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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the long-term housing strategy.

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

The government intends to publish a long-term housing strategy later this year.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what (a) support and (b) funding his Department provides for renewable energy innovation to entrepreneurs in Cheshire East.

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

The Government supports renewable energy innovation through a range of measures including the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio which aims to accelerate the commercialisation of low-carbon technologies in power, buildings and industry. Over 2021-25, approximately £91 million has been invested in the Northwest of England through this programme. For example, in East Cheshire, funding has been provided to innovators like Aerofoil Energy to improve energy and temperature performance in retail refrigeration.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support people who are being harassed by foreign private care institutions for matters that would not be subject to (a) legal and (b) financial obligations within the UK.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has longstanding advice that British nationals should purchase appropriate insurance before travelling abroad. If British travellers do not have appropriate insurance before they travel they can be liable for emergency expenses. The FCDO cannot get involved in private disputes over commercial or other matters. Our consular assistance includes providing information about the legal systems in the country concerned, and we can provide details of local lawyers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will ensure that Aphasia is included in the NHS 10-year plan.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to managing conditions such as aphasia in all parts of the country.

More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all support people to manage their long-term conditions, including aphasia, closer to home.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) English Devolution and (b) the statutory roles of Mayors on (i) rail freight paths and (ii) access.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government wants to bring decision making as close as possible to the communities those decisions impact. That is why we will give mayors a statutory role in governing, managing, planning and developing the Great British Railways (GBR) network.

This will ensure they will be appropriately consulted on GBR’s activity (including the development of railway plans, strategies and services), are able to scrutinise GBR’s performance. GBR will also be required to have due regard to devolved transport strategies.

An enhanced role for mayors will be balanced with GBR's role as the directing mind for the national network. The establishment of GBR will bring together responsibility for managing allocation of capacity and management of the infrastructure. GBR will therefore be able to make the best use of the rail network and provide a seamless service for passengers and freight users.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether there is an external right of appeal for people who believe they have been discriminated against when applying for doctorates at universities in the UK.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Higher education providers (HEPs) are autonomous from government and are responsible for their own admissions decisions. The department has no legal remit to become involved in disputes between prospective students and their university.

Responsibility for handling applicant complaints and/or appeals, in the first instance, is a matter for the relevant HEP and each university has formal complaints and appeal processes.

If a complainant has exhausted the official process and the matter has not been resolved to their satisfaction, they are free to consider bringing a claim for judicial review or for discrimination under the Equality Act.

Another route available to dissatisfied applicants is through the higher education regulator, the Office for Students (OfS). While the OfS cannot become involved in individual complaints, applicants can notify the OfS if they think that a university has broken its conditions of registration.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to review the age cap on funding for (a) Level 6 and (b) Level 7 apprenticeships.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity.

From January 2026 the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships except for young apprentices under the age of 22. This will enable apprenticeships opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people and create more opportunities for those entering the labour market, who need skills and training to get on in their careers.

Level 6 apprenticeships will continue to be funded for all ages (16+) by the government.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of electrifying rail routes.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This government expects electrification to play an important role to achieve our Net Zero 2050 target and, as such, we will continue to invest in electrification projects which will deliver value for money for the taxpayer. Electrification can also have wider benefits for the railway including increased reliability, cheaper operating costs and quicker journeys compared to diesel vehicles. Our strategy will be to focus on being more efficient with where we deliver electrification by leveraging the recent progress in battery technology. This will help to reduce the amount of electrification infrastructure that needs to be delivered to achieve our Net Zero target.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether foreign nationals on UK work visas will (a) be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years and (b) have (i) provisions and (ii) routes for fast-tracking permanent residency for skilled workers in key sectors; and whether undertaking postgraduate studies alongside employment will impact eligibility for settlement.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the children of parents who have relocated to the UK are able to obtain funding to enrol at UK universities.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Generally, to be eligible for student support a student must be ordinarily resident in England and have ‘settled’ status or a recognised connection with the UK on the first day of the first academic year of the course. They must also have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands (Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) for the three years prior to that date.

It is important that the limited public funds available for student support are targeted on those categories of persons with a lawful and substantial residential connection to the UK and who are likely to remain indefinitely.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential role of (a) railways and (b) rail freight in supporting the forthcoming industrial strategy.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises that the supply chain is crucial for the day-to-day running, maintenance, and development of the railway.

Under the strategic leadership of Great British Railways, there will be more coordination between track and train, a centralised point of contact and more certainty for rail suppliers, but equally the Government requires a resilient and productive rail supply chain that invests in skills, technology, and innovation to reduce costs and increase competitiveness.

The Industrial Strategy Green Paper, Invest 2035, identified eight growth-driving sectors. All sectors will benefit from wider policy reform, including rail, through the Industrial Strategy’s cross-cutting policies alongside the broader Growth Mission. This will create the pro-business environment for all businesses to invest and employ, with growth that supports high-quality jobs and ensures that the benefits are shared across people, places, and generations.

UK Government recognition of the state of Palestine

Found: Hall Helen Hayes Ruth Cadbury Cat Eccles Chris Hinchliff Sarah Russell Michelle Welsh Connor Naismith

Found: Hall Helen Hayes Ruth Cadbury Cat Eccles Chris Hinchliff Sarah Russell Michelle Welsh Connor Naismith

Found: Darlington Lee Barron Ruth Cadbury Cat Eccles Chris Hinchliff Sarah Russell Michelle Welsh Connor Naismith

Found: Darlington Lee Barron Ruth Cadbury Cat Eccles Chris Hinchliff Sarah Russell Michelle Welsh Connor Naismith

Found: Darlington Lee Barron Ruth Cadbury Cat Eccles Chris Hinchliff Sarah Russell Michelle Welsh Connor Naismith

Found: Darlington Lee Barron Ruth Cadbury Cat Eccles Chris Hinchliff Sarah Russell Michelle Welsh Connor Naismith

Found: Rachel Gilmour Steve Witherden Sarah Russell Claire Hanna Euan Stainbank Neil Duncan-Jordan Connor Naismith

Found: Rachel Gilmour Steve Witherden Sarah Russell Claire Hanna Euan Stainbank Neil Duncan-Jordan Connor Naismith

Found: Rachel Gilmour Steve Witherden Sarah Russell Claire Hanna Euan Stainbank Neil Duncan-Jordan Connor Naismith

Found: Rachel Gilmour Steve Witherden Sarah Russell Claire Hanna Euan Stainbank Neil Duncan-Jordan Connor Naismith

Found: Will Stone Jess Asato Linsey Farnsworth Chris Bloore Dr Beccy Cooper Mr Calvin Bailey Connor Naismith

Freight and Logistics APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Eccles MP - Stourbridge Catherine Atkinson MP– Derby North Claire Hughes MP – Bangor Aberconwy Connor Naismith

Hospitality and Tourism APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Bridlington and the Wolds Chris Webb Labour Blackpool South Claire Hughes Labour Bangor Aberconwy Connor Naismith