Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to (a) streamline application processes and (b) use technology for digital proof of IDs for pension claims made through the Government Gateway.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

For State Pension claims, citizens are invited to claim by letter four months in advance of their State Pension Age. Citizens are provided a unique identifier to use the digital claim service. Where citizens cannot use the digital service, they are directed to a telephony service where identity is validated, and the application is completed on the citizens behalf. There is no need to use the Government Gateway.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) accessibility and (b) convenience of (i) setting up and (ii) using the Government Gateway.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government Gateway is continuously monitored for availability and performance. It complies with Government Digital Service standards, including accessibility standards. An accessibility assessment in June 2023 found it fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA.

The service is available 24/7, making it highly accessible. Setting up an account requires only an email address, but identity verification is needed for accessing certain services. Identity verification can be done using a passport, driving license, or other knowledge-based evidence.

The process aims to balance ease of use with the need to protect personal information and prevent fraud.

Gov.UK One Login (including face-to-face verification) will gradually replace Government Gateway starting Winter 2025.

HMRC provides alternative channels for users who cannot access services digitally, such as telephone and written communication.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the amount of countryside available to roam.

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

Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride and which boost public health and wellbeing, but too many across the country are left without access to the great outdoors. That is why the last Labour Government expanded public access by introducing the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which provided the public a right of access to large areas of mountain, moor, heath, down, registered common land and coastal margin in England. We will be reviewing the maps of this open access land ahead of the statutory deadline of 1st January 2031, to ensure that the public have clear information which can help them to access this land.

We are continuing to increase access to nature for families to enjoy, for example through our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new National River Walks, plant three new National Forests, and empower communities to create new parks and green spaces in their communities with a new Community Right to Buy.

In addition, the Government has made the decision to repeal the cut-off date for the registration of historic rights of way, preventing the loss of hundreds of miles of unregistered paths. This will ensure that these paths remain available to the public for future generations. This change will be formally enacted when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to support people to access Government Gateway accounts without physical documentation.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Where a customer does not have a driving license or passport, dependent on what records exist for that customer, they can use the following evidence items to prove their identity using Government Gateway:

• Self-Assessment – (If record available) This is a knowledge-based question based on previous tax records.

• Credit Reference – These are knowledge-based questions based on 3rd party credit reference records.

• Tax Credits – (If record available) This is a knowledge-based question based on previous tax records.

If a user is unable to provide sufficient evidence to prove their identity online, they can contact the relevant department (e.g. HMRC or DWP) directly by telephone, post, or face to face (DWP Only).

There are no plans to improve or add additional options to Government Gateway to enable people to prove their identity – instead additional methods to prove identity will be provided by Gov.UK One Login (including face-to-face verification) which will gradually replace Government Gateway starting Winter 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to improve support available for people to (a) access and (b) use Government Gateway accounts.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Government Gateway is easy to access and use. It is available 24 hours a day, all year round. For the period April 2024 to March 2025, it had over 56 million active accounts and was used 434.9 million times to access Government Digital Services.

HMRC provides a user-tested online service for setting up accounts on Government Gateway. Users have three attempts to prove their identity, with dynamic guidance provided after each attempt.

Dedicated customer technical support is available via online form, email, and telephone.

GOV.UK One Login (including face-to-face verification) will gradually replace Government Gateway starting Winter 2025. Plans are in place to ensure effective support during the transition.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints her Department has received on the difficulty of (a) accessing and (b) using the Government Gateway.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC has 56 million active users of Government Gateway, who successfully used Government Gateway 435m times for the period 1 April 2024 – 14 March 2025. In the same period HMRC received 472 complaints in respect of accessing and/or using the service.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of solar farm developments on the availability of agricultural land for food production.

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

The Government recognises that food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers.

To support this commitment, the Government has launched a consultation on Land Use in England. The outcome will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later this year, which will provide certainty and clarity to landowners and land managers as they transition towards new farming models in a way that protects the most productive agricultural land, and best secures the nation’s long term food security. The National Planning Policy Framework is also clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential economic impact of agricultural land being converted to solar energy production on farming communities.

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

The Government recognises that food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers.

To support this commitment, the Government has launched a consultation on Land Use in England. The outcome will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later this year, which will provide certainty and clarity to landowners and land managers as they transition towards new farming models in a way that protects the most productive agricultural land, and best secures the nation’s long term food security. The National Planning Policy Framework is also clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the expansion of solar farms does not compromise domestic food security.

