Tag: Westminster

Greens storm to victory in by-election

STARMER’S LABOUR FINISH A DISTANT THIRD – BEHIND REFORM

The Green Party has won a historic victory in the Gorton & Denton by-election

THE RESULT:

Ban liquid BBLs and ‘high harm’ procedures, committee urges

‘High harm’ procedures such as the liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL) should be banned immediately without further consultation, a new report published today by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) has recommended.

The Westminster Government is ‘not moving quickly enough’ in introducing a licensing system for non-surgical cosmetic procedures and ‘should accelerate regulatory action’ MPs said, cautioning ‘this lack of timely action is fostering complacency in self-regulation’ within the industry.

The report warned of a ‘wild west’ in which procedures have reportedly taken place in Airbnbs, hotel rooms, garden sheds and public toilets. Individuals without any formal training can carry out potentially harmful interventions, placing the public at risk, MPs concluded.

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures

Liquid BBLs and liquid breast augmentations – procedures deemed high risk and which have already been shown to pose a serious threat to patient safety – should be restricted to appropriately qualified medical professionals immediately, the report recommended. Given the lack of appetite among medical professionals to carry out these procedures, this will act as a de facto ban in all but the most essential cases, it said. 

A licensing system for ‘green’ and ‘amber’ lower risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures, in which only those suitably qualified can perform them, should be introduced within this Parliament, WEC recommended. 

Currently, there is no regulation as to who can perform procedures that do not require incisions and are commonly used to refer to injectables, such as Botox or dermal fillers, laser therapy or chemical peels. What rules that that do exist, such as on the prescription of Botox, are being circumvented, are under enforced and under policed.

The absence of a legislative framework for training and qualifications in the non-surgical cosmetic sector has resulted in significant variability in standards, with justified concerns about short courses, online training, and the ease of entry into practice, the report warned.

The Government, it said, should bring forward consistent, enforceable standards for the non-surgical cosmetic sector that prioritise patient safety and competency, while ensuring training routes remain accessible and affordable for a predominantly female-led workforce. 

The Government should work with the devolved administrations to ensure regulatory alignment across all UK nations on legislation governing non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

Cosmetic tourism

The increasing number of cases requiring medical treatment after cosmetic surgery abroad raises serious concerns for patient safety and places additional financial strain on the NHS, the report said.

It called on the Government to review the need for the NHS to systematically record data on complications arising from cosmetic procedures performed abroad. Publishing such data annually, it said, would enable a comprehensive assessment of the financial impact on the NHS and provide robust evidence to better inform and educate the public about the risks associated with cosmetic tourism. The data could include details of the clinic or practitioner that performed the original procedure to help further protect UK nationals.

Ministers should assess whether outlets in the UK that are recruiting patients for medical treatment overseas should be brought into a regulatory regime and be subject to investigation and, where necessary, sanction, the report added.

Body image

WEC’s report warned of a ‘gap in safeguarding mental health’ in the cosmetic procedures sector. It recommended training curricula required to obtain a licence to perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures should include mandatory modules on informed consent and psychological screening, with a specific focus on identifying Body Dysmorphic Disorder and other vulnerabilities.

Social media platforms and face-editing technologies are contributing to worsening body image and increasing demand for cosmetic procedures, particularly among young women and girls, the report concluded. The normalisation of high-risk procedures by online influencers and the shaping of beauty standards by algorithms which bombard users with posts on body image are particular concerns. 

It is clear that social media platforms must take more responsibility for the content they promote, the report said, adding in response to the alarming increase in desire for cosmetic surgery among teenagers, the Department of Health and Social Care should work with the Department for Education to integrate evidence-based body image and social media literacy programmes into school curricula, including content on risks of cosmetic procedures.

Breast implants

The PIP implant scandal exposed failures that continue to affect women more than a decade later, the report said, recommending the NHS should remove PIP implants from women who wish to have them explanted.

Shortcomings on data collection and recording mean that the NHS does not know who received PIP implants and many women may not be aware they have them. The need for further research and improved data collection on implantation must be addressed, it added.

WEC called on the Government to introduce mandatory recording of breast implant and explant procedures and instances of adverse outcomes in the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry by the end of 2026. Data on adverse outcomes by implant type should be published annually to support informed consent and improve patient safety, the report recommended.

A mandatory cooling-off period of at least two weeks should be introduced between the initial consultation and surgery for breast implants, ensuring patients have sufficient time to consider risks and alternatives before making a commitment. The new post-surveillance regime for breast implants must include regular testing of approved implants to ensure continued compliance with safety standards, it added.

