Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the speech made by Baroness Merron on 3 March 2026 on vape tank capacity limits, Official Report, House of Lords, column 1217, when he plans to consult on such limits; and what discussions he has had with stakeholders on the consultation entitled “Tobacco and vapes: packaging, appearance and display”, published on 10 July 2026.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

A Call for Evidence was launched in October 2025 to gather evidence on a range of topics related to tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including on vape tank capacity limits. Following analysis of that call for evidence and further policy development, we intend to consult on tank capacity limits. We continue to discuss these issues with a wide variety of stakeholders, including retail bodies, charities, health organisations, and members of the independent vaping industry.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his department plans to keep Ilford Park Polish Home open to new admissions after 2027; and what steps he is taking to honour the commitment made to Polish veterans under the Polish Resettlement Act 1947.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Ministry of Defence consulted on proposals concerning the future of Ilford Park Polish Home (IPPH), for nine weeks between 7 April and 6 June 2026. The consultation generated a substantial response from current residents' families, representatives, members of the Polish community, staff, veterans, community organisations and wider stakeholders.

I anticipate publishing a formal response during September.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 16605 on Parking Offences: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, when the trial of higher-level Penalty Charge Notices in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is expected to conclude; what criteria will be used to assess its success; and whether the findings of that assessment will be published.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) has concluded its trial of higher-level Penalty Charge Notices during August 2026. The timetable for reviewing the results of the trial and sharing findings with the Department is a matter for BCP, at which stage the Department will review of those findings applying common analytical standards. The Department does not plan to publish its analysis of BCP’s trial findings.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2026 to Question 13240, how many overseas posts are currently classified as qualifying hardship posts for the purpose of additional journeys for staff posted overseas.

Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the response provided on 29 July to question HL2091.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2026 to Question 15001 on Large Goods Vehicles: Electric Vehicles, whether the "further details" to be published alongside the next consultation on Heavy Goods Vehicle regulations will include the full analysis referred to in the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 11454; and when she expects that consultation to be published.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The first consultation on the future carbon regulatory framework for HGVs closed in March. We are analysing the feedback and considering our response, which we intend to publish alongside a more detailed regulatory proposal, later this year.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, at the former HMP Camp Hill site (a) what is the current physical condition of the buildings, and (b) whether any assessment been made of their suitability for recommissioning.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The former HMP Camp Hill is currently in a state of disrepair following its decommissioning in 2013.

An assessment into the feasibility of reopening Camp Hill was completed in 2021 which confirmed that there are listed buildings on site, and that the buildings have suffered structural and external decay. Based on this assessment and other physical, environmental and operational factors, there are currently no plans to recommission the former HMP Camp Hill. The Government remains committed to working in partnership with the local Council and other stakeholders as work progresses on determining the long-term future of the site. A final decision has not been made at this time.

In its current condition, the security costs for the site are approximately £300,000 per annum, though these can fluctuate in response to changeable security requirements. The cost for utilities is approximately £25,000 per annum.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what it has cost to secure and maintain the HMP Camp Hill site annually since its closure in 2013.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The former HMP Camp Hill is currently in a state of disrepair following its decommissioning in 2013.

An assessment into the feasibility of reopening Camp Hill was completed in 2021 which confirmed that there are listed buildings on site, and that the buildings have suffered structural and external decay. Based on this assessment and other physical, environmental and operational factors, there are currently no plans to recommission the former HMP Camp Hill. The Government remains committed to working in partnership with the local Council and other stakeholders as work progresses on determining the long-term future of the site. A final decision has not been made at this time.

In its current condition, the security costs for the site are approximately £300,000 per annum, though these can fluctuate in response to changeable security requirements. The cost for utilities is approximately £25,000 per annum.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans the Department has for the former HMP Camp Hill site, including (a) recommissioning, (b) disposal and (c) redevelopment, and on what timescale.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The former HMP Camp Hill is currently in a state of disrepair following its decommissioning in 2013.

An assessment into the feasibility of reopening Camp Hill was completed in 2021 which confirmed that there are listed buildings on site, and that the buildings have suffered structural and external decay. Based on this assessment and other physical, environmental and operational factors, there are currently no plans to recommission the former HMP Camp Hill. The Government remains committed to working in partnership with the local Council and other stakeholders as work progresses on determining the long-term future of the site. A final decision has not been made at this time.

In its current condition, the security costs for the site are approximately £300,000 per annum, though these can fluctuate in response to changeable security requirements. The cost for utilities is approximately £25,000 per annum.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to include local government and civic education in the national curriculum; and what assessment she has made of trends in the level of public understanding of local government decision-making processes.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

It is vital that young people understand and value the democratic process and feel its relevance. We are committed to ensuring that democracy education reinforces the importance and value of participating in all levels of our democracy. Primary schools are free to teach citizenship, using non-statutory programmes of study at Key Stages 1 and 2 to develop pupils’ awareness of citizenship issues and political and social institutions, including opportunities to take part in school and community activities.

