Written questions by Franklin.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on the adequacy of the pace of its ongoing investigation of a suicide forum that grooms users to die by suicide.

The Secretary of State has been clear Ofcom has full backing to use its enforcement powers and welcomes its investigation into extremely harmful suicide forums. Ofcom’s provisional decision published on 27 February is clear that unless its concerns are fully addressed, it will consider using all of the powers available to it, including, in most serious cases of non-compliance, imposing business disruption measures. One of the first things the Secretary of State did in the job was to make self-harm a priority offence under the Online Safet Act, triggering the strongest possible legal protections. She has been clear she will not hesitate to go further if needed and regularly talks to Ofcom about ensuring enforcement is strong.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the sufficiency of Ofcom's sufficient powers and resources to tackle a specific website linked to over 135 UK deaths and to prevent future sites with the same nature.

The Secretary of State has been clear Ofcom has full backing to use its enforcement powers and welcomes its investigation into extremely harmful suicide forums. Ofcom’s provisional decision published on 27 February is clear that unless its concerns are fully addressed, it will consider using all of the powers available to it, including, in most serious cases of non-compliance, imposing business disruption measures. One of the first things the Secretary of State did in the job was to make self-harm a priority offence under the Online Safet Act, triggering the strongest possible legal protections. She has been clear she will not hesitate to go further if needed and regularly talks to Ofcom about ensuring enforcement is strong.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department has taken to help stop UK users accessing a suicide forum responsible for over 135 deaths in this country following her meeting action with a group of the bereaved families on 19 January 2026.

The Secretary of State has been clear Ofcom has full backing to use its enforcement powers and welcomes its investigation into extremely harmful suicide forums. Ofcom’s provisional decision published on 27 February is clear that unless its concerns are fully addressed, it will consider using all of the powers available to it, including, in most serious cases of non-compliance, imposing business disruption measures. One of the first things the Secretary of State did in the job was to make self-harm a priority offence under the Online Safet Act, triggering the strongest possible legal protections. She has been clear she will not hesitate to go further if needed and regularly talks to Ofcom about ensuring enforcement is strong.

What assessment he has made of regional variation in access to children’s hospice services; and what steps he is taking to ensure equitable provision across England.

Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including children and young people’s hospices, also play in providing support to children at the end of life, as well as their loved ones.We recognise that there is variation in access to children and young people’s hospice services across England. This reflects a range of factors, including the way in which the independent hospice sector has historically developed, which was largely not planned with a view to ensure even geographical coverage or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. However, it is worth recognising that hospices are not the sole providers of palliative care and end of life care, much of which is provided by NHS statutory services.Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.We supported the hospice sector in England with a £125 million capital funding boost for adult, and children and young people’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are also providing approximately £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices over three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, giving them the stability they need to plan ahead.For the long-term, the Government is developing a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care for England, with a planned publication date of Autumn 2026. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, and we will also consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of this work.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to help prevent noise-induced hearing damage and tinnitus at live music events; and whether he is considering (a) guidance and (b) regulation to promote safe listening standards.

There is no specific legislation setting limits for the audience exposure to noise and the Government has no plans to legislate further in this area at present. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides advice for when noise levels are expected to exceed certain levels and recommends that audiences are advised of this in advance of the event either on tickets, advertising for the event, or on notices at entry points. HSE is in the process of updating its operational guidance for Local Authority health and safety enforcement teams for noise in music and entertainment venues. Local authorities have responsibility for enforcing noise levels to ensure events are appropriately managed and have minimal adverse impact on the community and those attending. Large scale events such as festivals will often present an Event Safety Management Plan that is reviewed by the local authority as part of the licensing process. The local authority will also place conditions on an event’s Premises Licence in relation to maximum noise levels, timings and durations. Complaints about specific events or venues can be raised with the organiser directly and/or raised with the relevant local authority.

Media and Sport, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on reducing VAT for grassroots music venues.

