Written Statements

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

Tuesday 24 March 2026

Late Payments Consultation: Government Response

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Blair McDougall)]

This Government believe that business is the driver of growth and wealth everywhere across Britain. A thriving private sector is the single most powerful engine for improving livelihoods and places. The UK has some of the best, most innovative businesses in the world, and the most talented leaders and entrepreneurs of any nation.

In turbulent times, this Government are backing business with a deliberately more active state that is going further than previous Governments to back businesses, tackling reforms that previous Governments neglected, and prioritising the strongest reforms in decades to get more cash in the bank sooner for Britain’s small businesses.

The role of business in the Britain we are building is not just to plug gaps in the finances left by the last Government. Only with a thriving private sector can we change the country for the better. We will be more interventionist than our predecessors in backing the British business community to build and scale great companies.

In that context, today we are publishing the Government response to the late payments consultation which ran from 23 July to 31 October 2025.

In the response, we set out the measures we will take forward to tackle the scourge of late payments, forming the most ambitious reforms in over 25 years and giving the UK the strongest legislative framework on late payments in the G7. These measures will help deliver on the Government ambition to make the UK the best place in the world to start, run, and grow a business.

Late payments cost the UK economy £11 billion each year and lead to the closure of 38 UK businesses every day. On average, each business owner affected by late payments wastes 86 hours each year chasing invoices, amounting to a staggering total of 133 million hours across UK businesses. This hurts productivity, damages supply chains and erodes cash flow.

The impact of the status quo is clear: wasted time and wasted resources, and too many businesses that struggle to pay their hard-working employees on time and invest for the future. Our measures tackle this problem head-on, driving productivity and investment, and freeing up cash so that businesses can survive, thrive, and grow.

The consultation received more than 850 responses from across the UK. We are grateful for the interest, time, and expertise that stakeholders have put in to help us get this right.

The proposals within the consultation received strong support. Respondents overwhelmingly agreed with the importance of paying smaller businesses quickly and on time. We will strengthen the powers of the small business commissioner, giving them powers to investigate, fine and adjudicate. We will introduce strong maximum payment terms of 60 days, mandatory interest on late payments, a time limit for disputes and increased board level scrutiny. We also propose to prohibit the deduction of retentions in construction contracts but, given the ambition of the policy, we will consult further on the impact of this measure before taking a final decision on implementation.

This Government will continue to work with businesses and organisations across the UK economy to make these reforms a success. These changes will complement the efforts of the vast majority of UK businesses already committed to excellent payment practice, and through arming smaller businesses against the scourge of late payments, improve productivity and cash flow.

We will make sure that small businesses are paid on time, every time.

[HCWS1436]

Switzerland Enhanced Free Trade Agreement Negotiations: Round 10

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Trade (Chris Bryant)]

The 10th round of negotiations on an enhanced free trade agreement with Switzerland took place in Geneva between 9 and 13 March 2026.

The round followed the Secretary of State for Business and Trade’s meeting with his counterpart, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, in January 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Strengthening the UK’s partnership with Switzerland reflects the UK Government’s commitment to economic growth with our 10th largest trading partner, a relationship worth £49.0 billion in the four quarters ending Q3 2025.

In 2020 our trading relationship with Switzerland supported 130,000 UK services jobs across finance, consultancy and legal sectors services, transport, and other key sectors:

https://data-explorer.oecd.org

However, the current UK-Swiss trade agreement, signed in 2019 and based largely on an EU-Swiss agreement from 1972, focuses mainly on goods. It does not include services, investment, digital or data, even though services account for over 60% of UK trade with Switzerland. Switzerland is the UK’s sixth largest export market for services:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/datasets/uktotaltradeallcountriesseasonallyadjusted

The enhanced FTA aims to provide long-term certainty for UK services firms, locking in access to the Swiss market, ensuring the free flow of data and securing business travel arrangements on a permanent basis.

The latest round saw progress in a number of areas:

Services and Investment

Sessions took place on services and investment, with discussions focused on market access, including financial services.

Telecoms

Discussions were held on a telecommunications chapter, with progress made across a number of areas to minimise barriers and support increased trade and connectivity.