Through the existing national curriculum for citizenship, secondary pupils are taught about democracy, local, regional and international governance, and actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, published in November 2025, recommended that citizenship education supports democratic understanding and engagement, to help prepare pupils for the planned lowering of the voting age to 16.

There will be a public consultation on the proposals for the curriculum and assessment system.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Child Maintenance Service takes to ensure that a paying parent's stated preference regarding their payment arrangement is recorded and taken into account before a final decision is made; and what safeguards exist to ensure that decisions are not made solely on the basis of telephone calls that a paying parent was unable to answer.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) records and considers relevant information provided by both parents when administering child maintenance arrangements. Where a parent expresses a preference regarding their payment arrangement, this information is considered alongside all other relevant evidence and the circumstances of the case before a decision is made. The CMS seeks to engage with both parents and records information provided by them regarding payment arrangements. Before making a decision, the CMS considers all relevant information available. Where a parent cannot be contacted by telephone, alternative contact methods may be used to ensure they have the opportunity to provide information. Decisions are not made solely because a telephone call was unanswered and are taken in accordance with the statutory child maintenance scheme and the circumstances of the individual case.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners will be released in each of the planned release tranches.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This Government inherited a prisons system days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Our landmark Sentencing Act 2026 will now deliver a more sustainable solution to the prison capacity crisis we inherited, including through the progression model, which will help ensure there are always enough prison places for the courts to be able to send people to custody.

The Prime Minister’s review informed decisions relating to implementation of the progression model and subsequent offence exclusions. The Government carefully considered concerns raised by victims, survivors, parliamentarians and the wider public and acted on those concerns. Representations received from Thames Valley police, other policing stakeholders, and a range of victims including the family of PC Harper during the review formed part of the evidence considered as part of that process. Ministers continue to engage with a range of stakeholders on implementation.

As a result, offenders convicted of unlawful killing offence such as manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving, as well as further historic child sex offences, will now be excluded, on top of rape and serious child sex offences. This also includes offenders convicted of offences involving the killing of an emergency worker. A full list of exclusions can be found here: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.

These exclusions are in addition to the existing exclusion of more than 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences.

The progression model amends release points for offenders serving Standard Determinate Sentences.

The date from which the progression model will apply, and the date of the first tranche of releases is 1 October 2026. Offenders released under the progression model will be controlled under strict licence conditions and can be recalled to custody where they breach those conditions or their risk can no longer be safely managed in the community.

We have published the modelled estimates of the volumes of offenders to be released on the first day of each tranche. Current published estimates do not identify releases from individual prisons, including HMP Isle of Wight. This information is now available at: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.

Work is underway to implement the change announced, including the completion of complex sentence calculations necessary to support delivery. The Ministry of Justice also routinely publishes Accredited Official Statistics on prison population and prisoner releases as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners currently held at HMP Isle of Wight (Albany and Parkhurst) are eligible for early release under the Government's scheme.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This Government inherited a prisons system days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Our landmark Sentencing Act 2026 will now deliver a more sustainable solution to the prison capacity crisis we inherited, including through the progression model, which will help ensure there are always enough prison places for the courts to be able to send people to custody.

The Prime Minister’s review informed decisions relating to implementation of the progression model and subsequent offence exclusions. The Government carefully considered concerns raised by victims, survivors, parliamentarians and the wider public and acted on those concerns. Representations received from Thames Valley police, other policing stakeholders, and a range of victims including the family of PC Harper during the review formed part of the evidence considered as part of that process. Ministers continue to engage with a range of stakeholders on implementation.

As a result, offenders convicted of unlawful killing offence such as manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving, as well as further historic child sex offences, will now be excluded, on top of rape and serious child sex offences. This also includes offenders convicted of offences involving the killing of an emergency worker. A full list of exclusions can be found here: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.

These exclusions are in addition to the existing exclusion of more than 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences.

The progression model amends release points for offenders serving Standard Determinate Sentences.

The date from which the progression model will apply, and the date of the first tranche of releases is 1 October 2026. Offenders released under the progression model will be controlled under strict licence conditions and can be recalled to custody where they breach those conditions or their risk can no longer be safely managed in the community.

We have published the modelled estimates of the volumes of offenders to be released on the first day of each tranche. Current published estimates do not identify releases from individual prisons, including HMP Isle of Wight. This information is now available at: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.

