Our plan to make work pay will modernise our employment rights legislation, extending the employment protections already given by the best British companies to millions more workers across the country. Strengthening this underlying framework will help build an economy based on fair competition between businesses, greater productivity in the workplace, job security for workers, and fair reward for hard work.

We are taking a phased approach to engagement and consultation on these reforms. This will ensure all stakeholders have the time and space to work through the detail of each measure and to help us implement them in a way that works for both workers and employers.

Following the April launch of consultations on non-disclosure agreements and a new code of practice for trade union access, alongside the establishment of the Fair Work Agency and the introduction of a number of measures that give new rights to working people, we are today launching a consultation on reforms of zero-hours and similar contracts. Alongside a programme of direct stakeholder engagement, these consultations will support us in determining how best to put our plans into practice.

Overview of consultation

The consultation on “Ending one-sided flexibility—reforms of zero hours and similar contracts” sets out three clear Government objectives: increasing the baseline of security and stability for workers, rebalancing labour market flexibility and fostering sustained economic growth. The consultation includes three parts.

Part 1 seeks views on key details to be defined in regulations for the right to guaranteed hours for directly engaged and agency workers which will affect eligibility, record-keeping needs and other practical considerations. These details include:

The hours threshold. To be in scope of the right to guaranteed hours, workers must have worked during the reference period for their employer on a zero-hours basis, or have a number of hours guaranteed in their contract already that is below an hours threshold to be specified in regulations—in which case they must have worked in excess of those guaranteed hours.

The length of initial and subsequent reference periods, and the timings of subsequent reference periods. Employers will be required to make a guaranteed hours offer to a qualifying worker that reflects the number of hours they worked during a reference period.

The Government’s preference is for the initial reference period to be 12 weeks long. Subsequent reference periods could be of a different length.

The definition of “temporary need”. This affects the circumstances in which employers can make a guaranteed hours offer on a limited-term basis, and may be important to employers facing seasonal demand.

The way that a guaranteed hours offer is calculated to reflect hours worked.

Any exemption from the right to guaranteed hours, which could apply in specific circumstances.

Part 2 seeks views on details to be set out in regulations for directly engaged and agency workers in relation to new rights to reasonable notice of shifts and changes to shifts, and payment for shifts cancelled, moved, or curtailed at short notice. These details include the scope of the measures; the length of notice to be presumed reasonable and the factors determining reasonableness; how to define short notice for the payment right and how the payment should be calculated; any exceptional circumstances where employers and hirers should be exempt from the new duties; and potential enforcement of short notice payments by the Fair Work Agency. Through consultation and engagement we also seek to understand better the potential impact of the measures on administrative costs to employers.

Part 3 seeks views on whether to amend the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 to require relevant entities to share information to support compliance.

Next steps for consultation

This consultation will close at 11.59 pm on 25 August 2026. We have planned an extensive series of meetings during the consultation period with bodies representing employers and workers, including in the key sectors affected. Following the closure of this consultation we will analyse the responses and consider the views expressed and representations made, before publishing a Government response and making regulations in due course.

[HCWS74]

Today, I am laying before the House the draft carbon budget 7 order, which sets the seventh carbon budget, for the period from 2038 to 2042, at 535 MtCO2e (equivalent to a ~87% emissions reduction from 1990 levels). This budget represents the next interim target for the UK on the way to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Against the backdrop of heightened geopolitical instability, including the ongoing crisis in the middle east and its implications for global energy markets, the case for setting a clear and credible long-term pathway for the UK on clean energy and climate action is stronger than ever.

The Government have agreed with the independent advice of the Climate Change Committee to set the budget at the level it has advised. This level has been chosen because it:

Reduces the UK’s exposure to volatile international fossil fuel markets and protects billpayers;

Delivers the benefits of clean energy and climate action for jobs and growth, health and our natural environment;

Aligns with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C goal to avoid climate disaster for future generations.

This level provides a clear basis and early signal for the pathway and pace of action required to remain on track for net zero by 2050.

Parliamentary scrutiny and transparency of the proposed carbon budget 7 level is important, and I support this through the publication of an accompanying impact assessment. The impact assessment sets out the evidence on the likely impacts of different carbon budget levels and the necessary investment required to meet them— much of which reflects upgrades to the UK’s energy system, homes and transport that would be needed in any case to modernise ageing infrastructure and meet future demand.

The impact assessment also shows that even under higher technology-cost assumptions, meeting net zero continues to represent value for money, with strong net benefits relative to alternative pathways. It concludes that the CCC’s recommendation for the seventh carbon budget is the preferred option, as the most credible and balanced option with the strongest overall case.

