Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of redesigning the Flood Re scheme to allow its application to properties and houses in London which are (1) divided into three or more flats, and (2) blocks of flats.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Flood Re scheme allows for insurers to offer discounted premiums to leasehold properties consisting of three or less units where the freeholder lives in one of the units. As larger blocks, of four or more units, are classified as a commercial business, the Flood Re scheme does not apply to buildings insurance, though tenants and leaseholders can access Flood Re supported contents insurance regardless of block size. There’s currently no evidence of a widespread systemic problem for residents in accessing insurance, where they are ineligible for Flood Re.

Defra regularly reviews scheme eligibility. Expanding Flood Re to businesses would introduce a new business levy, effectively forcing businesses nationwide and indirectly customers, to subsidise profit making firms in flood-areas. Any expansion to Flood Re’s scope would need careful consideration of impacts on scheme operation and costs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 10 March (HL14740), how the Cass Review recommendations will be implemented and monitored across NHS children and young people gender services.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 1 April 2026, NHS England published a final service specification for National Health Service children and young people's gender services, which incorporates the findings and recommendations of the final report of the Cass Review, including adoption of the new Holistic Assessment Framework.

NHS England continues to have oversight of implementation of the various Cass Review recommendations in 2026/27, in line with the implementation plan published in August 2024. NHS England chairs a National Portfolio Board for NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Services, which is the vehicle for monitoring progress for implementing recommendations from the Cass Review. Membership of the board includes officials from the Department of Health and Social Care, Baroness Cass, the independent Chair of the National Provider Network, representatives of the royal colleges of medicine, senior clinicians, the NHS National Medical Director for Specialised Services, and the NHS National Director for Specialised Services.