Work is underway to implement the change announced, including the completion of complex sentence calculations necessary to support delivery. The Ministry of Justice also routinely publishes Accredited Official Statistics on prison population and prisoner releases as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners released early under the Government's scheme will be released to an Isle of Wight settlement address.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This Government inherited a prisons system days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Our landmark Sentencing Act 2026 will now deliver a more sustainable solution to the prison capacity crisis we inherited, including through the progression model, which will help ensure there are always enough prison places for the courts to be able to send people to custody.

The Prime Minister’s review informed decisions relating to implementation of the progression model and subsequent offence exclusions. The Government carefully considered concerns raised by victims, survivors, parliamentarians and the wider public and acted on those concerns. Representations received from Thames Valley police, other policing stakeholders, and a range of victims including the family of PC Harper during the review formed part of the evidence considered as part of that process. Ministers continue to engage with a range of stakeholders on implementation.

As a result, offenders convicted of unlawful killing offence such as manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving, as well as further historic child sex offences, will now be excluded, on top of rape and serious child sex offences. This also includes offenders convicted of offences involving the killing of an emergency worker. A full list of exclusions can be found here: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.

These exclusions are in addition to the existing exclusion of more than 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences.

The progression model amends release points for offenders serving Standard Determinate Sentences.

The date from which the progression model will apply, and the date of the first tranche of releases is 1 October 2026. Offenders released under the progression model will be controlled under strict licence conditions and can be recalled to custody where they breach those conditions or their risk can no longer be safely managed in the community.

We have published the modelled estimates of the volumes of offenders to be released on the first day of each tranche. Current published estimates do not identify releases from individual prisons, including HMP Isle of Wight. This information is now available at: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.

Work is underway to implement the change announced, including the completion of complex sentence calculations necessary to support delivery. The Ministry of Justice also routinely publishes Accredited Official Statistics on prison population and prisoner releases as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Early Release Scheme on (a) local probation services, (b) policing and (c) housing on the Isle of Wight.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Sentencing Act 2026 reforms will result in certain offenders being released from custody earlier through the Progression Model. The Government has assessed the impact of the Sentencing Act 2026 reforms through its published Impact Assessment and is working with probation, policing and local partners to manage implementation, including on the Isle of Wight. The Impact Assessment can be accessed here: Sentencing Act Impact Assessment.

This Government is committed to ensuring the Probation Service has the capacity it needs to manage offenders safely in the community, including those released on licence from October 2026. We are investing up to £700 million in probation and community services by the final year of the spending review period to support the expansion of tagging, accommodation provision and increasing capacity. We have committed to onboarding at least 1,300 more trainee probation officers in 2026/27. This builds on the success of previous years’ campaigns with 1,057 trainees onboarded in 2024/25, and 1,389 in 2025/26.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the competitiveness of Civil Aviation Authority certification times in comparison with equivalent aviation regulators in other G7 countries.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Civil Aviation Authority is an internationally respected and leading aviation regulator. The Department has made no specific assessment of the competitiveness of certification times in comparison with aviation regulators in other G7 countries.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the European Commission's proposed extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme on the competitiveness of UK airports as international hub airports.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We are monitoring developments regarding the EU ETS with interest, particularly given the context of ongoing negotiations to link the UK ETS and EU ETS. These are initial proposals and subject to consideration and potential amendment by the Council and the European Parliament before any final agreement is reached. We continue to assess the implications of these proposals for the UK, and remain committed to supporting a thriving and competitive aviation sector whilst emissions are reduced.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the eligibility criteria applied by environmental bodies administering the Landfill Communities Fund.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Landfill Communities Fund is a voluntary tax credit scheme encouraging registered landfill site operators to support eligible community and environmental projects via contributions to registered Environmental Bodies.

As contributions are voluntary, landfill operators can select which Environmental Bodies to support who in turn can decide which eligible projects to fund.

The Government has not formally assessed the effectiveness or differing approaches adopted and has no plans to standardise the funding decisions made by individual Environmental Bodies.

The Government keeps the operation of the Landfill Communities Fund under review, as it does with all tax issues.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to review the governance of the Landfill Communities Fund to improve the consistency of eligibility criteria across Environmental Bodies, including in relation to applications from town and parish councils.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Landfill Communities Fund is a voluntary tax credit scheme encouraging registered landfill site operators to support eligible community and environmental projects via contributions to registered Environmental Bodies.

As contributions are voluntary, landfill operators can select which Environmental Bodies to support who in turn can decide which eligible projects to fund.

The Government has not formally assessed the effectiveness or differing approaches adopted and has no plans to standardise the funding decisions made by individual Environmental Bodies.

The Government keeps the operation of the Landfill Communities Fund under review, as it does with all tax issues.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of differing eligibility rules across Environmental Bodies administering the Landfill Communities Fund on access to funding for local authorities.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Landfill Communities Fund is a voluntary tax credit scheme encouraging registered landfill site operators to support eligible community and environmental projects via contributions to registered Environmental Bodies.

