Written questions by Morrison.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to introduce a mandatory labelling or watermarking system to identify AI-generated creative content.

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI has just closed. This included questions about the protection and labelling of generative AI outputs. Various industry initiatives exist to label AI outputs, but it may need to happen more consistently. Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Nigerian counterpart on the protection of Christian communities in Nigeria in light of reports of ongoing violence and persecution.

The UK Government is committed to upholding the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). The UK Government regularly advocates for the protections of all vulnerable communities including religious minorities through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora as well as raising FoRB bilaterally with the Government of Nigeria and other influential parties. In his meeting with the Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives on 22 January, the Minister for Africa raised the importance of FoRB and resolving intercommunal conflict and tensions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the recent attack on a church in North Kivu; and what steps his Department is taking to help support religious freedom in that country.

Recent attacks by IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), including on a church in North Kivu, are alarming and we are saddened by the loss of life. The ADF has been sanctioned by the UN since 2014. Protection of civilians, promotion of respect between different religious and non-religious groups, and human rights are priorities for the UK. The UK continues to work through UN bodies and other multilateral fora to promote and protect these rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We recognise that when freedom of religion or belief is respected, communities can build trust and understanding, which in turn supports mutual prosperity and peace. The Foreign Secretary emphasised to President Tshisekedi on his visit to the region the need for immediate de-escalation and civilian protection.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UK aid in supporting Christian communities facing persecution.

We are championing the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work and our programme funding. Including the FCDO John Bunyan Fund, a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects.The FCDO works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, including Christians, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the situation of Christians in (a) Gaza and (b) the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and whether he has made representations on that issue to the Palestinian Authority.

The UK is pressing for a Palestinian-led process for recovery and reconstruction in Gaza and a strong role for civil society. This is crucial to lay the groundwork for inclusive governance, accountability, and transparency so that the needs, desires, rights and freedoms and voices of all Gazans are protected, including Christians. The Foreign Secretary has spoken with President Abbas and the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Mohammad Mustafa, and offered the UK's support as his government implements much-needed reforms. An effective Palestinian Authority is vital for lasting peace and progress towards a two-state solution. Officials from the Consulate General in Jerusalem have regular engagements with the Christian community in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, to understand the impact of the conflict and Israeli occupation on Christian Palestinians. The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religious belief for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of replicating the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act.

The UK is committed to establishing a proportionate AI regulatory approach which is grounded in science and supports growth and innovation. As set out in the manifesto, the Government is developing legislative proposals which will establish targeted measures. This will complement work outlined in the government’s response to the AI Action Plan to support the UK's existing regulators who are responsible for governing the vast majority of AI systems at the point of use. As we develop our approach to regulating AI, we recognise the need to engage with a range of international partners. This includes engaging with the EU, who are a key science and technology partner, to discuss our respective approaches, as well as working alongside them and other partners in the G7, OECD, UN, and other international fora. We take a close interest in how our trading partners are regulating in similar areas and have regular exchanges with the EU on regulatory developments.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that consumers can differentiate between AI-generated and human-created content in creative industries.

Increasing transparency about the use of copyrighted works to train AI models and AI-generated content was one of the key issues explored in the Government’s recently closed Copyright and AI consultation. The consultation also sought views on the protection for the outputs of generative AI, the labelling of AI outputs and digital replicas. The consultation closed on 25 February and our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to ensure that UK (a) embassies and (b) high commissions report on violations of freedom of religion or belief.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.We continue to monitor human rights, including FoRB, across the globe through our overseas network of embassies and high commissions, who report on developments. We draw on a range of resources to support our monitoring, including the annual Open Doors report on Christian persecution.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to help protect Christians facing persecution in Nigeria.

The UK Government is committed to upholding the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). This includes advocating for the protections of all vulnerable communities including religious minorities through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora as well as raising FoRB bilaterally with the Government of Nigeria and other influential parties. The UK also supports programmes working to address the complex root causes of intercommunal violence in Nigeria through locally led peace-building efforts. This support aims to reduce intercommunal tensions by improving access to security and justice, and natural resource management in specific areas across northern Nigeria. In addition, the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against all civilian communities, including those of different religious backgrounds and belief systems.