Digital

Further discussions were held on digital trade. Negotiations will continue with the aim of delivering robust outcomes for businesses in important areas, including preventing data localisation, as well as on the topics of source code and cryptography.

Intellectual Property

Negotiations continued on intellectual property rights with the aim of agreeing a comprehensive framework for the protection of intellectual property.

Goods

Discussions continued on goods market access.

Next steps on FTA negotiations

The Government will only ever sign a trade agreement that aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, alongside protections for the national health service. Ministers will continue to update Parliament on the progress of negotiations.

[HCWS1435]

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: Response to Humble Address Motion

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Trade (Chris Bryant)]

I am updating the House on the Government’s work to comply with the Humble Address relating to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, approved on 24 February 2026, and on the steps being taken to identify and prepare the relevant material.

The Department for Business and Trade is leading the Government response. We are committed to complying fully with Parliament’s request while avoiding the publication of information that could prejudice the live Thames Valley police investigation into Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct in public office. A dedicated team has been established to co-ordinate this work across the Department and Whitehall.

From 1976 to 2001 the Duke of Kent served as vice-chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board and later British Trade International. In this role he was part of the senior leadership of the UK’s official trade-promotion body and conducted more than 60 overseas visits to promote trade. Initial searches confirm that it was agreed that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, on retiring from the Navy, would continue to support the late Queen in her duties and take on a specific role created for him reflecting the Royal Family’s long-standing involvement in trade promotion. The role was unpaid, but British Trade International paid for his travel and related expenses. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor did not take over the Duke of Kent’s board role.

We have begun searching historical departmental records and have commissioned parallel searches in other Departments, in particular the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Cabinet Office. We have established a process with the Cabinet Office and Thames Valley police to ensure that any material released does not prejudice the police investigation.

Mr Mountbatten-Windsor took up his role as special representative for trade and investment in October 2001. At that time, Government work on exports and investment was led by British Trade International, reporting jointly to the Department for Trade and Industry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The records from this period are largely paper-based. Subsequent machinery of Government changes—including the formation of UK Trade & Investment in 2003, its merger into the Department for International Trade in 2016, and the creation of the Department for Business and Trade in 2023—mean that relevant records span multiple legacy bodies and formats. We are working through these complexities in order to comply with the Humble Address.

I understand and share colleagues’ desire for relevant information to be provided to Parliament as quickly as possible. I will continue to keep the House updated on progress.

[HCWS1439]

Devolved Governments: 2025-26 Funding

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (James Murray)]

In addition to changes in devolved Government funding at supplementary estimates 2025-26, and in line with the statement of funding policy, the Welsh Government have chosen to draw down £285.901 million in resource DEL (excluding depreciation), £53.395 million in capital DEL (general) and £10.704 million in capital DEL (financial transactions) from the Wales reserve in 2025-26. This is in line with the funding arrangements set out in the Welsh Government’s fiscal framework.

There have been further changes to devolved Government funding due to the application of the Barnett formula that were processed after the finalisation of supplementary estimates 2025-26. In 2025-26 these have resulted in changes of:

-£0.208 million resource DEL (excluding depreciation) and £2.890 million capital DEL (general) for the Welsh Government

-£0.344 million resource DEL (excluding depreciation) and £0.188 million capital DEL (general) for the Scottish Government

-£0.468 million capital DEL (general) and -£0.921 million capital DEL (financial transactions) for the Northern Ireland Executive in 2025-26.

The Northern Ireland Executive will also carry forward an increase of £0.078 million capital DEL (general) and defer a -£0.145 million resource DEL (excluding depreciation) reduction to 2026-27.

The Welsh Government will also return £11.790 million resource DEL (excluding depreciation).

Revised 2025-26 devolved Government funding is as follows:

Defence Diplomacy Strategy

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey)]

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence (Lord Coaker) has made the following written ministerial statement.

In the strategic defence review published in June 2025, the Government committed to bring forward a defence diplomacy strategy. Today, we fulfil that commitment.

The full strategy is necessarily classified, due to its assessments of the UK’s interests. The public summary published and placed in the Library of the House today sets out the concrete actions the Ministry of Defence will take, alongside other Government Departments to deliver the strategy.

