The Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011 states that the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) Non-executive committee must appoint a person or body at least once in every 5-year period to review and report on the OBR.

The Chair of the OBR Oversight Board formally commissioned the third external review on 24 May 2024 which was published on 10 February 2025.

The OBR’s external reviews are published on the OBR’s website. https://obr.uk/about-the-obr/external-reviews/

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) received two evidence review reports about screening for prostate cancer and is considering them alongside experts. Subject to no further revisions being required, a public consultation will start this calendar year. This will run for three months as usual, and the UK NSC will then make a recommendation on prostate cancer screening. Once the recommendation is made, ministers will consider whether to accept it or not.

The Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011 states that the Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR's) Non-executive committee must appoint a person or body at least once in every 5-year period to review and report on the OBR.

The Chair of the Oversight Board for the OBR formally commissioned the third external review on 24 May 2024 which is published on the OBR’s website: https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/Third-OBR-external-review_commissioning-letter_24-May-2024.pdf.

Previous external reviews are published on the OBR’s website. https://obr.uk/about-the-obr/external-reviews/

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government and decisions about its coverage of US Presidential elections are therefore a matter for the BBC.

The BBC has a duty to deliver impartial and accurate news coverage and content under its Royal Charter. The Charter also specifically sets out that the BBC must observe high standards of openness and seek to maximise transparency and accountability.

The existing Charter is due to expire on 31 December 2027. We are in the early stages of preparation for the upcoming Charter Review which we expect to launch in 2025. We will ensure we take all relevant views into account as part of the review.

The next Charter Review has to ensure the BBC doesn’t just survive but thrives for decades to come. The existing Charter is due to expire on 31 December 2027. DCMS is in the early stages of preparation for the upcoming Charter Review, which we expect to launch in 2025.

The report of the Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) thematic review titled 'A thematic review of probation recall culture and practice' was published in November 2020. This was the second part of the review which the Secretary of State had asked the Chief Inspector of Probation to undertake, following the conviction of Joseph McCann for a series of sexual offences committed in 2019. A link to the report is here: A thematic review of probation recall culture and practice (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk).

In December 2023, following a commission by the Secretary of State to the Inspectorate in response to the Justice Select Committee IPP inquiry report, HMIP published a report titled ‘A thematic inspection of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) recall decisions’. A link to this report is here: A thematic inspection of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) recall decisions (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk).

In both reports, the Inspectorate found that the Probation Service were taking proportionate and necessary decisions to recall offenders on licence for public protection.

The Department remains committed to the UK Measles and Rubella elimination strategy and is supporting the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England to refresh an implementation plan that includes short-, medium- and long-term actions related to key areas in the Strategy for England. The effectiveness of this strategy is continuously reviewed, including through regular publications of uptake data and attitudinal surveys.

I think that I have made my views on this subject clear. The BBC has a 10-point plan in relation to impartiality, but it is absolutely important that it maintains impartiality so that the public retain trust in it.

The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch is aiming to publish its report in September 2021.

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) three-month public consultation on prostate cancer screening/prostate specific antigen testing in men over the age of 50 closed on the 21 September 2020. The responses are being carefully reviewed internally and with the external reviewer before this is submitted to the UK NSC to make a final recommendation.

Information about the outcome of the 2020 evidence review and the recommendation on prostate screening is estimated to be completed by December 2020. It will be updated and be made available at the following link:

https://legacyscreening.phe.org.uk/prostatecancer

As detailed in the Defence Safety Authority (DSA) Charter, the Director General DSA prepares and submits an Annual Assurance Report for consideration by the Permanent Secretary, as chair of the Defence Health, Safety and Environment Protection (HS&EP) Committee, prior to consideration by the Defence Board and final approval by the Secretary of State for Defence. This yearly report provides the Secretary of State for Defence with independent assurance that Defence policy for HS&EP is being promoted and implemented. In addition, an independent audit of the DSA is planned for 2023 to provide assurance of the continuing effectiveness of the DSA.

The Government is committed to ensuring that businesses and infrastructure projects have access to the finance they need.

In March 2019, the Government launched the Infrastructure Finance Review, to examine how it can best support infrastructure investment in the future. The review will be concluded in the Autumn.

We have always been committed to evaluating Bereavement Support Payment, but we need to ensure that we have enough information to assess all aspects of the policy, so that the review is meaningful. As BSP was introduced in 2017 and is payable in 18 monthly instalments we are only now reaching a point that we have sufficient data. We will set a date for publication of the review in due course.

The Electronic Communications Code (ECC) was recently reformed as part of the Digital Economy Act 2017. These reforms were intended to reduce the cost of providing communications infrastructure and make it easier for operators to deploy such infrastructure. The new Code came into force on 28 December 2017.

The Regulatory Impact Assessment published by Government estimated that the ECC reforms could lead to a reduction in average market rents (as compared to rates agreed before reforms to the ECC). However, the eventual impact is difficult to predict during this period of transition in which operators and site providers adapt to the new legislation.

During this period, where the market is adjusting and settling, good working relationships between site providers and code operators are critical, and we encourage all parties to continue their efforts to reach mutually acceptable agreements. A joint statement released in August reaffirmed the commitment made by DCMS, industry, CLA and RICS to work collaboratively to implement the ECC.

My Department will continue to work with stakeholders, including representatives from industry, landowners, representative bodies and Ofcom, to inform the implementation of the new Code. We will monitor developments carefully and, as outlined in the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/732496/Future_Telecoms_Infrastructure_Review.pdf) will consider a formal review of the impact of the ECC reforms.

The Department is continuing to review stakeholder feedback to the UK’s National Maritime Single Window (NMSW) pilot exercise in conjunction with our Government partners.

Further upgrades to the system are being made to improve usability and access to data by the appropriate authorities as a result. Until testing on these upgrades is completed the NMSW will remain in its pilot phase.

The Government will continue to keep electoral legislation, for all non-devolved polls, under review and consider what changes, if any, may be required before the next General Election.

The Government has no plans to undertake such a review. Relevant to postal and proxy working more generally, the Government responded to the Review in December 2016, addressing each of the concerns raised in turn, setting out a number of measures for tackling the risk of fraud. The Government is considering the way forward on the recommendations made by Sir Eric Pickles, a number of which relate to absent voting, and will continue to consider how to improve the integrity of electoral processes more generally.

Changes to electoral law in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

The Equality Act 2010 (Amendment) Regulations 2012 currently require HM Treasury to review the implementation of the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services in respect of insurance services, before 21 December 2017.