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

The Government recognises that food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers.

To support this commitment, the Government has launched a consultation on Land Use in England. The outcome will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later this year, which will provide certainty and clarity to landowners and land managers as they transition towards new farming models in a way that protects the most productive agricultural land, and best secures the nation’s long term food security. The National Planning Policy Framework is also clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

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 adequacy of waiting times for (a) appointments and (b) scans following a referral from a GP.

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

The current national waiting list stands at 7.43 million, with 58.9% of those having waited less than 18 weeks and with a median waiting time of 14.4 weeks from referral. We will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015.

As a first step, we have delivered an additional two million operations, scans, and appointments across elective services between July and November 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, seven months ahead of schedule. The Elective Reform Plan (ERP), published in January 2025, sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week standard, including reforms to outpatient care to reduce waiting times for appointments, increasing advice & guidance to ensure patient care takes place in the right setting, and reducing missed and less clinically valuable appointments to free up capacity for patients with greater clinical need.

As of January 2025, 1.62 million patients were waiting for a diagnostic test or scan, of which approximately 1.26 million, or 77.6% of, patients had been waiting for less than six weeks.

To further improve waiting times for scans, the ERP commits to transform and expand diagnostic services including investment in new and expanded community diagnostic centres (CDCs), expanding the number of CDCs operating 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and expanding the tests they offer. We will also develop and roll out straight to test pathways, reducing the time taken for patients to receive a test after a general practitioner referral, as well further improvements to the National Health Service’s digital capabilities.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that the prioritisation of overhead pylons in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill does not adversely impact (a) local communities and (b) the natural environment.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government’s position on overhead lines is set out in the National Policy Statement for electricity networks, NPS EN-5. In England and Wales, the Planning Act 2008 requires developers to demonstrate that they have consulted adequately with local communities, ensuring their feedback is considered and incorporated into the project proposal, before submitting their application for consent. Developers will also assess the environmental impacts of their projects through the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA), which will include the natural environment. These assessments are then considered as part of the consenting process by the Secretary of State.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the criteria for eligibility are for proposed energy bill compensation for people living near new pylons; and whether (a) type of infrastructure and (b) other factors will impact qualification for that scheme.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The bill discount scheme will apply to eligible domestic households. We are currently proposing the scheme applies to new onshore, above ground transmission cables and associated infrastructure such as substations and certain significantly upgraded existing projects in Great Britain. Our aim is that major new transmission projects needed for 2030 will be eligible. Both infrastructure and resident household eligibility criteria will be set out in regulations.

The bill discount scheme is not a compensation scheme. It aims to ensure those closest to eligible new transmission infrastructure can directly benefit from supporting the nationally critical mission of achieving clean power by 2030.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that online services provided by GPs are (a) accessible and (b) user friendly.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As part of the 2025/26 GP Contract, a new requirement has been introduced for general practices (GPs) to offer online appointment requests throughout their core opening hours. This aims to improve accessibility by ensuring that digital services are consistently available whenever practices are open. However, the GP Contract is also clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a GP.

Additionally, all digital tools used in primary care must meet the minimum functionality standards set by NHS England, helping to ensure a consistent and high-quality user experience. Primary care providers are also required to comply with the Accessible Information Standard. This ensures that online services are both accessible and user-friendly, supported by standardised, intuitive digital platforms that meet patients’ diverse needs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase the number of new care home developments.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. That is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In performing that duty, a local authority must have regard to current and likely future demand for such services and consider how providers might meet that demand.

The Department publishes occupancy rates monthly on the GOV.UK website at a national, regional, and local authority level.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support care homes operating at full capacity.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. That is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission a range of high-quality, sustainable, and person-centred care and support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In performing that duty, a local authority must have regard to current and likely future demand for such services and consider how providers might meet that demand.

The Department publishes occupancy rates monthly on the GOV.UK website at a national, regional, and local authority level.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) elderly and (b) vulnerable patients can telephone their GP surgery for assistance rather than using online or digital services.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We understand that not all patients can or want to use online services. The GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a general practitioner.

The 2025/26 GP Contract includes a new requirement for practices to enable online appointment requests throughout the duration of core opening hours, which will ease pressure on phone lines for people who prefer to telephone.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the average daily cost of housing prisoners (a) under Operation Safeguard and (b) in standard prison accommodation.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This Government inherited a prison system on the verge of collapse, which would have left the courts unable to send offenders to prison and the police unable to arrest dangerous criminals. We took decisive action and implemented changes to the standard determinate sentence release point which provided essential but temporary relief to the system.

