Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the National Year of Reading having engaged over 2.1 million children so far.

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

Reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a wide range of benefits, from increased wellbeing, confidence and empathy to better vocabulary and aptitude for learning. That is why this government, in collaboration with our delivery partner, the National Literacy Trust (NLT), has declared 2026 the National Year of Reading, a UK-wide campaign to inspire a love of reading, combining a universal campaign with a targeted focus on priority groups who are least likely to read for pleasure.

The department is pleased that the campaign has attracted significant attention, momentum and engagement since its launch in January. The department’s ambition is that it will make a lasting change to the reading habits of the nation to address the decline in reading for pleasure and unlock one of the most powerful tools for equity and opportunity, a love of reading that lasts a lifetime. The department is pleased that the NLT’s recent reading report shows children’s reading enjoyment increased in 2026 for the first time in five years.

An independent evaluation will be published in 2027 and will examine how the campaign has influenced reading behaviours, connected with audiences and shaped attitudes towards reading.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered establishing a permanent programme of engagement with LGBTQ+ veterans following the closure of the Financial Recognition Scheme.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

This government is committed to ensuring that all veterans, including those from groups which may have felt previously underrepresented such as LGBT+ and women veterans, have easy access to support, when and where it is needed. Late last year, we launched a new cross-government Veterans’ Strategy, working with devolved governments and across society to recognise the breadth of diversity and experiences of the remarkable men and women who have served in our Armed Forces, and to help ensure that we understand their in-service experiences and that any barriers to accessing support are addressed.

Alongside this we launched the £50 million VALOUR programme, which will make it easier for all veterans to access the care and support they deserve wherever they live in the UK. The first VALOUR-Recognised Centres are now open for veterans and the application process for the second round of funding is ongoing. We are working hard to ensure that the VALOUR network is inclusive of all veterans’ needs and experiences, including women, LGBT veterans and others and we continue to work closely with the Devolved Governments as VALOUR rolls out across the UK.

Last year the government launched a major new NHS training programme backed by £1.8 million which will see NHS staff receive training to identify patients with armed forces backgrounds and provide more targeted, personalised care, including for members of the LGBT+ community. Additionally, every NHS trust in England is now ‘Veteran Aware’, helping those who may struggle to self-identify as veterans to access the bespoke services available to them for conditions such as physical injuries sustained in service and mental health support for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions have taken place with NHS England, the Office for Veterans' Affairs and devolved administrations on ongoing support for LGBTQ+ veterans.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

This government is committed to ensuring that all veterans, including those from groups which may have felt previously underrepresented such as LGBT+ and women veterans, have easy access to support, when and where it is needed. Late last year, we launched a new cross-government Veterans’ Strategy, working with devolved governments and across society to recognise the breadth of diversity and experiences of the remarkable men and women who have served in our Armed Forces, and to help ensure that we understand their in-service experiences and that any barriers to accessing support are addressed.

Alongside this we launched the £50 million VALOUR programme, which will make it easier for all veterans to access the care and support they deserve wherever they live in the UK. The first VALOUR-Recognised Centres are now open for veterans and the application process for the second round of funding is ongoing. We are working hard to ensure that the VALOUR network is inclusive of all veterans’ needs and experiences, including women, LGBT veterans and others and we continue to work closely with the Devolved Governments as VALOUR rolls out across the UK.

Last year the government launched a major new NHS training programme backed by £1.8 million which will see NHS staff receive training to identify patients with armed forces backgrounds and provide more targeted, personalised care, including for members of the LGBT+ community. Additionally, every NHS trust in England is now ‘Veteran Aware’, helping those who may struggle to self-identify as veterans to access the bespoke services available to them for conditions such as physical injuries sustained in service and mental health support for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will consider allocating any unspent funds from the LGBTQ+ Financial Recognition Scheme to initiatives supporting the long-term wellbeing, health and welfare of LGBTQ+ veterans.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