The Committee’s report called on the Government to commission research to better understand the health impacts of breast implants, including their potential impacts on women with pre-existing auto-immune conditions.

The research needs to be a mix of clinical research, including on the health impacts of siloxanes, and longitudinal, following a cohort of women over a period of time. Such studies are necessary to improve patient safety, diagnosis and treatment and for the purposes of informed consent, it said.

The Government should also require all practitioners performing invasive surgical cosmetic procedures to have specialist training and hold appropriate board certification in the procedures they undertake.

Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee and Labour MP Sarah Owen said: “Procedures that are deemed high risk such as liquid BBLs and liquid breast augmentations, which have already been shown to pose a serious threat to patient safety, should be banned immediately.

“There is no need for further consultation and delay. A licensing system for non-surgical cosmetic procedures should be introduced within this Parliament. 

“The Government is not moving quickly enough in introducing a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures and should accelerate regulatory action. Currently, individuals without any formal training can carry out potentially very harmful interventions and often do so in unsafe environments. This ‘wild west’ of procedures is placing the public at risk.

“Regulation has not kept pace with the sector’s expansion. In 2013, the head of the NHS warned that a person having a non-surgical cosmetic intervention has no more protection than someone buying a toothbrush. Over a decade later the only thing that has changed is the number of people suffering life changing and life-threatening injuries.

“During our inquiry, the Committee heard a powerful and shocking testimony from a woman who developed sepsis after having a liquid BBL. Her experience and those of many others should act as an urgent wake-up call to Government for change.

“With the concerning rise in cosmetic tourism, there is a strong case for the NHS to systematically record data on complications arising from such procedures performed abroad. Publishing this data annually would enable a comprehensive assessment of the financial strain on the NHS and help raise awareness about the risks.

“Ministers should learn the lessons of the PIP breast implant scandal, and introduce mandatory recording of breast implant and explant procedures and instances of adverse outcomes and commission research to better understand the health impacts of breast implants so that women seeking this surgery can truly give informed consent.”

Mobile Jobcentres hit the road in six new areas to deliver employment support

Jobseekers are to benefit from the roll-out of mobile jobs vans across Great Britain – outside leisure centres, supermarkets and even football stadiums

  • New vans rolling out to six additional areas across England and Wales as part of major employment reforms.
  • Jobcentre on Wheels service puts expert support at heart of the local community – slashing barriers by coming directly to people while they do their weekly shop or see their local team play football.
  • Roll out is part of wider government plans to Get Britain Working and comes after successful pilot saw over 1,600 people supported.

Jobseekers are to benefit from the roll-out of mobile jobs vans across Great Britain – appearing outside leisure centres, supermarkets and even football stadiums.

Following hugely successful pilots in the Scottish Highlands, North and Mid Wales and Greater Manchester, the number of Jobcentres on Wheels will triple, providing enhanced support in six new areas, with a view to explore rolling out the scheme more extensively after testing its impact.

The vans will take jobcentre staff on the road to communities with some of the highest rates of unemployment where support is needed most. Vans will park up outside family hubs, leisure centres, supermarkets, local events and football matches to make taking that first step towards work as easy as possible.

Once on board, people can meet with one of the DWP’s experienced work coaches who will who offer expert support with job searching and training opportunities.

They can also provide information to those with health conditions or disabilities and for accessing childcare costs.

As well as existing customers, the service is open and accessible to all members of the public and forms part of the government’s wider plans to Get Britain Working, kickstart economic growth and give more opportunities for people to get on in their career.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “We want to break down the barriers that stop people from finding good work, and that means meeting people where they are.

“Jobcentres on Wheels are doing exactly that – bringing employment support into the heart of communities.

“That’s why we’re building on the success we’ve already seen, expanding the service so we can unlock opportunities for even more people across the country.”

The areas the vans will now be extended to are Wakefield, North Nottinghamshire, Barrow-in-Furness, Blackpool, Clevedon and Rhondda Cynon Taf/Bridgend.

To mark the roll out, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden visited the Bolton Mobile Jobcentre which was stationed outside Horwich Leisure Centre.

The Bolton Mobile Jobcentre, which was first launched in January 2025 has already supported nearly 800 customers – many of whom had never set foot into a jobcentre. Bolton has one of the highest inactivity rates in the North West, at 29.2% compared to the national average of 20.8%.

It has parked in a range of spaces including Bolton Wanderers’ football stadium on match days, Horwich Leisure Centre, family hubs and community centres, reaching those who might not otherwise access a traditional Jobcentre.

