Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what action she is taking to improve train journey times between Manchester and London.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is improving rail connectivity between Manchester and London through the delivery of HS2. HS2 will provide faster and more reliable long-distance services and free up capacity on the West Coast Main Line for additional passenger and freight services. In January, the Government set out its long-term intention to deliver a full new rail line between Birmingham and Manchester.
In the shorter-term, we are carrying out development work to improve journeys between Manchester and London. We have plans to improve the resilience of the power systems across the route and, subject to funding, are refining options to increase the network's capacity between Handsacre and Manchester Piccadilly. Network Rail has also appointed a Director for Manchester, who will serve as a focal point for the reliability of services and infrastructure across the city region.
Also, as part of the first stage of the One West Coast programme, ÂŁ10 million is due to be invested in critical assets over 18 months to reduce infrastructure-related disruption. This investment will focus on overhead lines and signalling, particularly between Euston and Rugby.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action he is taking to tackle discrimination on the basis of mental health conditions in the insurance industry.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Insurers make commercial decisions about whether to offer cover and on what terms, but they must comply with the Equality Act 2010. The Act recognises some limited exceptions for insurers, including in relation to disability. However, where a mental health condition constitutes a disability, any difference in treatment must be based on relevant, reliable information and be reasonable.
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Consumer Duty also requires firms to deliver good outcomes for customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances, and the FCA can act where firms do not comply.
Mental Health was considered as a key theme in the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy. The strategy includes measures to support access to insurance, including through improved signposting to specialist providers.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action he is taking to ensure people with mental health conditions have equitable access to insurance services.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Insurers make commercial decisions about whether to offer cover and on what terms, but they must comply with the Equality Act 2010. The Act recognises some limited exceptions for insurers, including in relation to disability. However, where a mental health condition constitutes a disability, any difference in treatment must be based on relevant, reliable information and be reasonable.
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Consumer Duty also requires firms to deliver good outcomes for customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances, and the FCA can act where firms do not comply.
Mental Health was considered as a key theme in the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy. The strategy includes measures to support access to insurance, including through improved signposting to specialist providers.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will outline the reasons for sending the wildfire emergency alert on Friday 14th August to phones across England and Wales, rather than only in high-risk areas.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The request to issue the Emergency Alert came from the National Fire Chiefs Council, and the Alert content and broadcast area was coordinated between government and responding public bodies.
The decision to send the Alert across England and Wales was taken in the context of severe risk of further wildfires, over large swathes of the UK. On the date of the Alert, there were 43 active fires and 11 major incidents nationwide. Mutual aid was in play, with fire and rescue services across the country supporting each other. In south Wales, the military had been deployed to tackle major wildfires.
As the Prime Minister rightly noted, the country was a tinderbox. One additional wildfire in any part of the country would have had devastating effects not only on the fire and rescue services, but on the environment, and most importantly, people’s lives.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the risks of job displacement caused by increased uptake of artificial intelligence in the workplace.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
AI has potentially transformative benefits for the economy and wider society, and the Government is doing all it can to ensure that the United Kingdom is at the forefront of this technological transition.
We are taking action now to shape the AI transition in a way that benefits workers and the economy:
AI is the defining opportunity of our generation. The action we are taking will ensure we can make the most of opportunities for economic growth, job creation and productivity, whilst supporting individuals during this change.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 merits of introducing legal regulations to mandate the donation of surplus edible food from supermarkets to food redistribution organisations.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government supports action to reduce food waste across the food industry through WRAP’s UK Food and Drink Pact and the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap. These programmes help businesses measure, reduce and report food waste, set targets, and increase food redistribution. Participating retailers represent most of the UK grocery market and have shown that food waste can be reduced through better measurement and management. Where surplus food arises, businesses, including supermarkets, are expected to prioritise the safe redistribution of edible food to charities and people. In 2024, the retail sector redistributed 97,889 tonnes, 46% of surplus food redistributed in the UK.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that low-income households living in sub-metered accommodation can access equivalent support to that available through the Warm Home Discount.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the challenges faced by low-income households whose energy is supplied through sub-metering arrangements.
Eligibility for the Warm Home Discount requires the bill payer, or their partner, to receive a qualifying means-tested benefit and to be named on the electricity bill. Where tenants are not named on the bill, they may be unable to receive the rebate. The Government has confirmed that the ÂŁ150 Warm Home Discount will continue until winter 2030/31 and will keep under consideration how energy support can most effectively reach households without a direct domestic supply relationship.
Tenants may also be supported through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. These include energy efficiency measures, energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments, debt write-off, and benefit entitlement checks. The government has also introduced the ÂŁ1 billion Crisis and Resilience fund which replaces the Household Support Fund in England, providing support with cost-of-living pressures. We recommend any household struggling to pay for their essentials contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.