Our world has changed. The threats we face are more serious and less predictable than at any time since the cold war. In this new era, our first defence diplomacy strategy lays the foundation for UK defence to be more deliberate, targeted and coherent in deepening our international relationships with allies and partners. It is backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the cold war, and sets out how diplomacy will support the delivery of the SDR’s priorities to make the UK more secure at home and strong abroad.

At a time when Europe has been rightly challenged to step up to meet the security demands in its own region, and in the face of growing Russian aggression, the primary focus of our defence diplomacy is on supporting our commitment to NATO.

Since coming into office 20 months ago, we have secured strategic agreements with Germany, France and Norway, all of which strengthen our national security and make defence an engine for growth at home. We have also galvanised international support for Ukraine. Since February 2025, the UK has stepped up to co-chair the Ukraine defence contact group with Germany—the international forum for providing military equipment to Ukraine. And we co-lead the coalition of the willing with France to help secure a lasting peace in Ukraine.

“NATO first” does not mean NATO only. Security in the Euro-Atlantic is indivisible from security in the middle east and Indo-Pacific. The UK is fully committed to working with our global allies and partners on shared defence priorities.

This new strategy provides a framework for how defence will work across Government and with allies and international partners to do that via diplomacy.

It focuses effort on the UK’s most critical objectives, ensuring better departmental prioritisation and value for money for the taxpayer. For the first time, it puts growth at the heart of defence diplomacy, by encouraging investment in British-based businesses British exports and the procurement of British-made defence equipment by our partners. The strategy embeds lessons from our recent successes—including the biggest fighter jet deal in a generation with Turkey, Britain’s biggest ever warship deal, signed with Norway, and our industrial co-operation with Germany—and ensures we apply them consistently across defence to deliver British jobs and growth.

It will also improve how the Department uses data and AI insights to support decision and policymaking, and equip our staff with better tools and training to build deeper regional expertise.

It sets out how we will train and develop our defence attachés and international-facing personnel by introducing enhanced training and distinct career streams to build deeper regional expertise. We will align the allocation of places on our world-class military education courses to our international prioritisation, ensuring they will have the greatest effect. We will also leverage our international alumni networks for sustained engagement and broaden opportunities for UK personnel to access international training programmes. Our newly established Defence Section London will support the 102 foreign defence sections accredited in the UK, improving co-ordination across the overseas defence network.

We will continue to use ceremonial opportunities to showcase our values, culture and history, recognising the British military’s long and proud record of excellence.

Delivery of the strategy will be monitored through departmental governance at ministerial and official levels to ensure that every pound of public investment delivers maximum strategic value.

I am placing a copy of the defence diplomacy strategy public summary in the Library of the House, and I look forward to updating this House on progress. Attachments can be viewed online at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2026-03-24/HCWS1440/

[HCWS1440]

Solar and Wind: Bills and Clean Energy

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Ed Miliband)]

Today the Government are announcing a package of clean energy measures, making solar panels more accessible and trialling a new way to deliver discounted power from wind. These measures will help to cut energy bills, reduce carbon emissions, and support energy security by making the UK less reliant on imported fossil fuels.

First, we are driving to make plug-in solar panels available to buy in the UK within months. These panels are cheaper than traditional rooftop solar panels and do not require professional installation, making solar power a more accessible option for flat owners and renters.

Secondly, the Government are publishing the future homes standard, which will include solar panels on new houses in England by default. The future homes standard will also see homes built with low-carbon heating such as heat pumps and heat networks.

Thirdly, we are committing to consult on changes to the smart export guarantee. This will look at how we can make it quicker and simpler for households and businesses to get paid for the electricity they export to the grid, and to get the best value from their clean power.

Fourthly, the Government are publishing a call for evidence on their £5 billion warm homes fund, which was announced in the warm homes plan earlier this year. The warm homes fund includes £1.7 billion for a new consumer loans scheme to support home upgrades including installation of solar panels. This call for evidence will explore options for using the remaining £3.3 billion, and includes solar as a key area of focus.