Data shows that just over half of customers visiting the vans are not in receipt of benefits, demonstrating the service is reaching many economically inactive people who may not engage with traditional jobcentres.

For example, in Bolton, a customer with health conditions walked onto the van looking for work. Within one visit, staff found him job leads, referred him to digital support, and connected him with training. The customer said this support was something he would never have thought to look for at a traditional Jobcentre.

Ben Lawton, CEO of Bolton Wanderers in the Community, said: “Here at BWitC we understand the drivers behind the increase in the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

“The relational, holistic, community-based support delivered in trusted settings support those in our community facing these challenges.

“Working alongside Bolton Jobcentre and their Jobcentre Van is key to our Vision of One Bolton Connected in Success.”

The mobile Jobcentres will now operate in nine areas across England, Scotland and Wales, covering a mix of urban, rural, coastal and post-industrial communities. Trebling the Department’s mobile fleet will ensure the service reaches those who may face barriers accessing traditional jobcentres across Great Britain as a whole.

The initiative is part of the government’s commitment to reforming employment services and helping more people overcome barriers to work, including health conditions and caring responsibilities.

It is part of a major programme of reform as a test and learn approach which includes transforming Jobcentres and creating a new national jobs and careers service, backed by £55m as well as launching a new digital offer to deliver a transformative new service that will give anyone access to DWP support wherever they are.

Scottish Secretary on Trade & Defence Mission to the Indo-Pacific

Douglas Alexander to visit Australia, New Zealand & Singapore

Trade opportunities and international security will be at the heart of Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander’s programme as he embarks on a week-long visit to the Indo-Pacific region.

Mr Alexander will meet government ministers and business leaders across Australia, Singapore and New Zealand. The visit will also see the Scottish Secretary attend two international performances of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – in Auckland and Brisbane – showcasing one of Scotland’s most important cultural exports.

Strengthening defence partnerships

Australia and New Zealand remain among the UK’s closest defence allies at a time of heightened global instability. Australia is a key part of the AUKUS partnership, and in 2025 we signed a joint treaty with a 50-year commitment to deepening security cooperation in the region. Mr Alexander will hold discussions aimed at identifying further opportunities for collaboration, including in naval shipbuilding and advanced defence manufacturing where Scottish industry has world-leading expertise.

Boosting trade and investment

The Scottish Secretary will meet business leaders to discuss how Scottish companies can expand into new export markets across the region, while making the case for increased inward investment in Scotland. With our free trade agreements and UK membership of the CPTPP, the visit offers an opportunity to capitalise on strengthened trading relationships with all three nations. Boosting trade means well paid jobs and investment at home.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Alexander said: “This visit is about speaking up for Scottish businesses and Scottish exporters. Scotland benefits from the strength, reach and connections that come from being part of the UK. The UK is a strong and committed partner — in security, in trade, and in the shared values that bind us to our friends in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

“At a time of significant global uncertainty, it has never been more important to stand shoulder to shoulder with our closest allies, and I look forward to discussing how we can deepen our defence cooperation and work together to keep people safe.

“I will also be banging the drum for Scottish business. From whisky and seafood to financial services and renewable energy technology, Scotland has world-class products and expertise that are in demand across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. This visit is an opportunity to open doors for Scottish exporters, attract the investment that creates economic growth and well paid jobs back at home, and show that Scotland is open for business on the global stage.”

Scotland and New Zealand have deep historical links, and Mr Alexander will be the first Scottish Secretary to visit in recent times.

Westminster committees to examine children and young people’s mental health in new inquiry

Westminster’s Education and Health and Social Care committees have launched a new inquiry into children and young people’s mental health.   

MPs on the cross-party committees will consider what mental health support is available to children and young people up to the age of 25 in community, health and education settings.  

Through the inquiry, MPs will consider how this support is integrated with NHS services, such as specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) services, and what support is available throughout the education system, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  

They will explore how potential reforms to CAMHS could improve children and young people’s access to mental health care and whether support could be provided in the community, such as through the Government’s new Young Futures Hubs.  

Around one in five children and young people aged 8 to 25 in the UK has a “probable mental disorder”, according to NHS statistics published in 2023, while the consultancy PwC says that mental health challenges are having a significant impact on young people’s career choices and wellbeing at work. The committees will investigate what factors are driving these changes to children and young people’s mental health.  

The committees will also scrutinise the implementation and rollout of relevant government policies such as the commitment to expand Mental Health Support Teams to all schools in England by 2029/30.

