Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reduce noise pollution in towns and cities.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to ensuring that noise is managed effectively to promote good health and minimise disruption to people’s quality of life. Defra manages noise through the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006.
The Regulations require noise mapping and the adoption of Noise Action Plans based upon this mapping. The Action Plans identify ‘Important Areas’, where the 1% of the population affected by the highest noise levels is located. The latest round of mapping is complete, with Noise Action Plans due to be published later in 2026.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to establish a government-led inquiry into lessons to be learned from HS2.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
An independent review of the governance and assurance of major transport projects led by James Stewart, drawing on HS2 as a case study, was published in June 2025. The Government has accepted the findings of this review in full and is taking forward its recommendations as part of the ongoing HS2 programme reset, recognising that some principles extend for the lifetime of the programme. On 19 May 2026, the Government also published a report by Sir Stephen Lovegrove looking at how the Civil Service sought to oversee and control the programme and HS2 Ltd, which we will respond to in due course.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there has been an increase or decrease in rental properties available in London over the past two years.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The 2024-25 English Housing Survey sets out the most recent data on the size of London’s private rented sector. According to the 2024-25 Survey, the size of private rented housing stock in London has remained stable over the preceding two years with no significant increase or decrease.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ban e-bikes in the light of the rise in e-bike accidents.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Only e-bikes that comply with the requirements of the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 are legal to use on the roads and the Government has no plans to ban them. These regulations limit the maximum (assisted) speed of e-bikes to 15.5mph.
Where these requirements are not fully complied with, the e-bike is treated as a motor vehicle and must therefore be approved and registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency, taxed and insured. The rider must wear a safety helmet and hold a driving licence. The police have the power to seize e-bikes not appropriately registered as motor vehicles under Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, and on the grounds that they would not be insured.
More broadly, the Road Safety Strategy published this year sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads, including cyclists, by 65% by 2035. Well-designed infrastructure, particularly of the kind that provides protection from motor traffic, can improve both safety and perceptions of safety for cyclists.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to speed up the buying and selling of homes.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 6 October, the government published two consultations outlining reform proposals to cut home buying transaction times in this country to support a faster, fairer housing market. They can be found on gov.uk here and here. We are now analysing the responses to both consultations.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reduction in the number of private rental properties in the past 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
My Department has made no such assessment. The most recent data from the English Housing Survey (EHS) 2024-25, shows 4.7 million households rent privately, which is equivalent to 11 million people and 19% of the housing market – remaining relatively stable at this level since 2013-14.
Market data from Rightmove report a 3% increase in available rental homes in Q1 2026 compared to the previous year, and UK Finance data show that the number of buy-to-let loans was 14% higher at the start of 2026 compared with the start of 2025.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ban online gambling advertising.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is not considering legislation to ban online gambling advertising at this time. However, we are committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders, including the gambling industry, to further raise standards.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that innovative technologies that improve the identification of heart murmurs, particularly in primary care and community pharmacies, are supported by clear commissioning guidance and sustainable reimbursement pathways to incentivise earlier diagnosis.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department encourages innovation in the health sector that helps to support the three big shifts in healthcare: moving care from hospitals to communities, transitioning from analogue to digital, and focusing on prevention over treatment, which are set out as part of the 10-Year Health Plan. As set out in the plan, we will publish a new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) in spring 2026.
The framework will support consistent, high quality and equitable care and identify current and emerging innovations across the CVD pathway. We will consider the role of Government in supporting areas where we need to go further.
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out that integrated care boards (ICBs) will be strategic commissioners of local health services, ensuring that the money available to each local care system is put to the best possible use: to improve their population’s health, reduce health inequalities and improve access to consistently high-quality services. They are expected to draw on a deep understanding of population need and will need to shape commissioning plans through deep engagement with patients and the public.
To support this, on 4 November 2025, NHS England published more detailed expectations of ICBs in the Strategic Commissioning Framework. This sets out how to make best use of the whole National Health Service budget they deploy for the population: ensuring that care models match the real needs of the population, taking action to ensure individuals access the appropriate care, rigorously pursuing improved outcomes and value for money for their public.
In terms of service innovation, NHS England currently commissions the community pharmacy NHS Hypertension Case Finding service that focusses on the detection of people at risk of cardiovascular disease from high blood pressure and where it is captured the measurement of pulse rate. The data is shared with the patient’s general practitioner who will then use this information to inform any diagnosis and clinical intervention as appropriate.
Pharmacies are central to plans to create a Neighbourhood Health Service. ICB strategic commissioning will in future assess needs of local populations, prioritise commissioning based on evidence, strengthen their understanding of the role of technology and data in how and what they commission, including digital health technology and artificial intelligence, and develop models of multi neighbourhood providers.
In relation to medical devices outside of hospital, if a newly developed medical device is deemed appropriate for prescribing in primary or community care, the manufacturer has the option to apply for inclusion in the drug tariff. Once listed, the company can formalise a supply route via community pharmacies. This arrangement ensures that the device can be prescribed and dispensed to patients, with the company receiving reimbursement for the supply of their product through the established system.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of introducing a windfall tax on banks in light of the economic impact of the current conflict in the Middle East.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The banking sector is already subject to additional taxes: the Bank Levy and the Bank Corporation Tax Surcharge, which together raise for the Exchequer approximately £3 billion per year.
As set out in the Corporate Tax Roadmap, the Government is committed to keeping the bank tax regime under review to ensure the objectives of growth and responsible fiscal policy are appropriately balanced.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of purchasing the Patriot anti-missile system from the United States.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Integrated Air and Missile Defence investments will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including our investment of up to £1 billion on Homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.