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 steps she is taking to ensure that improvements in air quality are maintained by local authorities which have achieved compliance and had statutory air quality directions lifted.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Government monitors compliance with legal air quality limits nationally. Under Local Air Quality Management, local authorities are responsible for determining whether objectives are likely to be met and taking action where necessary. Defra guidance also recommends local authorities produce local Air Quality Strategies to support ongoing proactive action on air pollution.
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, if she will give local and strategic authorities the guidance, resources and funding to tackle poor indoor air quality.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Local authorities play an important role in improving air quality. Defra and DHSC are working with other departments to strengthen the evidence base and consider how housing, planning and public health can support better outcomes. Local authorities are best placed to determine local priorities and allocate available resources accordingly.
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, if she will develop a national approach to indoor air quality that brings together housing, planning and public health.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of indoor air quality. Defra and DHSC are working with other departments to strengthen the evidence base and consider how housing, planning and public health can support better outcomes.
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 guidance, capability standards and funding her Department provides to strategic authorities and mayors to help them improve air quality.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of our commitment in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, this Government is delivering guidance, webinars and other resources to support local and strategic authorities in addressing air quality issues. Funding is provided through a simplified Local Government Finance Settlement.
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 steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to coordinate transport, health, housing and environmental policy to reduce air pollution and exposure.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Government recognises that tackling air pollution requires coordinated action across transport, health, housing and environmental policy. Effective cross-government working is already underway through initiatives such as the 10-year health plan and Environmental Improvement Plan. We will also consider how collaboration can be strengthened through the Air Quality Strategy review.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of its funding levels on the Equality and Human Rights Commission's effectiveness.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The EHRC is an independent arm’s length body that is operationally independent of the Government. Their annual budget is set by the Cabinet Office. The Government regularly reviews how it allocates taxpayers' money within a fiscally challenging context, including reviewing the EHRC budget annually. In recent years the Government has provided additional funding to the Commission, beyond their allocation, to help with in-year pressures. We know the EHRC carefully prioritises its work to ensure it can deliver its statutory functions within the current budget.
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 recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of reviewing rates of Universal Credit through an independent process designed to meet the cost of essentials.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 15 July 2026 to Question UIN 16300.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Israeli counterpart regarding the risk of displacement in the village of Umm Al-Khair in the southern West Bank.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement which covered settlement expansion and sanctions on 8 September. We are deeply concerned by the situation facing Palestinian communities in the South Hebron Hills, including Umm al-Kheir.
On 19 August, the Foreign Secretary raised settlement expansion with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar and made clear that the Israeli Government must halt settlement expansion immediately.
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 options she has considered for creating a dedicated funding stream for alternative support mechanism for households in fuel poverty excluded from the Warm Homes Discount.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will keep under consideration how energy support can most effectively reach households who are in fuel poverty.
If they are not eligible for a rebate, consumers may also be supported through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. These include energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments, debt write-off, energy efficiency measures and benefit entitlement checks.
The Government has also introduced the £1 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.
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 assessment she has made of the number of households experiencing fuel poverty excluded from the Warm Homes Discount because they do not have a direct relationship with an energy supplier.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will keep under consideration how energy support can most effectively reach households. We have to balance the needs of those in fuel poverty with bill impacts on other consumers. We estimate that 5.9 million households will receive a WHD rebate in 2026/27. We have no evidence to indicate whether households in receipt of a qualifying benefit but without a direct relationship with an energy supplier are more or less likely to be fuel poor than those households in receipt of WHD.
Consumers who do not receive a rebate may also be supported through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. These include energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments, debt write-off, and benefit entitlement checks.
The Government has also introduced the £1 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.