MPs will also consider plans to establish a network of Young Futures Hubs and alignment between various government strategies such as the 10 Year Health Plan, the Independent Review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, and the National Youth Strategy.  

MPs will also investigate how education staff can support children and young people’s mental health, and whether current Ofsted frameworks or DfE guidance help or hinder mental health provision.  

Chair of the Education Committee, Helen Hayes MP, said: “Struggling with mental health should never obstruct a young person’s chance to learn and thrive. Yet for too many, especially those with SEND or experience of the care system, that’s still the reality.  

“From the early years through to university, education staff are often being asked to step in where existing support has failed.

“Our inquiry will take a forensic look at the mental health services available to children and young people at every stage of their education, from ages zero to 25. 

“We will consider the role teachers can play in supporting children and young people’s mental health and whether they are getting the training they need to do that properly.  

“We’ll also look at the full range of government policies and plans affecting young people, from SEND reform to the National Youth Strategy, and ask: are ministers doing enough to protect young people’s mental health?” 

 

Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, Layla Moran MP said: “For parents and school leaders alike, trying to get mental health support for children can feel like navigating a spaghetti junction.  

“Services are frequently overwhelmed and not joined up. Too often the help doesn’t come until a child’s needs are at crisis point. These fundamental problems sit alongside issues that the Health and Social Care Committee documented in 2021 – the need to increase emphasis on prevention and early intervention. We return to these themes now amid deepening concern about the scale of need and questions of how the system can be remade fit for purpose. 

“We will try and show Government how it can untangle the knotty problems that stop children getting the help they need and point to where investment should be directed. We’ll see how silos can be broken down between two sectors that should be working hand in glove, because we know that children’s education and wellbeing are intrinsically linked.” 

Operation Kenova: MPs call on Government to formally name agent Stakeknife

A cross-party committee of MPs is calling on the Government to formally name Stakeknife – a British Army agent who worked within the IRA in the 1980s and was suspected of direct involvement in numerous murders.

Read the report [PDF]

In a report published today, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee concludes that revealing the identity of Stakeknife would be strongly in the public interest and help build trust and confidence in the agencies of the state among all communities.

The recommendation follows last month’s evidence session on Operation Kenova where the Committee heard from the current and former lead officers of the investigation, which was set up to examine Stakeknife’s activities during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Operation Kenova was unable to confirm Stakeknife’s identity in last year’s final report after the Government refused its authorisation to do so, while successive governments have cited the long standing policy of ‘Neither Confirm Nor Deny’ (NCND). 

In December, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said that the Government was considering its position on naming Stakeknife following a Supreme Court judgment related to the disclosure of intelligence information in the case of the murder of Paul Thompson.

Today’s report from MPs says that the Committee has been reassured that formal identification would not put any active agents at risk, discourage existing agents from continuing their work, or deter the recruitment of new agents. 

Naming Stakeknife would also indicate to agents guilty of conduct beyond acceptable limits that they will not be protected or shielded from the consequences of their actions, the Committee concludes.

Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, said: “As Operation Kenova’s final report makes clear, the ongoing refusal to confirm or deny Stakeknife’s identity is having a profound and lasting effect on victims and their families who have already been through so much. 

“Given the reassurances we’ve heard that active agents won’t be put in harm’s way and future recruitment won’t be compromised, formal identification in this specific instance is appropriate, proportionate and in the public interest. 

“By naming Stakeknife, the Government can send a strong signal that agents who cross a line will not receive the protection of anonymity and help to build trust and confidence across all communities in Northern Ireland.”

The Committee recommends that the Government should review, in consultation with MI5 and PSNI, the application of NCND in all legacy related cases, considering specifically the principles outlined in this Report.

The Committee also plans to monitor Government progress on the implementation of Operation Kenova’s other conclusions and recommendations.

Stakeknife has been widely identified as Freddie Scappaticci, who died in 2023.

Social housing conditions barely improved since pandemic, says Westminster Committee

SCATHING REPORT ON THE STATE OF ENGLAND’s SOCIAL HOUSING

Raising the standard of social homes in England is essential given the progress at bringing homes up to a minimum standard has almost ground to a halt, says the cross-party Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee in a report published today (Monday).

While most social homes provide tenants with warm, safe and decent places to live, the report finds that too many people living in social housing suffer from appalling housing conditions and do not have their complaints treated seriously. 

The report notes that the minimum standard of what is considered a decent home has not changed in twenty years and says, “it is not acceptable that just under 430,000 social homes still fail to meet even this basic standard”.