Spend on the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme has already exceeded £54 Million. Defence will consider the allocation of any unspent funds against the £75 Million budget once the Scheme has closed and all applications have been assessed. The Department’s current priority is to maximise awareness of the Scheme among eligible veterans and encourage applications before the closing date.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of representations from veterans who remain ineligible for elements of the restorative measures, including those dismissed before 1967 and those who contend they were compelled to leave Service because of the ban.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) focuses on providing recognition for the harm caused by the policy Defence upheld from 1967 to 2000, when homosexuality was decriminalised in criminal law. Whilst this approach was recommended by Lord Etherton in his Independent Review, the Government acknowledges that LGBT veterans who served prior to 1967 may have had similar experiences to those serving under the Ban.

In recognition of those LGBT personnel who served prior to 1967, Defence has extended four non-financial measures, which make permanent changes to their service history, and aligns with other restorative processes in place across government for veterans and civilians who were impacted by historic law relating to same-sex sexual acts.

Those who felt compelled to leave service are included in the FRS and are encouraged to apply for the LGBT Impact Payment. This provides recognition for a broad range of impacts felt under the Ban, including any pressure to resign. This operates alongside the LGBT Dismissed or Discharged Payment for those that were dismissed or discharged.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether the Independent Impact Panel has sufficient capacity to determine all outstanding claims before the Scheme closes.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 July 2026 to Question 16834 to the hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-08/16834.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure improved environmental and health outcomes are a core part of investments such as Pride in Place.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Through the Government's Pride in Place Programme, up to £5.8 billion is being invested over ten years in 284 neighbourhoods experiencing the highest levels of deprivation. The programme will help revitalise local areas and fight deprivation through a focus on three strategic objectives: building thriving places; strengthening communities; and empowering people to take back control.

Each selected area will receive up to £20 million flexible funding and support over ten years. In each area, a Neighbourhood Board will work with the local community to decide how this funding is spent, which could include investment in projects to improve environmental and health outcomes, where these reflect local priorities.

To make sure Neighbourhood Boards have maximum spend flexibility and are not required to regularly seek approval from central government, MHCLG has published an indicative list of the types of projects or initiatives that will benefit communities in a long-term and sustainable way, available on GOV.UK here.

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 improve air quality; and what steps she is taking with devolved administrations on this issue.

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

We are taking forward the measures set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan to further improve the quality of the air we breathe and reduce the impacts of air pollution on human health and the environment. This includes delivering actions to reduce emissions from transport, domestic burning, agriculture and industry, alongside implementing the Environment Act PM2.5 targets.

Air quality policy is a devolved matter, but air pollution does not respect administrative boundaries. The UK Government therefore works closely with the devolved governments through the Common Framework to coordinate action, share evidence and support delivery of measures that reduce harmful emissions and concentrations of air pollutants across the United Kingdom.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is she taking to help ensure farmers are prepared for more frequent periods of extreme heat.

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

As set out in the Farming Roadmap, the Government is backing farmers with the largest nature-friendly budget in history to support farmers and land managers to help restore nature and boost farm productivity, which in turn protects food security and builds resilience to extreme heat and other consequences of climate change.

As of December 2025, an equivalent to 69% of the utilised agricultural area of England was covered by Defra agri-environment schemes. The Government has since launched the SFI to help more farmers access these schemes.

Last month the Government announced an extra £50 million for Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 Window 2, taking the total budget for SFI26 to £290 million and helping more farmers access support.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to ensure (a) the resilience of food supply chains and (b) access to high-quality British food during heatwaves.

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

The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Defra is closely monitoring the impacts of prolonged dry weather on food security and regularly engages with industry representatives, including the NFU, to monitor any potential impacts to arable crops and commodities.

Farmers across England will receive new support to help manage the impact of prolonged dry weather, including a £65m funding boost, as the Government steps up its response to the ongoing drought.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her planned timeline is for the publication of the results of the public consultation on introducing a statutory licensing regime for animal rescue centres and sanctuaries.

