Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to take steps (a) with Building Digital UK to support the timely delivery of full fibre broadband to rural communities under the Phase 2 Superfast Broadband Programme in (i) west Somerset and (ii) Devon and (b) to encourage improved communication between Airband and affected (A) residents and (B) local stakeholders in the parishes of (1) West Hatch, (2) Hatch Beauchamp, (3) Bickenhall, (4) Curland, (5) Staple Fitzpaine, (6) Corfe, (7) Orchard Portman, (8) Stoke St Mary and (9) Pitminster.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working with Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) and Airband to identify premises which will no longer be connected via its Superfast contracts. Premises that have been descoped from the Airband contracts and are not in any suppliers’ commercial plans will be eligible for support through Project Gigabit.

Officials will continue to work closely with suppliers, residents and local stakeholders across west Somerset and Devon to improve broadband connectivity across the region.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to bring sections (a) 143 and (b) 144 of the Building Safety Act into force in the current parliament.

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

Section 144 of the Building Safety Act (2022) created a power to mandate a requirement for all new build homes to be sold with a new build warranty. No decision has been made by the government on commencement of this power.

In the meantime, most new build warranties cover damages caused by structural defects for a 10-year term, while the developer is often held accountable for the first two years of this period.

In October 2024 the previous government published its response the Competition and Market's Authority's housebuilding study. This included a commitment to bring forward a new consumer code for housebuilders and a New Homes Ombudsman service which will empower homeowners to rightly challenge developers for any quality issues they face in their home which the current government is also committed to.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of levels of resourcing for Natural England on the use of developer levies collected through the Nature Restoration Fund for nature recovery.

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

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is working closely with Natural England to ensure that resources are in place to administer the Nature Restoration Fund, which is designed to run on a cost recovery basis.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of sitting days of the Independent Panel to Access Impact Payments.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government recognises the importance of timeliness in delivering this important recognition. The Independent Panel convened for its first sitting within days of their appointment on 13 May 2025, demonstrating the Government's commitment to delivering the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) at pace. Further sittings are taking place in June, with several more scheduled in the coming months.

We expect to increase the frequency of sittings, up to two per week and will continue to monitor progress, assessing whether further increases would provide benefits without compromising the integrity of the process. Increasing the number of sitting days may expedite the processing of applications but must be balanced with ensuring the process remains thorough and robust. Evidence gathering is the longest and most complex part of the process, requiring information to be collected from a variety of sources, including historical records. This work must be conducted carefully to ensure fairness for applicants and the responsible management of public funds.

As of 9 June 2025, the FRS had received 1,067 applications and 44 Veterans had received payments. We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved; we envisage the FRS speeding up once these are completed.

Local authority funding

Press ownership by foreign states

Residential estate management companies

Fracking moratorium and onshore fossil fuel exploration

Support for farmers

Found: housing targets in rural communities  the impact of compulsory purchase order reforms on farmers Gideon Amos

Found: housing targets in rural communities  the impact of compulsory purchase order reforms on farmers Gideon Amos

Found: Forster Fred Thomas Jeremy Corbyn Andrew Lewin Kevin McKenna Sonia Kumar Melanie Onn Rachel Taylor Gideon Amos

Found: Gibson Joe Powell Rosie Wrighting Amanda Hack Pam Cox Sam Carling Jeremy Corbyn Sonia Kumar Gideon Amos

Found: Smith Fred Thomas Kevin McKenna Rachel Taylor Claire Young Peter Swallow Sorcha Eastwood Gideon Amos