The Committee’s Housing conditions in the social rented sector report calls for the Government to use the delayed Long-term Housing Strategy to deliver an approach which addresses the twin objectives of building more social homes while ensuring conditions in existing housing stock are improved.

The report recommends the Government establish a new, modern Decent Homes Programme that supports social landlords to raise the standard of social homes, which includes a pooled fund for improvements to social homes and a single housing quality framework to consolidate the regulatory requirements on social landlords.

Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee said: “Whether it is residents living in poorly insulated homes, experiencing overcrowding, or enduring housing with damp or mould, it’s vital that Government measures, including Awaab’s Law and the New Decent Homes Standard, bring a meaningful improvement to social housing conditions.

“The Government deserves credit for the steps taken to rebuild the sector’s financial capacity after years of underinvestment. However, we do have concerns about the resources available to social housing providers to meet the Government’s new social homes target while also raising standards over the decade.

“The Government’s Long-term Housing Strategy needs to set out a credible plan to tackle the need to improve existing housing stock while encouraging social landlords to build the new social homes the country needs.”

The report agrees with the Government’s decision to rollout Awaab’s Law in phases, focusing on tackling the most dangerous hazards first, but warns that social landlords and tenants need a much clearer roadmap for when the remaining phases of Awaab’s Law will be introduced.

The report calls on the Government to urgently set and publish the timeline for extending Awaab’s Law to all remaining hazards, so that tenants and social landlords have clarity about when they can expect these new regulations to apply.

High energy prices, the report warns, mean households living in homes that comply with the Government’s new minimum energy efficiency standard may still be in fuel poverty, if they struggle to afford to heat their home sufficiently.

The Committee therefore recommends the Government revise the official definition of fuel poverty to reflect this in the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy.

The Government’s proposed changes to the Decent Homes Standard are welcomed, with the report noting that the “current standard has been out-of-date for some time and is in urgent need of reform, given that it was last updated in 2006”.

To demonstrate to tenants and the public that progress is being made, the report recommends the Government put in place interim targets in homes upgrading to the revised Decent Homes Standard.

The report also calls on the Government to introduce a review to update the Decent Homes Standard at least every 10 years to ensure it “reflects the changing needs of the population, environmental pressures, scientific evidence of the hazards to health from poor housing and societal expectations of what a decent home consists of”.

Pride in Place: 40 neighbourhoods join transformational programme

Thousands more people handed the power to decide how millions are spent in their area as Pride in Place programme expands

Thousands more people in England will be given the power to transform their communities as the government expands its pledge to restore pride in their local neighbourhood.

Local people in 40 new areas will be able to decide where up to £20 million is invested in their neighbourhood – whether that’s breathing new life into high streets, saving much-loved community spaces, or bringing people together through local events and activities. 

The new package, worth up to £800 million, will build on the success of the £5 billion Pride in Place programme that has so far helped hundreds of neighbourhoods take control of their futures and bring real change to their communities. 

In Rawtenstall, students have been asked to imagine their ideal town. In Hastings, board members have been out talking to people at park runs, festivals and supermarkets to hear what matters most to them.  

The results are already visible. In Ramsgate, £500,000 secured the freehold of the town’s last remaining youth centre – saving it for generations to come.

In Elgin, Scotland, £1 million has been set aside to build a brand-new regional athletics hub, bringing sports clubs from across the northeast together under one roof. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “It is the same story in towns across the country. Youth clubs that have been abandoned, shops boarded up and high streets decimated.

“We must reverse the devastating decline in our communities and give power, agency and control to the very people who want to improve their community – those who have skin in the game.

“Through the Pride in Place Programme, communities – backed by the state and fired up by pride – will join the fight for national renewal and a Britain built for all.”

 Communities Secretary Steve Reed said: “Pride in Place is about giving power to local people who know best what needs to change in their area.

“The ambitious plans we’re seeing take shape in communities across the country is proof that when you give local people the tools to do the job – things get better.”

More than just funding, the Pride in Place Programme represents a shift in power into the hands of local people who know their communities best. This builds on the rich tapestry across the country of community leaders, volunteers and grassroots organisations already working hard to support their communities and making them a better place to live for everyone. 

Neighbourhood Boards, who oversee the funding allocated to their communities and are made up of local residents, are now up and running, listening to their communities and deciding where the money will go.

Crucially, Pride in Place is about establishing long-term change, and creating a legacy of community-centred action, delivery and empowerment which will last far beyond the decade long programme.   

Today’s announcement will mean a total of around 380 areas will get funding, with the benefits rippling far beyond individual neighbourhoods, with thriving and more cohesive communities helping to build a stronger, more prosperous country for everyone.