Innovation and Technology, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require generative AI developers to (a) document and (b) disclose their use of copyrighted materials.

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI has just closed. This included a proposal to require AI model developers to be more transparent about how they obtain and use copyright works in their training, whether from web crawlers or other forms of training for AI models. Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response, including any legislative proposals.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the competitiveness of the UK creative industry.

As set out in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper published in 2024, the UK's creative industries are world-leading, with the UK, according to UN Trade and Development statistics, being the third largest creative services exporter globally (behind Ireland and the United States).While the Department for Business and Trade has not made a formal assessment of the competitiveness of the UK creative industry, in 2023, the UK, according to UN Trade and Development statistics, was the tenth largest exporter of creative goods and according to Department for Culture, Media and Sport statistics contributed an estimated £124 billion to the UK economy, accounting for 5.2 per cent of UK gross value added.The forthcoming Industrial Strategy aims to leverage the sector's global comparative advantages to unlock private investment, boost exports and develop its highly skilled workforce.

What consultation process her Department undertook with (a) refugee advocacy organisations and (b) other stakeholders prior to implementing the changes to the Good Character: caseworker guidance.

We keep all aspects of the immigration system under review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that home-schooled students have access to laboratory facilities for required practical assessments in A-Level science subjects.

Parents who choose to home educate their children assume full responsibility for that education, as a state-funded place is available for every child.The decision to home educate must be an informed one, with full awareness of potential challenges and the associated costs. Parents should consider and plan in advance how and where their child can access exams and any written or practical assessments for their chosen subject(s).Exam centres, such as schools and colleges, deliver exams on behalf of exam boards, and rightly take their own decisions on whether they can accept private candidates based on their own individual circumstances, such as how big their exam halls are. Private candidates includes home educated students, but also adults and others.The department has worked with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JQC), who have created a centre search function on JCQ’s website, which enables any private candidate, including home educated students, to locate the nearest centre available to sit their A level science exams. Parents or private candidates should contact these centres, and any other private or local centres, to discuss whether they are able to accommodate private candidates taking both their exams and practical assessments.Local authorities have existing oversight responsibilities for home educating children and must make arrangements to identify children in their areas who are of compulsory school age, but who are not in school and not receiving a suitable education. To support local authorities, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced by the government in December 2024, includes measures to introduce a compulsory Children Not in School registration system in each local authority area in England. It also includes accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers to provide information for local authority registers.As part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department is also, for the first time, introducing a duty on local authorities to support home educating families on their Children Not in School registers. This new duty means that, when requested to do so by the parent, local authorities must provide advice and information relating to the child’s education. This could include, for example, advice and information about how to access and navigate the exams system or signposting to educational resources. This new support duty will, for the first time, ensure an established baseline level of support across all English local authorities to ensure that wherever home educating families live they have access to a reliable level of support from their local authority.Some local authorities may choose to offer support that goes beyond this baseline. However, this remains a decision for each local authority in respect of their individual circumstances.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for (a) speech and language therapy, (b) occupational therapy and (c) other therapy services for SEND students in schools.

The department recognises the impact that long waits to access speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and other therapy services can have on children, their families and carers. The department is committed to reducing these long waits and improving timely access to therapy services, working closely with DHSC and NHS England.The department is 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. We are also continuing to build the pipeline of future therapists by introducing the speech and language level 6-degree apprenticeship. This is now in its third year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a speech and language therapist.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of private examination centres offering full practical assessments for A-Level science students.

