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).

Found: Members present: Sir Desmond Swayne (The Chair); Juliet Campbell; Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws; Afzal Khan

Found: been the weapon with which the celebrated Maratha leader Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj defeated Afzal Khan