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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential for stepping stone homes to help address youth homelessness in (a) Uxbridge and South Ruislip and (b) other areas with high levels of homelessness and high private rents.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.

Local authorities are best placed to assess the local need in their areas and determine the most effective services and accommodation arrangements to support young people including in Uxbridge, South Ruislip, Newbury and other areas facing homelessness pressures.

We are developing a national Youth Homelessness Prevention Toolkit to support councils to prevent youth homelessness in line with the Government’s National Plan to End Homelessness.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farms have been investigated for alleged piglet thumping in each of the last five years; what enforcement action has been taken as a result; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure that piglet thumping is tackled under the provisions of The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Gorton and Denton, Hannah Spencer, on 4 June 2026 to PQ UIN 3739.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Department will publish the list of specialised services that will remain nationally commissioned, and what criteria will be used to determine the allocation of services between national and delegated commissioning arrangements.

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

As of April 2025, integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning the majority of specialised services. NHS England commissions all ‘highly’ specialised services, high secure mental health services, and a small number of other services on a national basis. The list of services commissioned by ICBs and NHS England is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-england-service-codes/

From April 2027, the legislative reforms proposed are that ICBs should commission the majority of specialised services, with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, directing ICBs on these functions. It is proposed that the services to be commissioned nationally by my Rt Hon. Friend will be set out in regulations.

The Department published an Equality Impact Assessment of ICBs as strategic commissioners alongside the Health Bill on 14 May 2026. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-bill-icbs-as-strategic-commissioners-equality-impact-assessment/health-bill-icbs-as-strategic-commissioners-equality-impact-assessment

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department will publish additional analysis of the potential operational implications of further specialised commissioning reform, including through an updated Equality Impact Assessment.

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

As of April 2025, integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning the majority of specialised services. NHS England commissions all ‘highly’ specialised services, high secure mental health services, and a small number of other services on a national basis. The list of services commissioned by ICBs and NHS England is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-england-service-codes/

From April 2027, the legislative reforms proposed are that ICBs should commission the majority of specialised services, with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, directing ICBs on these functions. It is proposed that the services to be commissioned nationally by my Rt Hon. Friend will be set out in regulations.

The Department published an Equality Impact Assessment of ICBs as strategic commissioners alongside the Health Bill on 14 May 2026. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-bill-icbs-as-strategic-commissioners-equality-impact-assessment/health-bill-icbs-as-strategic-commissioners-equality-impact-assessment

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to implement proposed circular economy reforms; and when she plans to publish the Circular Economy Growth Plan.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature and a more resilient economy. We established a Circular Economy Task Force to co-design our approach and will outline our next steps shortly.

Found: Current membership Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat; Oxford West and Abingdon) (Chair) Danny Beales (Labour

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Layla Moran (Chair); Danny Beales; Jen Craft; Josh Fenton- Glynn;