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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to encourage empty homes to become occupied.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59458 on 20 June 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of controls on the (a) sale and (b) import of kava for food purposes in The Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002 prohibits any food consisting of or containing kava-kava from being imported or placed on the market. This regulation is in place to protect public health.

Since the introduction of this legislation, any additional scientific evidence that has been provided to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has not been sufficient to support any amendments to the controls in place.

If additional data on the safety of kava-kava were to be submitted, appropriate evaluations, such as a risk assessment, will be considered by the FSA. The outputs of a risk assessment could then be used to provide advice to Ministers, to amend or repeal the legislation.

New scientific evidence on the hepatotoxic risk of kava-kava would be reviewed by the FSA.

Without additional evidence that indicates a safe level of human consumption for kava-kava, the FSA considers there is insufficient toxicological data available to initiate an assessment.

While there is no specific provision in the regulation that sets out the procedure for revoking the controls, as safety concerns provide the basis for the ban, an assessment of newly available data on the safety of kava-kava for human consumption would be the first step.

If the independent Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is satisfied that there is a safe level of human consumption, this would inform advice to Ministers to amend or repeal the legislation.

Any future evaluation of the Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002, would need to be considered and carried out in tandem with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as The Medicines for Human Use (Kava-kava) (Prohibition) Order 2002 is applicable.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002, what provision exists for the revocation of this legislation should the evidence no longer support such controls.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002 prohibits any food consisting of or containing kava-kava from being imported or placed on the market. This regulation is in place to protect public health.

Since the introduction of this legislation, any additional scientific evidence that has been provided to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has not been sufficient to support any amendments to the controls in place.

If additional data on the safety of kava-kava were to be submitted, appropriate evaluations, such as a risk assessment, will be considered by the FSA. The outputs of a risk assessment could then be used to provide advice to Ministers, to amend or repeal the legislation.

New scientific evidence on the hepatotoxic risk of kava-kava would be reviewed by the FSA.

Without additional evidence that indicates a safe level of human consumption for kava-kava, the FSA considers there is insufficient toxicological data available to initiate an assessment.

While there is no specific provision in the regulation that sets out the procedure for revoking the controls, as safety concerns provide the basis for the ban, an assessment of newly available data on the safety of kava-kava for human consumption would be the first step.

If the independent Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is satisfied that there is a safe level of human consumption, this would inform advice to Ministers to amend or repeal the legislation.

Any future evaluation of the Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002, would need to be considered and carried out in tandem with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as The Medicines for Human Use (Kava-kava) (Prohibition) Order 2002 is applicable.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of new research into the hepatotoxicity risk posed by kava on The Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002 prohibits any food consisting of or containing kava-kava from being imported or placed on the market. This regulation is in place to protect public health.

Since the introduction of this legislation, any additional scientific evidence that has been provided to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has not been sufficient to support any amendments to the controls in place.

If additional data on the safety of kava-kava were to be submitted, appropriate evaluations, such as a risk assessment, will be considered by the FSA. The outputs of a risk assessment could then be used to provide advice to Ministers, to amend or repeal the legislation.

New scientific evidence on the hepatotoxic risk of kava-kava would be reviewed by the FSA.

Without additional evidence that indicates a safe level of human consumption for kava-kava, the FSA considers there is insufficient toxicological data available to initiate an assessment.

While there is no specific provision in the regulation that sets out the procedure for revoking the controls, as safety concerns provide the basis for the ban, an assessment of newly available data on the safety of kava-kava for human consumption would be the first step.

If the independent Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is satisfied that there is a safe level of human consumption, this would inform advice to Ministers to amend or repeal the legislation.

Any future evaluation of the Kava-kava in Food (England) Regulations 2002, would need to be considered and carried out in tandem with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as The Medicines for Human Use (Kava-kava) (Prohibition) Order 2002 is applicable.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of adding Ukrainian language GCSE to the curriculum.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Decisions about which languages to offer at GCSE in England are taken by four independent awarding organisations, AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC, rather than by central government. These organisations have the freedom to create a Ukrainian GCSE based on the subject content for modern foreign languages set by the department. We have written to these organisations to ask them to consider introducing a Ukrainian GCSE.

The British government stands steadfast behind the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian government. The department is proud to support children and families from Ukraine during their transition to a new life in the UK. To do our part to support the Ukrainian people, we are supporting the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science in policy development and this year have launched a UK-Ukraine Schools Partnership programme, twinning 100 schools in the UK and Ukraine.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to improve access to free debt advice; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to ensuring that people in financial difficulty have access to free, impartial debt advice. Through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), the Government funds a range of national and community-based services to support individuals and families across England. The Government also provides funding for debt advice services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are delivered by the devolved governments.

Funding levels for both MaPS and the devolved governments are regularly reviewed to reflect demand, inflation, and evolving needs.

MaPS’ latest impact report shows that people accessing the debt advice services it funded in 2023/24 gained an estimated £48 million in additional income, demonstrating the value of these services in supporting financial resilience. MaPS is continuing to expand access to its services by strengthening its digital capabilities and working in partnership with local organisations, to ensure support is available to those most in need.

In addition, the Government is currently developing a Financial Inclusion Strategy which aims to improve access to financial services and support, including debt advice. The strategy will be published later this year.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to establish a sustainable funding model for social welfare advice services.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Government recognises the important role that social welfare advice services play in supporting individuals.

For example, DWP provide grant funding to Citizens Advice, who deliver Help to Claim support for customers to apply for Universal Credit. In addition, the Money and Pensions Service, which is sponsored by DWP, continues to provide impartial, free money and pensions guidance directly to consumers.

DWP’s settlement at Spending Review 2025 provided DWP with funding to continue delivering these services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to (a) tackle digital exclusion and (b) ensure that people who are digitally excluded have access to (i) advice and (ii) online services.

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

The Digital Inclusion Action Plan sets out the first five actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK. These first actions will widen access to devices, drive digital upskilling, break down barriers to participation and get support to people in their own communities.

We are committed to ensuring that government online and digital services are as accessible as possible and are exploring how to extend the scope of the standards beyond central government into the wider public sector and looking at revising them to include inclusive service design.

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 impact of welfare reforms on demand for independent advice services; and if he will make a statement.

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

The public consultation on the “Pathways to Work” Green Paper received over 47,500 responses before closing on the 30 June. We are now carefully reviewing responses as we develop further proposals, involving disabled people, including through the Timms review of PIP, collaboration committees and the department’s new Disability Advisory Panel.

We will continue to consider the potential impacts of reforms as part of our consideration of responses to the consultation, including any impacts on services.

Statutory right for leaseholders to access information

Found: New Amendments: NC10 and NC11 _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân

Found: New Amendments: NC10 and NC11 _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn Butler

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn Butler

Found: 10 September 2025 Oliver Ryan Jess Asato Jayne Kirkham Gareth SnellBecky GittinsPaul Waugh Charlotte Nichols

Found: Andy MacNae Paul Waugh Yasmin Qureshi Graham Stringer Anna Sabine Jayne Kirkham Gareth Snell Charlotte Nichols

Found: Andy MacNae Paul Waugh Yasmin Qureshi Graham Stringer Anna Sabine Jayne Kirkham Gareth Snell Charlotte Nichols

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn Butler

Found: _NC1 Sarah Champion Nadia Whittome Charlotte Nichols Irene Campbell Siân Berry Ellie Chowns Dawn Butler