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

This Government committed in the Animal Welfare Strategy to consult on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations and is working to bring this forward. The consultation will be published in due course and will seek views from all those with an interest in this important sector.

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 supply chains to ensure farmers can continue to produce high-quality food in increasingly unpredictable weather.

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

The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Defra is closely monitoring the impacts of prolonged dry weather on food security and regularly engages with industry representatives, including the NFU, to monitor any potential impacts to arable crops and commodities.

Farmers across England will receive new support to help manage the impact of prolonged dry weather, including a £65m funding boost, as the Government steps up its response to the ongoing drought.

Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations

Found: Current membership Nick Smith (Labour; Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney) (Chair) Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Labour

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 5 [ND46] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in the Macmillan Room, PCH Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: March at 10.00am in Committee Room 8 Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 5 [ND42] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Charalambous Alberto Costa Mary Glindon Navendu Mishra Tessa Munt Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 5 [ND45] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: in the Committee Room 6 [ND40] Members present: Bob Blackman (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in the Committee Room 19 [ND36] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Goldman Mary Glindon Navendu Mishra Tessa Munt Kirsteen Sullivan Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in the Committee Room 5 [ND35] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: February at 15.30pm in the Committee Room 4a [ND39] Members present: Nick Smith Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Blackman Marie Goldman Mary Glindon Tessa Munt Kirsteen Sullivan Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in the Macmillan Room [INF31] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: in the Committee Room 5 [ND34] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in the Committee Room 5 [ND32] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Charalambous Mary Glindon Carolyn Harris Navendu Mishra Kirsteen Sullivan Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis Bob Blackman Bambos Charalambous

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 20 [ND28] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 6 [ND27] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 6 [ND30] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Committee Room 19 [ND24] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Bob Blackman Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Committee Room 20 [ND21] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Bob Blackman Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Committee Room 20 [ND22] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Bob Blackman Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Committee Room 19 [ND23] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Bob Blackman Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Bambos Charalambous Alberto Costa Mary Glindon Kirsteen Sullivan Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Charalambous Mary Glindon Carolyn Harris Navendu Mishra Kirsteen Sullivan Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 20 [ND19] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Room, PCH [ND17] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Bambos Charalambous Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Committee Room 15 [ND20] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Bob Blackman Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Bob Blackman Mary Glindon Carolyn Harris Navendu Mishra Tessa Munt Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 13 [ND12] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 15 [ND11] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Blackman Bambos Charalambous Mary Glindon Tessa Munt Max Wilkinson Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Blackman Bambos Charalambous Mary Glindon Navendu Mishra Tessa Munt Apologies: Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 15 [ND10] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 5 [ND09] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Carolyn Harris Mary Glindon Tessa Munt Navendu Mishra Max Wilkinson Apologies: Mr Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Committee Room 5 [ND08] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Bob Blackman Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Carolyn Harris Mary Glindon Tessa Munt Navendu Mishra Max Wilkinson Apologies: Mr Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: at 10.00am in Committee Room 16 [ND02] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Mr Alex Barros- Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 16 [ND01] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Mr Alex Barros- Curtis

Found: 10.00am in Committee Room 8 [ND03] Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Mr Alex Barros- Curtis

Found: Blackman Gill Furniss Carolyn Harris Mary Glindon Navendu Mishra Apologies: Mr Alex Barros-Curtis

Found: Members present: Nick Smith (in the Chair) Mr Alex Barros- Curtis Bob Blackman Gill Furniss

Found: Current membership Sir Alan Campbell (Labour; Tynemouth) (Chair) Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Labour; Cardiff

Found: Current membership Sir Alan Campbell (Labour; Tynemouth) (Chair) Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Labour; Cardiff

Found: Current membership Sir Alan Campbell (Labour; Tynemouth) (Chair) Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Labour; Cardiff

Found: membership Matt Turmaine (Labour; Watford) (Chair) Edward Argar (Conservative; Melton and Syston) Mr Alex Barros-Curtis