Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of improvements to service family accommodation on the wellbeing, retention, and satisfaction of armed forces personnel and their families.

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

The Ministry of Defence remains committed to improving the lived experience of Service personnel and their families, including through the Defence Housing Strategy announced in November 2025, the Single Living Accommodation and Overseas Estate Review launched in January 2026, and the provisions in the Armed Forces Bill to establish a new Defence Housing Service.

The most recent Continuous Attitude Survey showed satisfaction with housing is up as is morale.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the level of availability of specialist support services for victims; and what steps he is taking to help ensure victims are not left to navigate the justice system without support.

Answered by Catherine Atkinson

The Ministry of Justice is investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to date. One of the aims of our funding is to support victims on their journey with the criminal justice system. Examples of our funding include the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF) which funds 60 local specialist support services for sexual violence victims and survivors, a national 24/7 sexual violence helpline, and the national Homicide Service. We keep the availability of specialist support under continual review and work closely with Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and service providers to understand gaps.

To ensure that victims are supported to navigate the justice system, we specifically invest in services that provide advocacy, advice and information about the criminal justice process. This includes FLOWS (Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors) a specialist service proved by the RCJ Advice, who deliver free and confidential legal advice for women survivors of domestic abuse on obtaining protective orders from the courts. FLOWS can assist all women, whether or not they qualify for legal aid.

Recognising that many witnesses are also victims of crime, and may need help to navigate the court process, we also commission the National Witness Service, which provides emotional and practical support to both prosecution and defence witnesses in all the criminal courts in England and Wales to enable them to give their best evidence.

In addition to the £550 million for support services, the Government is also investing £6 million over the next two years to deliver free, Independent Legal Advisers (ILAs) for victims of adult rape and assault by penetration to help them to understand their legal rights. ILAs will be able to provide victims with the support they need to navigate the justice system. The competition to identify a grant provider for the service is now live, and the service will be rolled out later this year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that young people have access to education, skills, and career opportunities arising from investment in research and innovation in Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Government is investing a record £58.5 billion in research and development between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support growth and opportunity across the UK.

The Government has launched TechFirst, a £187 million programme that will reach one million students across every secondary school in the UK, providing education, skills and career opportunities in technology and AI. As part of this broader programme, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is delivering TechLocal and TechGrad programmes which will further strengthen regional tech capabilities and create jobs.

Innovate UK, part of UKRI, is also working with the Catapult Network to help ensure that the skills system understands the changing workforce requirements which emerge from the adoption of frontier tech. Specifically in the West of England, this includes working with the Catapults for High Value Manufacturing, Compound Semiconductors, Digital and Satellite Applications. The region also benefits from UKRI-supported Centres for Doctoral Training, helping to develop the next generation of researchers and innovators.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new housing and major development schemes contribute to meeting net zero targets, including through energy efficiency, sustainable construction methods, low-carbon infrastructure and integrated transport planning.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has responsibility for the Building Regulations, construction product reform, and planning.

The Government published an update to the energy efficiency standards in the Building Regulations, the Future Homes Standard (FHS), on 24 March 2026. New homes built to these new standards will be zero carbon ready, meaning they will become zero carbon once the national grid is fully decarbonised and will require no further retrofitting to meet net zero.

The Government has also committed to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy and making significant reductions in carbon emissions. For construction products, this includes increasing reuse and recycling of products, choosing more sustainable products, and improving information about environmental performance.

We recently consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework, including proposals relating to renewable and low carbon energy. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in the summer.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support communities in delivering nature recovery, improving biodiversity and delivering positive environmental outcomes alongside new development.

Answered by Mary Creagh

The Government is committed to delivering positive environmental outcomes alongside the housing and infrastructure our communities urgently need. Local Nature Recovery Strategies are being prepared across England, to enable communities to set priorities for biodiversity and environmental improvement and propose where action is most needed. Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain requires developments to achieve a 10% improvement in biodiversity. The Nature Restoration Fund will accelerate housing and infrastructure alongside delivering improved environmental outcomes for habitats and species. The Government is also working with local stakeholders to deliver at least 20 Protected Site Strategies by 2030 to tackle pollution and habitat degradation.