As contributions are voluntary, landfill operators can select which Environmental Bodies to support who in turn can decide which eligible projects to fund.

The Government has not formally assessed the effectiveness or differing approaches adopted and has no plans to standardise the funding decisions made by individual Environmental Bodies.

The Government keeps the operation of the Landfill Communities Fund under review, as it does with all tax issues.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost to the public purse was of the attendance of Bemi Orojugogun on 22 July 2026, broken down by (a) fees, (b) travel, (c) accommodation, (d) hospitality and (e) other associated costs.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government did not contract or make a payment with Ms Orojuogun or her representatives in connection with the announcement of the extension of the National Bus Fare Cap on 22 July 2026.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the outcomes of Ireland's Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme; and if she will (a) commission an assessment of a similar pilot in the UK and (b) consider the Isle of Wight as a potential pilot location.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is not currently considering basic income for artists. We believe that British creators are second-to-none and are committed to giving them security and a regulatory and fiscal environment where creativity can flourish. This is exemplified with our recent Employment Rights Act, our appointment of freelance champions Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump and our 5% uplift to National Portfolio Organisations, giving certainty for staff and freelancers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to make changes to airport slot allocation rules to protect access for dedicated air freight and cargo services.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government recognises the crucial role air freight plays in transporting goods to and from the UK, which benefits consumers and businesses and facilitates growth in large parts of the economy beyond aviation.

Airport Coordination Limited, the UK’s independent slot coordinator is responsible for allocating slots at the UK’s slot coordinated airports. The UK Government is not involved in slot allocation and has no power to intervene in this process.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is currently undertaking its review of the 1991 Traffic Distribution Rules after consulting stakeholders more widely. Once the review has concluded and the CAA has provided its advice, the government will give this careful consideration before determining next steps.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what modifications are required to the trains intended to operate passenger services between Oxford and Milton Keynes on East West Rail; what the estimated cost of those modifications is; and when she expects modification and testing of those trains to be completed.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Modifications are nearing completion and a full testing regime is underway that will support the safety validation process. We will provide further updates on modifications when modifications are complete. The costs for modifications are commercially sensitive and cannot be released currently.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many drivers and riders killed in road collisions had (a) toxicology results available, (b) toxicology results available for alcohol and (c) toxicology results available for drugs, in each of the last ten years; and what proportion of all deceased drivers and riders those figures represented in each year.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Statistics on drivers killed in road collisions with toxicology results is based on data reported to police using the STATS19 system and data that is received by the Department from coroners and procurators’ fiscal. The latest year for which coroner and procurators’ fiscal data is available is 2024.

The number of a) drivers or riders killed in road collisions, in Great Britain, where toxicology results were available for alcohol or drugs and;

the proportion of all deceased drivers or riders this represents, for each of the last 10 years is provided in the table below.

Note: Pedal cycle riders and horse riders have been filtered out of the data. This is because the current prescribed alcohol and drug limits apply only to drivers of motor vehicles. This only includes drivers or riders aged 16 or above.

Information on (b) the number of killed drivers and riders with toxicology available for alcohol and;

c) the number with toxicology available for drugs area available on GOV.uk in tables 1 and 2 of the report on “Drugs in reported road fatalities in Great Britain”: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/developing-drug-driving-statistics

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2026 to Question 15005 on Large Goods Vehicles: Electric Vehicles, when her Department last updated the assumptions in its Total Cost of Ownership modelling for HGVs relating to (a) battery-electric vehicle purchase prices, (b) diesel vehicle purchase prices, (c) electricity and fuel prices, (d) charging infrastructure costs and (e) residual values; and when it next plans to update that modelling.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The assumptions underpinning the total cost of ownership analysis for zero emission heavy goods vehicles are kept under continuous review as evidence emerges. Further details will be published alongside the next consultation on the HGV CO2 emissions regulatory framework.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Heathrow Airport expansion on passenger charges under the existing economic regulatory model.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has been clear that affordability is a key consideration for Heathrow expansion. The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement makes clear that the Government will consider the affordability of any proposed expansion scheme as part of the DCO decision-making process.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as Heathrow's independent economic regulator, is responsible for administering the framework through which Heathrow's airport charges are set. The CAA is currently developing its approach to the regulation of expansion. This includes consideration of issues such as cost recovery, risk allocation and incentives for efficient delivery, which will help determine how expansion costs are passed through to airport users.

Found: ; St Ives) Paulette Hamilton (Labour; Birmingham Erdington) Alex McIntyre (Labour; Gloucester) Joe Robertson

Found: Members present: Layla Moran (Chair); Danny Beales; Jen Craft; Josh Fenton- Glynn; Andrew George; Joe Robertson

Found: Joe Robertson (Con) said the bill “drives a coach and horses” through longstanding commitments to integrate