Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government plans to take steps to balance its updated emissions estimates of data centres with the decarbonisation required in the fifth carbon budget.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Growth in data centre electricity demand is inherently uncertain and, where additional electricity demand does materialise, the UK’s rapidly decarbonising power sector will help to mitigate the emissions impact.

We will continue to test a range of data centre growth trajectories to ensure we meet our carbon budgets, as we form our next carbon budget delivery plan. We will also monitor emerging demand, to inform where further mitigation or system adjustments may be required.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with the NAO on the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

HM Treasury has not held discussions with the National Audit Office (NAO) on the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the NAO on the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.

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

The UK Government and the National Audit Office regularly engage in discussions on economic issues as part of ongoing stakeholder relations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of the inclusion of Recommendation 46 of the Independent Water Commission in full in the Water White Paper.

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

Our White Paper commits to taking forward Recommendation 46 of the IWC. We will make it easier for a company’s owners to change their ownership model, by ensuring the new regulator has a transparent process to assess whether an ownership change should go ahead.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she agrees with Recommendation 46 of the Independent Water Commission.

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

Our White Paper commits to taking forward Recommendation 46 of the IWC. We will make it easier for a company’s owners to change their ownership model, by ensuring the new regulator has a transparent process to assess whether an ownership change should go ahead.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when the National Policy Statement on data centres will be published for consultation.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises that data centres facilitate the AI development and application that will be critical to the UK’s economic growth, resilience and technological leadership, and is taking coordinated action across planning, energy and digital infrastructure to support their delivery.

This year, the Government passed legislation that facilitates the direction of data centres into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) planning process. A forthcoming National Policy Statement (NPS) for Data Centres, to be published shortly, will provide a clear framework for the relevant Secretary of State to grant development consent orders to nationally significant data centre developments through this process.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to meet with the Climate Change Committee to discuss the potential impact of climate change on the schools’ estate.

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

The department welcomes the Climate Change Committee’s Well-Adapted UK report which highlights risks to critical infrastructure including schools. Departmental officials will be attending engagement sessions with the Climate Change Committee throughout 2026 on behalf of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education.

The department’s Education Estates Strategy, plans for an estate that supports opportunity for all and is safe, suitable, sustainable and sufficiently sized. It is backed by a 10-year plan to deliver a decade of renewal to transform schools and colleges.

The strategy is supported by the Renewal and Retrofit Programme. This new initiative is backed by £710 million to 2029-30, to improve the condition of school and college buildings and increase resilience to climate change. An investment of almost £20 billion in the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034-35 will deliver buildings that are future proofed for climate change.

Details of the strategy is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-estates-strategy.

We will also continue to drive the behavioural change needed to make the education estate more climate resilient by increasing the reach of the Sustainability Support Programme to all settings.

The Sustainability Support Programme is available at: https://www.sustainabilitysupportforeducation.org.uk/.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to mitigate the potential impact of hot weather on examination results.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises the challenges posed by high temperatures during the exam period and has published guidance to support schools in managing hot weather available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2025/06/hot-weather-and-heatwaves-guidance-for-schools-and-other-education-settings/.

Schools and colleges are responsible for managing local conditions and are experienced in taking appropriate steps to support students during exams, such as ensuring suitable ventilation and access to drinking water.

There are also well-established arrangements in place to support students whose performance may be affected. Where appropriate, exam centres can apply for special consideration to ensure students are not disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to designate bathing water status to the 2,487 recreationally-used freshwater sites identified by the Environment Agency which currently do not have such status.

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

The Government designates bathing waters following a public application and consultation process. This means the process is driven by individuals and groups with direct ties to sites highly popular with bathers, who best understand how they are used and valued by the local community. More information on the application and designation process is available on Gov.UK.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bathing-waters-apply-to-designate-or-de-designate

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her department has had with the ONS regarding the use of the Special Administration Regime in the water sector.

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

The UK Statistics Authority (which includes the ONS) is a Non Ministerial Department sponsored by the Cabinet Office. At present, DEFRA has not had discussions with the ONS regarding the use of SAR in the water sector.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to UIN 5852, what advice her department has received from the ONS regarding the implications for ONS classification if Thames Water was taken into Special Administration.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

HM Treasury has not asked for, nor received, any advice from the ONS regarding the implications for ONS classification if Thames Water was taken into Special Administration.

Found: HM Treasury’s responses to three written parliamentary questions from Barry Gardiner MP, submitted on

Found: Sheffield Hallam) Julia Buckley (Labour; Shrewsbury) Jonathan Davies (Labour; Mid Derbyshire) Barry Gardiner

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson