The Homes for Ukraine scheme supports eligible unaccompanied minors to safely arrive, and to live and thrive in the UK without their parent or legal guardian, supported by a sponsor that they know and trust.

Eligible Minors are protected by robust safeguarding measures. Parental or legal guardian consent is required before a sponsorship arrangement is agreed, and sponsors must pass safeguarding checks before a visa is issued. Councils must comply with safeguarding responsibilities and statutory duties. Local authorities receive an enhanced tariff for each eligible minor arrival, recognising the increased safeguarding support needed.

Detailed guidance for councils, sponsors, and parents/legal guardians must be adhered to, is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils-children-and-minors-applying-without-parents-or-legal-guardians#eligibility-criteria

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-sponsors-children-and-minors-applying-without-parents-or-legal-guardians#sponsor-eligibility:~:text=Must%20agree%20to,to%20adult%20life

Large scale commercial prize draws are a significant and growing market. Whilst not regulated as a gambling product under the Gambling Act, we want people who participate in large scale commercial prize draws to be confident that proportionate protections are in place. Independent research was commissioned in 2023, looking at possible gambling harm and assessing the impact of potential regulation, and will inform our policy considerations. The department is grateful for the voluntary action taken so far by the sector to act transparently and apply player protection measures. We want to ensure high standards in this area and the Minister for Gambling will be meeting the sector to discuss this work.

Spiritual and ritualistic abuse abhorrent thought it is, is not ‘honour’-based abuse or VAWG. Therefore, we do not hold the information to respond to this PQ.

The Department for Education have previously worked on the child abuse linked to faith or belief action plan which was published on GOV.UK at Child abuse linked to faith or belief: national action plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Spiritual and ritualistic abuse abhorrent thought it is, is not ‘honour’-based abuse or VAWG. Therefore, we do not hold the information to respond to this PQ.

The Department for Education have previously worked on the child abuse linked to faith or belief action plan which was published on GOV.UK at Child abuse linked to faith or belief: national action plan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The department does not hold data on the number of children who were subject to a child protection plan where domestic abuse was the predominant issue. The data that is held shows that of the 50,920 children that were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March 2022, 3,780 (7%) had physical abuse recorded as the initial category of abuse.

Under Supply Licence Condition 32, suppliers are required to submit quarterly and annual data to Ofgem on a variety of areas of their operation. This includes debt levels, disconnection rates, prepayment meters, smart meters, payment methods used by customers and help for vulnerable customers.

The information is used to review suppliers’ performance in relation to specific social obligations, including areas of operation where vulnerable customers may be affected. Ofgem monitors these statistics to identify areas where improvement is needed. Ministers regularly meet with Ofgem to discuss a range of topics, including issues that have an impact on vulnerable consumers.

We are monitoring developments at Masafer Yatta closely given the increased risk of the forced transfer of over 1000 Palestinians, and the demolition of their homes.

We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers. We urge the Israeli authorities to thoroughly investigate every instance to bring those responsible to justice. The UK continues to engage frequently with the Israeli authorities on restrictions on movement and access and stress the impact of these measures on ordinary Palestinians who rely on these fundamental rights.

The third National Lottery licence contains a provision which allows the Gambling Commission, as the sector regulator, to extend the duration of this Licence for a period of six months. A maximum of two extensions are permitted.

The Gambling Commission decided to enact the first six-month extension to the third licence, due to the impact of the pandemic on the fourth National Lottery licence competition. The licence was extended on existing terms of the Third National Lottery licence. More information can be found on their website, here.

The third National Lottery licence requires the operator to implement player protection strategies to prevent underage and excessive play which must be approved by the Gambling Commission.

The Gambling Commission then adopts a variety of measures to monitor, assess and challenge the National Lottery operator’s player protection performance. This includes detailed monitoring to identify risks to players, and where appropriate, undertaking strategic reviews of areas of the portfolio which are identified as higher (but not necessarily high) risk.

