The Gambling Commission is responsible for regulating society lotteries and Local Authority lotteries under the Gambling Act 2005.

Society lotteries licensed by the Commission are required to publish information about their lotteries, including a breakdown (estimated or actual) of how they use proceeds. The Commission also outlines regulatory expectations for society lotteries, including ensuring information on prizes available to enable consumers to make an informed choice to participate in a lottery. This includes how proceeds are used, the likelihood of winning a prize, and how prizes are allocated.

Under the Gambling Act 2005, all society lotteries, whether subscription-based or those selling tickets for individual draws, are subject to per draw and annual sales limits.

The Gambling Commission is responsible for regulating the National Lottery under the National Lottery etc Act 1993, and non-commercial lotteries (such as society lotteries and Local Authority lotteries) under the Gambling Act 2005.

It is not within the Commission’s remit to regulate or licence syndicates as long as they operate in a specific way that avoids them being classed as “promoting a lottery” under the Gambling Act 2005. Consequently, the Commission does not mandate any requirements with regards to their operation.

The Government has no plans to make changes to the operation of syndicate lotteries.

In our manifesto we committed to raising teacher standards in higher education. Every student deserves the best possible quality from their investment. I am pleased to say that we are working closely with the education sector and providers to make sure that that quality is, first, across the board but also maintained.

Government works with Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC), National Energy System Operator (NESO) and DESNZ to issue early alerts, providing awareness calls as soon as severe activity is suspected and formal storm watches at least 12 hours before impact.

The UK is a global leader in space weather forecasting, MOSWOC deliver 24/7 forecasts to operators, including NESO, enabling timely protective actions.

NESO and industry are developing the Space Weather Industry Protocol to set out how forecasts are received and acted upon to manage electricity system risks.

The Government has robust contingency plans for major disruptions. While no plans exist specifically for a Carrington scale event, any large-scale outage would follow established national arrangements, including public preparedness guidance, Pre-Agreed Written Science (PAWS) scientific advice, and Cabinet Office planning to support access to essential services

We plan to consult on the subject content for the new natural history GCSE this year. The public consultation will be an opportunity to gather views on the proposed subject content before it is finalised.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report and the government’s response were published on 5 November 2025. We are working to ensure the natural history GCSE aligns with the Review’s recommendations, is high-quality, and distinct from other GCSEs such as geography and the sciences.

The Crown Prosecution Service makes prosecution decisions independently.

CPS prosecutors are committed to protecting the principles of free expression and to prosecuting objectively and fairly, in accordance with the two-stage test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

The design of the new forests will be led by delivery partners on the ground, so exact species mix is not known at this time. We know that the UK climate is more likely to experience frequent extreme weather events (such as summer droughts and winter storms) and therefore it is important for us to plant a wide range of tree species that will adapt to these future changes, in line with our National Adaptation Plan commitment to ensure new woodlands have current and future climate conditions considered in their design and species choice, whilst also being selected carefully on a site-by-site basis to suit multiple functions, such as recreation, flood management, timber production and wildlife habitat .

In December 2024, EDF announced the extension of the lifetime of Torness by a further 2 years until March 2030. As set out in our Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, nuclear will continue to play a key role in the energy system beyond 2030 with the continued operation of Sizewell B and delivery of new build projects such as Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C and advanced nuclear projects including GBE-N's SMR programme.

Energy security is a priority for the government. The Capacity Market is the UK Government’s main tool for ensuring continued security of electricity supply.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for the secure and efficient operation of the electricity system, including maintaining voltage stability across the network. NESO has the necessary tools, expertise, and statutory powers to fulfil this role and ensure the continued stability of the system.

As part of a project called the 'Yellow Trains Exercise', the Department has asked Network Rail to collect data related to mobile signal strengths (2G, 3G, 4G and 5G) along the rail network, using antennas mounted on the top of Network Rail’s yellow engineering trains (“the yellow trains”). We will use this data to understand where areas of intervention are needed based on the signal strength data collected and this will be used to inform policy making. We expect the exercise to be completed next year.

In addition to this, the Department was also successful in securing funding as part of the Spending Review to fit all mainline trains with Low Earth Orbit satellite technology to upgrade on-train Wi-fi.

This works by installing satellite panels on the roof of a train - either one or two depending on the length of the train and equipment on board the train coverts this satellite signal into a Wi-Fi connection for passengers.

Trials using LEO have proven this technology provides high speeds – up to 200 megabits per second, enabling passengers to receive a much better mobile connection through the on-train Wi-Fi than they receive today.

The Department has also been working with Network Rail to deliver improved connectivity on the rail network. Project Reach, which will renew fibre optic cables and address 4G / 5G mobile signals in key mainline tunnels and stations was signed 26 June 2025 between Network Rail, and telecoms companies, Neos Networks and Freshwave.

The Government notes the judgment in Lindsey Smith, R (on the application of) v The Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, and is considering any wider implications for the Civil Service.

Civil servants are expected to carry out their roles serving the government of the day in accordance with the core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality and the standards of behaviour set out in the Civil Service Code.

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers, police community support officers, police staff, designated officers and special constables leaving the police force as at 31 March each year in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin. However, this does not include a specific category for redundancies, and that information is not centrally held by the Home Office.

