Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department is taking to help improve employer-led training and workplace experience within further and higher education, particularly in construction; and what assessment he has made of how local initiatives such as the Warrington and Vale Royal College Construction and Civil Engineering Academy fit within the national approach to tackling construction skills shortages.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 23 March 2025, the Chancellor announced a £625 million Construction Skills Package (CSP) to address critical skills shortages across the construction sector. The investment is expected to support up to 60,000 skilled workers over this Parliament by increasing training capacity, strengthening the workforce pipeline, and encouraging greater employer investment in skills development.
This funding will expand training routes into construction, including new Foundation Apprenticeships for up to 10,000 young people and 35,000 additional Skills Bootcamp places for new entrants, returners and existing workers.
Investment will raise the quality and capacity of training, through 10 new Construction Technical Excellence Colleges, up to 40,000 industry placements for all Level 2 and 3 construction learners, the FE Teacher Industry Exchange Scheme—which will bring industry experts into FE teaching and upskill existing teachers—and additional funding for new construction courses, capital investment in colleges, and expanded provision for both 16–19 year olds and adults.
Delivery of the CSP is supported by an industry led, government sponsored Construction Skills Mission Board, aligning government and industry action to ensure the sector has the skilled workforce needed to meet future demand.
Warrington & Vale Royal College is already helping to deliver these priorities through its Construction & Civil Engineering Academy. It delivers skills from entry-level to higher education and apprenticeships, supports employer aligned curriculum priorities, and has improved teacher recruitment and retention. Initiatives such as the Green Skills Hub and “Get into Construction” Skills Bootcamps expand access, support underrepresented groups, and provide practical, employer focused training - mirroring CSP priorities on workforce growth, industry collaboration, and work ready skills.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the increased health costs caused by AI displacement in the workforce and associated stresses; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the BBC on the potential impact on the its ability to host live music events, like the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival, around the UK following the Corporation’s announcement of a £500m cut in its budget.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The BBC is a vital national institution and an engine of the nations and regions. In that context, this news is concerning for the BBC workforce who are facing significant uncertainty, and for the sector as a whole. The BBC is delivering significant savings, which requires difficult decisions to be made independent of the Government. The BBC have stated that there will be more information on their plans later this year. Looking ahead, the Charter Review aims to deliver a BBC that is sustainably funded in a way that sets the BBC on a path to thrive until well into the latter half of this century.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how her Department plans to help ensure that the BBC can continue to a) invest in regional storytelling; and b) support growth in regional creative economies under a new Charter.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As a public service broadcaster that matters hugely to public life, the BBC must be responsive to its viewers and listeners, in order to tell inclusive stories about the lives of all people, in all parts of the UK. This Government wants broadcasters, including the BBC, to be more ambitious in growing our world-leading TV sector outside of London and the South East, and to commission content in every part of the country. We want British storytelling to reflect the full diversity of people, communities and experiences across the UK so that more people can see themselves reflected on screen and as part of our national story. This is an area of focus in the BBC Charter Review as we look to make sure the BBC truly represents and delivers for every person in this country, particularly by ensuring that the BBC’s commissioning, decision-making and budgets are spread across all the nations and regions of the UK.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Government response to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs' report, Barriers to Research Part 2: Schedule 1 Controlled Drugs, published on 16 July 2025, what progress her Department has made on (a) establishing the proposed pilot scheme to exempt universities and hospitals from the requirement to obtain a Home Office licence for research involving Schedule 1 controlled drugs, (b) creating an exemption for clinical studies with MHRA, HRA and Research Ethics Committee approval, (c) reviewing the domestic and import/export licensing system, and (d) developing the framework to assess the impact of those policy changes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government responded to ACMD recommendations on reducing barriers to clinical research with Schedule 1 drugs in July 2025. A cross-government officials group is in place and is developing the policy and has engaged with other departments, agencies, stakeholders and international partners. The Government remains committed to implementing the recommendations and will publish further plans in due course.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Government response to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs' report, Barriers to Research Part 2: Schedule 1 Controlled Drugs, published on 16 July 2025, whether the Barriers to Research Working Group has met with the new cross-government working group to discuss implementation of those recommendations.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government responded to ACMD recommendations on reducing barriers to clinical research with Schedule 1 drugs in July 2025. A cross-government officials group is in place and is developing the policy and has engaged with other departments, agencies, stakeholders and international partners. The Government remains committed to implementing the recommendations and will publish further plans in due course.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential level of contribution that new large-scale nuclear power stations could make to enhancing the UK's energy security.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Large-scale nuclear power stations, including Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, will continue to make a vital contribution to our homegrown clean and secure energy mix, complementing small modular reactors.
To pursue the option of further potential large-scale nuclear, the government has tasked Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) with identifying other suitable sites that could potentially host such a project. GBE-N will report back to Ministers by Autumn 2026 on potential sites to inform future decisions in the next Spending Review and beyond.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the scheduled closure of Torness, Hartlepool and Heysham nuclear power stations on baseload electricity supply.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Currently, nuclear generation provides around 15% of total electricity. The four Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) stations at these locations are operating beyond their original forecasts, with current expected closures being planned well in advance by the operator (EDF). In September 2025, EDF announced Heysham 1 and Hartlepool power stations are now scheduled to generate until March 2028, an extension of 12 months. Heysham 2 and Torness are both scheduled to generate until March 2030. EDF’s ambition is to continue electricity production at its four generating AGR stations for as long as it is safe and commercially viable to do so and will keep station lifetimes under review.
Energy security is a priority for the government, and we work closely with the National Energy System Operator (NESO), Ofgem and key industry stakeholders to constantly monitor electricity supply against forecast demand to ensure electricity operators have the right tools to respond to market signals.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the suitability of sites across the United Kingdom for new large-scale nuclear power station development.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To pursue the option of further potential large-scale nuclear beyond Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, the government has tasked Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) with identifying other suitable sites that could potentially host such a project.
GBE-N will report back to Ministers by Autumn 2026 on potential sites to inform future decisions in the next Spending Review and beyond.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to support additional large-scale nuclear power stations beyond Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To pursue the option of further potential large-scale nuclear beyond Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, the government has tasked Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) with identifying other suitable sites that could potentially host such a project.
GBE-N will report back to Ministers by Autumn 2026 on potential sites to inform future decisions in the next Spending Review and beyond.