Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms are in place to ensure effective public and local authority oversight of freeports and their ongoing development.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to public transparency, accountability, and oversight for all Industrial Strategy Zones (ISZs), the collective term for Freeports and Investment Zones. The ISZs Action Plan and the latest Freeports Programme Report, both published in June 2025, set out the steps being taken to deliver upon these requirements, including by holding at least one public meeting a year and publishing all meeting minutes.

To ensure elected local leaders have oversight, all ISZs in England have a local authority or Mayoral Strategic Authority acting as their accountable body, providing public transparency and accountability for the management of funding and their ongoing development. These mechanisms underpin a programme that has attracted £6.4 billion in private investment to date, unlocking regeneration and new jobs for local communities, and delivering upon the government's number one priority of economic growth.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help improve public transparency and local awareness of the implications of freeports.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to public transparency, accountability, and oversight for all Industrial Strategy Zones (ISZs), the collective term for Freeports and Investment Zones. The ISZs Action Plan and the latest Freeports Programme Report, both published in June 2025, set out the steps being taken to deliver upon these requirements, including by holding at least one public meeting a year and publishing all meeting minutes.

To ensure elected local leaders have oversight, all ISZs in England have a local authority or Mayoral Strategic Authority acting as their accountable body, providing public transparency and accountability for the management of funding and their ongoing development. These mechanisms underpin a programme that has attracted £6.4 billion in private investment to date, unlocking regeneration and new jobs for local communities, and delivering upon the government's number one priority of economic growth.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support young people into employment, education or training.

Answered by Pat McFadden - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

The government is investing £820m to help young people earn or learn through the Youth Guarantee. This includes a Jobs Guarantee where eligible 18–21-year-olds, who have been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months, will be guaranteed six-months paid work. We are also investing £725m for the Growth and Skills Levy will help support apprenticeships for young people, alongside reforms that will simplify the apprenticeship system.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is considering to address regional cost of living inequalities.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

There is excellence right across the country and this government is backing it: lifting living standards and putting more money in people’s pockets. The recent Budget announced that the government is taking around £150 on average off household energy bills, expanding the £150 Warm Home Discount to 6 million lower income households, freezing regulated rail fares and NHS prescription fees for one-year, and extending temporary 5p fuel duty cut until the end of August 2026.

These measures will help people across the country with the cost of living.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the capacity of police forces to enforce existing fireworks regulations; and what steps he is taking to improve enforcement where police resources are limited.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There has been no recent assessment of the capacity of police forces to enforce existing fireworks regulations. The 2025-26 police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement. Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers, based on their specific circumstances.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the power, noise levels, and explosive force of consumer fireworks currently permitted for public sale compared with products available in previous decades.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government published The Firework Noise testing report on 2 February 2023. The project measured the noise levels of fireworks commonly sold for public use in the UK. There has been no recent assessment of the power and explosive force of consumer fireworks. The Government is continuing to engage with stakeholders including consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues of fireworks to inform any future action.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the recommendations set out in the Law Commission's review of disabled children’s social care law, published on 16 September 2025.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 16 September 2025, the Law Commission published its final report following an extensive review of the legal framework governing social care for disabled children in England, commissioned by the department in April 2023. The report sets out 40 recommendations aimed at improving how the law operates, with a focus on simplifying and strengthening the system to better support disabled children and their families.

In line with the Protocol agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission, the department is expected to provide an initial response to these recommendations within six months of publication, and a full response within one year. This full response will set out which recommendations have been accepted, rejected or will be accepted in a modified form. It may also include a timeline for implementation. We will have regard to the views outlined in the report and we will engage relevant stakeholders at appropriate points as we consider our response.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of unpredictable firework noise on people with autism, sensory processing conditions, and other neurodivergent conditions; and whether he has held discussions with Cabinet colleagues on mitigating those impacts.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There has been no recent assessment or discussion with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of unpredictable firework noise on people with autism, sensory processing conditions, and other neurodivergent conditions. Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on fireworks-related issues and inform future action.

I launched a public campaign for this year's fireworks season. The campaign features guidance for those running events to reduce the impact on the community, and social media materials that emphasise the risks from misuse, and the promotion of low noise fireworks.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to introduce a North West Living Wage, similar to the London Living Wage premium.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This government is committed to building an economy that delivers for working people. It sets the statutory minimum National Living Wage (NLW) which applies to all employers. When recommending rates for the NLW, the Low Pay Commission considers a range of factors, including the cost of living.

Defining multiple regional economies presents significant challenges and the complexities of enforcing multiple rates would likely impact upon unintentional non-compliance. Furthermore, businesses highlight a strength of the NLW is the simplicity of its administration, with the same rates applying across the country.

