Under the last Labour Government, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding, letting down a generation of children. Thanks to this Conservative Government, that number now stands at nearly 90%. In the last year alone, 214,000 more children now attend good or outstanding schools, and I am delighted that this now includes the Lord Derby Academy in Knowsley, which

I visited last week. Our plan to give every child a world-class education is working. Labour has no plan. Remember that it has twice stood on a manifesto to abolish Ofsted. It is clear that every time Labour gets into power, children’s education suffers.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.

The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.

The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.

The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.

The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.

In 2018, we introduced a standard method for assessing local housing need. The standard method uses a formula to identify the minimum number of homes expected to be planned for, in a way which addresses projected household growth, affordability and historic under-supply.

The department publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing supply, with estimates of new homes delivered in each local authority, in each financial year since 2001-02, shown in Live Table 122 at the following link.

For earlier years, the department publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes estimates of new build completions, by local authority, in each financial year since 1980-81, shown in Live Table 253 at the following link.

Estimates of the number of houses completed by are not centrally collected by the department. However, approximately half of the data used to produce the house building statistics are supplied by the National House-Building Council. These data contain additional detail on the size and type of new homes being completed and can be used to provide annual estimates of the proportion of new build dwellings that are houses as opposed to flats. Annual estimates of the proportion of building control reported new build dwelling completions, in England that are purpose built houses, are shown in Live Table 254, at the following link.

Estimates of the number of local authority areas that have built homes for more than 100,000 people in the last 30 years are not centrally collected by the department.

The department publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing supply, with estimates of new homes delivered in each local authority, in each financial year since 2001-02, shown in Live Table 122 at the following link.

For earlier years, the department publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes estimates of new build completions, by local authority, in each financial year since 1980-81, shown in Live Table 253 at the following link.

Estimates of the number of houses completed by are not centrally collected by the department. However, approximately half of the data used to produce the house building statistics are supplied by the National House-Building Council. These data contain additional detail on the size and type of new homes being completed and can be used to provide annual estimates of the proportion of new build dwellings that are houses as opposed to flats. Annual estimates of the proportion of building control reported new build dwelling completions, in England that are purpose built houses, are shown in Live Table 254, at the following link.

Estimates of the number of local authority areas that have built homes for more than 100,000 people in the last 30 years are not centrally collected by the department.

The UK is deeply committed to the Commonwealth. We provide significant bilateral aid to Commonwealth countries, totalling over £608 million in 2022. We continue to support a range of Commonwealth initiatives, as the largest donor to many Commonwealth inter-governmental organisations. Our focus is on increasing intra-Commonwealth trade & investment, building resilience to climate change and promoting our shared values.

The UK Youth Delegate to the UN Commission on the Status of Women was not appointed through a selection process. The delegate was male. This was a trial appointment and we are currently evaluating the success of this initiative.

The Minister for Women and Equalities has overall responsibility for the Government’s participation in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), supported by ministers across government particularly those from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

For the first time, in 2023, the Government appointed a young person as a UN Women Youth Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women. This was a trial appointment and we are currently evaluating the success of this initiative.

The priority theme for CSW68 is Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective. The Government will continue to promote gender equality internationally at CSW and elsewhere in line with the priorities set out in the International women and girls strategy 2023 to 2030 published in March.

The Minister for Women and Equalities has overall responsibility for the Government’s participation in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), supported by ministers across government particularly those from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

For the first time, in 2023, the Government appointed a young person as a UN Women Youth Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women. This was a trial appointment and we are currently evaluating the success of this initiative.

The priority theme for CSW68 is Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective. The Government will continue to promote gender equality internationally at CSW and elsewhere in line with the priorities set out in the International women and girls strategy 2023 to 2030 published in March.

The Minister for Women and Equalities has overall responsibility for the Government’s participation in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), supported by ministers across government particularly those from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

For the first time, in 2023, the Government appointed a young person as a UN Women Youth Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women. This was a trial appointment and we are currently evaluating the success of this initiative.

The priority theme for CSW68 is Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective. The Government will continue to promote gender equality internationally at CSW and elsewhere in line with the priorities set out in the International women and girls strategy 2023 to 2030 published in March.

The Minister for Women and Equalities has overall responsibility for the Government’s participation in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), supported by ministers across government particularly those from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

For the first time, in 2023, the Government appointed a young person as a UN Women Youth Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women. This was a trial appointment and we are currently evaluating the success of this initiative.

The priority theme for CSW68 is Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective. The Government will continue to promote gender equality internationally at CSW and elsewhere in line with the priorities set out in the International women and girls strategy 2023 to 2030 published in March.

In February this year, we announced the STEM ReCharge pilot to support parents and carers back into science, technology, engineering and mathematics roles. Since then, we have recruited and trained the first cohort of engineering and technology returners in the midlands and the north of England. They have received personalised training and support to help to get them back into the workforce, and we are now recruiting a second cohort, who will use insight and lessons learned from the pilot to develop new guidance, so that STEM employers across the UK can benefit from the full wealth of the returning STEM group.

It is a priority for this Government that all net zero energy infrastructure is built, operated and maintained in an appropriate and safe way. My officials work closely with the industry-led electricity storage health and safety governance group to ensure an appropriate, robust and future-proofed health and safety framework is sustained as storage deployment increases.