In July 2024, the Lord Chancellor was clear that the capacity crisis would not disappear immediately and the changes to release points were never the whole solution to the prison capacity crisis we inherited. Over the last three months population growth in the prison estate has been high – January saw the highest average monthly prison population growth in almost two years, which has only just begun to slow. As of 24 March, there were 783 places remaining in the adult male estate. We are operating at more than 99% occupancy. Given this recent increase in demand and the subsequent disruption on the CJS, it is necessary, to temporarily reactivate Operation Safeguard to better manage the flow of offenders into the prison estate.

Between February 2023 and September 2024, when it was in operation under the previous Government, the average cost per police cell activated under Operation Safeguard was £688. This reflects costs incurred by police in making Safeguard cells available, such as additional staffing and food. We will continue to minimise costs by monitoring Safeguard closely and deactivating places where we can.

The cost of running a prison place is £150 per day. This is an average across the closed male estate, which includes costs such as staff costs, food, utilities and facilities maintenance, but does not include capital maintenance costs. Further information on this can be found in our published statistics: Prison performance data 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to release more criminals from prison early due to prison overcrowding.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This Government inherited a prison system on the point of collapse and we were forced to take the necessary action to stop the criminal justice system from total gridlock.

Whilst the SDS change provided the intended medium-term relief to the system, this was never expected to be a long-term solution. To ensure we are never in a position where we run out of prison places again, the Lord Chancellor announced the Independent Review into Sentencing, alongside a series of prison capacity measures. This included reforming our recall practices to target the unsustainable growth in the recall population since the pandemic and an extension of the maximum period offenders can spend on Home Detention Curfew from 6 to 12 months.

The Independent Sentencing Review published its Part 1 report on 18 February. The Review’s final report is expected to be published in the spring of this year and will set out the immediate and longer-term recommendations for reform.

The 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy published on 11 December set out our plans to deliver more prisons places. By 2031, we aim to have delivered a further 14,000 prison places, with all places expected to be operational by 2032. To help achieve this, we are investing £2.3 billion in prison building across the estate this year and next year, which will provide modern accommodation that helps to improve safety, security, and decency in prison and to reduce reoffending.

We are also investing approximately £500 million over two years in prison and probation service maintenance to improve conditions across the estate. Beyond existing plans, work is underway to identify land that would be suitable for potential new prisons, should these be required in the future. This Government will also implement a new Crown Development Route later this Spring to allow faster planning decisions on new prisons.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many new prison places have been created since July 2024.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

As outlined in the 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy, this Government is committed to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places and aims to do so by 2031. Since July 2024, c.700 additional prison places have been created through new, modern houseblocks, essential refurbishments and the re-role of HMP Cookham Wood. HMP Millsike is due to open in the coming weeks and will provide an additional c.1,500 places.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to introduce soil management requirements for solar farm developments.

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

Defra has no plans to introduce soil management requirements for solar farm developments. However, Biodiversity Net Gain and other mechanisms will influence how the soil/land is managed over the lifespan of the panels after construction.

When considering development proposals that affect agricultural land and soils, the Government also encourages developers and local planning authorities to refer to relevant Government policies and guidance that aim to protect all soils by managing them in a sustainable way.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of launching a review of animal testing in the UK.

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

The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal, and will likely take many years of scientific and technical advancement and validation to reach this point. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is leading on the delivery of this commitment.

Our current approach is to support and fund the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs), and to ensure that the UK has a robust regulatory system for licensing animal studies and enforcing legal standards.

In line with the Government’s Manifesto commitment, DSIT is currently engaging with partners from sectors with interests in animal science and on a cross-Government level as to how we will take this commitment forward, including the publishing of a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. The Government expects to publish this strategy later this year.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage producers to extend the lifespan of food, in the context of reducing (a) consumer waste and (b) costs for consumers.

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

Defra is working closely with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the food industry to reduce consumer food waste. Through WRAP, Defra supports food businesses, including producers, and their work in making sure their products help consumers to waste less food at home. This includes developing best practice guidance on improving the clarity of ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ date labelling, clearer storage advice and optimised packaging design and pack sizes for fresh produce. This helps people to save money and reduce food waste by buying what they need and using what they buy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) ensure patients have timely access to and (b) prevent shortages in prescription medication.

