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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will set out what support his Department and Cabinet colleagues makes available to local authorities to develop community energy schemes, local food production and emergency preparedness plans.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In the recently published Local Power Plan, Government recognises that limited capacity and capability are major barriers for local government to participate in small-scale energy projects. Backed by up to £1 billion and working in partnership with local government, Great British Energy (GBE) has committed to support at least 1000 local and community energy projects by 2030.

The Good Food Cycle recognises the key role that regional and local food systems can play in supporting delivery of the growth, health, sustainability, and food security/ resilience outcomes of the Good Food Cycle. We know the best solutions often come from the ground up. That is why the Good Food Cycle sets the ambition to use local community initiatives to harness a stronger food culture to support our health, sustainability and resilience outcomes.

Improving the food environment will support healthier and more environmentally sustainable food sales, and access to all for safe, affordable, healthy, convenient, and appealing food options. Defra is developing a programme of work to support local, hyper-local and community-based interventions around access to healthy and affordable food in priority locations.

MHCLG and CO run a local capabilities assessment programme which assesses emergency preparedness planning for specific response capabilities across the 38 Local Resilience Forums (LRFs). This work helps inform national government on local preparedness gaps and identify actionable areas for improvement.

The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) places a duty on all local authorities to cooperate with other agencies (e.g. police, fire & rescue, health), operating as a Local Resilience Forum, to prepare and maintain plans for the key risks facing their area. In addition, local authorities are expected to have business continuity plans that will assist them to continue to operate when emergencies impact them directly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC has assessed the potential impact of differing terms, conditions, training, and turnover rates on service quality and resilience in relation to the use of Managed Service Providers.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by Managed Service Providers (MSPs) represent additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC staff will not be made redundant as a result of this initiative.

Other Government Departments (OGDs) already use MSP contracts to provide additional workforce flexibility. HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. This will allow them to test, learn and ensure quality and value for money before wider implementation.

HMRC provides the initial training for the services covered by the MSPs, before approving suppliers to train subsequent cohorts of staff themselves. All operational guidance is developed, owned and updated by HMRC, and HMRC retains full decision‑making authority, with a dedicated team actively managing the partnership.

Callers are not informed whether the person they are speaking to is employed by HMRC or an MSP, as the service which they receive is the same. OGDs also take this approach.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how HMRC will ensure parity in standards of advice, security compliance, and customer outcomes between those employed by the Managed Service Provider and those employed directly by HMRC.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by Managed Service Providers (MSPs) represent additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC staff will not be made redundant as a result of this initiative.

Other Government Departments (OGDs) already use MSP contracts to provide additional workforce flexibility. HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. This will allow them to test, learn and ensure quality and value for money before wider implementation.

HMRC provides the initial training for the services covered by the MSPs, before approving suppliers to train subsequent cohorts of staff themselves. All operational guidance is developed, owned and updated by HMRC, and HMRC retains full decision‑making authority, with a dedicated team actively managing the partnership.

Callers are not informed whether the person they are speaking to is employed by HMRC or an MSP, as the service which they receive is the same. OGDs also take this approach.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what safeguards are in place to prevent the creation of a two tier workforce between Managed Service Provider staff and those directly employed by HMRC, and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by Managed Service Providers (MSPs) represent additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC staff will not be made redundant as a result of this initiative.

Other Government Departments (OGDs) already use MSP contracts to provide additional workforce flexibility. HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. This will allow them to test, learn and ensure quality and value for money before wider implementation.

HMRC provides the initial training for the services covered by the MSPs, before approving suppliers to train subsequent cohorts of staff themselves. All operational guidance is developed, owned and updated by HMRC, and HMRC retains full decision‑making authority, with a dedicated team actively managing the partnership.

