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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress she has made on the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme.

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

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers will launch in October 2027 across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Earlier this year we appointed UK DMO as the deposit management organisation for the schemes in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and they are continuing to progress at pace with delivery of the scheme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS Workforce plan will include an expansion in the allocation of dental student places at the University of Portsmouth.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it. We are working through how the plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups.

The independent Office for Students has statutory responsibility for allocating funding for medical and dental school places. The University of Portsmouth would be considered for any possible future allocated dental training places, as would other dental schools in the same position.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the consultation entitled Strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services: consultation, which closed on 26 September 2025.

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

My Department is currently analysing responses to this consultation and will respond in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to promote domestic recycling.

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.  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 (including cartons), paper and card, food waste, and garden waste (for households only). These reforms begun from workplaces on 31 March 2025 (except for micro-firms with less than 10 FTE), will begin from households by 31 March 2026 and micro-firms by 31 March 2027.

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.

This will support our ambition to recycle 65% of municipal (household-like) waste by 2035, reducing emissions from landfill and waste incineration, decreasing reliance on virgin materials, and supporting the growth of the UK recycling industry.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that children from non-privileged backgrounds have access to music and dance schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Funding of approximately £36.5 million is committed for the 2025/26 academic year for the Music and Dance Scheme, which provides income assessed bursaries to enable exceptionally talented children, regardless of their personal and financial circumstances, to attend specialist music and dance institutions.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Creative Industries Sector Vision (a) supports and (b) expands (i) existing skills training schemes and (ii) new training programmes.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Our Creative Industries Sector Plan, published in June 2025, sets out our approach to developing a high quality, responsive, inclusive and targeted education, skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries.

This includes refining and developing the growth and skills offer to deliver apprenticeships and skills training that recognise the particular needs of the sector, supporting existing schemes like flexi-job apprenticeships, and introducing new flexibilities such as short courses. The Government introduced new creative Higher Technical Qualifications in September, and will continue to expand the quantity of creative training pathways more broadly, including through further regional creative skills bootcamps.

Access to a high-quality arts education supports the pipeline into the creative industries and cultural sectors. Under this government, access will not be the preserve of the privileged few, but the entitlement of every child. The Curriculum and Assessment Review and the government's response has been published. We are committing to revitalising arts education, putting it back at the heart of a rich and broad curriculum through high-quality support for teachers of creative subjects and the new National Centre for Arts and Music Education.

The National Centre for Arts and Music Education will launch in September 2026, improving access and opportunity for children and young people and strengthening collaboration between schools and industry. It will promote high quality arts education, provide continuous professional development to teachers, and boost partnerships between schools and creative organisations.

We are also supporting music and dance through Arts Council England which provides £450,000 per annum to the National Youth Dance Company, which offers high-quality training and performance opportunities; and £420,000 per annum to the National Youth Music Organisations who help develop talented young musicians across all kinds of music styles.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to ensure that music and dance education remains central to the creative industries.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Our Creative Industries Sector Plan, published in June 2025, sets out our approach to developing a high quality, responsive, inclusive and targeted education, skills and training offer, meeting the workforce requirements of the creative industries.

This includes refining and developing the growth and skills offer to deliver apprenticeships and skills training that recognise the particular needs of the sector, supporting existing schemes like flexi-job apprenticeships, and introducing new flexibilities such as short courses. The Government introduced new creative Higher Technical Qualifications in September, and will continue to expand the quantity of creative training pathways more broadly, including through further regional creative skills bootcamps.

Access to a high-quality arts education supports the pipeline into the creative industries and cultural sectors. Under this government, access will not be the preserve of the privileged few, but the entitlement of every child. The Curriculum and Assessment Review and the government's response has been published. We are committing to revitalising arts education, putting it back at the heart of a rich and broad curriculum through high-quality support for teachers of creative subjects and the new National Centre for Arts and Music Education.

The National Centre for Arts and Music Education will launch in September 2026, improving access and opportunity for children and young people and strengthening collaboration between schools and industry. It will promote high quality arts education, provide continuous professional development to teachers, and boost partnerships between schools and creative organisations.

We are also supporting music and dance through Arts Council England which provides £450,000 per annum to the National Youth Dance Company, which offers high-quality training and performance opportunities; and £420,000 per annum to the National Youth Music Organisations who help develop talented young musicians across all kinds of music styles.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a waterbourne taxi passenger service across the Solent.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has made no assessment. We recognise the benefits of cross Solent services, such as the Gosport Ferry, particularly in relation to accessing jobs and recreational opportunities. However, these services operate in a commercial environment without any intervention from the Government.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of NHS Pensions' ability to meet the revised deadlines for issuing Remediable Service Statements set by the Government on 31 March 2025 on NHS members' i) financial resilience ii) ability to make informed choices regarding pension benefits.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the importance of providing NHS Pension Scheme members certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remediable Service Statements.

An independent review of the NHS Business Service Authority’s (NHSBSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members is underway. This will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHSBSA’s delivery plan and the timetable for the remaining statements.

I expect to be able to update the House on the review’s progress and the remedy delivery timetable before Christmas recess.

In the meantime, the NHSBSA continues to provide Remediable Service Statements to affected members, prioritising those who may be experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the discrimination highlighted by the McCloud judgment. Additionally, members who meet specific criteria can request to receive a prioritised Remediable Service Statement. Further information is available at the following link:

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-29429/en-us.