Finally, a new trial offering discounted power for households and businesses in constrained areas near wind turbines—expected predominantly in Scotland and the east of England—will begin this winter. Wind farms are currently paid to switch off their turbines when there is not enough capacity on the grid to transport wind generation to where demand is. This trial will instead allow companies to offer this “wasted wind” cheaply or for free to consumers of participating energy suppliers or flexibility service providers who live or operate their business in grid constrained areas when it is cheaper than turning off turbines. The trial will be funded by up to £20 million and delivered jointly by UK Research and Innovation and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. It will invite energy suppliers and other flexibility service providers to put forward offers for consumers that deliver discounted power.

Measures will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows to enable the Government to make this change permanently based on the results of the trial. This legislation will allow final consumption levies, which are policy costs that consumers pay for through their bills, to be removed from energy usage by consumers near to wind turbines at times when they are generating abundant wind power that would otherwise need to be turned off.

Relying on imported fossil fuels puts our energy security at risk. We are addressing that through our clean energy superpower mission, and this package of measures is one example. We are building a future energy system that is both secure and clean while also ensuring consumers will save money on their energy bills by bolstering cheap renewable energy.

[HCWS1444]

General Medical Council Legislative Framework: Reform

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Secondary Care (Karin Smyth)]

Today, we are launching a consultation for the General Medical Council that aims to bring healthcare professional regulation into the 21st century.

The consultation will provide a basis on which to tackle inefficiencies, slow processes, and bureaucratic barriers to change, thereby enabling faster, fairer and more forward-looking regulation. This is necessary for more effective protection of patients and the public.

For years there have been frequent calls from regulators, professions, and the public to make healthcare professional regulation more modern and efficient. These were reflected in recommendations by the Law Commission in 2014 and further substantiated by responses to the regulating healthcare professionals, protecting the public, policy consultation in 2021.

The principal objectives of the draft General Medical Council Order 2026 are:

To introduce a modern and agile regulatory framework for medical practitioners, physician associates and anaesthesia associates in the United Kingdom.

The GMC will be able to consult and amend its rules more efficiently as these will no longer require Privy Council approval. This will allow GMC to respond to external events in a timely manner which should lead to swifter and stronger public protection.

To provide the GMC with enhanced flexibility to set standards for education and training in different forms, for example formal teaching or digital learning and settings for example, clinical settings or community based settings, which will ensure high quality for all educators and learners.

To provide a duty on the GMC to hold a single register, rather than multiple registers as it does currently. The register will be clearly divided into parts for each profession the GMC regulates. This will make it easier for the public and patients to find and understand registration information about the GMC’s registrants.

To reform registration powers so the GMC can amend requirements flexibly, ensuring swifter adaptations to workforce needs and regulatory developments.

To overhaul the fitness to practise process to make it swifter, fairer and less adversarial, thereby strengthening public protection and improving the experience for all parties involved. This will further support the work GMC has already done to eliminate bias in its fitness to practice processes.

To establish a framework which may be used for future reforms to the other healthcare professional regulators, enabling faster and more consistent cross-regulator outcomes.

The proposed legislation also delivers several review recommendations which pertain to healthcare professional regulation.

The noble Lord Mann’s review into antisemitism and other forms of racism in the NHS recommends implementing a number of measures to strengthen the safeguards relating to healthcare professional regulation.

These include the GMC retaining its existing right to appeal fitness to practise panel decisions to the courts, strengthening the powers of the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care by permitting them to require information from regulators, strengthening the PSA’s appeal rights, and allowing the PSA to request that specific fitness-to-practise decisions made by case examiners are revised. These measures will strengthen the oversight of the regulatory system and demonstrate the Government commitment to stamping out racism and discrimination at all levels of the healthcare system. Work is under way to finalise a range of further recommendations from the Mann review, which will be shared in due course.

The consultation also seeks views on recommendations 1 and 9 of the Leng review which recommended that the roles of “Physician Associate” and “Anaesthesia Associate” be re-named “Physician Assistant” and “Physician Assistant in Anaesthesia”, respectively, to ensure clarity for patients.