Parents who choose to home educate their children assume full responsibility for that education, as a state-funded place is available for every child.The decision to home educate must be an informed one, with full awareness of potential challenges and the associated costs. Parents should consider and plan in advance how and where their child can access exams and any written or practical assessments for their chosen subject(s).Exam centres, such as schools and colleges, deliver exams on behalf of exam boards, and rightly take their own decisions on whether they can accept private candidates based on their own individual circumstances, such as how big their exam halls are. Private candidates includes home educated students, but also adults and others.The department has worked with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JQC), who have created a centre search function on JCQ’s website, which enables any private candidate, including home educated students, to locate the nearest centre available to sit their A level science exams. Parents or private candidates should contact these centres, and any other private or local centres, to discuss whether they are able to accommodate private candidates taking both their exams and practical assessments.Local authorities have existing oversight responsibilities for home educating children and must make arrangements to identify children in their areas who are of compulsory school age, but who are not in school and not receiving a suitable education. To support local authorities, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced by the government in December 2024, includes measures to introduce a compulsory Children Not in School registration system in each local authority area in England. It also includes accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers to provide information for local authority registers.As part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department is also, for the first time, introducing a duty on local authorities to support home educating families on their Children Not in School registers. This new duty means that, when requested to do so by the parent, local authorities must provide advice and information relating to the child’s education. This could include, for example, advice and information about how to access and navigate the exams system or signposting to educational resources. This new support duty will, for the first time, ensure an established baseline level of support across all English local authorities to ensure that wherever home educating families live they have access to a reliable level of support from their local authority.Some local authorities may choose to offer support that goes beyond this baseline. However, this remains a decision for each local authority in respect of their individual circumstances.

Whether she plans to establish a system of designated (a) schools and (b) colleges offering practical science support for external candidates.

Parents who choose to home educate their children assume full responsibility for that education, as a state-funded place is available for every child.The decision to home educate must be an informed one, with full awareness of potential challenges and the associated costs. Parents should consider and plan in advance how and where their child can access exams and any written or practical assessments for their chosen subject(s).Exam centres, such as schools and colleges, deliver exams on behalf of exam boards, and rightly take their own decisions on whether they can accept private candidates based on their own individual circumstances, such as how big their exam halls are. Private candidates includes home educated students, but also adults and others.The department has worked with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JQC), who have created a centre search function on JCQ’s website, which enables any private candidate, including home educated students, to locate the nearest centre available to sit their A level science exams. Parents or private candidates should contact these centres, and any other private or local centres, to discuss whether they are able to accommodate private candidates taking both their exams and practical assessments.Local authorities have existing oversight responsibilities for home educating children and must make arrangements to identify children in their areas who are of compulsory school age, but who are not in school and not receiving a suitable education. To support local authorities, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced by the government in December 2024, includes measures to introduce a compulsory Children Not in School registration system in each local authority area in England. It also includes accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers to provide information for local authority registers.As part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department is also, for the first time, introducing a duty on local authorities to support home educating families on their Children Not in School registers. This new duty means that, when requested to do so by the parent, local authorities must provide advice and information relating to the child’s education. This could include, for example, advice and information about how to access and navigate the exams system or signposting to educational resources. This new support duty will, for the first time, ensure an established baseline level of support across all English local authorities to ensure that wherever home educating families live they have access to a reliable level of support from their local authority.Some local authorities may choose to offer support that goes beyond this baseline. However, this remains a decision for each local authority in respect of their individual circumstances.

What steps her Department is taking to improve SEND training within initial teacher training programmes and ongoing professional development.

​​The initial teacher training (ITT) core content framework and early career framework (ECF), for trainee and early career teachers (ECTs) respectively, cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career. They set out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching and, from September 2025, will be superseded by the combined initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF), which sets out a minimum entitlement to training and must be used by providers of ITT and those delivering provider-led early career training to create their curricula. From September 2025, all ECTs will be entitled to a two-year induction that is underpinned by the ITTECF, known as the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE).​High quality teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or from disadvantaged backgrounds, and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils receive excellent support from their teachers. The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.The department’s review of content for the ITTECF paid particular attention to the needs of trainees and ECTs when supporting pupils with SEND. There is now significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, some of which has been adapted from the new national professional qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators to be relevant for trainees and ECTs.The department has updated the framework to improve inclusivity for SEND throughout the framework including, for example, developing an understanding of different pupil needs, and learning how to provide opportunities for success for all pupils. From September 2025, the department has also enhanced the requirement on providers of ECT training to develop SEND training materials. The department tested this approach with SEND educational experts, with consensus being that the approach of ‘quality-first teaching’ would be the best way to improve outcomes for all children, particularly those with SEND.The department recognises that continuous improvement is essential and has recently committed to a full review of the ECTE in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support for ECTs. This review will focus on the support we provide new teachers in teaching pupils with SEND.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recent funding reductions to Prevent in Greater Manchester; and what plans she has to review long-term funding allocations for the programme.