The Government keeps all tax policy under review, however we have no current plans to introduce a temporary cut to Value Added Tax (VAT) on tickets based on venue capacity. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20% standard rate applies to most goods and services. Any request for new reliefs must be considered within the context of the Government receiving numerous requests for VAT relief from different sectors every year.The Government recognises the economic and cultural importance of grassroots music venues and the wider music sector to the UK. We will soon publish a Music Plan, drawing together all that the Government is doing to support the music industry, including grassroots music venues. This includes a Music Growth Package of up to £30 million, which will provide further government support to grassroots venues, by fostering domestic growth, talent development, and music exports. To further support grassroots venues, the Government has announced that in 2026-27, all live music venues will benefit from a 15% business rates relief on top of the support announced at Budget 2025. Their bills will then be frozen in real terms for a further two years to allow the vital infrastructure that showcases our vibrant music industry to continue to thrive.

What assessment she has made the potential merits of a temporary cut to VAT, based on grassroots music venue capacity, to stimulate grassroots music activity.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the standard rate applies to most goods and services, including event tickets. VAT is charged on the total price paid by the consumer, and any additional charges or levies applied prior to sale would generally form part of the taxable amount. Tax breaks, such as reduced VAT rates, reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.

What assessment she has made of the potential cost of obtaining certified copies of death certificates from the General Register Office; and whether she has plans to review those fees.

Civil registration fees, including those for issuing certificates, are set at a level to recover the full cost of delivering the service in line with HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money Principles. All fees are reviewed to prevent them falling below cost recovery levels; the fee for a certificate was last increased in May 2024.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the value for money of Government-funded AI training courses.

The government is committed to building a digitally skilled workforce to support long-term economic growth, drive innovation and expand individual opportunity. As part of this ambition, DSIT has launched the AI Skills Boost campaign to upskill 10 million workers in AI skills by 2030, and our industry partners deliver these courses at no cost to government. Since June 2025, this initiative has delivered more than 1 million free AI training courses to workers across the UK, and the Government continues to track delivery.The government runs monitoring & evaluation for all government-funded AI training courses to track participation and assess the delivery and impact of funded programmes. This includes the AI and Data Science Conversion Courses, the Flexible AI Upskilling Fund pilot, and several digital apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps that offer AI-related training courses. Given the nascency of the sector, monitoring and evaluation of most of these programmes is currently ongoing. Data on participation and completion rates for these apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps can be found on the Explore Education Statistics GOV.UK Service.

What consideration she has given to the VAT treatment of the proposed grassroots ticket levy on arena and stadium concerts.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the standard rate applies to most goods and services, including event tickets. VAT is charged on the total price paid by the consumer, and any additional charges or levies applied prior to sale would generally form part of the taxable amount. Tax breaks, such as reduced VAT rates, reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.

Innovation and Technology, what data her Department holds on participation and completion rates for Government-funded AI training courses.

The government is committed to building a digitally skilled workforce to support long-term economic growth, drive innovation and expand individual opportunity. As part of this ambition, DSIT has launched the AI Skills Boost campaign to upskill 10 million workers in AI skills by 2030, and our industry partners deliver these courses at no cost to government. Since June 2025, this initiative has delivered more than 1 million free AI training courses to workers across the UK, and the Government continues to track delivery.The government runs monitoring & evaluation for all government-funded AI training courses to track participation and assess the delivery and impact of funded programmes. This includes the AI and Data Science Conversion Courses, the Flexible AI Upskilling Fund pilot, and several digital apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps that offer AI-related training courses. Given the nascency of the sector, monitoring and evaluation of most of these programmes is currently ongoing. Data on participation and completion rates for these apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps can be found on the Explore Education Statistics GOV.UK Service.

Whether she will take steps to ensure that VAT collected on the grassroots ticket levy does not reduce funding intended for grassroots music venues.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the standard rate applies to most goods and services, including event tickets. VAT is charged on the total price paid by the consumer, and any additional charges or levies applied prior to sale would generally form part of the taxable amount. Tax breaks, such as reduced VAT rates, reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release "Housebuilding around train stations will be given default yes" published on 18 November 2025, whether he pans to define the areas around railway stations that will fall within the proposed presumption in favour of development near transport hubs.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 122451 on 1 April 2026.

Whether she has considered introducing reduced fees or fee waivers for additional copies of death certificates purchased at the same time.