The Living Wage Foundation set voluntary London and National Living Wages, but we have not considered implementing a statutory regionally adjusted NLW in the Northwest or any other region in the UK, including London.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the need for a regional living wage reflecting higher cost of living pressures in major northern cities, including Manchester.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This government is committed to building an economy that delivers for working people. It sets the statutory minimum National Living Wage (NLW) which applies to all employers. When recommending rates for the NLW, the Low Pay Commission considers a range of factors, including the cost of living.

Defining multiple regional economies presents significant challenges and the complexities of enforcing multiple rates would likely impact upon unintentional non-compliance. Furthermore, businesses highlight a strength of the NLW is the simplicity of its administration, with the same rates applying across the country.

The Living Wage Foundation set voluntary London and National Living Wages, but we have not considered implementing a statutory regionally adjusted NLW in the Northwest or any other region in the UK, including London.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to review UK National Archive material relating to Britain’s administration of the Mandate in Palestine between 1917 and 1948.

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

Available materials from the era in question can be accessed by any member of the public who wishes to do so via the National Archives.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to enact the socioeconomic measures in the Equality Act 2010.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Government will set out its timeline for commencement of the socio-economic duty in due course. We are currently drafting statutory guidance that will clarify how the duty can be applied effectively. As part of this process, public bodies will have the opportunity to engage on the guidance to make certain that we understand how to best implement the duty.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve public confidence in performing CPR on women experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England runs training sessions on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of defibrillators both in the community and in schools, under the Restart a Heart programme. This training should help to increase confidence in performing CPR on women. NHS England has trained over 35,800 adults and children in CPR and defibrillation in the last 13 years, and 2,134 this year so far. NHS England delivers the sessions via their resuscitation team and via their community first responders.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the lack of female-form CPR mannequins on survival rates for women experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is continuing to take action to increase cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) awareness and training, including NHS England leading sessions on first aid, CPR, and the use of defibrillators both in the community and in schools, under the Restart a Heart programme. This training should help to increase confidence in performing CPR on women.

NHS England has trained over 35,800 adults and children in CPR and defibrillation in the last 13 years, and 2,134 this year so far. NHS England delivers the sessions via their resuscitation team and via their community first responders.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of consulting on reforms to Smoke Control Areas.

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

We continuously review the evidence around emissions and the most effective way to tackle smoke controlled areas.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Environmental Improvement Plan, when her Department plans to publish the consultation on measures that cut emissions from domestic wood combustion.

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

The Government is currently developing proposals for measures to tackle emissions from Domestic Combustion.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce (a) free and (b) subsidised meal provision in (i) private, (ii) voluntary and (iii) independent early years settings for children from low-income households.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We have introduced the Best Start in Life strategy, and the Child Poverty strategy was published on 5 December 2025.

The department is extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026.

This significant extension of support will also apply to children attending school-based nurseries and maintained nursery schools.

Whilst children attending a private nursery do not currently receive free school meals, the department has tightened statutory guidance to make clear that while providers can charge parents who are accessing entitlement hours for certain optional extras, including food, these charges must not be mandatory or a condition of accessing their entitlements. If parents do not wish to purchase these from their provider, they should discuss with their provider what alternative options are available, including potentially supplying their own food and consumables.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2025 to Question 47655 on Sexual Harassment, what progress she has made on implementation of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and we have committed to an unprecedented ambition to halve VAWG within a decade.

Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is an integral part of our mission on VAWG.

The VAWG Strategy will set out the strategic direction and concrete actions to deliver on the Government’s VAWG ambition, including action to tackle public sexual harassment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that respiratory research challenges funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research will help tackle respiratory disease in adults.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). In the last five financial years it has invested £152 million directly into research funding on respiratory health conditions in adults. In addition, investment through NIHR infrastructure also supports the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality early translational, clinical, and applied health research across a range of research areas. The NIHR Respiratory Translational Research Collaboration is a network of leading universities, National Health Service trusts, and research centres in the United Kingdom who carry out early translational respiratory research. It works with life sciences companies, charities, and other funders to design and deliver complex, multicentre studies that accelerate research to benefit patients. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/about-us/what-we-do/infrastructure/translational-research-collaborations/respiratory

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration she has given to designating the Trans Pennine Trail a National Trail.

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

The Government is committed to increasing access to nature and leaving a lasting benefit for future generations.

Although we do not currently plan to designate the Trans Pennine Trail as a National Trail, we remain committed to improving safe and appropriate access to green and blue spaces. In 2026 we expect to launch both the 2,700-mile King Charles III England Coast Path and Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route across the north of England as a National Trail. We are also progressing plans to deliver nine new National River Walks across England, one in each region and will share further details in due course.

Found: Liverpool (Chair); Juliet Campbell; Lord Dholakia; Tom Gordon; Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws; Afzal Khan

Found: Liverpool (Chair); Juliet Campbell; Lord Dholakia; Tom Gordon; Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws; Afzal Khan

Found: Commons Juliet Campbell (Labour; Broxtowe) Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat; Harrogate and Knaresborough) Afzal Khan

Found: Members present: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Chair); Lord Dholakia; Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws; Afzal Khan