Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support people in areas of poor (a) broadband and (b) mobile phone signal during the switchover to digital alternatives to landlines.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

For current landline-only customers it will be possible to order a VoIP landline without purchasing a general internet connection. Customers will only be offered VoIP if they live in an area with sufficient broadband connectivity.

In areas with insufficient mobile coverage to rely on their mobile as a back-up to VoIP, communication providers are required to comply with Ofcom regulations and provide a battery back-up solution. This ensures customers have a minimum of 1 hour access to emergency services. Major communication providers have signed up to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) charter and the non-voluntary migrations checklist published by the Department on 19 November 2024.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to carry out kinship carers pilot trials in eight local authority areas.

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

Through the Autumn Budget 2024, this government announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance in up to 10 local authorities to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. This trial will help the department make decisions about future national rollout. The department will share further detail on the process for selecting the local authorities taking part in the programme in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to produce a national kinship carers strategy.

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

The government is determined to give every child the opportunities they deserve, and kinship carers play a crucial role in delivering this.

In November 2024, the government published ‘Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive’, which is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67375fe5ed0fc07b53499a42/Keeping_Children_Safe__Helping_Families_Thrive_.pdf. This statement set out the government's intention to rebalance the children’s social care system and improve outcomes for children in care, care leavers and families. This publication includes the key principle of supporting children to live with kinship carers when it is in their best interest.

The department recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new Kinship Allowance in up to ten local authorities, to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends.

This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date. This investment could transform the lives of vulnerable children who can no longer live at home, by allowing children to grow up within their families and communities, reducing disruption to their early years and allowing them to focus on schooling and building friendships.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of train delays in (a) Q3 and (b) Q4 2024 on productivity.

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

Whilst the Department has not made an assessment of the impact of train delays on productivity, we recognise the inconvenience and costs felt by passengers, local communities and businesses arising from poor performance.

Ministers have been clear that rail services have been failing passengers. The Department expects passenger services currently operated by private sector operators under contract with the Secretary of State to transfer into public ownership over the next three years. The failures of the past three decades cannot be fixed overnight, but bringing train operations into public ownership is the first step in the government’s plans to improve the railways for passengers and taxpayers.

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 plans to take to enhance the protection of (a) ancient and (b) veteran trees.

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

The Ancient Woodland Inventory, updated Planning Practice Guidance and the Standing Advice on ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees are in place to support local decision makers make informed decisions about planning applications near these habitats. Protections have been further strengthened by the Town and Country Planning Consultation Direction 2024 which includes suitable criteria and arrangements that must be followed for consulting Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary of State once a local planning authority has resolved to grant planning permission for development affecting ancient woodland.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear that planning decisions should not result in the deterioration or loss of ancient woodland or ancient or veteran trees. We will continue to work to ensure our ancient woodlands and trees remain protected.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of granting additional protections to (a) ancient and (b) veteran trees in planning policy.

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

Ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees are already strictly protected in national planning policy, while Tree Preservation orders safeguard individual trees or groups of trees of particular value. Local planning authorities have the principal responsibility for applying these protections effectively.

We keep policy in this and other areas under review, working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Defra recently completed a review on the implementation of national planning policy for protecting ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees.

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 effectiveness of the Tree Protection Order regime in protecting (a) ancient and (b) veteran trees.

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

Ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees are already strictly protected in national planning policy, while Tree Preservation orders safeguard individual trees or groups of trees of particular value. Local planning authorities have the principal responsibility for applying these protections effectively.

We keep policy in this and other areas under review, working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Defra recently completed a review on the implementation of national planning policy for protecting ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the equality of access to public services in rural areas.

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

Public bodies, in exercising their statutory responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), consider the adequacy of equality of access to public services, including through the use of tools such as Equality Impact Assessments.

We are already working across Government to ensure that all policy decision making is rural proofed, which will help ensure that rural communities are not disadvantaged by policy developments and their implementation.

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 role of (a) ancient and (b) veteran trees in place-making for (i) large-scale new towns and (ii) urban extensions.

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

The government is committed to delivering a new generation of new towns. We have made clear these must be well-connected, well-designed, sustainable and attractive places where people want to live and that they must have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities.

In addition to making recommendations to ministers regarding appropriate locations, we have tasked the New Towns Taskforce chaired by Sir Michael Lyons with advising on a ‘New Towns Prospectus’ – standards that developers must meet in these new settlements (covering social and affordable homes, design, transport links to towns and city centres, public transport, green spaces). The Taskforce’s full terms of reference can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Thameslink on the performance of services on the Bedford Line.

