Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures her department has put in place to minimise the impact of domestic heating oil price increases on consumers.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the pressures facing households that rely on heating oil. We have provided an additional £53 million of targeted support for vulnerable households, largely in rural communities, including £27 million through the Crisis and Resilience Fund for English local authorities in areas with higher reliance on oil heating. Funding is also available to the Northern Ireland Executive, Wales and Scotland. We continue to monitor heating-oil supply chains and engage frequently with industry to help ensure supply and pricing remain resilient.
In addition, the Government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, and plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.
This will include developing options for a proportionate regulatory regime for the heating oil market, which will take time to get right, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers. In the meantime, we will work with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in existing Codes of Conduct, which set rules for the sector.
This is a clear indication of the Government’s commitment to create a fairer, more resilient and trusted heating oil market, which delivers stronger consumer protections while preserving competition and security of supply.
A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of trends in the price of domestic heating.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government monitors trends in domestic heating costs through data on retail energy prices, household energy bills and fuel prices published by Ofgem, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Office for National Statistics. This includes monitoring changes in the Ofgem energy price cap. Tackling affordability is this Government’s number one priority, and we will continue to monitor developments and explore ways to lower energy bills for consumers.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of a) Category 1, b) Category 2, c) Category 3 and d) Category 4 calls to East Midlands Ambulance Service were responded to within target times in i) December 2025, ii) January 2026, iii) February 2026, iv) March 2026, v) April 2026 and vi) May 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ambulance response times are not published in either format requested. NHS England publishes monthly ambulance performance statistics, including mean and 90th centile response times for Category 1, Category 2, Category 3 and Category 4 incidents by ambulance trust. Data on the proportion of incidents responded to within target times is not routinely published. Published ambulance quality indicators are published monthly by ambulance service trust and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the average wait time of an i) Category 1, ii) Category 2, iii) Category 3, iv) Category 4 EMAS call-out in Melthom Mombury in each month since December 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ambulance response times are not published in either format requested. NHS England publishes monthly ambulance performance statistics, including mean and 90th centile response times for Category 1, Category 2, Category 3 and Category 4 incidents by ambulance trust. Data on the proportion of incidents responded to within target times is not routinely published. Published ambulance quality indicators are published monthly by ambulance service trust and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
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 potential for asymptomatic (a) transmission and (b) infection with hantavirus.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Pre-symptomatic transmission in Andes hantavirus has not been documented. However, as a precautionary principal it should be assumed that there is potential for presymptomatic transmission from two days prior to symptom onset, including early, prodromal symptoms.
From the limited published studies on Andes hantavirus, there is no evidence of asymptomatic transmission or infection. United Kingdom contacts are undergoing serial testing to detect any subclinical infections.
The risk remains very low for members of the general public. Most hantaviruses do not spread between humans, although person-to-person transmission has happened with the Andes hantavirus strain in rare cases.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
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 which therapeutics are effective for treating the symptoms of hantavirus.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for most hantavirus infections. Treatment is supportive and based on symptoms, such as hospital care and respiratory support.
Favipiravir is an antiviral medicine which is not licensed in the United Kingdom but has been recommended by clinical advisers as an appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis for the current hantavirus incident. Favipiravir is being offered as post-exposure prophylaxis to eligible high-risk contacts.
In the event of symptoms and a positive test, the patient will be transferred to relevant high consequence infectious disease facilities, in accordance with NHS guidance.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the average mortality rate of each strain of hantavirus.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The mortality rate of hantaviruses varies considerably depending on the strain and the quality of care available. For the Andes hantavirus, it has been estimated at up to 30 to 50%, however the upper end of that estimate is from data published around 30 years ago and has since declined. With prompt hospital treatment and respiratory support, outcomes may be significantly better.
The United Kingdom’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency working closely with the World Health Organization, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Ministry of Defence, the UK Devolved Governments and international partners. Collectively, they are doing everything possible to protect the safety and well-being of British nationals, and to provide reassurance to UK citizens.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the level of human-to-human transmission of hantavirus.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Most hantaviruses do not spread between humans, although person-to-person transmission has happened with the Andes virus strain in rare cases. The risk from the recent outbreak remains very low for members of the general public.
The United Kingdom’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency working closely with the World Health Organization, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Ministry of Defence, the UK Devolved Governments and international partners. Collectively, they are doing everything possible to protect the safety and well-being of British nationals, and to provide reassurance to UK citizens.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the prevalence of hantavirus in the UK.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The risk to the United Kingdom general population remains very low. The Andes virus, the virus associated with the outbreak linked to the MV Hondius, is typically associated with South American rodent species that are not found in the UK.
The UK’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency working closely with the World Health Organization, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Ministry of Defence, the UK Devolved Governments and international partners. Collectively, they are doing everything possible to protect the safety and well-being of British nationals, and to provide reassurance to UK citizens.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of (a) Named day and (b) Ordinary written parliamentary questions were answered within the required timescale in each month between November 2025 and April 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written Parliamentary Questions (PQs).
Data on response times to PQs is published following the end of every session by the House of Commons Procedure Committee as part of their continued monitoring and reporting of departmental PQ performance. The next report will be released in due course.