Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to mandate climate adaptation measures in urban planning.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published on 12 December 2024, makes clear that the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change should be considered in preparing and assessing planning applications.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new NPPF. The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to climate change adaptation.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce heat-related deaths during heat waves in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency aims to reduce heat-related deaths primarily through the Adverse Weather and Health Plan. This provides guidance and tools for the public and public sector organisations to prepare for impacts of adverse weather, including heat. The plan is reviewed and monitored annually to ensure it remains effective.
Health risks are communicated through Heat‑Health Alerts. These identify periods of greatest risk to vulnerable populations and enhance communications to support partner organisations and the public in taking action to minimise health harms. Summer 2025 was the warmest on record, yet heat-related deaths, estimated at 1,504, were roughly half of the 3,039 expected based on past trends. This reduction highlights the success of coordinated responses across national, regional, and local levels, alongside improved public awareness and health system readiness.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether a minister will attend the High-Level Segment of the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels from 28 to 29 April.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the right reverend Prelate.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what their policy priorities are in enacting the transition away from fossil fuels.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the right reverend Prelate.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to increase investment in renewable energy produced in the UK, following the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas carrying vessels.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the right reverend Prelate.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they delivered their commitment to provide £11.6 billion of international climate finance between 2021–22 and 2025–26, including £3 billion to protect and restore ecosystems abroad.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is a leading global provider of climate finance and has met its spending target of at least £11.6 billion over the five financial years from 2021/22 to 2025/26. We have also met our £3 billion Nature target.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the impact on the natural environment of the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the recent conflict.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
No such assessment has been made.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the feasibility of making coagulometers available for loan to patients self-testing International Normalised Ratio levels on the same basis that blood glucose testing meters are available free to diabetics through the NHS.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that patients on warfarin have regular blood tests to monitor their International Normalised Ratio levels. Patients can be tested in their general practice (GP) surgery or hospital anticoagulant clinic. The Department has not made an assessment of how best to provide coagulometers as the decision on how best to run and fund testing is a local decision. Self-testing is possible if the clinician was confident of the results and if the GP or anticoagulant clinic chose to fund the testing in this way. We are not aware of patients being asked to pay for a coagulometer to self-test.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government why patients on warfarin are expected to pay for a coagulometer to self-test International Normalised Ratio levels or use an NHS nurse appointment for monitoring.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that patients on warfarin have regular blood tests to monitor their International Normalised Ratio levels. Patients can be tested in their general practice (GP) surgery or hospital anticoagulant clinic. The Department has not made an assessment of how best to provide coagulometers as the decision on how best to run and fund testing is a local decision. Self-testing is possible if the clinician was confident of the results and if the GP or anticoagulant clinic chose to fund the testing in this way. We are not aware of patients being asked to pay for a coagulometer to self-test.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend to support the COP29 Collective Quantified Goal of at least $300 billion per year from the developed world by 2035.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
COP29 agreed a collective goal to provide at least $300bn from a broad range of public and private sources, with developed countries taking the lead.
The UK is committed to providing International Climate Finance now and in the future, and to playing our part alongside other developed countries and climate finance providers to deliver our international commitments. The UK is on track to deliver £11.6bn in International Climate Finance by the end of this financial year. Future spending plans will be set out following the completion of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocation process.