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 contribution of natural stone and other low-carbon materials to reducing embodied carbon in the UK construction sector.

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

The department is currently developing policies that will help grow the market for low carbon industrial products, including green procurement and improved carbon accounting. The initial focus of these policies is steel, cement, and concrete products used in construction.

The department recently ran a technical consultation that included questions on whether other industrial sectors should be included in the scope of these policies in future. Although natural stone was not explicitly mentioned in the consultation, it would align with one of the options; to take a strategic approach to expand these policies to other sectors related to construction. The department is currently reviewing the responses to this consultation and will publish a summary and its own response in due course.

The government also recognises the role that whole life carbon assessments can play in helping developers to evaluate carbon emissions across all stages of a building or structure’s life. This approach can support decision makers to adopt materials which have a lower overall environmental impact. Whole life carbon assessments are embedded into green procurement approaches being taken by government departments, such as instituting carbon management plans.

The department would welcome engagement with any interested stakeholders from the natural stone sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill will include measures to support the use of low-carbon, natural building materials.

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

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill contains no measures relating to building materials.

The full text of the Bill as introduced, as well as further versions of the Bill as it is reprinted to incorporate amendments made during its passage through Parliament, can be found online here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will review public procurement guidance to ensure that locally and sustainably sourced building materials are prioritised in public projects.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Procurement Act 2023 allows contracting authorities the flexibility to include considerations such as locally and sustainably sourced building materials in contracts. Any criteria adopted must be relevant and proportionate to the contract.

We have consulted on procurement reforms to further boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for businesses, in particular SMEs, across the UK. We will be publishing the consultation outcome - and legislative proposals - soon.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to respond to the correspondence of 24 October 2025 from the hon. Member for Dundee Central.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister has sent a response to the Honourable Member.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with the construction industry on planning barriers and standards affecting the use of natural materials such as stone in new developments.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 92689 on 28 November 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will review energy support and taxation policy for energy-intensive industries such as quarrying to ensure fair treatment compared with high-carbon sectors like steel and glass.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government keeps all tax under review as part of the policy making process.

The government is bearing down on business energy prices by reducing Great Britain’s reliance on volatile international gas prices, and through a new framework to scrutinise energy levies, ensuring they are affordable and value-for-money.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of energy costs and industrial tariffs on small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK stone and quarrying industry.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government continually monitors the UK economy and is bearing down on business energy prices by reducing Great Britain’s reliance on volatile international gas prices, and through a new framework to scrutinise energy levies, ensuring they are affordable and value-for-money.

We know that behind taxation, energy prices are the most cited barrier to growth by SMEs (50%). The Government has a variety of schemes, already in place or due to be launched soon, that either directly support businesses by reducing energy costs or support them to reduce costs by making energy efficiencies and decarbonising. Examples include:

• The Business Energy Advice Service pilot, which runs until March 2026, supporting SMEs in the West Midlands to reduce their energy demand, reduce their energy bills and in turn decarbonise.
• Providing funding to improve the UK Business Climate Hub (UKBCH), an online resource which will support SMEs to identify and implement changes to their energy use, resulting in decarbonisation and energy bill savings.

The UK Global Tariff is tailored to the UK economy, and has been designed to balance the interests of consumers and producers, and our wider strategic trade objectives. As with all policy, the Government welcomes feedback and monitors these requests closely.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many private aircraft landed at Leuchars Station between 28 September 2025 and 6th October 2025.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

A total of twenty civil private aircraft used Leuchars during that period.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on how many occasions the Minister of State (International Development and Africa) has visited Malawi since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Details of UK ministers' bilateral meetings with overseas counterparts are routinely published on GOV.UK, details of ministerial travel overseas are set out in the Government's quarterly transparency releases, and details of funding allocations for individual countries and programmes can be found using the Development Tracker tool on GOV.UK.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on how many occasions the Prime Minister has met with his Malawian counterpart since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Details of UK ministers' bilateral meetings with overseas counterparts are routinely published on GOV.UK, details of ministerial travel overseas are set out in the Government's quarterly transparency releases, and details of funding allocations for individual countries and programmes can be found using the Development Tracker tool on GOV.UK.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on how many occasions she has met with her Malawian counterpart since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Details of UK ministers' bilateral meetings with overseas counterparts are routinely published on GOV.UK, details of ministerial travel overseas are set out in the Government's quarterly transparency releases, and details of funding allocations for individual countries and programmes can be found using the Development Tracker tool on GOV.UK.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on how many occasions she has visited Malawi since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Details of UK ministers' bilateral meetings with overseas counterparts are routinely published on GOV.UK, details of ministerial travel overseas are set out in the Government's quarterly transparency releases, and details of funding allocations for individual countries and programmes can be found using the Development Tracker tool on GOV.UK.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much Official Development Assistance was allocated to Malawi in each of the last ten financial years.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Details of UK ministers' bilateral meetings with overseas counterparts are routinely published on GOV.UK, details of ministerial travel overseas are set out in the Government's quarterly transparency releases, and details of funding allocations for individual countries and programmes can be found using the Development Tracker tool on GOV.UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many official visits a) to Scotland and b) abroad the Prime Minister has made since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Prime Ministerial travel is published on gov.uk and includes both domestic and international visits. The Prime Minister’s first ever official visit as Prime Minister was to Scotland.

Moray Wellbeing Hub CIC

Official opening of the Angus Community Wellbeing Centre (The Beacon)

Tackling Islamist extremism

Children and blast injuries, Save the Children report

Hopeman Fish and Chip Co

Moray Fresh Start SCIO

Dance North Scotland CIC

Diane Maciver

The Lossie 2-3 group and The Lossie Community Hub

Forres Osprey Bus SCIO

Scottish Gaelic Status

Cairngorms Pride CIC

Political prisoners in Bangladesh

Occupational Therapist Week

International Day of People with Disabilities

Escalating human rights violations in Balochistan

Union of Agricultural Work Committees in the Occupied West Bank

UN International Human Rights Defenders Day

Digital ID and civil liberties

Professional integrity of BBC journalists

Team GB at the 2025 Deaflympics

Thanking postal workers

Habitat regulations

Russian shadow fleet

North East Fife restaurants named among world’s best

Palestinian children in Israeli military detention

Detention of Hassan Mushaima and Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace

Gaelic and Scots recognised as official languages

Repression following the Iran-Israel war

Marjorie Bahhaj

Bank closures, digital exclusion and cyber risks

Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme

Phenylketonuria awareness and access to treatment (No. 2)

Palestine Action hunger strike