Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changing the inflation indexation calculation for the Renewable Obligation (RO) and Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) schemes from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on existing renewable-energy system owners.

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

The Government has consulted on proposed changes to how support provided through the Feed-in Tariffs and Renewable Obligation schemes is adjusted for inflation. The consultation was accompanied by an analytical annex which set out the potential impacts of the policy. Updated analysis will be published alongside the Government Response next year.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has assessed the potential merits of introducing paid bereavement leave.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The loss of a loved one is one of the hardest things a person can experience. This is why we have introduced a new right to bereavement leave in the Employment Rights Bill which will be available to those grieving the loss of a loved one, including pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.

The Bill deals with the introduction of leave only, and we are consulting further on the detail of the entitlement to ensure it supports employees while remaining proportionate for employers. It will remain at employers' discretion to offer pay, as many already do.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the automatic registration of eligible children for free school meal entitlements.

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

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. Introducing a new eligibility threshold for free school meals so that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will be eligible for free school meals from September 2026 will make it easier for parents to know whether they are entitled to receive free meals. This new entitlement will mean over 500,000 of the most disadvantaged children will begin to access free meals, pulling 100,000 children out of poverty.

The department is also rolling out improvements to the Eligibility Checking System which will make it easier for local authorities, schools and parents to check if children are eligible for free meals.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department's policy paper on the UK methane action plan, published on 29 October 2025, what his planned timeline is for implementing a transitional support mechanism for landfill gas to energy operators supported by the RO scheme.

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

Government is aware that support under the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme will end for existing landfill gas generators from April 2027, which could affect the commercial viability of these generators.

We recognise the importance of providing commercial clarity to the sector and will provide an update in the new year. That is why, as set out in the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, Government is exploring the implementation of long-term methane capture schemes, with suitable transitional arrangements.

We recognise the importance of providing commercial clarity to the sector and will provide an update in the new year.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the sum of money was resulting from a) deductions and b) sanctions applied to Universal Credit claims in Truro and Falmouth constituency in the most recent 12 months for which data is available.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

a) The Deductions policy in Universal Credit (UC) is to support customers by providing a repayment method for arrears of essential services, such as, housing, electricity, and gas and enable customers with a child maintenance liability meet their obligation to make child maintenance payments. The deductions policy also enables obligations, such as, paying Court Fines and Council Tax arrears to be enforced when other repayment methods have failed, or are not cost effective, and ensures that benefit debt is recovered in a cost-effective manner.

From April 2025 the Government introduced the Fair Repayment Rate which reduced the level of deduction taken from Universal Credit from 25% to 15%, and meant that 1.2m households retained on average £420 per year enabling these UC households to have more of their award to meet their day-to-day needs.

Universal Credit deductions statistics are published quarterly with the latest figures available in table 6, row 491 in Universal Credit deductions statistics, September 2024 to August 2025, supplementary data tables, at Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 9 October 2025 - GOV.UK

b) The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a yellow card warning system in place of immediate benefit sanctions for certain groups of claimants.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

There are no such plans.

Details on the Department’s assessment and position on a number of benefit sanctions related matters, including the potential use of warnings, can be found in our recent response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on Recommendation 4 of its report Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres (HC 653) (https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/50172/documents/270724/default/).

As indicated, we have set out our plans to reform Jobcentre Plus in the Get Britain Working White Paper and this new service will shift the focus of the customer-work coach relationship to constructive, personalised, and career-focused discussions. In our Pathfinder in Wakefield, we have already begun to explore alternative approaches to how claimants demonstrate they're meeting their conditionality requirements with the aim of giving them more choice and empowerment on their journey into work.

Found: Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy; Jayne Kirkham

Found: Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy; Jayne Kirkham

Found: Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy; Jayne Kirkham

Found: Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy; Jayne Kirkham

Found: Q268 Jayne Kirkham: Brilliant. That is really good news.

Found: Representations from Members The following Members made oral representations: • Jayne Kirkham and Perran

Found: Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy; Jayne Kirkham