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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of microplastics in the environment, in the context of the potential impact of microplastics on levels of prevalence of heart attacks and strokes.

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

Under the 2022/23 UK REACH Work Programme, Defra initiated a research proposal to investigate the risks of intentionally added microplastics. It did not look specifically into any links between microplastics and the prevalence of heart attacks and strokes, but the evidence project has reviewed their emissions, and the risks they pose both to human health and the environment. It also included a socio-economic assessment. It will advise on the most effective measures to address any risks and help identify wider evidence gaps that need to be addressed to support a more strategic approach to managing intentionally added microplastics. This project is expected to report in early 2025. Defra and the Welsh and Scottish Governments will consider its findings once complete.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve recycling services in towns.

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

The Simpler Recycling reforms will ensure that across England, people will be able to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school, putting an end to confusion over what can and cannot be recycled in different parts of the country.

Every household and workplace (businesses and relevant non-domestic premises like schools and hospitals) across England will be able to recycle the same materials in the following core waste streams: metal; glass; plastic: paper and card; food waste; garden waste (household only).

These reforms will make recycling easier and ensure there is a comprehensive, consistent service across England. This will reduce confusion with recycling to improve recycling rates, ensuring there is more recycled material in the products we buy, and enabling growth in the UK recycling industry.

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 with Cabinet colleagues to help support the regeneration of town centres affected by increased vacancy rates.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

This government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets and supporting the businesses and communities that make our town centres successful. The government has committed £1.5 billion towards a reformed Long-Term Plan for Towns to regenerate communities across the UK.

The law in this area is devolved but to address the blight of vacancy in town centres in England, the government has implemented High Street Rental Auctions, which empowers local authorities to auction the lease of persistently vacant commercial high street properties, and we will also introduce a new ‘right to buy’ to enable communities to protect valued assets.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure the protection of (a) medical equipment in hospitals in Gaza and (b) medical facilities in conflict zones.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We remain gravely concerned by the lack of adequate medical care in Gaza. Nearly all of Gaza's hospitals are damaged or partly destroyed, according to the World Health Organization. I have raised our concern about the ability of civilians safely to access medical treatment with the Government of Israel, and we highlighted our concerns at the recent UN Security Council meeting on healthcare in Gaza. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) gives special protection to medical missions, health facilities, their staff and equipment and to humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties. We will continue to use our permanent seat on the UN Security Council to promote compliance with IHL, seek accountability for violations, and implement existing UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) - including UNSCR 2286 on Healthcare in Armed Conflict, which the UK co-sponsored.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that there is adequate access to free-to-use cash machines in towns.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced regulatory rules for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require the reasonable provision of free withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts. The FCA also require the UK’s largest banks and building societies to assess the impact of a closure or material alteration of a relevant cash withdrawal or deposit facility, and put in place a new service if necessary.

Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. Further information about submitting a cash access request can be found at the following link:  https://www.link.co.uk/helping-you-access-cash/request-access-to-cash

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can access Level 7 apprenticeships.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth with the support of a strong skills system.

To support young people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to access apprenticeships in England, the department is promoting apprenticeships to students in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme and targeting young people through the Skills for Life campaign.

The department is also transforming career opportunities and advice to increase awareness of the range of high-quality options available to young people, including apprenticeships. The department has committed to improve careers advice and guarantee two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person, as well as establish a national jobs and careers service to support people into work and help them get on at work.​

This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioritised in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers. In 2023/24, 65% of level 7 starts were by people over 25 years old. The future funding for apprenticeships at level 7 is under review and we will be asking more employers to step forward and fund these themselves. The department is taking advice from Skills England, who engaged with employers over the autumn, and the department expects to make a final decision on affected apprenticeships shortly.

To support more young people, who have the most to gain from apprenticeships, to access high-quality training, the department is developing new foundation apprenticeships. These will give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve public transport links in towns where bus services have been reduced.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Transport in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Government.

With respect to bus services in England, the government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England. The government has committed to increasing accountability by including a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.

In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the loss of in-person banking services in towns.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities, high streets and towns across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with banks to roll out 350 banking hubs, which will provide local residents and businesses up and down the country with critical cash and banking services. Over 200 banking hubs have been announced so far and over 100 are already open.

Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of removing levy funding for Level 7 apprenticeships on the Government’s commitment to delivering 1.5 million new homes by 2030.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has been actively engaging with the Department for Education to discuss the proposed changes to the apprenticeship levy to understand the impact on housing delivery.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that private landowners uphold environmental standards on (a) biodiversity protection, (b) water quality and (c) land management responsibilities.

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

The environment and farming are devolved matters, this response covers England only.

There are a wide range of regulations that protect biodiversity, water and other parts of the environment in England from potential harms caused by land management activities. For example, The Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018 places restrictions on agricultural practices to reduce and prevent diffuse water pollution. The Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 puts hedgerow management practices into law.

Land management regulations are enforced by a number of authorities, including the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Rural Payments Agency and the Forestry Commission. Defra is taking action to improve regulation that applies to farmers and other land managers, this includes an expanded Farm Advisory Service, better guidance and an increased number of advice-led inspections.

However, we know existing regulation can hold back businesses. We also know farmers do not always understand the purpose of regulation and they find it time consuming, with compliance difficult to demonstrate. This is why I have asked my officials to review farm regulation, focussing on how it can be more coherent, less time consuming and easier to understand. I have also asked all Defra regulators how they are supporting growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help (a) encourage investment in startups and (b) support entrepreneurs in Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We will publish our Small Business Strategy later this year with a clear ambition to promote startups and encourage entrepreneurship, built around the new Business Growth Service.

Existing support includes Help to Grow: Management - UK, providing practical ways to enhance small business productivity and growth, and the British Business Bank’s Investment Fund for Scotland. This commits £150 million to deliver loans and debt finance, ranging from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million, for new and growing businesses across rural, coastal and urban Scottish areas.

Start Up Loans are also available in Scotland, helping new and early-stage businesses access affordable finance and mentoring support.

In memory of Jack Vettriano

Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill