Ahead of Second Reading, the Department carried out standard preparations, including publishing an impact assessment and other bill products. That work has now ceased.

This Government is dedicated to breaking down barriers to economic opportunity for women and girls in every part of the country, including Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, and to national initiatives that address the gender pay gap.

Through policies including the Invest in Women Taskforce and the Investing in Women Code, we want women-led businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across Staffordshire to gain fair access to finance, angel investment and venture funding.

Currently, the national gender pay gap stands at 12.8%. The Office for National Statistics releases annual data on the national gender pay gap, including breakdowns by region and constituency, which can be accessed at:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/annualsurveyofhoursandearningsashegenderpaygaptables

As part of the Employment Rights Act, we have launched action plans encouraging large employers to publish not just what their gender pay gap is, but the concrete actions they are taking to address it, as well as how they are supporting employees experiencing menopause. These action plans will help employers to tackle the barriers that women face in the workplace and better harness their skills.

This Government is dedicated to breaking down barriers to economic opportunity for women and girls in every part of the country, including Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, and to national initiatives that address the gender pay gap.

Through policies including the Invest in Women Taskforce and the Investing in Women Code, we want women-led businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across Staffordshire to gain fair access to finance, angel investment and venture funding.

Currently, the national gender pay gap stands at 12.8%. The Office for National Statistics releases annual data on the national gender pay gap, including breakdowns by region and constituency, which can be accessed at:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/annualsurveyofhoursandearningsashegenderpaygaptables

As part of the Employment Rights Act, we have launched action plans encouraging large employers to publish not just what their gender pay gap is, but the concrete actions they are taking to address it, as well as how they are supporting employees experiencing menopause. These action plans will help employers to tackle the barriers that women face in the workplace and better harness their skills.

We are committed to delivering our manifesto commitment to introduce mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers.

This will provide transparency and vital data to help businesses identify and address ethnicity and disability pay gaps within their workforces. We are working on this urgently and will introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

We have also committed to making the right to equal pay effective for disabled people and those from ethnic minority groups. This will help fulfil our aim to ensure that hard work provides opportunities fairly. We recently launched a consultation on our equal pay and pay discrimination proposals to create legislation that works for everyone. The consultation will close on 27 October 2026.

These measures will help tackle pay disparities for ethnic minority groups and disabled people across Great Britain.

We are committed to delivering our manifesto commitment to introduce mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers.

This will provide transparency and vital data to help businesses identify and address ethnicity and disability pay gaps within their workforces. We are working on this urgently and will introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

We have also committed to making the right to equal pay effective for disabled people and those from ethnic minority groups. This will help fulfil our aim to ensure that hard work provides opportunities fairly. We recently launched a consultation on our equal pay and pay discrimination proposals to create legislation that works for everyone. The consultation will close on 27 October 2026.

These measures will help tackle pay disparities for ethnic minority groups and disabled people across Great Britain.

Since the Autumn Budget 2024 DWP has committed to delivering gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030-31 from fraud, error and debt activity

In 2026, the Department has continued to strengthen its approach to tackling fraud and error across the welfare system through increased operational activity, the use of new powers, and targeted interventions to identify incorrect claims. These activities include:

- investments to deploy up to 3,000 additional staff within counter fraud teams,

- delivering the extension of Targeted Case Reviews (TCR) in Universal Credit to check accuracy of claims at risk of being incorrect,

- introducing Pension Credit Claim Reviews (PCCR) to check claims at risk of being incorrect,

- the implementation of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 (PAFER) which introduces new powers to better identify, prevent and deter fraud and error

- and continuing to seek prosecutions in the courts for those who commit benefit fraud.

Overall, levels of benefit fraud are the lowest since the pandemic and currently stand at 2.2%, compared to a peak of 3.0% in FYE 2022.

The Church Commissioners have indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Church Commissioners have indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Church Commissioners have indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Government is committed to strengthening young people’s participation in democratic processes and decision-making. Through the Be Seen and Heard chapter of Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy, we set out our ambition to strengthen young people’s participation in decision-making at both national and local levels.

This Government has committed to lowering the voting age to 16 for all elections, ensuring young people have the information and support they need to participate fully in the democratic process, and establishing new Youth Councils across England. We will also test and learn from different approaches to involving young people in local funding decisions.

Over the summer, my Department has worked directly with young people and the youth sector to understand what support young people need to influence decisions at both national and local levels. Their views will inform the development of our youth empowerment programmes and help ensure that young people can participate meaningfully as more decisions are taken closer to local communities.