The detailed evidence in the impact assessment sets out how delivering this ambitious level is a major opportunity to improve people’s lives in the UK today, while protecting our children and grandchildren:

Energy security and lower bills: clean power and electrification will significantly reduce our exposure to volatile international fossil fuel markets across the economy: by 2050, our economy’s overall dependency on fossil fuels will reduce from ~75% of our total primary energy today to ~15%. Electrification will also help consumers benefit from technologies that can cut their bills. Even before the Iran war, it was often cheaper to run a zero-emission vehicle than a petrol or diesel car, and with the right tariff, running a heat pump can be cheaper than a gas boiler.

Good jobs and growth: clean energy and climate action is the economic opportunity of the 21st century. Clean energy industries are already creating good jobs across the UK in roles ranging from offshore wind turbine technicians and solar panel installers to nuclear and grid engineers, heat pump engineers, and hydrogen fuel cell researchers. Earlier and more ambitious action generates reinforcing effects that reduce overall costs over time and strengthen long-term growth prospects.

Improved quality of life and health: from warmer homes to cleaner air, decarbonising the UK’s economy will reduce air pollution and ease long-term pressures on the NHS. Improving air quality alone could deliver £80 billon of health-related benefits between now and 2050, avoiding between 39,000 and 119,000 life years lost. This would result from improved air quality in 2050, against a no-net-zero baseline.

Protecting our natural environment: the climate and nature crises are fundamentally linked and contribute to each other. Reducing domestic emissions will contribute to restoring and protecting our wildlife, landscapes and ecosystems that provide our food and water. This will also help improve access to nature now and for future generations.

Tackling the climate crisis: the UK has already helped drive global efforts to tackle climate change, including by passing the world’s first Climate Change Act, which has been emulated by nearly 60 countries, and by being the first major economy to legislate for net zero by 2050. It has helped drive a global shift towards net zero targets, which now cover 80% of global GDP. The UK’s climate framework has provided a model that others have followed, and domestic ambition strengthens our credibility and influence as we work with other countries to drive global action.

The Government are committed to meeting our carbon budgets, in line with the Climate Change Act 2008. Existing carbon budget 6 delivery policies will drive substantial abatement into the carbon budget 7 period. The carbon budget growth and delivery plan, published just last October, sets out a cross-Government policy package to enable carbon budgets 4, 5 and 6 to be met up to 2037. These policies will continue to deliver the bulk of emissions savings needed for carbon budget 7. This provides a strong and credible starting point for carbon budget 7, reducing delivery risk and giving confidence that the transition can be delivered in an affordable and manageable way.

Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry on Carbon Budget 7

I would like to thank the Environmental Audit Committee for its inquiry on the seventh carbon budget, which was opened in September 2025, following an invitation from Government. The EAC recommended that the Government accept the CCC’s recommended level for its seventh carbon budget. The Government response will be published by the Committee soon after the laying of the CB7 order.

The Government’s response highlights the need for carbon budget 7 to combine ambition with deliverability, affordability and public confidence, underpinned by a robust evidence base. It welcomes the Committee’s report, and sets out the positive case on public engagement and the Government’s approach to delivery.

The pathway to deliver the carbon budget targets through to the seventh carbon budget will be set out in a future delivery plan, to be published as soon as is reasonably practicable after the budget level has been set. This statutory sequencing recognises the time needed to develop and agree an ambitious and robust package of policies for meeting the target.

I welcome parliamentary scrutiny of the proposed level as an integral part of the democratic process for setting carbon budgets in accordance with the requirements of the Climate Change Act.

[HCWS75]

I would like to inform the House that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has accepted the recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee to introduce England’s first targeted prostate cancer screening programme. This decision has been taken after considering the evidence presented by both the UK NSC and patient advocate groups.

Men with a known BRCA2 gene variant and a relevant family history will be offered PSA (prostate-specific antigen) screening every two years between the ages of 45 and 61. The programme is expected to begin roll-out in 2027 and will use an IT call and recall system that will systematically invite eligible men for tests. Those who have previously been advised that they can get an annual PSA test will still be able to access them through their GP.

This is an important step forward, but we know that our accepting this recommendation means that there will be groups and individuals who will be disappointed that we are not going further. However, the evidence does not yet support a wider screening programme. Screening must do more good than harm, and given current tests and treatments, that threshold has not been met. Screening all men could lead to unnecessary treatment that does more harm than good—including incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

That is why, alongside introducing targeted screening, the Government are taking decisive action to strengthen the evidence base and improve outcomes for men at highest risk, and to improve effective diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.