White paper sets out reforms to policing in England and Wales

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced the largest reforms to policing since the police service was founded 2 centuries ago

The  largest reforms to policing since forces were professionalised two centuries ago were announced yesterday (26 January) by the Home Secretary.

A white paper titled ‘From local to national: a new model for policing’, outlines a radical blueprint for reform, so local forces protect their community and national policing protects us all.

Force mergers

The government will launch a review into dramatically reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales.

Consolidating the current model will make the police more cost-efficient, giving the taxpayer more value for money, while also ensuring a less fragmented system that will better serve the public and make them safer.

This is a moment to reset policing’s focus and return to its core principles – restoring neighbourhood policing and tackling local crime by delivering a structural overhaul to meet the demands of the modern world. 

National Police Service

A new nationwide police force will be established to fight the most complex and serious crimes.

The new National Police Service will attract world-class talent and use state of the art technology to fight complex and serious crimes, lifting the burden on overstretched local forces and allowing them to focus on catching local criminals.

The service will bring the capabilities of the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, regional organised crime units, police helicopters and national roads policing under a single organisation.

As one force, it will be better equipped to share technology, intelligence and resources to stop the growing threat from crime that has become increasingly complex, digital, online and with no respect for constabulary borders.

A national police commissioner will be appointed to lead the force and will serve as the most senior police officer in the country.

It will enable local officers to spend more time supporting victims of crime and delivering neighbourhood policing, rather than navigating the forensics system.

This will give victims confidence as their case will be supported by world‑class specialist expertise, and the latest technology, no matter where they live.

Part of the new National Police Service’s remit will be to take on responsibility for forensics from the 43 local forces with direction set centrally from the new organisation.

Demand for specialist digital forensics means there are 20,000 devices awaiting analysis at any time. The service will deal with these backlogs and help the police keep up with the ever-increasing pace of change in technology.

Frontline policing will save £350 million by scrapping outdated procurement approaches, which will instead be used to fight crime.

Under the current localised model, each of the 43 forces often procure technology, equipment and clothing themselves, meaning 43 different teams undertaking the same work.

The new National Police Service will end this inefficiency, taking on the responsibility for shared services, equipment and IT.

The National Police Service will buy equipment once on behalf of all, saving money through economies of scale and reinvesting the savings back into frontline policing to go after criminals.

Accountability and standards

Ministers will be handed new powers to intervene directly in failing forces, sending in specialist teams to turn them around so they fight crime more effectively.  

If crime solving rates or police response times are poor, the Home Secretary will be able to send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, so they catch more criminals.  

The Home Secretary will restore the power to sack failing chief constables. New laws will hand ministers statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables if they are poorly performing. 

The forces will also be directly accountable to the public, with new targets on 999 response times, victim satisfaction, public trust and confidence. These results will be published and forces graded so communities can compare. 

To further reinforce accountability, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire & Rescue Services will gain statutory powers to issue directions when forces fail to act on its recommendations. 

Alongside these force-wide measures, the government will also ensure the highest standards from individual officers. To strengthen safeguards and ensure those unfit for policing are kept out of the profession, the government will introduce laws to impose robust, mandatory vetting standards for all police forces, ensuring the public is protected.  

These new standards will enable forces to exclude those with a caution or conviction for violence against women and girls offences from policing.

Stronger requirements on forces to suspend officers who are under investigation for these crimes will also be introduced. 

Police officers will be required to hold and renew a licence throughout their career so they learn new skills as criminal techniques evolve.  

The Licence to Practise will ensure officers are best equipped with problem solving and technological skills they need to catch more criminals. 

Drawn from other professions such as lawyers and doctors, officers will have to demonstrate that they have the skills needed to fight crime. Those who fail to reach the required standard, following opportunities to try again, will be removed from the profession.

Neighbourhood policing

Under new reforms, response officers will be expected to reach the scene of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas, and forces will be expected to answer 999 phone calls within 10 seconds. 

These new targets will ensure that all forces provide the same level of police response to crimes. 

Currently, data on response times is collected differently across forces, and police are not held accountable if targets are not met. Reforming the system will create more transparency and consistency across the country.

Where forces fail to deliver, the Home Secretary will send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, including when unmet response‑time targets are part of broader systemic failing.

To fight everyday crime, the government will ramp up its pledge to restore visible neighbourhood policing and patrols in communities through an extension of its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. 

This has already placed named, contactable officers in each neighbourhood. Under the extension, every council ward in England and Wales will have its own named, contactable officers, creating more local points of contact and giving officers a deeper understanding of the issues in their area.

