Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the estimated average cost per child of breakfast food is at school breakfast clubs according to the latest available data.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The government is delivering on its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. This will ensure every child, regardless of their circumstances, has a supportive start to the school day.

The department has confirmed over £30 million of funding for free breakfast clubs for the current 2025/26 financial year and around £80 million for the 2026/27 financial year. Schools will be funded for the running of a breakfast club, including food, staffing and day-to-day delivery. Learning from the early adopters, we will provide further information, including specifics on eligibility, funding, and expectations for schools, later in the autumn term.

The department does not collect data on how much money schools spend per child on breakfast food.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing legislation equivalent to New Zealand’s Retirement Villages Act 2003 to support the growth of the Integrated Retirement Community sector in the UK.

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

The government is committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market and we will continue to consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report including in relation to specialist accommodation for older people.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the original expected completion date was for all prisons currently scheduled for (a) construction and (b) expansion.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Under the previous Government, 20,000 additional prison places were planned for delivery by the mid-2020s. By July 2024, c.6,000 of these places had been delivered. As set out in the 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, this Government has committed to delivering the remaining 14,000 places and aims to do so by 2031, with the expectation that they will become operational by 2032. We are on track to meet this target, having already delivered c.2,600 since taking office.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the expected completion date is for all prisons currently scheduled for (a) construction and (b) expansion.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Under the previous Government, 20,000 additional prison places were planned for delivery by the mid-2020s. By July 2024, c.6,000 of these places had been delivered. As set out in the 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, this Government has committed to delivering the remaining 14,000 places and aims to do so by 2031, with the expectation that they will become operational by 2032. We are on track to meet this target, having already delivered c.2,600 since taking office.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered moving the uprating of excise duty from Retail Price Index to Consumer Prices Index.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government confirms tax rates and thresholds annually. In some cases, reflecting the government’s economic and fiscal objectives, they are uprated to account for inflation.

The Office for National Statistics, regulated by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA), produces a range of inflation statistics. The most widely used estimates of inflation, both by Government and the private sector, are the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and the Retail Prices Index (RPI)

The Government agrees with UKSA that RPI has flaws, and at times overstates and at times understates changes in prices. RPI’s shortcomings are well-documented. In 2013, as a result of flaws in the way it is measured, RPI lost its status as a National Statistic. Since 2010 the Government has been reducing its use of RPI and has committed to not introduce any new uses of RPI. Further moves away from RPI are complex and more work is required to understand the costs and benefits of any changes.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the tobacco excise regime on smoking prevalence since 2021.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates make tobacco less affordable and are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. The ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023 can be found here.

Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to (a) reduce and (b) freeze tobacco excise duty.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government renewed the commitment to a tobacco duty escalator, which increases duty by 2 per cent above RPI inflation at each Budget, until the end of the current Parliament. This is part of the Government’s focus on health prevention and to continue our drive to reduce smoking prevalence.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) her Department and (b) the Office for Budget Responsibility has made an assessment of the potential impact of levels of tobacco duty on smoking prevalence statistics.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates make tobacco less affordable and are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. The ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023 can be found here.

Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2025

Mission Marigold

Found: Maureen Burke; Dave Doogan; Lillian Jones; Mr Angus MacDonald; Douglas McAllister; Susan Murray; Jack Rankin

In Scotland, as in other parts of the UK, concerns have been raised about how high streets and town centres are changing. Scotland’s high streets face multiple challenges, and many have been described as being in ‘decline’. However, possible new models for resilient and thriving high streets are emerging, while there continues to be interest in community-led regeneration. This inquiry will engage with local communities and other stakeholders to explore what a positive vision for the future of Scottish high streets and town centres might look like, and to examine what role government might play in making this vision a reality.

Submit Evidence (by 12 Dec 2025)

Reliable digital infrastructure is essential for enabling economic growth, public service delivery and social inclusion—especially in Scotland’s rural and island communities. These areas often face unique challenges due to geographic isolation and low population density, which can make the rollout of broadband and mobile networks more complex and costly. This inquiry will explore how digital connectivity can be improved across Scotland, and whether current UK and Scottish Government initiatives are delivering for the communities that need them most.