The proposed UK-wide changes laid out in the consultation are crucial in ensuring the GMC is fit for purpose and can ensure protection of the public to the best of its ability.

[HCWS1443]

Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures: 1 December 2025 to 28 February 2026

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Security (Dan Jarvis)]

Section 19(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIM) Act 2011 (the Act) requires the Secretary of State to report to Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of every relevant three-month period on the exercise of their TPIM powers under the Act during that period.

The level of information provided will always be subject to slight variations based on operational advice.

Local Government Best Value: Nottingham, Croydon, Warrington and Woking

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Local Government and Homelessness (Alison McGovern)]

This Government are committed to taking the action necessary to fix the foundations of local government. Today, I am updating the House on the steps we are taking to support four councils to recover and reform: Nottingham city council, the London borough of Croydon, Warrington borough council and Woking borough council.

Nottingham city council

On 4 February, I informed the House that the Secretary of State is satisfied, having considered the fourth report from the Nottingham commissioners, and other information, that the council has made significant improvement in many aspects of its operation and is now meeting its best value duty across most, but not all, themes. I proposed an ongoing intervention package to provide support to the council to ensure that momentum is maintained and that remaining challenges are addressed by reforming critical public services. I invited the council and others to provide representations by 11 February.

The Secretary of State received two representations which he has carefully considered. He remains satisfied that the council is not yet meeting its best value duty in relation to continuous improvement, and service delivery. The Secretary of State has concluded that it is both necessary and expedient for him to exercise powers in the Local Government Act 1999 as I proposed. Today, he has issued directions under section 15(5) of the 1999 Act to implement the proposed intervention package.

The package, taking effect from today and due to be in place until 30 September 2027, comprises specific actions the council is required to take, and appoints ministerial envoys to support the council and oversee the improvement work. The Secretary of State has today appointed Sharon Kemp OBE as ministerial envoy. He is confident that her extensive knowledge and experience will help the council to build further on the improvements already under way. A second envoy appointment will be made in due course. The envoys will report to the Secretary of State after six months.

The intervention package represents a de-escalation of the previous arrangements, reflecting the substantial progress the council has made to date and the strength of its leadership. It is designed to build on and reinforce that progress, enabling the council to continue driving its own improvement with the necessary support from the ministerial envoys.

In summary, the directions issued today require the council to:

Work with the ministerial envoys to establish a continuous improvement committee with appropriate membership, including external leads for adults social care and children’s services.

Work with the ministerial envoys to prepare a continuous improvement plan within three months, and respond promptly and in public to any committee recommendations on the plan and its implementation.

Continue to work with other councils in the Nottinghamshire area for unitary local government.

Co-operate with the ministerial envoys and provide assistance and access to them as set out in the directions and required to deliver improvement.

Pay the ministerial envoys’ reasonable expenses and such fees as he determines.

The Secretary of State has reduced the number of days of support the ministerial envoys can provide compared to commissioners, with a maximum of 75 days each per year, reducing the level of oversight and the cost to the council.

The Secretary of State will review the directions and the ministerial envoys’ roles after 12 months, to ensure that Nottingham has the support required to accelerate recovery and protect the public purse. Subject to clear and sustained evidence of improvement, the intervention may be de-escalated further ahead of the expiration of the directions.

I would like to place on record my thanks to Sharon Kemp OBE, Tony McArdle OBE, and Margaret Lee OBE for their invaluable work in supporting the council on its reform and recovery since February 2024.

I remain committed to working in partnership with Nottingham city council and colleagues across Government to test how public service reform can drive Nottingham’s recovery, including developing an innovative targeted support offer alongside the statutory intervention, to deliver the best possible outcomes for residents.

London borough of Croydon

The London borough of Croydon has been in intervention since January 2021, and commissioners were appointed in July 2025.

I have today published the commissioners’ first progress report, received in February this year, alongside my response. I am pleased that the commissioner team have established a constructive working relationship with the council, and it is encouraging that the political and corporate leadership have committed to addressing the serious challenges that Croydon continues to face. It is right that the council recognises that there are more steps it can take at a local level to transform its services and operation and improve its financial sustainability to help it move out of best value failure. Delivery of the council’s transformation plan and associated savings is now essential to help move Croydon away from an unsustainable reliance on exceptional financial support. It is now vital that both members and officers drive forward at pace the necessary changes to help return longer-term financial sustainability to Croydon and improved service delivery for residents. I am confident that the support and oversight of commissioners will help to place the council on a stronger footing for the future.