The Government is committed to ensuring that affected members are not subject to financial disadvantage due to these delays. Pension arrears arising from the McCloud remedy are paid with 8% interest, and a compensation scheme is available for members who have experienced other direct financial losses.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the ability of NHS Pensions to provide members with Remediable Service Statements.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the importance of providing NHS Pension Scheme members certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remediable Service Statements.

An independent review of the NHS Business Service Authority’s (NHSBSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members is underway. This will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHSBSA’s delivery plan and the timetable for the remaining statements.

I expect to be able to update the House on the review’s progress and the remedy delivery timetable before Christmas recess.

In the meantime, the NHSBSA continues to provide Remediable Service Statements to affected members, prioritising those who may be experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the discrimination highlighted by the McCloud judgment. Additionally, members who meet specific criteria can request to receive a prioritised Remediable Service Statement. Further information is available at the following link:

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-29429/en-us.

The Government is committed to ensuring that affected members are not subject to financial disadvantage due to these delays. Pension arrears arising from the McCloud remedy are paid with 8% interest, and a compensation scheme is available for members who have experienced other direct financial losses.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure Members of NHS Pensions receive timely Remediable Service Statements.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the importance of providing NHS Pension Scheme members certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remediable Service Statements.

An independent review of the NHS Business Service Authority’s (NHSBSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members is underway. This will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHSBSA’s delivery plan and the timetable for the remaining statements.

I expect to be able to update the House on the review’s progress and the remedy delivery timetable before Christmas recess.

In the meantime, the NHSBSA continues to provide Remediable Service Statements to affected members, prioritising those who may be experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the discrimination highlighted by the McCloud judgment. Additionally, members who meet specific criteria can request to receive a prioritised Remediable Service Statement. Further information is available at the following link:

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-29429/en-us.

The Government is committed to ensuring that affected members are not subject to financial disadvantage due to these delays. Pension arrears arising from the McCloud remedy are paid with 8% interest, and a compensation scheme is available for members who have experienced other direct financial losses.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will complete the review into NHS Pensions' ability to meet the revised deadlines for issuing Remediable Service Statements set by the government on 31 March 2025.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the importance of providing NHS Pension Scheme members certainty about when they will receive their McCloud Remediable Service Statements.

An independent review of the NHS Business Service Authority’s (NHSBSA) revised plans for the delivery of the McCloud remedy for NHS Pension Scheme members is underway. This will provide an additional level of scrutiny and assurance of the NHSBSA’s delivery plan and the timetable for the remaining statements.

I expect to be able to update the House on the review’s progress and the remedy delivery timetable before Christmas recess.

In the meantime, the NHSBSA continues to provide Remediable Service Statements to affected members, prioritising those who may be experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the discrimination highlighted by the McCloud judgment. Additionally, members who meet specific criteria can request to receive a prioritised Remediable Service Statement. Further information is available at the following link:

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-29429/en-us.

The Government is committed to ensuring that affected members are not subject to financial disadvantage due to these delays. Pension arrears arising from the McCloud remedy are paid with 8% interest, and a compensation scheme is available for members who have experienced other direct financial losses.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to protect coastal towns from flooding.

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

This Government is committed to supporting coastal communities and ensuring flood and coastal erosion risk management is fit for the challenges we face now and in the future.

Delivering on the Plan for Change, the Government is investing at least £10.5 billion by 2035/6 to construct new flood and coastal schemes and repair existing defences. This funding will better protect nearly 900,000 properties. Between April 2024 and March 2026, around £667 million is being invested into protection from sea flooding, tidal flooding and coastal erosion.

We delivered 151 schemes in our first year in Government and have redirected £108 million into urgent flood and coastal defence maintenance.

The Environment Agency (EA) has a coastal resilience team who operate at a national level. The team are supported by operational coastal specialists located in EA area teams around the coast of England who work closely with coastal local authorities to ensure that coastal flooding and erosion is managed in a coordinated way.

Found: Current membership Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative; Gosport) (Chair) Mr Bayo Alaba (Labour; Southend

Found: Old Admiralty Building Admiralty Place Whitehall London SW1A 2DY Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ E: enquiries@dcms.gov.uk www.gov.uk/dcms Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Dr

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Damian

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Damian

Found: Visit sky.com Registered in England No. 2906991 VAT registered No. 440 6274 67 1 Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL Dame Caroline Dinenage MP Chair, Culture, Media and Sport Committee House

Found: White City Place 201 Wood Lane London W12 7RU E niall.sloane@itv.com Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Dame Caroline Dinenage MP Culture, Media and Sport Committee House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

Found: Floor 100 Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ E: enquiries@dcms.gov.uk www.gov.uk/dcms Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: House, London W1A 1AA Sarah Champion MP, Chair, International Development Committee Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: House, London W1A 1AA Sarah Champion MP, Chair, International Development Committee Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: 3 As above, Q87 House of Commons Palace of Westminster London SW1A 0AA Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Damian Hinds; Dr Rupa Huq

Found: government and BBC would need to take difficult prioritisation decisions.9 8 Letter from Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Zöe Franklin; Dr Rupa

Found: Sarah Owen (Chair, Women and Equalities Committee), Tonia Antoniazzi, Jess Asato and Dame Caroline Dinenage