The department’s School Complaints Compliance Unit (SCCU) considers how maintained schools and academies handle complaints on behalf of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. For maintained schools, SCCU considers whether a school has dealt with a complaint in line with education legislation and any relevant statutory policies. If they find a maintained school has not acted reasonably under education law, and identify a practical action to take, they can instruct the school accordingly. These actions are usually a technical or procedural change in a school’s policy, to ensure they carry out their duties in line with education legislation. If the school does not make the required changes, sections 496 and 497 of the Education Act 1996 allow my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to intervene and issue a direction to the school.

The department does not hold data in relation to complaints about maintained schools prior to 2013. The table below shows the number of in scope complaints received by the SCCU about maintained schools. From 2013 to 31 August 2023, the SCCU did not record if complaints were from parents, but from 1 September 2023 onwards this has been recorded. No directions have been issued in relation to a complaint about a maintained school.

*Outcome data split under sections 496 and 497 is not recorded.

The department’s School Complaints Compliance Unit (SCCU) considers how maintained schools and academies handle complaints on behalf of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. For maintained schools, SCCU considers whether a school has dealt with a complaint in line with education legislation and any relevant statutory policies. If they find a maintained school has not acted reasonably under education law, and identify a practical action to take, they can instruct the school accordingly. These actions are usually a technical or procedural change in a school’s policy, to ensure they carry out their duties in line with education legislation. If the school does not make the required changes, sections 496 and 497 of the Education Act 1996 allow my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to intervene and issue a direction to the school.

The department does not hold data in relation to complaints about maintained schools prior to 2013. The table below shows the number of in scope complaints received by the SCCU about maintained schools. From 2013 to 31 August 2023, the SCCU did not record if complaints were from parents, but from 1 September 2023 onwards this has been recorded. No directions have been issued in relation to a complaint about a maintained school.

*Outcome data split under sections 496 and 497 is not recorded.

It is important that parents have a right of appeal when they disagree with a local authority’s decision to not revoke a School Attendance Order. Section 442 of the Education Act 1996 gives parents this right of appeal to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. If a person is convicted under section 443 of the Education Act, they may be able to appeal the decision of the magistrate through the criminal courts in the usual way. Section 437 does not provide for a specific parental appeal process, but the parent could apply for the School Attendance Order to be revoked under section 442.

The government is committed to ensuring that the section 442 process is as robust and transparent as possible for those parents who make use of it. However, we are unable to publish the requested information as it could potentially lead to the identification of individuals and the outcomes of these requests, which would go against the intentions behind the revocation process.

This potential for identification and outcomes is due to the low number of individuals who have requested the revocation of a School Attendance Order within the specified timeframe.

It is important that parents have a right of appeal when they disagree with a local authority’s decision to not revoke a School Attendance Order. Section 442 of the Education Act 1996 gives parents this right of appeal to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. If a person is convicted under section 443 of the Education Act, they may be able to appeal the decision of the magistrate through the criminal courts in the usual way. Section 437 does not provide for a specific parental appeal process, but the parent could apply for the School Attendance Order to be revoked under section 442.

The government is committed to ensuring that the section 442 process is as robust and transparent as possible for those parents who make use of it. However, we are unable to publish the requested information as it could potentially lead to the identification of individuals and the outcomes of these requests, which would go against the intentions behind the revocation process.

This potential for identification and outcomes is due to the low number of individuals who have requested the revocation of a School Attendance Order within the specified timeframe.

Since 1 January 2021, online marketplaces are required to register and account for VAT for supplies of low value imports of £135 or less facilitated by their platforms. Where an overseas seller sells goods located in the UK at the point of sale via an online marketplace, the online marketplace is liable for the VAT for goods of any value.

The Government is aware that some compliance challenges still persist and therefore recently announced it will explore the merits of reform to online marketplace liability. If any policy decisions are taken, their impact will be considered in the normal way.

The Nature Restoration Fund proposed in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would take a strategic approach to assessing environmental impacts and supporting nature recovery. This will reduce the need for costly project-level assessments while ensuring that every pound spent helps deliver our environmental goals as effectively as possible.

Through the Fund, developers will be able to discharge their environmental obligations at an earlier stage and through a simpler process, which will help to facilitate the earlier delivery of housing and other socially valuable development.

The impact assessment for the Bill contains the relevant data and sources that were used to support the conclusions in respect of the economic and social impact of the Nature Restoration Fund.

As I said, the Government announced significant place-based funding in the spending review. Part of that MHCLG funding was targeted specifically at helping homeless people.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Companies House (CH) are committed to preventing fraud and tax evasion by identifying and holding accountable corporate entities that attempt to evade their responsibilities and tax liabilities. The departments have strong relations, further strengthened by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (2023) and have developed a collective programme of activities to facilitate closer cooperation on company registrations and de-registrations, accounting and filing, and sharing risk intelligence and data.

There are no plans to add a Company Number field to the UK VAT Registration checker service, or a VAT Registration Number field to the Companies House online register. However, HMRC and CH will continue to work together to develop and implement further improvements to the way that businesses register as a company and register for corporation tax and VAT to reduce tax evasion and corporate fraud.

There are currently no plans to implement this. Food poisoning cases and other food safety or hygiene issues should be reported directly via the Food Standards Agency website, or directly to local authority food safety teams who are responsible for all types of food businesses in the area.