The Gambling Commission is also responsible for approving proposed changes to National Lottery games where it carries out thorough assessments of National Lottery game change proposals in line with its statutory duties, including ensuring that such proposals do not present risks from a player protection perspective.

Evidence from the latest (2018) Health Survey for England shows that National Lottery games were associated with the lowest rates of problem gambling of all gambling products considered.

The operator is subject to conditions set out within the Licence which specify that it must adopt, maintain and implement strategies to prevent underage and excessive play on the National Lottery and that such strategies shall first have been approved by the

Gambling Commission. Information on the more specific requirements of the operator in this respect can be found within Condition 7 of the Third Licence.

It has not been possible for the Gambling Commission to collate the requested information in the time available and confirm how many times a player protection strategy has been submitted to them for approval by the operator since the National Lottery was launched in 1994.

The Gambling Commission is the independent regulator of the National Lottery and has statutory duties to ensure that the interests of all players are protected, the Lottery is run with due propriety and that returns to good causes are maximised.

Details of significant regulatory decisions and the rationale supporting those decisions are published and can be found on the Gambling Commission’s website.

It has not been possible for the Gambling Commission to collate the requested information in the time available, and confirm how many times the National Lottery operator has submitted (a) a risk assessment, (b) an assessment by the game design governance group and (c) academic research to the Gambling Commission for (i) new game proposals and (ii) changes to existing games in each year since 1994; and the nature and outcome of each of those items.

Under the terms of the current National Lottery Licence the operator is required to implement player protection strategies to prevent underage and excessive play, which must be approved by the Gambling Commission, as regulator of the National Lottery.

For new game proposals and changes to existing games, the operator must provide the Gambling Commission with a range of information, such as assessments of the risks associated with certain product characteristics, a broader assessment by the operator’s game design governance group and relevant academic research.

In addition, the Gambling Commission conducts regular, detailed monitoring to identify risks to players, and where appropriate, undertakes strategic reviews of areas of the portfolio which are identified as higher (but not necessarily high) risk. For example, in 2020, the Gambling Commission commissioned research to better understand the players of Online Interactive Instant Win Games. The research found an association between players of Interactive Instant Win Games at the £10 price point and some problem gambling behaviours. As a result of this research, the operator suspended the sale of £10 Online Interactive Instant Win Games, which followed the removal of the £10 scratchcard in 2019.

In December 2020, the government increased the minimum age for the National Lottery as a precautionary measure to ensure the protection of young people. These changes were introduced for all games in April 2021, both for online and retail sales.

The Government is committed to supporting a modern public service broadcasting system that will meet the needs of UK audiences in the future and remain at the heart of our world class broadcasting sector.

Ofcom’s PSB Review will play an important role in strengthening our understanding of how public service broadcasting, and the regulatory framework which supports it, can adapt to ensure its continued resilience in the changing technological environment. The Government has asked Ofcom to be bold and ambitious in its thinking.

Our public service broadcasting system, and the media more widely, is particularly vital during these challenging times. We welcome the media’s initiatives in ensuring audiences are informed and entertained, and we are working with the sector to ensure that audiences’ changing needs are met, including so that children have access to educational resources while schools are closed.

The UK is gravely concerned by the situation in Idlib, which we are closely monitoring, in coordination with our international partners and relevant UN bodies.

We have repeatedly called on all parties to end the violence, return to the ceasefire agreed in September 2018, and abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, including at three emergency sessions of the UN Security Council. The Prime Minister raised the urgent need to restore the ceasefire in Idlib with President Putin and President Erdogan at the G20 Summit on 28-29 June.

UK aid continues to support the protection of civilians in Idlib, where DFID partners are working to support health facilities and establish mobile emergency protection teams. We also support an innovative new technology to provide early warning of airstrikes through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.