We are announcing a major package of investment of over £20 million to expand research and improve treatment. This includes an increased financial commitment of up to an additional £18 million to the TRANSFORM trial, which is working to address the evidence gaps identified by the UK NSC. As a result of this investment, and with the help of grant-funded investment at community level, all eligible black men—UK residents between 45 and 74 years who have not had a PSA test or prostate MRI scan in the last five years—will be invited to take part in stage 2 of the trial. This investment will help to address long-standing inequalities in risk and outcomes.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ealing North (James Murray), will soon be hosting a roundtable alongside the Deputy Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy), with representatives of local community organisations, supported by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute of Health and Care Research, to hear directly from community organisations about how we should boost engagement and encourage black men to be a part of this vital research, which will find the best screening programme. Furthermore, we are investing up to £2.8 million in focal therapy, a minimally invasive prostate cancer treatment. This will strengthen existing national provision, and reduce potential harms from treatment and support delivery of the TRANSFORM trial.

The Government have also taken significant steps to improve access to the most effective treatments for men with prostate cancer. Earlier this year, the NHS expanded access to the drug abiraterone for earlier-stage prostate cancer, representing a substantial improvement in outcomes for thousands of families affected by prostate cancer.

We recognise that the change in policy will mean that the public may seek answers from their GP or health professionals. Men who are not eligible for the new screening programme but have concerns should continue to ask their GP for advice on the basis of their individual position and risk factors. In order to support this engagement, we are updating the guidance both to GPs and to the public in line with the new recommendation to make it clearer to follow.

It is important that GPs are supported to make more informed clinical judgements when approached for a PSA test by men who do not have symptoms, but who are concerned about suspected family history. My officials are working with Cancer Research UK to move work on this forwards.

We will keep the evidence under close review, and the UK NSC’s model maintained, resourced and regularly updated as new evidence becomes available, so that we are ready to go further as soon as the science supports it.

With this package of measures, we are expanding research, widening treatment options, and tackling inequalities in prostate cancer care. The Secretary of State and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the UK National Screening Committee for continuing to provide invaluable expert advice on screening programmes, and everyone who participated in the consultation, including charities and patient groups. Finally, we would like to pay tribute to all those who work to deliver high-quality screening across the country, saving lives every day.

[HCWS80]

In February 2025, the Government published their response to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Holocaust Memorial Bill. In line with an undertaking given to the Select Committee, the Government:

Have submitted representations via the Planning Casework Unit that security should remain a key issue.

Have consulted on security with the Metropolitan Police Service, the National Protective Security Authority, the Community Security Trust, Westminster city council, and the corporate officers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Are depositing consultees’ comments in the Libraries of both Houses, except where security sensitive.

The Government are grateful for comments received from consultees and look forward to continuing close engagement as the programme proceeds.

[HCWS77]

We are nation of a thousand neighbourhoods, where our identity and sense of belonging all depend on what is around us. When the streets are clean and the high streets are thriving, times are good. But when shops are empty and crime is rife, those are the moments when we ask what is going wrong. As part of the Government’s commitment to restoring Pride in Place, we are today announcing further measures to echo the pride that people have in their town and city centres, ahead of the publication of the high streets strategy this summer.

First, we will deepen our commitment to tackling the blight of boarded-up shops, which damages the vibrancy of high streets and encourages antisocial behaviour. Since 2024, through a partnership with 12 early adopter local authorities, we have been successfully trialling high street rental auctions. These are new powers that enable councils to auction the lease of high street premises that have been empty for over a year in a two-year period, and compel the landlord to accept an offer. The experience of these councils shows that the powers are an effective lever to engage landlords, as over 60 high street shop units have been reoccupied without a rental auction needing to be held, and evidence of a tangible impact on vacancy rates. We now want to see these powers being taken up across the country, and to do this we will provide £10 million over the next two years, available to local authorities across England to apply for to fund refurbishment grants and other associated costs. This will open these spaces up to new tenants—not just taking out eyesores, but providing businesses with access to tenancies at below-market rent.

Next, we want every Pride in Place area to use their £20 million to support the local economy, so today I can announce that we will publish guidance to ensure that neighbourhood boards have all the tools they need to use local suppliers and invest in local businesses. This programme amounts to £6 billion for the most deprived communities in Britain. If we can use that to support community businesses, we can make this investment go so much further.

Finally, we are introducing changes to the business improvement districts by modernising the rule book. We will simplify voting procedures, strengthen transparency and accountability and, crucially, include property owners in the process. Across the country, businesses and BIDs have shown what they can contribute to revitalising high streets, and this Government will support them.

[HCWS81]

The Government are pleased to support a judiciary-led initiative to modernise the structure of the High Court through the establishment of a new business and property division. This historic modernisation will ensure that the UK remains a global hub for corporate litigation.

It will bring together the current business and property courts into a single division, which will replace the chancery division.

The business and property courts are a collection of specialist civil courts that deal with high-value, complex disputes, including commercial, business, property, technology and intellectual property cases. These courts play a significant role in supporting the UK’s legal services sector and wider economy, with a substantial proportion of cases involving international parties.