Civil registration fees, including those for issuing certificates, are set at a level to recover the full cost of delivering the service in line with HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money Principles.Registration officials can waive, reduce, or refund any fee in exceptional circumstances due to hardship or for compassionate reasons.

Innovation and Technology, what processes are in place to assess the performance of external providers commissioned to deliver Government-funded AI training courses.

The government is committed to building a digitally skilled workforce to support long-term economic growth, drive innovation and expand individual opportunity. As part of this ambition, DSIT has launched the AI Skills Boost campaign to upskill 10 million workers in AI skills by 2030, and our industry partners deliver these courses at no cost to government. Since June 2025, this initiative has delivered more than 1 million free AI training courses to workers across the UK, and the Government continues to track delivery.The government runs monitoring & evaluation for all government-funded AI training courses to track participation and assess the delivery and impact of funded programmes. This includes the AI and Data Science Conversion Courses, the Flexible AI Upskilling Fund pilot, and several digital apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps that offer AI-related training courses. Given the nascency of the sector, monitoring and evaluation of most of these programmes is currently ongoing. Data on participation and completion rates for these apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps can be found on the Explore Education Statistics GOV.UK Service.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment has been made of Ofcom’s ability to implement interim business disruption measures; and whether it is her assessment that that this system is proving effective at preventing illegal content online.

Ofcom’s online safety budget and expert team ensure its duties can be performed effectively. Ofcom has spent approximately £281.3 million on online safety since 2020, including a projected spend of £92 million for 2025/26.The Online Safety Act provides Ofcom with a range of enforcement powers, including business disruption measures, which can include fast tracked interim service restriction orders or access restriction orders, where necessary. These measures are sanctions of last resort, available where serious non‑compliance persists.The Secretary of State has written to Ofcom to underline the Government’s full support for the regulator using all the powers Parliament has provided it.Ofcom is independent, and early enforcement activity is already helping to prevent and address illegal content online.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the extent to which leaseholders are protected from unreasonable service charges and other costs passed on by freeholders.

On 4 July 2025, the government published a consultation, jointly with the Welsh Government, on strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services. The consultation included proposals to increase transparency over service charges and enhance access to redress through the relevant provisions in the Act. It also proposed new reforms the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. It closed on 26 September 2025, and we are analysing responses with a view to bringing the relevant measures into force as quickly as possible.In addition, the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act, which came into effect on 28 June 2022, place caps on how much can be charged to leaseholders for certain historical life-critical safety defects. Guidance for leaseholders on those protections can be found on gov.uk here.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Science and Technology Facilities Council on proposed reductions to funding for astronomy and space science; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of such reductions on (a) the UK’s international standing in these fields and (b) early career researchers.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years. This includes £38.6 billion allocated to UKRI. The overall Government spend on R&D over the next 4 years is £86 billion. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) within UKRI has a flat budget across this period and is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its overall portfolio including in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics (PPAN). The impacts of different modelled scenarios across the broad and diverse range of STFC-funded facilities and programmes will be considered alongside feedback from the sector when taking final decisions. The current level of post-doctoral researchers and flow of PhD students will be maintained across the SR period. DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its specific investment decisions are informed by meaningful engagement with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability, research institutions and international standing.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework on the ability of charitable housing providers to meet housing delivery requirements.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, did not propose to amend the NPPF definition of affordable housing to include almshouses that are not registered providers.The consultation did, however, invite views on a range of proposals to better support the provision of social and affordable housing.We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of national planning policy in supporting the delivery of adaptable housing.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals for local planning authorities to set requirements for the delivery of M4(2) and M4(3) housing that will meet or exceed their locally assessed need for these types of housing.In relation to M4(2) requirements, the government is proposing a national minimum that ensures at least 40% of new housing over the course of the plan period is delivered to M4(2) standards. This approach is intended to ensure that necessary levels of accessible housing are provided, while providing authorities with an appropriate degree of flexibility to maximise housebuilding overall.Through the consultation we sought views on these proposals, including whether 40% is the right minimum proportion or whether an alternative requirement is preferable, and on the potential impacts of our proposals on protected groups under the Public Sector Equality Duty.We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.