In 2018, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence issued new guidance called “Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management”, which aims to improve hearing loss services, including the provision of hearing aids. The guidance brings together evidence, standards, guidance and case studies to encourage best practice across England.

The Government Equalities Office has not provided direct funding to Mermaids. Mermaids were allocated funding through the LGBT Consortium on the Anti-homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying programme 2016-2019 and this funding ceased at the end of the programme in March 2019. A separate extension to this programme was retendered from January 2019 to March 2020 and Mermaids did not receive any funding through this process.

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues. We would prefer to leave the European Union with a deal, but if it is not possible, we will leave without a deal, and the Government are committed to preparing for this outcome .

The only method of legally changing gender is through the process set out in the Gender Recognition Act 2004. This involves applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate, which can then be used to obtain a new birth certificate. This process is only open to those aged 18 and over.

Medical transition is governed by the NHS, and surgery is not available to those under the age of 18. Cross-sex hormones can only be prescribed under strict clinical supervison from the age of 16.

Social transition, such as changing the name you are known by, and the pronouns you use, can be done by anyone at any age, and is often subject to a discussion between a child and their parents if it happens before age 18.

In making a decision to deport a person, the Home Office is required to take into account a range of factors including whether removal could be contrary to the Human Rights Act 1998. If the individual will be imprisoned and prison conditions are such that they would be considered a violation of their human rights, they will not be deported.
The Home Office does not disclose country specific information regarding deportation of foreign national offenders as its disclosure could prejudice relations between the UK and foreign governments.

​The Department has published guidance to help schools understand how the Equality Act affects them and how to fulfil their duties under the Act. This includes a duty on schools not to discriminate unlawfully due to the protected characteristic of gender reassignment. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools.

As part of the Government’s LGBT Action Plan, the Department has committed to ensuring that schools have access to the guidance they need to support LGBT pupils. This includes a commitment to updating the Equality Act guidance. Also, in the LGBT Action Plan is a commitment that Government Equalities Office will work with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to publish comprehensive guidance for schools on how to support transgender pupils.

The Department publishes guidance to help schools understand how the Equality Act affects them and how to fulfil their duties under the Act. This includes a duty on schools not to discriminate unlawfully due to the protected characteristics of sex and gender reassignment. As part of the Government’s LGBT Action Plan, the Department has committed to updating this guidance and this will be published in due course. The LGBT Action Plan contains a commitment that the Government Equalities Office will work with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to publish comprehensive guidance for schools on how to support transgender pupils. The Equality Act guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools.

The Department already publishes guidance for schools on setting school uniform policies. The guidance sets out that a school should ensure that their school uniform policy is fair and reasonable for all its students and that policies should be flexible enough to accommodate the different needs of pupils.

In making decisions about school uniform policy, and all other school policies, a school must have regard to its obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty. The school uniform guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.

In England and Wales, an organisation is a charity if it meets a number of legal tests; namely that it is established for exclusively charitable purposes for the public benefit and that it falls within the jurisdiction of the High Court regarding charities. The charitable status of an organisation is a matter of law and the Charity Commission cannot remove the charitable status of a charity if it meets the legal test. There are no plans to review the charitable status of Mermaids UK.

It is for individual Government departments to manage their own technology and telecommunications requirements in accordance with their business and security needs, including equipping their Ministers with appropriate ICT equipment. HMG takes the secure use of mobile phones very seriously and advice on how to securely manage mobile devices is published by the National Cyber Security Centre. Such information includes recommending the use of Android devices on the Android Enterprise Recommended (AER) list and for iOS, using supported devices with a Secure Enclave.

This Government has made clear on many occasions that we will never be neutral in expressing our support for the Union.

Northern Ireland benefits hugely from the Union and my steadfast belief is that Northern Ireland’s future is best served within a stronger United Kingdom.

The unemployment rate is at its lowest since the 1970s. We have record employment with more people in work than ever before, and wages have been rising faster than inflation for 13 months in a row.