All local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales have a statutory responsibility to deliver the Prevent duty as laid out in the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The duty has been in place for ten years and is well-embedded within local authority structures, including in the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester.Each year we carefully consider funding for the Prevent programme and lead an annual prioritisation process to determine those local authorities of highest threat and risk. This prioritisation process draws on a range of data sets and insights from national and local partners. In the next financial year, we will provide funding for specialist Prevent posts in the 27 highest risk priority local authority areas to help them to go above and beyond the normal requirements of the Prevent duty. In approximately 90% of local authorities, the Prevent Duty is implemented without that additional funding.In Greater Manchester, we will provide funding to Manchester City Council for four dedicated Prevent posts as well as funding for project delivery. One of these posts will support the regional delivery of Prevent across Greater Manchester. In addition, access to significant wider funding is available through the centrally managed Preventing Radicalisation Fund for projects that aim to reduce radicalisation risks across the Greater Manchester region. Other support is also available to all local authorities including dedicated training materials and the expertise and guidance of specialist Home Office Prevent advisers based in each region.

What discussions she has had with exam boards on ensuring adequate provision of practical science assessments for private candidates.

Parents who choose to home educate their children assume full responsibility for that education, as a state-funded place is available for every child.The decision to home educate must be an informed one, with full awareness of potential challenges and the associated costs. Parents should consider and plan in advance how and where their child can access exams and any written or practical assessments for their chosen subject(s).Exam centres, such as schools and colleges, deliver exams on behalf of exam boards, and rightly take their own decisions on whether they can accept private candidates based on their own individual circumstances, such as how big their exam halls are. Private candidates includes home educated students, but also adults and others.The department has worked with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JQC), who have created a centre search function on JCQ’s website, which enables any private candidate, including home educated students, to locate the nearest centre available to sit their A level science exams. Parents or private candidates should contact these centres, and any other private or local centres, to discuss whether they are able to accommodate private candidates taking both their exams and practical assessments.Local authorities have existing oversight responsibilities for home educating children and must make arrangements to identify children in their areas who are of compulsory school age, but who are not in school and not receiving a suitable education. To support local authorities, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced by the government in December 2024, includes measures to introduce a compulsory Children Not in School registration system in each local authority area in England. It also includes accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers to provide information for local authority registers.As part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department is also, for the first time, introducing a duty on local authorities to support home educating families on their Children Not in School registers. This new duty means that, when requested to do so by the parent, local authorities must provide advice and information relating to the child’s education. This could include, for example, advice and information about how to access and navigate the exams system or signposting to educational resources. This new support duty will, for the first time, ensure an established baseline level of support across all English local authorities to ensure that wherever home educating families live they have access to a reliable level of support from their local authority.Some local authorities may choose to offer support that goes beyond this baseline. However, this remains a decision for each local authority in respect of their individual circumstances.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the continuation of a community eating disorders service in Stockport following the planned closure of the existing service at Oakwood House on 31 March 2025.

Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) will continue to commission adult community eating disorders for the residents of Stockport and is working to agree arrangements with an alternative National Health Service provider given the planned closure of Oakwood House. The plan is for the replacement service to offer National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-compliant evidence-based services for eating disorders, in addition to a physical health pathway and medical monitoring, which is currently not delivered by Oakwood Psychology Services.The ICB has put in place plans to manage the transition between services, including exit planning meetings with Oakwood who are continuing treatments and interventions with current patients on the caseload to handover a service with no waiting list. The ICB will be maintaining a log of all services’ users, with non- patient identifiable information, who will need to be transferred to the new provider and have the right information governance processes in place. Oakwood will continue to offer advice and support to key referrers and stakeholders about any of their patients.