Callers are not informed whether the person they are speaking to is employed by HMRC or an MSP, as the service which they receive is the same. OGDs also take this approach.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will give assurance that Managed Service Provider expansion will not result in a reduction in permanent civil service posts over the medium term, and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by Managed Service Providers (MSPs) represent additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC staff will not be made redundant as a result of this initiative.

Other Government Departments (OGDs) already use MSP contracts to provide additional workforce flexibility. HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. This will allow them to test, learn and ensure quality and value for money before wider implementation.

HMRC provides the initial training for the services covered by the MSPs, before approving suppliers to train subsequent cohorts of staff themselves. All operational guidance is developed, owned and updated by HMRC, and HMRC retains full decision‑making authority, with a dedicated team actively managing the partnership.

Callers are not informed whether the person they are speaking to is employed by HMRC or an MSP, as the service which they receive is the same. OGDs also take this approach.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether callers to HMRC are advised whether the person they are speaking to is employed by HMRC or a Managed Service Provider.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The current staff provided by Managed Service Providers (MSPs) represent additional capacity in 2025/26. HMRC staff will not be made redundant as a result of this initiative.

Other Government Departments (OGDs) already use MSP contracts to provide additional workforce flexibility. HMRC are currently in an initial approximately 18 month ‘proof of value’ phase using existing Government contracts. This will allow them to test, learn and ensure quality and value for money before wider implementation.

HMRC provides the initial training for the services covered by the MSPs, before approving suppliers to train subsequent cohorts of staff themselves. All operational guidance is developed, owned and updated by HMRC, and HMRC retains full decision‑making authority, with a dedicated team actively managing the partnership.

Callers are not informed whether the person they are speaking to is employed by HMRC or an MSP, as the service which they receive is the same. OGDs also take this approach.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to implement recommendation nine of the Infected Blood Inquiry's report.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

It is crucial we protect the safety of haemophilia care and the Government is committed to implementing recommendation 9 of the 2024 Infected Blood Inquiry report.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as haemophilia. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community: these include getting a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs. We published the fifth annual England action plan in February 2026, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance these priorities.

This includes peer review of UK comprehensive care centres, which has been an essential part of haemophilia services for many years. The triennial audit was replaced in 2019 with a more formal peer review process on a five-year cycle.

The final peer review report is expected to be published imminently and once published, will be shared with the NHSE Specialised Commissioning Quality Oversight Group for consideration and action. This will be supported by a letter to Integrated Care Boards and Trust Boards, emphasising the valuable role of peer review and ask for confirmation of their commitment to review and implement the peer review findings.

The Haemophilia Service Specification has been updated by the Blood Disorders Clinical Reference Group and is making its way through final approvals, having undergone public consultation. The new specification includes a contractual requirement for providers to participate in, and act upon peer review findings.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of climate‑driven global crop failures, droughts and energy system strain on UK national security.

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

On 20 January, the Government published the Nature Security Assessment, which found that severe degradation or collapse of critical global ecosystems would be highly likely to result in impacts such as water insecurity and reduced crop yields. These findings inform cross-government resilience and national security planning, helping the UK anticipate and manage systemic risks arising from climate and nature loss. The UK Food Security Report 2024 similarly sets out that, while UK production and trade remain stable, climate change, nature loss and water pressures pose increasing risks to long-term food system resilience. These assessments sit alongside the Government’s five-yearly Climate Change Risk Assessment, most recently published in 2022, which considered risks to both the food and energy sectors. Maintaining secure and resilient food and energy systems is a core Government priority, supported by the UK National Adaptation Programme, which provides the framework for identifying and addressing climate change impacts across critical sectors.

International Workers’ Memorial Day 2026

Planned reductions to BBC staff

World Curlew Day

Use of restraint of children in the asylum system removal process

Impact of war in the Middle East on the cost of living

Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners

UN General Assembly Resolution A/80/L.48 on declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement as a crime against humanity

Illegal waste operations

Universal Credit health for under-22s

Workers Memorial Day

Health and Social Care

Palestinian Nakba commemoration march