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

Recent levels of disruption experienced on Thameslink due to delays and cancellations are clearly not acceptable and passengers deserve better.

Ministers are meeting with the Managing Directors of all Train Operating Companies and their Network Rail counterparts to address poor performance and what is being done to improve it. Department officials also continually monitor the Train Operators’ performance and meet with them and Network Rail to ensure they deliver improvements to services.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to improve the reliability of train services.

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

Improving railway performance and delivering reform is a top priority for the Department. Ministers continue to meet with Managing Directors of the worst performing train operators and their Network Rail counterparts to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards. Furthermore, performance information will be displayed at stations, demonstrating transparency, and allowing passengers to hold us to account as we deliver change.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much she expects the non-Council Tax element of the core spending power of (a) Central Bedfordshire Council and (b) Bedford Borough Council to increase in 2025/26.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published a policy statement on 28 November 2024 that confirmed that local government will receive an around 3.2% real-terms increase overall in Core Spending Power as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement 2025-26.

We will set out more detail at the provisional Settlement in December where we will consult on allocations for 2025-26, alongside launching a consultation on the objectives and principles of local government funding reform.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what changes she expects to make to governance arrangements in Bedfordshire through the English Devolution White Paper.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In July, the Deputy Prime Minister invited places without devolution agreements, including Bedfordshire, to come forward and submit devolution proposals for their areas. This process closed in September and the government is now working closely with local leaders and stakeholders to review these proposals. The upcoming English Devolution White Paper will set out further detail on this government’s ambitions, including the benefits that can be gained through the establishment of combined authorities and combined county authorities over sensible economic geographies and supported by a mayor.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much she expects (a) Central Bedfordshire Council and (b) Bedford Borough Council to increase council tax in 2025/26.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Council tax levels are decided by each council. The local government finance policy statement 2025 to 2026 proposed a core council tax referendum limit of up to 3% and an adult social care precept of 2% for all local authorities responsible for adult social care services, including Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council. The policy statement is available here.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of flooding of agricultural land on UK food security.

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

We recognise that the recent period of wet weather has impacted UK agriculture. On 13 November we announced that additional financial support will be provided to rural communities, recognising the importance of preventing flooding for farmers and protecting food security.

Defra is providing a one-off £75 million Internal Drainage Board (IDB) Fund, to accelerate IDBs’ recovery from the winter 2023 -24 storms and to modernise and upgrade assets.

More than 12,700 farmers impacted by the severe wet weather, including Storms Babet and Henk, between October 2023 and March 2024, have received recovery payments totalling £57.5 million from the Farming Recovery Fund. These are one off recovery payments which will support land recovery activities such as soil remediation, recultivation and the removal of debris caused by flooding.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support off-grid properties to transition to clean fuels.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Currently, the Government’s Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) provides grants for energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating to low-income households living in the worst performing, off-grid homes in England.

In September 2024, the Government announced a new Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) which will provide energy performance measures and low carbon heating to low-income households in England including privately owned EPC band D-G homes both on and off the gas grid. £500 million has been allocated as part of the Autumn Budget for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to be delivered from 2025 to 2028 by eligible local authorities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of her policies on (a) agricultural and (b) business property relief on ancient woodlands.

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

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.

Found: Cambridgeshire) Chris Hinchliff (Labour; North East Hertfordshire) Martin Rhodes (Labour; Glasgow North) Blake Stephenson

Found: ; Ellie Chowns; Barry Gardiner; Anna Gelderd; Sarah Gibson; Chris Hinchliff; Martin Rhodes; Blake Stephenson

Found: Barry Gardiner; Anna Gelderd; Sarah Gibson; Pippa Heylings; Chris Hinchliff; Martin Rhodes; Blake Stephenson

Found: Barry Gardiner; Anna Gelderd; Sarah Gibson; Pippa Heylings; Chris Hinchliff; Martin Rhodes; Blake Stephenson

Found: Barry Gardiner; Anna Gelderd; Sarah Gibson; Pippa Heylings; Chris Hinchliff; Martin Rhodes; Blake Stephenson

The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on flood resilience in England, focusing on how flood resilience can be strengthened in response to increasing risks from extreme weather, rising sea levels, and evolving flood hazards.

The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on governing the marine environment, which will focus on the UK's environmental obligations under marine treaties and how the UK is delivering on them, as well as the Government's strategy for marine planning and protection in its domestic waters.