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 8 July 2025 to Question 63553 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, what nitrogen dioxide concentrations were monitored in the Greater Manchester reporting zone at (a) A34 Bridge Street, (b) A34 Quay Street, (c) A664 Shudehill, (d) Lever Street in Manchester, (e) A49 Chapel Lane and (f) King Street West in Wigan.

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

Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan modelling predicted localised nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) hotspots in 2026 at A34 Bridge St, A34 Quay St, A664 Shudehill and Lever St in Manchester, and at A49 Chapel Lane and King St West in Wigan.

The monitored annual mean NO₂ concentrations in 2023 on A34 Bridge Street, A664 Shudehill and Level Street in Manchester were 44.9, 58.6 and 55.7 µg/m³ respectively. Defra does not currently hold finalised 2023 monitoring data for the localised hotspots on A34 Quay Street in Manchester, and A49 Chapel Lane and King Street West in Wigan. We are working with Greater Manchester to obtain up to date monitoring data and this will be assessed as it becomes available.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ending routine flaring and venting of methane by oil and gas operators.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I refer the Honourable Member to the answers I gave on 22 July 2025 to Question 67438 and on 16 October 2024 to Question 7834.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to take steps to encourage methane gas electricity generators to capture landfill gas when the renewables obligation certificates scheme are phased out in 2027.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is aware that the operations of landfill gas generators may be affected by the phasing out of support under the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme.

Environmental permits mean that landfill operators will be required to manage methane emissions in any event. Whilst emissions from waste are a matter for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), officials from both DEFRA and DESNZ are assessing the impact that the end of RO accreditation will have on these generators to consider whether further action is required.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is considering to implement robust leak detection and repair requirements to reduce wasted gas and methane emissions coming from North Sea oil and gas operators.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK environmental regulators have established a Methane Technical Working Group to share knowledge and identify best practices for leak detection and emissions monitoring across oil and gas regulators both onshore and offshore. My Department’s Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment & Decommissioning (OPRED) will continue to work with OEUK (the lead industry trade body) and regulatory partners such as the North Sea Transition Authority to share findings and recommendations with industry to inform improvements to emissions reduction initiatives including methane action plans.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a national public awareness campaign on (a) the role of early years education in child development and (b) its wider economic impact.

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

Ensuring every child has the best start in life is at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change. This is why we are expanding childcare and providing parents with support and information to help their child’s development.

Children attending high quality early education for at least two years gain the equivalent of a higher grade in around seven GCSEs. For parents, particularly women, improved access to childcare enables employment, boosting family income and the wider economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility projects that by 2027/28, around 60,000 parents will enter employment as a result, with an equivalent effect from 1.5 million mothers already in work increasing their hours.

The government is introducing a new Best Start in Life awareness campaign which will support improved outcomes for children and help achieve our goal of 75% of children reaching a good level of development by 2028.

This campaign provides trusted advice for parents and carers from pregnancy through to starting school, covering healthy pregnancy, infant feeding, childcare, home learning, and school preparation which can be found here: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/. Communications activity will continue throughout the autumn.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a national public awareness campaign on (a) the role of early years education in child development and (b) its wider economic impact.

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

Ensuring every child has the best start in life is at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change. This is why we are expanding childcare and providing parents with support and information to help their child’s development.

Children attending high quality early education for at least two years gain the equivalent of a higher grade in around seven GCSEs. For parents, particularly women, improved access to childcare enables employment, boosting family income and the wider economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility projects that by 2027/28, around 60,000 parents will enter employment as a result, with an equivalent effect from 1.5 million mothers already in work increasing their hours.

The government is introducing a new Best Start in Life awareness campaign which will support improved outcomes for children and help achieve our goal of 75% of children reaching a good level of development by 2028.

This campaign provides trusted advice for parents and carers from pregnancy through to starting school, covering healthy pregnancy, infant feeding, childcare, home learning, and school preparation which can be found here: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/. Communications activity will continue throughout the autumn.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans to increase access to (a) affordable and (b) nutritious food in deprived communities through (i) subsidies, (ii) planning measures and (iii) local food programmes.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Towards a Good Food Cycle, the UK Government food strategy for England, published on 15 July, sets out the Government's plans to transform the food system. A UK government food strategy for England - GOV.UK.

The outcomes set out in the strategy include an improved food environment that supports healthier and more environmentally sustainable food sales, and access to all for affordable, healthy food, particularly those on low incomes.

The Government already supports some groups to be able to buy and eat fruit and vegetables, through policies like the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (for 4-6 year olds in state-funded schools throughout England) and Healthy Start (for pregnant women and parents/carers who have young children and are in receipt of benefits).