I look forward to receiving the commissioners’ next report in the summer, after the local and mayoral elections in May, and I will keep the House updated on progress.

Warrington borough council

Warrington borough council has been in intervention since July 2025, involving a team of ministerial envoys working with the council to oversee and support the required improvement work. The expectation is for the council to drive its own improvement with the support, challenge and advice from the ministerial envoys, some of whom have powers to exercise council functions that are treated as held in reserve.

Today I have published the ministerial envoys’ first report, received in February, which identifies early progress in a number of key areas. It is encouraging to hear that the envoys’ advice has been welcomed, that key leadership appointments have been made, and that steps are being undertaken to improve governance arrangements.

The council will need to maintain this open approach as the scale of the challenge is becoming clear through this early stage of the intervention. The envoys’ report clearly sets out the council’s sobering financial situation, including a significant structural deficit, major commercial liabilities, and a £130 million four-year budget gap. Addressing these issues will require the council to overhaul its past approach to transformation to improve its efficiency and the services that residents deserve.

I look forward to receiving the envoys’ next report later this year, once key appointments at the council are more established and it has further strengthened its capacity to lead the recovery work with the envoys’ guidance and oversight. I expect the council to maintain a sustained focus on delivering the improvement and recovery plan and the fundamental transformation needed to strengthen financial sustainability.

Warrington’s improvement is essential not only for the council itself but also for the wider region, given its critical role in devolution and the establishment of the Cheshire and Warrington combined authority.

Woking borough council

Woking borough council has been in intervention since May 2023. I have today published the commissioners’ sixth progress report, received in February this year, alongside my response. I welcome commissioners’ assessment that the council remains committed to delivering its improvement and recovery plan and that progress continues to be made across governance, finance and transformation.

I recognise that the council faces continued challenges as it recovers from failure and welcome the progress that has been made in delivering the asset rationalisation programme. This, alongside our unprecedented commitment to repay £500 million of the council’s debt in 2026-27 as a first tranche of support, will be crucial to reducing Woking’s unsupported debt and providing value for money for taxpayers.

The council will be abolished in April 2027 as part of local government reorganisation in Surrey. I am grateful for commissioners’ focus on readying the council for reorganisation, and the collaborative work undertaken so far with local partners to ensure an effective handover. I am clear that transition readiness will be of the utmost importance for the final year of intervention.

Conclusion

I recognise the serious challenges facing councils under best value intervention, including in some cases the need to address substantial debt burdens. I am committed to working with these councils to ensure they are delivering the high standards that local residents rightly expect. My Department will continue to take action to support improvement where needed, alongside targeted financial support and reform of the system itself, to secure sustainable recovery across the local government sector.

I will deposit in the House Library copies of the documents referred to, which have been published on gov.uk today. I will update the House in due course.

[HCWS1442]

Future Homes and Buildings Standards

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Samantha Dixon)]

I wish to update the House on the publication of the Government response to the 2023 future homes and buildings standards consultation and the laying of a statutory instrument today to implement the policy resulting from this consultation.

Improving the energy efficiency of our buildings and reducing carbon emissions is challenging but essential. The 2021 amendments to the Building Regulations 2010, which increased the standards in parts L and F and introduced part O, were a good first step. But the future homes and buildings standards, which we are confirming today and laying the statutory instrument to implement, will ensure new homes and buildings in England will have good quality building fabric and, crucially, be fitted with low-carbon heating such as heat pumps. They will be “zero carbon ready” meaning they will naturally become zero carbon over time, as the electricity grid fully decarbonises, without the need for any retrofitting. This policy will help the UK avoid the more volatile price increases of fossil fuels, drive down energy bills for households, and support our goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The future homes and buildings standards consultation

The future homes and buildings standards consultation received over 2,000 responses, providing invaluable technical insights. We have carefully reviewed all of the feedback and worked hard to ensure the essential technical details are right to deliver a robust and workable standard.

