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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83666, how new permanent legal rights of public access will be created through proposals for nine new river walks and three new national forests.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Our nine new river walks and three new national forests will both increase available natural space and make it more accessible.

We are progressing plans to deliver nine new National River Walks across England, one in each region, to enhance access to nature and are currently considering several delivery options. Further details will be announced in due course.

Our three new national forests in the West of England, the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and the Midlands or North of England, once confirmed, will support delivery of environmental improvement goals including improving access to green space and better connecting people with nature. The Government will set out plans for new national forests in the coming months which will incorporate many factors, including a consideration of new permanent legal rights of access.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of section 147ZA of the Highways Act 1980 on the rights of disabled people to access the outdoors.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is supportive of the provision within section 147ZA of the 1980 Act that enables an authority to work with landowners and relevant parties to replace or improve existing structures so that they can be used more easily by individuals that may experience mobility challenges. There is currently no national assessment available of the impacts of this provision. However, we will continue to improve access to green and blue spaces, ensuring that it is safe and appropriate for all users, through our various initiatives.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made representations to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on ensuring that the statutory duties of local highway authorities for the public rights of way network are integrated into the Local Government Outcomes Framework.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on a range of issues.

The Government has no plans at this stage to integrate local highway authorities’ statutory duties for public rights of way into the Local Government Outcomes Framework. The Local Government Outcomes Framework will include key national priorities delivered at the local level, so will not have metrics measuring all local authority statutory duties. Local highway authorities have clear statutory responsibilities for managing and maintaining the public rights of way network within their individual areas, including ensuring routes are kept free from obstruction. They are also required to prepare and keep under review a Rights of Way Improvement Plan, which assesses the condition of the network and sets out planned improvements for all users. These plans are published on each authority’s website.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her Israeli counterpart on the case of Palestinian doctor Dr Hussam Abu Safiya.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 August to question 68153.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure capital investment in NHS estate and infrastructure supports improvements in climate resilience.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We recognise the importance of increasing the climate resilience of the National Health Service estate and infrastructure. NHS trusts are responsible for maintaining their estate, including adapting premises to reduce the risks associated with climate change, as set out in the NHS Standard Contract.

The Department is supporting the improvement of NHS sites by investing £30 billion over the next five years in day-to-day maintenance and repair, with £5 billion allocated specifically to address the most critical building issues. NHS trusts will be able to direct some of this funding towards improving the climate resilience of their estate where this is locally appropriate. Additionally, the Department is making sure all new hospitals are fit for the future. The Department’s New Hospital Programme requires schemes to achieve a minimum rating of BREEAM ‘Excellent’ for new builds, and ‘Very Good’ for refurbishments. All NHS investments in new buildings and upgrades to existing facilities that are subject to HM Treasury business case approval process must align with the NHS Net Zero Building Standard, which includes a focus on overheating risks.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the retirement of the Public Switched Telephone Network and the transition to VoIP landline services, particularly during power outages on public safety in rural areas with (a) limited and (b) no mobile phone coverage.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The number of major incidents on the PSTN (affecting 500 or more customers) has been increasing. In 2024, there was a 45% increase compared to the previous year. In 2024/25 there were over 2,600 major incidents on the PSTN. VoIP landline services are more resistant to severe weather as the cables used are waterproof, and less prone to damage during a storm or other severe weather events. Over two thirds of landlines have already been migrated to VoIP.

The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks arising from the industry-led migration from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated, including for rural residents who are landline-dependent.

In November 2024, the Government secured additional safeguards from communication providers. These include providing free battery back-up units for landline-dependent customers to ensure emergency access for at least one hour during power outages. Many communication providers offer battery back-up unit lasting 4-7 hours. This will enable people without mobile coverage to continue to access emergency services using their landline during a power cut.

Kashmir Black Day and self-determination

Human rights violations and suppression of democratic opposition in Tanzania

UK arms export licensing and conflict in Sudan

Convention on Cluster Munitions and preventing UK involvement in their production

Higher education pension cuts

Political education

Border violence

US military build-up in the Caribbean

Children and blast injuries, Save the Children report

Impact of upgrading the energy efficiency of private rented homes

Right to trial by jury

Thanking postal workers

Domestic Energy Efficiency (Call for Evidence) Bill

Russian shadow fleet

Armed exports to the United Arab Emirates and the situation in Sudan

Driver-only trains on East West Rail

Professional integrity of BBC journalists

Supporting shopworkers

Habitat regulations

Palestine Action hunger strike

Found: Damian Hinds and Ruth Jones: Comprehensive Acquired Brain Injury action plan • Adam Dance and Adrian Ramsay