Under the Children Act 1989, local authorities are required to provide services for children in their local areas for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting their welfare, this includes children who are refugees. 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' (2018) clarifies the core legal requirements for how agencies work together to keep children safe, including responding to their needs.

Some children arrive in the country as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Under section 20 of the Children Act 1989, local authorities are under a statutory obligation to provide accommodation for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. This means that they become looked-after children and receive the same safeguards and services as any other looked-after child.

The government recognises that unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children can be some of the most vulnerable in our society. The government’s vision and additional commitment to care for these children is set out in the ‘Safeguarding Strategy for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children’. The government has also published statutory guidance on the ‘Care of Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Modern Slavery’ to help local authorities to care effectively for these children.

There is currently a “fundamental principles” section in the handbook which covers domestic violence, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

However, the Home Secretary has announced a review of the handbook and test, and we will be revising it and the test to place greater emphasis on British values. In doing so, it is important that we focus on both the rights and responsibilities of citizens and on the importance of being active citizens.
We are currently considering how this will be taken forward.

Our landmark draft Domestic Abuse Bill and consultation response, published in January, includes further measures to help tackle domestic abuse, including introducing a statutory definition of domestic abuse to include a range of behaviours that go beyond physical abuse and explicitly recognise economic abuse.

We are including economic abuse in the new statutory definition of domestic abuse to acknowledge the life-changing impact that economic abuse can have on a victim’s life.

The Joint Fraud Taskforce is leading an ambitious programme of work to prevent all forms of fraud and protect the most vulnerable in our society who are often targeted by fraudsters.

We are working closely with UK Finance to support their work to encourage banks and the wider financial services sector to improve the support they provide to victims of domestic abuse accessing their services.

We will continue to work with UK Finance to encourage banks and financial authorities to do more to support victims of domestic abuse and help them move forward to escape debt, joint accounts, and mortgages

We have provided funding to the National Skills Academy to develop and deliver financial capability training for frontline workers to support individuals who are experiencing economic domestic abuse.

We will provide approximately £250,000 until 2020 to create a national advice service for banks and building societies, increase the capacity of existing telephone casework services for victims of domestic abuse and develop resources to help people identify if they are experiencing economic abuse.

Statutory guidance in ‘Working together to safeguard children’ (2018) is clear that anyone who has concerns about a child’s welfare should make a referral to local authority children’s social care, and that they should do so immediately if there is a concern that the child is suffering significant harm or is likely to do so.

Our communications campaign, ‘Together, we can tackle child abuse’, has helped raise the awareness of abuse among the public and professionals, and has provided local authorities with resources they can use to raise awareness locally.

Disadvantaged children and young people who are in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of, one or more of the eligible benefits are entitled to free school meals and, to ensure that as many of these children as possible are able to claim this benefit, we provide an eligibility checking system that all local authorities can access; this makes the checking process as quick and straightforward as possible.

The British Government's top priority for the World Cup is the safety and security of British nationals travelling to Russia for the tournament. We are supporting the close co-operation between the UK and Russian police, and we plan to send additional staff to Russia during the tournament to support colleagues in the Embassy. A mobile embassy will move from city to city with the England team. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been working closely with the Football Supporters Federation – the largest group of England supporters – to provide practical advice for British fans of all backgrounds, including LGBT fans. We advise British nationals to do their research and be prepared for their trip. This includes signing up to our travel advice and using it to help inform their travel plans.

The British Government's top priority for the World Cup is the safety and security of British nationals travelling to Russia for the tournament. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has been working closely with the Football Supporters Federation (FSF) – the largest group of England supporters – to provide practical advice for British fans of all backgrounds, including LGBT fans. This includes the production of an FCO-funded FSF guide for fans that includes advice for LGBT travellers. We also have specific travel advice for LGBT travellers on the FCO Travel Advice, and have held discussions with a number of LGBT organisations. We advise British nationals to do their research and be prepared for their trip. This includes signing up to our travel advice and using it to help inform their travel plans.