Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to support network operators to adopt a predictive, data-led and technology-enabled energy network.

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

In March 2026, government and Ofgem published the Energy Digitalisation Framework to provide strategic direction for energy sector digitalisation. The Framework introduced a data domain model to improve data quality and standardisation across key areas, including system and network operation.

It also established the concept of a Digitalisation Coordination Function to support common standards, architectural coherence and cross-sector alignment. The Department plans to consult on the Function’s design later this year.

Government are taking steps to improve visibility of low carbon technology assets on the distribution network, including through an industry group and new primary legislation when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen incentives for long‑term investment in network resilience in rural and storm‑impacted areas.

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

Maintaining the resilience of the energy system is one of Government’s top priorities. We work with industry and Ofgem to ensure that sufficient investment is made into rural power networks, but also that support is provided when power cuts do occur.

The independent regulator, Ofgem, regulates Distribution Network Operators through a price control process. This includes incentives to reduce the frequency and duration of power interruptions, no matter the cause, and to invest in and maintain infrastructure to guarantee minimum standards of service.

Following the Storm Arwen Review, operators have made significant improvements to system resilience during severe weather events.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the forthcoming Energy Resilience Strategy will reinforce the need for a more predictive, data‑led and technology‑enabled energy network.

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

The upcoming Energy Resilience Strategy will seize the once in a generation opportunity presented by the clean energy transition to build a stronger, more resilient energy system.

It would be inappropriate to pre-empt the content of the Strategy at this time, however I can confirm the Strategy will set out Government's strategic priorities for a secure and resilient system, now and in the future and our approach to its delivery, working with industry, the system operator, the regulator and wider society.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve accessible transport options for disabled people in rural and coastal communities.

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

The Government wants everyone to have access to public transport and is committed to improving the system, so it is more inclusive and enables disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. We recognise the particular importance of accessible transport in rural and coastal communities, where disabled people can face additional barriers to making the journeys they want and need.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. Through the Act, we are helping authorities to provide safer and more accessible bus stations and stops; mandating disability awareness and assistance training for bus drivers and passenger-facing staff; and requiring local transport authorities to assess their bus networks and publish Bus Network Accessibility Plans. These plans will support authorities to take a holistic view of how well local bus networks meet the needs of disabled people and identify where improvements are needed.

We recognise that taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) provide a vital door-to-door service for disabled people, including in rural and coastal communities where other transport options may be limited. The Department is continuing to consider, holistically, how the regulation of taxis and PHVs could be reformed. We will be bringing forward a draft taxi and PHV bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. This will set out, amongst other measures, how we intend to deliver more accessible services for disabled passengers, by strengthening existing protections and removing barriers to travel.

We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers on rail services and that is why we published the Department’s roadmap to an accessible railway alongside the Railways Bill. It sets out what we are doing now to improve the day-to-day travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to Great British Railways being established.

The Railways Bill will also establish a Passenger Watchdog, protecting the rights of disabled passengers by setting consumer standards including on accessibility, monitoring passenger experience and service delivery, investigating persistent issues, and advocating for improvements. We are also continuing to install accessible routes at stations through our Access for All programme and have completed a programme to install platform edge safety tactiles on every platform in the country.

We are also committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys, share best practice across organisations and support greater consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers, including in rural and coastal communities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has considered extending the proposed 20% business rates reduction for pubs, social clubs and live music venues to post offices.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Government recognises the important contribution that post offices make to local economies and communities through the services they provide to residents and businesses.

Businesses continue to benefit from the Government's wider business rates reforms, including permanently lower multipliers for qualifying retail, hospitality and leisure properties and the £4.3 billion support package introduced to support those ratepayers facing large increases in bills following the 2026 revaluation.

In addition, Rural Rate Relief aims to ensure that key amenities are available and community assets protected in rural areas. It provides 100 per cent rate relief for eligible properties in rural areas with populations below 3,000, including post offices that are the only such facility in a village and have a rateable value of up to £8,500.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much is raised annually from Vehicle Excise Duty on motorcycles with owners registered in Wales.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Information on the amount of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) raised annually from motorcycles registered to keepers in Wales can only be retrieved at disproportionate cost as it would require detailed analysis of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s vehicle records.

The table below shows the number of licensed motorcycles registered to addresses in Wales at the end of August 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many individuals in Wales pay Vehicle Excise Duty on motorcycles annually.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Information on the amount of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) raised annually from motorcycles registered to keepers in Wales can only be retrieved at disproportionate cost as it would require detailed analysis of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s vehicle records.