My Department is also supporting the UK Youth Parliament during 2026/27. This provides young people from across the UK with opportunities to represent their peers, campaign on the issues that matter to them, and make their voices heard by decision-makers, including through its annual sitting in the House of Commons.

Loneliness is not just an individual struggle; it is a national challenge that we must solve together. Through our cross-government Social Connection For All programme, we are supporting those most at risk of loneliness, including older people, so everyone has the social connections they need to thrive.

The UK and EU committed to cultural exchange at the UK-EU Summit in May 2025. The government is dedicated to improving touring conditions for creative professionals across the UK, including Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire.

DCMS Ministers and officials, UK Ambassadors and FCDO officials regularly engage with the European Commission and EU Member States to support cross-border touring. This has yielded practical improvements, including visa-free short stays in Croatia since 21 February 2025. More broadly, most EU Member States offer visa and work permit free routes for at least 30 days, with many others offering up to 90 days, including the UK’s biggest touring markets (e.g. France, Germany, Spain).

We continue to pursue these solutions through high-level channels – including my co-chairing of the UK-European Commission High-Level Meeting on Culture with Commissioner Glenn Micallef on 24 March 2026 – and we look forward to further progressing this meaningful dialogue at the next UK-EU Summit once a date is confirmed.

The UK remains committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all around the world, including in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The right to worship must be protected. The Government of Israel must work with religious communities to facilitate worship in Jerusalem in line with the status quo.

The UK Government is acutely aware of the importance of the UK-Ireland relationship. Since taking office, the Secretary of State has continued to build on the reset in relations. In August, he travelled to Dublin to meet with Irish Government counterparts, and held bilateral discussions with Minister McEntee at the recent British Irish Association conference in Oxford.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has assessed that modern digital technologies can enhance existing processes and support more efficient case handling. Through its Future Casework Tools programme, the CPS is modernising systems to improve the casework experience and reduce the time required to review case files. The CPS is also working with His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service on initiatives such as digital jury bundles, which aim to increase transparency, accessibility and efficiency in court proceedings.

The CPS has further assessed that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to deliver substantial efficiency gains by assisting with routine administrative tasks. This can enable prosecutors and other specialists to devote more time to complex legal work and decision-making. The CPS published its AI Vision in July 2025, setting out how AI can be used to drive efficiencies in a legal, safe and ethical manner, while ensuring responsible use, transparency and coordination across the criminal justice system.

The Government is committed to tackling poverty and recognises that good work is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of poverty. Supporting people to move into work, remain in work and increase their earnings is therefore central to our approach. No assessment has been made of the impact of employment support measures on poverty levels at constituency or county level.

Through the Get Britain Working programme, we are reforming employment, health and skills support to help people overcome barriers to employment, move into good work and progress in their careers. We are also transforming employment support through the Jobs and Careers Service, providing more personalised support tailored to individual circumstances and local labour market needs.

In addition, the Pathways to Work Guarantee will provide tailored employment support for people with health conditions, while the Youth Guarantee will ensure that every young person aged 16 to 24 has access to the support and opportunities they need to get into work or education. Over the next three years, the Government will invest £2.5 billion to help young people build skills, gain experience and progress into employment or further learning. This investment will support almost one million young people and unlock up to 500,000 jobs, training and learning opportunities.

DWP works closely with local partners, including Local Authorities, to help people identify their needs, skills and career goals. We actively work with Staffordshire County Council, colleges and training providers to connect people with opportunities such as apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps, vacancies and DWP Sector-based Work Academy Programmes.

DWP also broker work experience placements with a range of local employers for people to access and develop their readiness for the world of work.

In Newcastle-under-Lyme, people can access DWP-funded programmes delivered through local authorities, including Connect to Work. This programme is delivered by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, the Growth Company and local voluntary organisations. It offers personalised support to help people overcome barriers to work, build skills and confidence, and move into jobs, training or further opportunities.

In April 2026, Staffordshire received £2.3 million from the Future Ready Fund. This three-year programme, delivered by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Careers Hub, will help more than 375 people. It will offer work experience, opportunities to meet employers, and careers advice to support them into education, training, or employment.

The County Council has also published its Skills for Growth Plan. This includes a £150 million programme to improve skills and training across Staffordshire. So far, £40 million has been secured, and a further £110 million is being sought to increase education and training opportunities for people aged 16 and over, improve careers support, and help more people move into work.