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 has taken to communicate the recent changes to the Right to Buy scheme to eligible social housing tenants.

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

The government made clear in its manifesto that it intended to review the increased right to buy discounts introduced in 2012 and reiterated this in a Written Ministerial Statement on 30 July. The Right to Buy discounts review was published alongside the Budget on 30 October, and we announced that discounts would reduce to between £16,000 and £38,000 (varying by region).

We have taken a number of steps to communicate this announcement to social landlords and tenants. We wrote to both councils and registered providers through the National Housing Federation. We ensured the government’s helpline, the Right to Buy Agent Service, immediately had the new information. We also updated all relevant online materials, including the Right to Buy summary booklet, and the guidance documents that we provide for both tenants and landlords.

All the documents explained that the changes would come into force on 21 November, whilst making it clear that applications received by social landlords from eligible tenants before 21 November 2024 would be eligible for the previous maximum cash discounts. We also released press notices highlighting the discount changes and the timeframe for their implementation.

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 support job creation in the renewable energy sector.

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

Our recently announced Clean Industry Bonus will help to drive investment in our heartland and coastal communities, and in cleaner supply chains – creating economic opportunities in the supply chains of the future. We have also set up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs, which will work closely with businesses and unions to map skills needs and ensure we have the workforce needed to take advantage of the clean energy transition.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether entitlement to a defined benefit occupational pension affects entitlement to Universal Credit if that pension is not drawn.

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

It has been a long-standing policy of successive governments to encourage people to save for their retirement. Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit and takes occupational and personal pensions into account when the customer receives that income under the scheme rules.

Where someone reaches the age where Pension Credit is payable, the pension may be treated as available under the long-standing notional income rules. This means that a notional income is taken into account which has the effect of reducing the award of Universal Credit.

Means-tested benefits are paid for out of general taxation, and it is only right that a customer avails themselves of their own financial resources before relying on benefits. These rules provide a fair balance between the needs of the customer and the taxpayer who pays for the cost of means-tested benefits.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to improve the effectiveness of data collection from mobile phones by the police in relation to crime.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Digital Forensics Programme (DFP) scopes, develops and delivers innovative solutions to ensure policing can use high quality technology to tackle the rising volumes of digital forensics work, including forensic examinations of mobile phones, more efficiently.

We have allocated up to £13m to forensics in 2024/25 to help forces access, develop, and deliver more integrated, sustainable and efficient forensic services, improve various aspects of the investigatory process, speed up the time it takes the police to analyse data, including data from mobile phones, and enhance the victim experience.

The Government intends to consult on a new National Centre of Policing to bring together crucial support services, including forensics, that local police forces can draw upon, to raise standards, and improve efficiency.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is taking steps to use maritime spatial planning to identify areas with high potential for the development of offshore wind energy.

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

In October 2024, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments jointly commissioned the NESO to produce a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) for Great Britain. This more strategic approach to planning will help accelerate the government’s clean energy superpower mission, including through the development of offshore wind.

This first SSEP will cover infrastructure for power generation, including offshore generation in Great British waters, so that the government can create a more efficient electricity network and reduce waiting times for generation projects to connect to the grid. This will move to a whole energy system plan in future iterations.

The SSEP will sit alongside the existing Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme, as well as wider planning reform, whilst respecting devolved competencies.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to help support (a) people with dementia and (b) their carers.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has recently refreshed the RightCare Dementia Scenario. This sets out best practice for supporting people with dementia. NHS England has also funded an evidence-based improvement project to fund two trusts in each region, 14 sites in total, to pilot the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate tool to improve the diagnosis of dementia and the provision of support in care homes. All pilots completed at the end of May 2024, and it is anticipated that learning will be shared in early 2025. The Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis, and prevention, to treatment, and care and support, including for carers.

The Government is committed to ensuring that both the person with dementia and their family have the support that they need. In April 2025, the Government will increase the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This represents the largest increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976. It means carers can earn up to £10,000 a year whilst still retaining Carer's Allowance, which is approximately an additional £2,000 a year.

On 28 November 2024, the Government also announced that the Accelerating Reform Fund's (ARF) second tranche of funding worth £22.6 million will shortly be released for 2024/25. More than half of the ARF projects, and at least one in each integrated care system area, are focussed on identifying, recognising, and supporting unpaid carers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to strengthen communities in the aftermath of the recent riots.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has made £15 million available to the places most severely affected by disorder through the Community Recovery Fund to support the immediate recovery. Officials from my department have also carried out an extensive engagement process with these places to understand the underlying causes of the unrest.

The disorder that affected communities across the UK following the Southport tragedy this summer has made clear that a new approach to community cohesion is urgently needed. This is a priority for the Government and I have stood up a cross-government Communities & Recovery Steering Group to oversee this work.

We are listening to communities across the country to understand the challenges they face and this will inform how this government works to empower communities and build greater cohesion.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing river dredging to help reduce flooding on agricultural land.

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

Dredging and clearing channels is an important option for watercourse maintenance, where it is technically and cost effective, does not significantly increase flood risk for others and is environmentally acceptable.

For many locations, there are more effective ways to protect land and communities from floods as part of a catchment-based approach.

Flood recovery framework

Afghan women and girls

Protecting children from sexual abuse

Renewal of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Healthy lunches

Government response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on communication of changes to women’s State Pension age

Bowel Cancer UK report into NHS services

Role of small family farms in Somerset

Review into breast cancer screening

Domestic Abuse Offences

Found: Wera Hobhouse Josh MacAlister Anneliese Midgley Julie Minns Luke Murphy Bradley Thomas Claire Young

Found: Wera Hobhouse; Josh MacAlister; Anneliese Midgley; Ms Julie Minns; Luke Murphy; Bradley Thomas; Claire Young

Found: Crichton; Wera Hobhouse; Josh MacAlister; Anneliese Midgley; Ms Julie Minns; Bradley Thomas; Claire Young

Found: Torcuil Crichton; Josh MacAlister; Anneliese Midgley; Ms Julie Minns; Luke Murphy; Bradley Thomas; Claire Young

Found: Torcuil Crichton; Josh MacAlister; Anneliese Midgley; Ms Julie Minns; Luke Murphy; Bradley Thomas; Claire Young

Found: Torcuil Crichton; Josh MacAlister; Anneliese Midgley; Ms Julie Minns; Luke Murphy; Bradley Thomas; Claire Young