Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are examining road access issues relating to the south, south-west and west regions in considering the future of the Heathrow Express service; and whether those considerations will cover the optimal public transport solutions for an expanded Heathrow Airport.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government recognises the vital role that surface access will play as part of any future expansion of Heathrow Airport. As part of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), launched on 22 October 2025, we will consider the transport infrastructure required to support a third runway. This will include rail and road connectivity, alongside public transport mode share targets and will consider the impacts for travellers from different regions. While it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of the ANPS review at this stage, it will be the responsibility of any expansion promoter to set out a surface access strategy demonstrating how they will meet the requirements set out in the ANPS.

My department is currently considering the future ownership structure of the Heathrow Express, and a decision will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what targets they have set for raising literacy levels for year 7 students entering secondary education during the National Year of Reading.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The ‘Go All In’ campaign aims to increase reading engagement across all ages and encourage young people to see reading as enjoyable and rewarding, prioritising certain groups, such as boys aged 10 to 16, with a focus on key stage 2 to key stage 3 transition.

To strengthen literacy at the start of secondary school, the department is introducing a mandatory statutory reading assessment for all year 8 pupils, designed to identify gaps in reading fluency and comprehension early, ensuring schools can provide the right support. This academic year we have also launched a secondary pilot of the English Hubs programme, investing £2.3 million to support reading, alongside a national continuing professional development programme, Unlocking Reading, delivered by the Fischer Family Foundation to improve support for struggling readers. These measures collectively aim to strengthen reading engagement and improve literacy outcomes throughout key stage 3.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that every primary school is able to access volunteer support for teachers working to raise literacy levels.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Headteachers have the freedom to make recruitment decisions, including the use of volunteers in their schools. This freedom allows schools to tailor their provision to the needs of their pupils and provide safe, effective, and bespoke volunteering programmes. Schools are required to follow employment laws and statutory guidance, including crucial safeguarding guidance.

To support the government’s commitment to strong foundations in reading and writing for all children, we have launched the National Year of Reading 2026, a UK-wide campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment.

The National Year of Reading is spotlighting the vital role that volunteers play in supporting literacy in schools, including helping children discover the joy of reading. We recognise the important work of reading volunteer charities such as Bookmark Reading Charity, Chapter One, Coram Beanstalk and Schoolreaders, who are partners of the National Year of Reading.

The National Year of Reading website includes a tool to find reading volunteering opportunities, information about how to become a National Year of Reading Champion, and case studies showing how volunteers are supporting reading for pleasure.

More information for those interested in reading volunteering is available here: https://goallin.org.uk/get-involved/volunteers/.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the net annual cost to the Treasury of freezing business rates on recording studios.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has no current plans to freeze business rates for recording studios.

At the Budget in November 2025, the Government announced a £4.3 billion support package to support ratepayers across all sectors seeing bill increases. This includes a redesigned Transitional Relief scheme, which protects ratepayers from large overnight increases as a result of the revaluation.

The Government values the music industry and understands that recording studios are a vital part of the infrastructure of the industry. The Music Growth Package will see Government funding for the sector more than double from £4.1 million to up to £10 million a year for the next three years.