Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure consumers are adequately protected from rogue builders.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This Government is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. In addition, the Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced competence requirements for both individuals and businesses working in the built environment.

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 prevent biodiversity loss associated with deforestation globally.

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

We remain steadfast in working with partners to deliver our shared commitment to halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation by 2030 while supporting sustainable development. We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. The Government is currently considering its approach to addressing the impact of the use of forest risk commodities in our supply chains and will set out its approach in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure rural households have access to adequate smart meter network coverage.

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

The Data Communications Company (DCC) is the organisation responsible for the smart metering network in Great Britain, and is obligated to provide smart meter network connectivity to at least 99.25% of premises across GB. The Government is working closely with the DCC to ensure that smart meter connectivity can be extended to the small minority of unserved properties in all regions, including rural areas, as soon as reasonably possible.

One such solution, currently being rolled out, is Virtual WAN (VWAN) which involves using customers’ broadband connection, (with consent), to carry smart metering communications.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for the issuing of medical driving licences.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.

Some medical cases take longer because the DVLA often needs information from third parties, such as doctors or other healthcare professionals, before it can make a licensing decision. The DVLA has seen sustained growth in the volume and complexity of medical licence applications, increasing waiting times for some customers. To improve its services, the DVLA has introduced a new casework system, and launched a new medical services portal so the majority of customers can now apply online through the DVLA driver and vehicle account.

These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with these applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure households without access to reliable broadband or mobile signal will be able to make calls following the digital switchover.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration of the copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for everyone across the UK

In November 2024, the Government secured safeguards from the telecoms industry. These include the provision of free battery back-ups for vulnerable and landline dependent (including those without mobile signal) customers to ensure access to emergency services for at least one hour in a power outage. Many communication providers have gone further, providing battery back-ups of 4-7 hours.

In March 2026, the Government and industry agreed a new Fixed Telecoms Charter to extend these safeguards to all future fixed telecoms modernisation programmes.

In order to function correctly, VoIP requires a minimum connection speed of just 0.5 megabytes per second. It is possible to order a VoIP landline without purchasing a broadband connection.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help people who have been victims of a) scams by rogue builders and b) poor workmanship by rogue builders.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This Government is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. In addition, the Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced competence requirements for both individuals and businesses working in the built environment.

Any action that the Government takes on licensing to protect customers and standards needs to be robust, proportionate and evidence based.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what actions it is taking to promote engagement between the HSE and the heritage sector in relation to the proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently consulting on proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations (CLAW) 2002 to enable the potential impact to be fully assessed. HSE have been engaging with the heritage sector about possible changes to CLAW since early 2025 and are continuing to engage with a range of businesses to inform this work, including representatives of the heritage sector, prior to making any final recommendations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle the normalisation of violence as part of sex among young people.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

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

We have published updated guidance for relationships, sex and health education for teaching from September 2026, which includes a focus on developing skills for healthy relationships from the beginning of primary school and equipping children with the tools to tackle harmful influences.

Pupils will have opportunities to develop positive conceptions of masculinity and femininity, and at secondary level, pupils are expected to develop an understanding of the concepts and laws relating to harmful sexual behaviour and the role of consent, including in romantic and sexual relationships. Pupils should understand that ethical behaviour goes beyond consent and involves kindness, care, and attention to the needs and vulnerabilities of the other person.

The department is investing £16 million into a brand-new prevention programme that will robustly evaluate interventions that support positive relationships and help children recognise abusive behaviour, as well as enhance teaching about violence against women and girls.

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 increase price transparency in the milk supply chain.

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

The Government recognises the importance of greater transparency in the milk supply chain to support a fair and sustainable dairy sector.

The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations, which fully came into force in July 2025, requires that all dairy contracts must clearly set out the factors that determine the price of milk.

In addition, producers have the right to request a written explanation of how the price has been determined and, where applicable, how those factors have influenced the price. This improves transparency and ensures farmers better understand how the price received relates to the terms of their contract.

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 maximise the effectiveness of the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator.

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

The Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) has been appointed to oversee and enforce the Fair Dealing Regulations for the Milk and Pig Sectors, providing a route for raising issues and complaints where parties believe the rules have not been followed.

Since being appointed, the ASCA has carried out a wide range of proactive activities to engage with the sectors to raise awareness of the regulations and provide support, including but not limited to running surveys, attending and speaking at conferences and agricultural shows, farm visits and convening sector roundtables.

To further support producers, the ASCA also established an in-confidence email channel to enable producers to raise issues anonymously with the ASCA.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help protect consumers who require LPG for home heating from global price instability.

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

Households that rely on LPG may be eligible for support through the Crisis and Resilience Fund. Guidance issued to local authorities makes clear that crisis payments may be used to assist with energy costs associated with any fuel used for domestic heating, cooking or lighting, including bulk LPG and portable gas cylinders.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing individual circumstances and determining the most appropriate form of support, in accordance with the Fund’s guidance and its person-centred, needs-based approach.

In addition, all domestic electricity consumers will benefit from measures announced at the Budget, under where the price cap has fallen by 7% and will be fixed until July.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impacts of proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations on women working in heritage and conservation.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently consulting on proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations (CLAW) 2002 to enable the potential impact, including any specific impacts the proposals may have on women, to be fully assessed. HSE have been engaging with the heritage sector about possible changes to CLAW since early 2025 and are continuing to engage with a range of businesses to inform this work, including representatives of the heritage sector, prior to making any final recommendations.