At present, these courts are situated across both the chancery division and the King’s bench division. This arrangement can create challenges for users in navigating the system and leads to overlapping governance responsibilities.

Relevant business and property courts will be transferred into the Chancery division, which will be renamed the business and property division. Leadership of the new division will rest with the current chancellor of the High Court, who will assume the title of president of the business and property division.

The new business and property division will stand alongside the King’s bench and family divisions of the High Court. The individual courts and lists that make up the new division will continue their work as they do now, keeping their existing jurisdictions, identities and areas of expertise.

This reform is intended to deliver a number of benefits:

Supporting economic growth by strengthening the international profile and accessibility of these courts, thereby reinforcing the UK’s position as a leading global dispute resolution centre;

Improving access to justice through clearer structures and a more intuitive framework for domestic and international court users; and

Strengthening judicial governance by providing a single point of leadership.

Changes will be made through an Order in Council, which will be laid in Parliament in due course, alongside updates to the civil procedure rules, practice directions and associated court materials.

Further updates will be provided to the House as this work progresses.

[HCWS79]

I am pleased to announce that the Government will update the Cabinet manual.

The Cabinet manual sets out the main laws, rules and conventions affecting the operation of Government. It is intended primarily as an authoritative reference for Ministers and civil servants, but it also has a role in making the operation of Government more accessible to Parliament and the public.

The manual was first published in 2011 and has not been updated since. As a result, it has become significantly out of date, most notably in its descriptions of general elections, the UK’s relationship with the EU and the devolution settlements. Its value for Ministers and officials, helping them to navigate the UK’s constitutional arrangements, has been diminished by this lack of accuracy. An update will therefore restore the manual’s status as an authoritative guide.

This update will also restate and underline the rules and conventions that underpin our democracy. Alongside wider work to strengthen the operation of Government, including the fundamental review into the organisation, performance and transformation of the permanent civil service, it will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the Government’s commitment to high standards in public life.

The Government will seek feedback from the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee in the House of Commons and the Constitution Committee in the House of Lords on the draft text. As the manual sets out constitutional arrangements from the view of the Executive, the Government will not seek Parliament’s approval of the text, following the approach established in 2010-11. Nevertheless, we hope that this engagement will be a meaningful opportunity for MPs and peers to support the drafting process so that the manual continues to be a non-party political document that provides a record of fact.

An update is long overdue and will serve to benefit Ministers, officials, Parliament and the public.

[HCWS78]

Modernising our airspace is a priority for this Government, and the upgrades that have been made to date are already providing improved reliability to services and helping to deliver our climate and environmental obligations. The benefits of modernisation do not stop at conventional passenger aircraft—they will also enable the safe integration of emerging aviation technologies, future-proofing our skies for the next generation of aircraft and making meaningful contributions towards our net zero targets.

Modernisation has an important role in ensuring that the growth of UK aviation proceeds in a sustainable manner, minimising where possible noise impacts for communities and emissions through more efficient flightpaths.

As the programme enters its third year following the refresh of the airspace modernisation strategy, there continues to be considerable progress. Some of the most significant developments include:

The establishment of the UK airspace design service, which will deliver holistic and modernised airspace design for the complex London terminal airspace by taking forward airports’ airspace change proposals in a co-ordinated manner.

The creation of a new UK airspace support fund to cover relevant costs of the sponsors of eligible ACPs that are outside the scope of the UKADS.

Progress being made by the 18 airports advancing their ACPs as part of the terminal airspace redesign element, with Edinburgh and Glasgow airports conducting their consultations.

Work progressing well on enabling the full integration of UK airspace, including supporting the safe integration of new airspace users, like drones. The CAA consulted on beyond visual line of sight operations for unmanned aircraft systems and work has begun mandating the carriage of electronic conspicuity technology.

The funding of six new projects to support the development of integration and beyond visual line of sight operations.

The publication in August 2025 of the updated part 3 of the strategy, consisting of the deployment plan outlining the delivery milestones for projects in progress or due to commence over the next seven years.

The airspace modernisation annual progress report, prepared by the CAA, is required by the Secretary of State for Transport and provides details of the progress made within the programme, as well as the policy development work carried out by the CAA against each of the AMS’s elements. This report covers the period from January to December 2025.

It provides a clear overview of the progress that has been delivered across the nine delivery elements and the multiple projects within each one. It also illustrates areas of delay or concern and what mitigations and measures are in place to reduce them. The full report is available on the CAA website.

Since 2022, the Department for Transport has placed the annual progress report in both Libraries as a record of the workstreams initiated and work carried out. However, as the programme has matured and gained momentum, many aspects have become business as usual activities.

This written ministerial statement therefore represents the final time the CAA’s annual progress report will be placed in both Libraries. The CAA will continue to produce the report and publish it on its website with appropriate publicity.

[HCWS76]