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

There are approximately 14,000 licensed medicines, and the overwhelming majority are in good supply. Where supply issues do arise, we know how frustrating and distressing these can be for patients, and we work closely with industry, the National Health Service, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to resolve issues as quickly as possible, to make sure patients can access the medicines they need.

Medicine supply chains are complex, global, and highly regulated, and there are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted, many of which are not specific to the United Kingdom and outside of Government control, including manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes or distribution issues, and regulatory issues.

While we can’t always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise, to mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols, and issuing NHS communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.

The resilience of UK supply chains is a key priority, and we are committed to helping to build long term supply chain resilience for medicines. We are continually learning and seeking to improve the way we work to both manage and help prevent supply issues and avoid shortages. The Department, working closely with NHS England, is taking forward a range of actions to improve our ability to mitigate and manage shortages, and to strengthen our resilience.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the amount of (a) research into pancreatic cancer and (b) clinical trials into potential treatments for pancreatic cancer.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

Research is a vital part of improving diagnosis and treatment for cancer. The NIHR has invested £4.4 million to directly funded pancreatic cancer research between 2018/19 and 2023/24. These investments are pivotal to informing efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes. An example of a recent award is the research, Translational proteomics to understand and overcome drug resistance to targeted anticancer drugs in KRAS and PIK3CA driven cancers.

Additionally, NIHR infrastructure funding supports the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical and applied research that is funded by the NIHR’s research programmes, other public funders of research, charities and the life sciences industry. In doing so, our investment plays a crucial role in underpinning the research funded by our partners.

The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health, including pancreatic cancer. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

The Department works closely with the National Health Service, industry, academia, research regulators and charities to make clinical research in the United Kingdom more efficient, more competitive, and more accessible, with the aim of ensuring that all patients, including those with pancreatic cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical research and innovative, lifesaving treatments.

Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer can access relevant research and clinical trials through the NIHR online service called 'Be Part of Research', which promotes participation in health and social care research, including research into pancreatic cancer, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer access (a) relevant research and (b) clinical trials.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

Research is a vital part of improving diagnosis and treatment for cancer. The NIHR has invested £4.4 million to directly funded pancreatic cancer research between 2018/19 and 2023/24. These investments are pivotal to informing efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes. An example of a recent award is the research, Translational proteomics to understand and overcome drug resistance to targeted anticancer drugs in KRAS and PIK3CA driven cancers.

Additionally, NIHR infrastructure funding supports the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical and applied research that is funded by the NIHR’s research programmes, other public funders of research, charities and the life sciences industry. In doing so, our investment plays a crucial role in underpinning the research funded by our partners.

The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health, including pancreatic cancer. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

The Department works closely with the National Health Service, industry, academia, research regulators and charities to make clinical research in the United Kingdom more efficient, more competitive, and more accessible, with the aim of ensuring that all patients, including those with pancreatic cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical research and innovative, lifesaving treatments.

Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer can access relevant research and clinical trials through the NIHR online service called 'Be Part of Research', which promotes participation in health and social care research, including research into pancreatic cancer, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered setting targets for the development of retirement housing within her new homes target.

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

The government is committed to helping older people to live independently at home for as long as possible.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that local planning authorities should assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including older people, and to reflect this in their planning policies. My Department has set out guidance for councils in preparing planning policies on housing for older and disabled people. This can be found on gov.uk here.

The Affordable Homes Programme for 2021-26 includes delivery of specialist housing for older people. Councils which are registered providers can also bid into the programme, alongside private registered providers.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

The government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations in the final report of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce and are committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market. We will continue to consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support she is providing to local authorities to encourage the development of specialist retirement housing.

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

The government is committed to helping older people to live independently at home for as long as possible.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that local planning authorities should assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including older people, and to reflect this in their planning policies. My Department has set out guidance for councils in preparing planning policies on housing for older and disabled people. This can be found on gov.uk here.

The Affordable Homes Programme for 2021-26 includes delivery of specialist housing for older people. Councils which are registered providers can also bid into the programme, alongside private registered providers.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

The government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations in the final report of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce and are committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market. We will continue to consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy.

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Found: _91 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock .

Found: _91 Nigel Farage Richard Tice Lee Anderson James McMurdock .