The table below shows the number of licensed motorcycles registered to addresses in Wales at the end of August 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2026 to Question 12794, how the commitment made in the Written Statement of 2 June 2026 to maintain and regularly update the UK National Screening Committee's prostate cancer screening model as new evidence becomes available will operate in practice; and when the Committee expects to assess the recently published evidence on the Stockholm3 test.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Despite some recent misinformed media coverage, I can confirm to the Hon. Members that there has been no change to the policy in respect of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for men aged over 50 years old. Any such man who is concerned about prostate cancer, regardless of whether they have symptoms, remains free to make an appointment with their general practitioner, raise their concerns, and ask for a PSA test, exactly as they have done in the past. No impact assessment was therefore made when the guidance in this area was consolidated and updated in June, as there was no change in policy to assess.

The two main studies from the Cochrane review were included in the UK National Screening Committee modelling when they made their most recent recommendation regarding prostate cancer screening, and it should be noted that the Cochrane review came to the same statistical conclusions as the UK National Screening Committee regarding ‘mortality reduction", sometimes called lives saved, from PSA testing and subsequent treatment.

With regard to the next review of prostate cancer screening, I refer the Hon. Members to the article published by the UK National Screening Committee on 11 August 2026, which is available at the following link:

https://nationalscreening.blog.gov.uk/2026/08/11/the-uk-nscs-prostate-cancer-screening-model-will-remain-open-and-under-review/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2026 to Question 12794, what timetable the UK National Screening Committee is working to for (a) reviewing the recently published evidence on the Stockholm3 test, (b) incorporating that evidence into its prostate cancer screening model, and (c) assessing the implications of that evidence for screening policy.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Despite some recent misinformed media coverage, I can confirm to the Hon. Members that there has been no change to the policy in respect of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for men aged over 50 years old. Any such man who is concerned about prostate cancer, regardless of whether they have symptoms, remains free to make an appointment with their general practitioner, raise their concerns, and ask for a PSA test, exactly as they have done in the past. No impact assessment was therefore made when the guidance in this area was consolidated and updated in June, as there was no change in policy to assess.

The two main studies from the Cochrane review were included in the UK National Screening Committee modelling when they made their most recent recommendation regarding prostate cancer screening, and it should be noted that the Cochrane review came to the same statistical conclusions as the UK National Screening Committee regarding ‘mortality reduction", sometimes called lives saved, from PSA testing and subsequent treatment.

With regard to the next review of prostate cancer screening, I refer the Hon. Members to the article published by the UK National Screening Committee on 11 August 2026, which is available at the following link:

https://nationalscreening.blog.gov.uk/2026/08/11/the-uk-nscs-prostate-cancer-screening-model-will-remain-open-and-under-review/

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact on the a) effectiveness and b) future of the Common Travel Area between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland of ferry operators requiring passengers travelling between both countries to hold valid passports.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

No change has been made to the Government’s operation of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangement. The CTA continues to afford British and Irish citizens the ability to move freely and reside in either jurisdiction and enjoy associated rights and privileges, including the right to work, study, etc.

We are committed to maintaining the CTA and preventing abuse of it.

Prohibiting Members of Parliament from having paid second jobs

Support for retired service animals

E1 settlement project and international law

North Wales Police Mountain Rescue Support Team

Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon UK Rugby Kitchen of the Year

Contribution of cinemas to local communities

Air Ambulance Week 2026

150th anniversary of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876

Baby Loss Awareness Week

Modern Service Framework for neurological conditions

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rescue operations

Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Independent Office for Police Conduct findings on Norman Bettison

Party yn y Parc

Deaths of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough

Dolly Parton

Cancer and access to travel insurance

Richard Pengelly

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Jones (Chair); Ann Davies; Simon Hoare; Gerald Jones; Ben Lake

On 17 August 2026, the BBC aired a documentary titled 'Buried with Michael Sheen'. This two-part documentary raises concerns regarding the presence of PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls), otherwise known as ‘forever chemicals’ in Wales and parts of England. The documentary covered several themes which have previously been explored in the committee’s inquiry into ‘The Economic and Environmental legacy of Wales industrial past’. The Committee will take evidence on some of the issues raised in the documentary, including contaminated land, resources to remediate sites, the impact of contaminants on the environment, human health and support for affected communities.