Police forces will also recruit the brightest and best from universities in a new recruitment drive to cut crime and catch more criminals.

Modelled on Teach First, the government is investing up to £7 million to attract top students from universities into specially trained graduate neighbourhood police officer roles in England and Wales.

Retailers across the country will see a major crackdown on organised crime gangs thanks to £7 million in new government investment aimed at dismantling criminal networks from the ground up.

This funding will supercharge intelligence-led policing to identify offenders, disrupt the tactics used to target shops, and bring more criminals to justice.

Technology

The government is making the largest investment into state-of-the-art police technology in history, with over £140 million to be invested to roll out technologies to catch more criminals and keep our communities safe

The number of live facial recognition vans will increase five-fold, with 50 vans available to every police force in England and Wales to catch violent and sexual offenders.  

The government will also roll out new artificial intelligence (AI) tools which will help forces identify suspects from CCTV, doorbell and mobile phone footage that has been submitted as evidence by the public. 

A new national centre on AI – Police.AI – will be set up to roll out AI to all forces to free officers from paperwork, delivering up to 6 million hours back to the frontline every year – the equivalent of 3,000 police officers. This means more police on the streets fighting crime and catching criminals. 

More tech specialists will work in police forces to outsmart modern criminals and put more fraudsters and organised crime bosses behind bars.   

The move will enable police forces to uncover more vital hidden evidence on phones and laptops to secure more convictions of professional criminals and keep people safer from crimes such as child sexual abuse.   

Public order

A new senior policing role will be introduced to lead the police’s nationwide response to public disorder, and galvanise and co-ordinate responses to major incidents.

The senior national co-ordinator role for public order policing will sit within the new National Police Service. They will not be responsible for local public order responses, which remain within the remit of chief constables, and instead sit at a higher strategic level of oversight, with responsibility for decision-making over the most significant national public disorder, such as the widespread disorder seen in the summer of 2024 and the riots that started in London in 2011. 

While local policing responses will stay the responsibility of chief constables, the new role will provide national oversight and decision-making on mobilisation and resourcing, with enhanced powers to:

  • direct resources under mutual aid arrangements and require forces to contribute during major disorder
  • ensure mandatory data sharing between forces
  • set a national strategy for public order policing
  • monitor and implement relevant recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services

Officer wellbeing

The government will expand the roll out of the dedicated Mental Health Crisis Line so all officers and staff can access mental health support, and have committed to its funding long term.  

Officers and staff in front-facing and high-risk roles will also be offered psychological risk screenings each year so officers suffering can be signposted to the best support when they need it most. 

Trauma tracker software will be made available to every force and ensure senior leaders can identify and support staff at the highest risk and intervene at an earlier stage.  

Mandatory training around resilience and mental health for new recruits and supervisors will be introduced and treated as protected learning time.  

Special constables

Experts in cybersecurity and technology are being encouraged to join the Special Constabulary, as police forces across England and Wales ramp up their efforts to tackle modern crime. 

Since 2012, the number of special constables in England and Wales has fallen year-on-year to just 5,534 as of March 2025. This is down 73% from 20,343 in 2012.  

To reverse this decline, the Home Office will work with policing to streamline the recruitment process for Specials, making it easier for people to volunteer, while maintaining consistent high standards of vetting and training. Steps will also be taken to ensure existing Specials are incentivised to remain in the role, by better integrating them into the wider police force.

UK Government to drive action to ‘improve children’s relationship’ with mobile phones and social media

Government launches consultation on children’s social media use and bans phones in schools to protect young people’s wellbeing and ensure safer online experiences

  • Restrictions on addictive features, a ban on social media access for children and better age checks among measures to be considered
  • Ofsted inspectors tasked with checking mobile phone bans are being properly enforced in schools as stronger and clearer guidance given to headteachers
  • Ministers to kickstart national conversation with parents on impact of technology on children’s wellbeing with nationwide events to hear views

A consultation will identify the next steps in the government’s plan to boost children’s wellbeing online, ensuring they have a healthy relationship with mobile phones and social media. 

The proposals will build on the government’s broader action to ensure every child gets the best start in life, including a revised curriculum and better skills training. 

Immediate action will include Ofsted checking school mobile phone policy on every inspection, with schools expected to be phone-free by default thanks to today’s announcement.

Amid concerns that young people’s lives are dominated by too much time in front of devices, the government will support families by producing evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged 5 to 16. This is in addition to guidance for parents of under-fives that will be published in April. 

