as to how we can work together on this matter.

With reference to the report by the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association entitled Unlocking our communities diagnostic potential: the case for supporting the adoption of community diagnostics for an NHS fit for the future, published on 1 April 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of appointing a national diagnostics director.

The Department regularly reflects on and reviews the most appropriate structure for senior civil servant roles, to ensure it aligns with Governments priorities, including the delivery of the three big shifts, such as moving from hospital to community services.There currently exists a Director for Electives and Cancer in the Department, whose responsibility includes diagnostics, as well as a Director of Diagnostics and Transport in NHS England, and their respective teams work closely together. Ensuring the National Health Service can deliver the right amount of diagnostic care to deliver on the 18-week Referral to Treatment constitutional standard by March is a priority across both the Department and NHS England.We have committed to develop a 10-Year Health Plan to deliver an NHS fit for the future. The plan will deliver three big shifts mentioned, including moving from hospital to community services. We will therefore see more tests and scans in the community, in high street settings, reducing the need for people to take multiple trips to hospitals to get diagnosed.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with industry stakeholders on the remaining provisions of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022; and what further consultations he has planned.

Discussions on the remaining provisions of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 have focused on the Government’s intention to commence the provisions, and to hold public consultations. Stakeholders have also been asked to provide data on the cases affected.A technical consultation on draft regulations to commence Sections 61 – 64 of the Act, dealing with certain Renewal agreements, was published on 7 May 2025.The Government is considering the best approach to commencing Section 70, relating to complaints procedures.The other outstanding provisions relate to court jurisdiction and unresponsive landowners. Work is underway to commence these provisions.