The Government response to the future homes and buildings standards consultation confirms that, with implementation starting from 2027, the standards will make sure new homes and non-domestic buildings are future-proofed with low-carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. The future homes standard will ensure new homes emit, on average, at least 75% less carbon than 2013 standards homes, and will see solar panels installed in the majority of new homes, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and strengthening energy security. This could help save families hundreds of pounds a year.

Our ambition for on-site renewable electricity generation, such as solar, has meant we have developed a new approach to how we require this technology in the future homes standard. Our statutory instrument amends the Building Regulations to add in a new legislative functional requirement for on-site renewable electricity generation for new dwellings, which will ensure grid-connected new homes contribute towards clean energy and help manage peak demand. We have balanced this ambition with flexibility for developers constructing buildings where solar is not suitable, and appropriate exemptions for situations where installation may not be feasible, including higher-risk buildings. Higher-risk buildings, such as blocks of flats, often have limited roof space proportionate to the overall size of the building, with little available space for large equipment such as communal heating system components. Given this limited roof space, any benefit derived from requiring solar on the roof would be minimal when split across each individual flat. Residents of higher-risk buildings will continue to benefit from high levels of energy efficiency, supporting improved comfort and energy performance once homes are occupied.

The future buildings standard, which sets the performance standards for new non-domestic buildings such as offices, schools and warehouses, will also mean new non-domestic buildings feature high fabric standards, low-carbon heating, and other elements such as efficient lighting, better heat recovery, and solar panels (unless the building is a higher-risk building). This will ensure new non-domestic buildings are zero carbon ready, will lower energy use and emissions, and protect occupants from more volatile price increases due to reliance on fossil fuels.

The consultation response also includes the response to the call for evidence on part O of the Building Regulations, which came into force in June 2022. Part O requires new residential buildings to be designed and built to mitigate the risk of overheating, helping our country adapt to climate change and protecting people in their homes. The call for evidence collected input from house builders with first-hand experience of applying these requirements. Based on this feedback, the Government have decided to proceed with a comprehensive technical review of approved document O to consider how it could best be improved. The review will consider stakeholder concerns, including reviewing the adoption of the updated CIBSE TM59 for the dynamic method, exploring improvements to the simplified method and reviewing the noise and security guidance in approved document O. The review will also consider issues relating to overlaps with other parts of the Building Regulations and the use of weather files.

I am placing a copy of the Government response to the 2023 future homes and buildings standards consultation in the Library of the House.

Implementation of the future homes and buildings standards

The policies set out in the Government response to the future homes and buildings standards consultation form the policy for the 2026 changes to the Building Regulations.

Alongside publication of the Government response to the future homes and buildings standards consultation on 24 March 2026, I have laid a statutory instrument to implement the amendments to the Building Regulations, and I have published new statutory guidance.

Transitional arrangements have been established to provide clarity during the implementation of these amendments. These standards will come into force from 24 March 2027 for non-higher-risk building work, accompanied by a 12-month transition period. For higher-risk buildings, the amended regulations will be effective from 24 September 2027 in recognition of the greater complexity and length of the building control process making the standard arrangements unsuitable. Where a valid gateway 2 application has been submitted prior to this date, completion may proceed under the 2021 part L standards, except where such application is rejected or lapses. Full details are set out in the consultation response and statutory instrument.

Implementing these standards marks a pivotal step for the sector in our pursuit of net zero. It sets out a clear route towards delivering homes and buildings that are prepared for the future in their enhanced energy efficiency, low-carbon heating, and improved protection against overheating. This approach supports the transition to a cleaner, greener built environment, ensuring new homes are zero carbon ready and resilient to the impacts of climate change.

[HCWS1445]

Mobile and Fixed Telecoms Modernisation Charters and Protocols

Tuesday 24th March 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Kanishka Narayan)]

I am repeating the following written ministerial statement made today in the other place by my noble Friend Baroness Lloyd of Effra, the Minister for Digital Economy.