Ministers will examine the most effective ways to go further to ensure children have healthy online experiences, building on the world-leading Online Safety Act.

A consultation on children’s use of technology – backed by a national conversation – will seek views from parents, young people and civil society – with the first events in a nationwide tour to be held in the days ahead. The government will respond to the consultation in the summer.  

Evidence from around the world will be examined on a wide range of suggested proposals, including looking at whether a social media ban for children would be effective and if one was introduced how best to make it work. Ministers will visit Australia to learn first-hand from their approach.  

The consultation will look at options including raising the digital age of consent, implementing phone curfews to avoid excessive use, and restricting potentially addictive design features such as ‘streaks’ and ‘infinite scrolling’.  

Tougher guidance for schools on mobile phones will make it even clearer that schools need to be phone-free environments and that pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons. 

Ofsted will examine both schools’ mobile phone policies and how effectively they are implemented when judging behaviour during inspections. Schools that are struggling will get one-to-one support from Attendance and Behaviour Hub schools that are already effectively implementing phone bans.  

Nearly all schools already have mobile phone policies in place – 99.9% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools. However, 58%**of secondary school pupils reported mobile phones being used without permission in at least some lessons, rising to 65% for key stage 4 pupils.(note)

The guidance will be implemented through behaviour management in schools, and by setting out clear expectations for teachers and school staff – including that staff should not use their own mobile phones for personal reasons in front of pupils, setting an example that mobile phones are not necessary in the classroom. 

The social media consultation will seek views on a range of measures, including: 

  • determining the right minimum age for children to access social media, including exploring a ban for children under a certain age
  • exploring ways to improve the accuracy of age assurance for children to support the enforcement of minimum age limits so children have age-appropriate experiences and see age-appropriate content
  • assessing whether the current digital age of consent is too low
  • removing or limiting functionalities which drive addictive or compulsive use of social media, such as ‘infinite scrolling’
  • exploring further interventions to support parents in helping their children navigate the digital landscape, for example further guidance or simpler parental controls

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Through the Online Safety Act, this government has already taken clear, concrete steps to deliver a safer online world for our children and young people. 

“These laws were never meant to be the end point, and we know parents still have serious concerns. That is why I am prepared to take further action.

“Technology has huge potential – to create jobs, transform public services, and improve lives. But we will only seize on that potential if people know they and their children are safe online.

“We are determined to ensure technology enriches children’s lives, not harms them – and to give every child the childhood they deserve.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We have been clear that mobile phones have no place in our schools but now we’re going further through tougher guidance and stronger enforcement. Mobile phones have no place in schools. No ifs, no buts.

“Our Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will support schools that are struggling to effectively implement phone bans so all our children can learn in phone-free environments.  

“This comes alongside our world-leading curriculum reforms which will ensure children build the media and digital literacy skills needed to thrive at work and throughout life.”

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, Sir Martyn Oliver, said: “My message to headteachers is you now have all the backing – and the backing of my inspectors – to ban mobile phones in schools immediately.

“They chip away at children’s attention span, distract from learning and can be detrimental to children’s wellbeing.”

The government this week unveiled new world-leading safety standards at the first government-led Global AI in Education Summit. These will inform tech companies to ensure that AI tools in education cannot use addictive or exploitative patterns, or any features which harm children’s social development and learning. Shaped by the feedback from thousands of pupils across the country, these standards will aim to protect children’s learning and wellbeing from over-reliance on AI. 

The consultation forms part of a broader government effort to support children and young people, including through the National Youth Strategy, which is looking at ways to enrich children’s lives in the real world.   

The Online Safety Act has already given the UK some of the most robust online safety laws in the world, keeping children safer and illegal content off people’s screens. 8 million people now access adult sites with age checks every day, and the number of visitors to pornography sites has reduced by a third since the rules came into force in July 2025, meaning children are less likely to stumble across material they should never see. 

Children encountering age checks online has risen from 30% to 47% since the new rules took effect, and 58% of parents believe the measures are already improving children’s safety online. Ofcom is holding platforms to account, with investigations opened into over 80 pornography websites in 2025 and fines issued to companies that fail to protect young people. (note)

The government has gone further still. Cyberflashing is now a priority offence, so people are better protected from receiving unsolicited nude images. Content encouraging serious self-harm must be actively removed before it can cause harm. And the government has announced plans to ban AI ‘nudification’ tools outright, while working to stop children being able to take, share or view nude images on their devices.  

These new proposals would build on this progress, specifically addressing features that can lead to excessive use, regardless of what children are viewing.