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 adequacy of eligibility criteria for the Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccination programme for adults with serious underlying respiratory conditions, including pulmonary fibrosis; and whether his Department plans to review those criteria to allow access based on clinical risk.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

In line with independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), year-round respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programmes were introduced in England in September 2024 to protect infants, via maternal vaccination, and older adults aged 75 to 79 years old and those subsequently turning 75 years old.

When advising on the introduction of the RSV programmes, the JCVI said that an extension to the initial programmes would be considered when there was more certainty about protection for patients at higher risk of severe illness from RSV. Following further JCVI advice in June 2025, the older adult programme was expanded to also include those aged 80 years old and over and all residents in a care home for older adults from 1 April 2026.

At its main committee meeting of 2 February 2026, the JCVI reviewed the latest data on RSV vaccination in those with underlying health conditions. The committee advised that adults aged 65 to 74 years old with chronic respiratory disease or immunosuppression due to disease or treatment should also be offered RSV vaccination. A link to the full JCVI statement of 18 March 2026 is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rsv-immunisation-programme-jcvi-advice-18-march-2026/vaccination-in-adults-at-higher-risk-of-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-disease-jcvi-advice-18-march-2026#advice

On 1 July 2026, the Department accepted the latest JCVI advice and confirmed that these groups will be eligible for RSV vaccination in England from 1 September 2026. This includes people aged 65 to 74 years old with pulmonary fibrosis, which falls under the chronic respiratory disease group. The Written Ministerial Statement announcing this change is available at the following link:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-07-01/hcws170

This is a fast-moving area with new data emerging on a frequent basis, and so the JCVI will continue to keep evidence under review. The Department will consider any further JCVI advice on who should be offered an RSV immunisation in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to engage with external organisations, including charities representing people with specific health conditions such as Parkinson’s, to support the training and upskilling of staff involved in Personal Independence Payment assessments.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The department is taking a number of steps to support the training and upskilling of staff involved in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments, while ensuring that all clinical training materials are of the highest quality, evidence-based, and free from bias.

Since September 2024, following the commencement of the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) contracts, the DWP Clinical Team has taken ownership of all clinical core training and guidance materials (CTGM). These materials are now developed and assured independently of charities and other stakeholder organisations to ensure consistency, impartiality and alignment with best clinical practice. The CTGM is aligned with national guidance, including that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which draws on the best available evidence and incorporates input from clinical experts, people with lived experience, carers and the public.

Senior clinicians from charities and stakeholder groups are invited to contribute to a monthly education programme delivered to DWP-employed clinicians. All contributions are subject to prior review to ensure they are evidence-based, clinically focused and free from bias.

In addition, the department facilitates ongoing engagement through quarterly stakeholder information sessions. These provide an opportunity for charities and other organisations to raise questions, offer feedback, and highlight concerns regarding clinical training materials. Feedback can also be submitted in advance of these sessions for discussion.

Through this approach, the department ensures that training remains robust, evidence-based and informed by wider expertise, while maintaining appropriate independence and clinical integrity in the development of guidance for PIP assessments.

On 9 September 2024, DWP assumed responsibility for the Core Training and Guidance Materials (CTGM) used within the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS), provided by DWP to the HAAS assessment suppliers. Following the transfer of responsibilities to DWP, all training and guidance materials are currently being comprehensively reviewed and updated. A newly established team is leading this work, ensuring that all materials are aligned with national best practice standards. To support this, independent clinical experts are being engaged to provide external quality assurance, helping to ensure the accuracy, relevance, and consistency of the content. Once the review and update is complete, external organisations, including charities representing people with specific health conditions such as Parkinson’s, will be invited to comment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that a meaningful proportion of new-build homes delivered through major housing developments are affordable homes, including in areas experiencing significant growth pressures.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 58440 on 17 June 2025, UIN 21951 on 13 January 2025, UIN 99392 on 5 January 2026 and UIN 94400 on 4 December 2025.