Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of reforms to the Tour Operators' Margin Scheme on coach holiday businesses.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The government published a call for evidence on 28 October 2026 “VAT treatment of travel services in relation to the Tour Operators’ Margin Scheme’, which runs until 31 January 2027. It seeks views on retaining, reforming, simplifying or withdrawing the scheme, including changes to calculations and transitional arrangements. Coach holiday businesses and their representative bodies can contribute evidence about the potential effects on their operations. The evidence received will inform future proposals and assessments of their impacts.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the recent closure of a healthcare technology supplier on GP practice websites and online patient services in the Central East ICB area; how many GP practices have been affected; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure continuity of patient access.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 16 October, NHS England was notified that a company that provides over 470 general practices with websites and or an online consultation product went into administration. NHS England, working with integrated care boards, contacted all affected practices with advice on how to maintain business continuity and minimise the impact on patient care, with the organisation’s regional digital teams providing appropriate oversight and assurance. The vast majority of practices in England were entirely unaffected by these issues.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
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 trends in the cost of domestic heating oil for households in rural areas in the last five years.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the particular pressures faced by rural and off-gas-grid households.
Recent heating-oil price rises have largely reflected higher wholesale costs due to volatility in international markets. DESNZ regularly publishes statistics on energy trends and energy prices on Gov.uk, which can be accessed here: Statistics at DESNZ - GOV.UK
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department collects data on the number of reported thefts of domestic heating oil; and if she will take steps to ensure that thefts of domestic heating oil are separately identifiable in police-recorded crime statistics.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not currently collect or hold data on reported thefts of domestic heating oil. Police data collections are set out in the Annual Data Requirement (ADR), which is subject to annual review and consultation. Any proposals for new or amended data collections are considered through established governance processes, taking account of the value of the information requested and the burden placed on police forces and other stakeholders.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 115907 on unadopted roads, whether her Department plans to collect data from local highway authorities on the number of roads awaiting adoption.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has no current plans to collect data from local highway authorities on the number of roads awaiting adoption.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure roads subject to section 38 agreements between developers and highways authorities are gritted during winter weather before formal adoption.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 33556 on 20 October 2026.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen protections for freeholders living on new residential developments with unadopted roads.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 33556 on 20 October 2026.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps her Department has taken to expedite the adoption of roads on new residential developments.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 33556 on 20 October 2026.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to encourage local highway authorities to expedite the adoption of roads on new residential developments.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 33556 on 20 October 2026.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to publish the findings of the Ipsos research into sections 37 and 38 of the Highways Act 1980; and what next steps she plans to take following that research.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport intends to publish the findings of the independent Ipsos UK research in due course. The Government is committed to a cross-departmental approach to addressing issues relating to unadopted roads and private estate management. The Department is considering the findings alongside wider evidence.