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to incorporate research on (a) masking and (b) internalised behaviours into (i) autism diagnostic pathways and (ii) training for healthcare professionals.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) and health professionals should have due regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when commissioning and providing health care services, including autism assessment services. NICE guidelines are developed by experts based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and through extensive engagement with stakeholders. In June 2024, NICE’s prioritisation board decided to prioritise updating the current NICE guidelines on autism assessment and diagnosis, namely Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management, and Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis. Both guidelines are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg142

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128

Although NICE has committed to updating these guidelines, this work has not yet been scheduled into NICE’s work programme.

Under the Health and Care Act 2022, providers registered with the Care Quality Commission are required to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism, appropriate to their role. To support this, we have been rolling out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism to the health and adult social care workforce. The first part of this training has now been completed by over three million people. Staff with responsibility for providing care, support, or healthcare, including social care and other professionals with a high degree of autonomy, are expected to complete Tier 2 of Oliver’s Training, which includes content on avoiding diagnostic overshadowing. Oliver's Training has been developed with reference to the Core Capabilities Frameworks on Learning Disability and Autism, co-produced alongside people with a learning disability and autistic people, and based on learning from the independently evaluated trials of the training in 2021. A long-term evaluation is now underway.

In addition, 5,000 trainers have been trained as part of the National Autism Trainer Programme, which covers autism presentation in women and girls. These trainers will cascade their training to teams across mental health services. NHS England has also published guidance on meeting the needs of autistic adults in mental health services, which makes specific references to the possible role of masking.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available to (a) private, (b) voluntary and (c) independent early years settings in areas of high deprivation to offer (i) healthy and (ii) nutritious meals to children regardless of parental income.

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

Within the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, there is a requirement that where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, they must be healthy, balanced and nutritious. The EYFS framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

Good nutrition in the early years is essential for children’s health and long-term development. For this reason, this year we published new EYFS guidance to support providers to understand and meet the EYFS requirement. Providers are required to have regard to the new nutrition guidance.

The guidance sets out that it is good practice for providers to develop a food and nutrition policy, to help parents and carers understand the obligation to provide healthy, balanced and nutritious food to children and encourage healthier food choices for packed lunches. It also provides information on cost-effective healthy food that can be shared with parents/carers.

As of September 2025, there is a requirement within the EYFS for providers to have ongoing discussions with parents and/or carers regarding known allergies and intolerances and to prepare food in a way to prevent choking. Providers must be clear about who is responsible for checking that the food being provided meets all the requirements for each child including food from packed lunches.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of healthy food provision in early years settings on (a) child health and (b) educational outcomes (i) in general and (ii) for disadvantaged children.

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

Within the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, there is a requirement that where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, they must be healthy, balanced and nutritious. The EYFS framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

Good nutrition in the early years is essential for children’s health and long-term development. For this reason, this year we published new EYFS guidance to support providers to understand and meet the EYFS requirement. Providers are required to have regard to the new nutrition guidance.

The guidance sets out that it is good practice for providers to develop a food and nutrition policy, to help parents and carers understand the obligation to provide healthy, balanced and nutritious food to children and encourage healthier food choices for packed lunches. It also provides information on cost-effective healthy food that can be shared with parents/carers.

As of September 2025, there is a requirement within the EYFS for providers to have ongoing discussions with parents and/or carers regarding known allergies and intolerances and to prepare food in a way to prevent choking. Providers must be clear about who is responsible for checking that the food being provided meets all the requirements for each child including food from packed lunches.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of children bringing packed lunches into early years settings on (a) health and (b) safety.

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

Within the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, there is a requirement that where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, they must be healthy, balanced and nutritious. The EYFS framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

Good nutrition in the early years is essential for children’s health and long-term development. For this reason, this year we published new EYFS guidance to support providers to understand and meet the EYFS requirement. Providers are required to have regard to the new nutrition guidance.

The guidance sets out that it is good practice for providers to develop a food and nutrition policy, to help parents and carers understand the obligation to provide healthy, balanced and nutritious food to children and encourage healthier food choices for packed lunches. It also provides information on cost-effective healthy food that can be shared with parents/carers.

As of September 2025, there is a requirement within the EYFS for providers to have ongoing discussions with parents and/or carers regarding known allergies and intolerances and to prepare food in a way to prevent choking. Providers must be clear about who is responsible for checking that the food being provided meets all the requirements for each child including food from packed lunches.

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The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 14 October 2025 and is intended to repeal and replace various aspects of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, as well as to reform and supplement the wider approach of dealing with the legacy of the Troubles. The Joint Committee on Human Rights is scrutinising the Bill’s compatibility with human rights. The Government also laid its draft remedial order concerning Northern Ireland legacy on 14 October 2025 and the Joint Committee on Human Rights is scrutinising that remedial order separately.