The Government secured agreement yesterday from the telecoms industry to further protect customers and to prevent disruption to critical national infrastructure services during telecoms modernisation programmes via the 2G switch-off charter and the fixed telecoms modernisation charter. These charters and additional guidance for communication providers, network operators and wholesalers have been developed in response to and in anticipation of essential work led by industry to modernise the UK’s digital infrastructure.

Modernising the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure supports economic growth. Households and businesses will be able to benefit from much faster download and upload speeds, improved network security, greater reliability and resilience, better call quality, and lower latency (faster responsiveness). In addition, some telecoms companies are finding it difficult to source certain spare parts required to maintain or repair connections as the parts are no longer made. Decommissioned parts are being used to maintain the remaining networks.

Modernising mobile networks

All four 3G networks have now been safely switched off, with the last operator switching off in early 2026. Spectrum released from retiring 3G is now being re-purposed to improve 4G and 5G connectivity, which is now widely available across the UK. Mobile network operators are now turning to switching off 2G networks which was first announced in 2021. These 2G networks are used for a number of critical services and support customers who require additional support, including those with older 2G-only mobile phones—of which there are around two million—as well as personal telecare alarms, so it is imperative that their migration to 4G or 5G networks is done safely.

Mobile operators, as signatories of the new 2G switch-off charter, have therefore made significant commitments to ensure a safe and smooth switch-off of 2G migration for everyone. These include contacting affected customers well in advance of switching off a 2G network or service, using multiple and different means of communications, trialling switching-off 2G in different geographic areas before starting a nationwide switch-off, verifying that 4G and-or 5G coverage is present prior to switching off 2G, and maintaining access to all forms of emergency services. Mobile phones that are 2G only ceased to be sold at scale over a decade ago in the mid-2010s. The remaining 2G-only mobile phone users will receive multiple messages asking them to upgrade to a new device in advance of 2G being switched off by each network in 2029, 2030 and by 2033. Government have and continue to engage with local authorities and telecare providers about the closure of mobile networks.

Modernising fixed networks

Fixed networks are also being upgraded. This includes the upgrade of analogue copper landlines, the public switched telephone network, to the digital voice over internet protocol, also known as the PSTN migration. This is an essential upgrade as older networks are ageing and deteriorating, and people are missing out on the benefits of newer, better technologies. There are also expected to be significant closures of telephone exchanges in the coming years, as these will no longer be required for running modernised networks. Similar to the switch-off of the 2G mobile network, there are customers who are reliant on their landlines and old copper-based services, including those who use telecare devices.

In November 2024, the Government secured agreements from the telecoms industry to protect vulnerable people and critical services during the PSTN migration via the non-voluntary migration checklist and critical national infrastructure charter. These have ensured safety is at the forefront of the PSTN migration, protecting customers who require additional support—including during changes to their telecoms services—and critical infrastructure. As of 31 December 2025, only 3.6 million PSTN lines remained operational. This is down from 6.5 million at the end of 2024 and 35.2 million at the network’s peak in 2000.

Industry and Government are committed to learning the lessons from the PSTN migration for future fixed telecoms modernisations. Therefore, the industry commitments that previously only applied to the PSTN migration have been extended to all fixed modernisations. This includes the fixed telecoms modernisation charter, critical national infrastructure charter, and the non-voluntary migration checklist.

Supporting everyone through the migrations

In addition to these updated documents, signatories have agreed to two final engagement protocols. These protocols are a backstop to address situations where a small number of customers do not engage with communication providers despite repeated attempts to contact them in order to modernise their service. Communication providers, and, separately, network operators and wholesalers, have agreed additional safeguards to protect customers, while enabling networks and services to be modernised before they fail. This includes the commitment to contacting customers three times using at least two different channels that are suitable for their needs, using clear language about the proposed change to their service. The protocols provide a minimum time period for customers to respond of at least 30 days. There are also additional communications, time and safeguards for those needing additional support.

During the roundtable that I hosted yesterday, telecoms providers agreed that their first priority was always to protect customers. I also laid out the Government plan to work with industry to ensure the charter commitments are met and engage with sectors that rely on digital connectivity to ensure they upgrade their products and services.

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