Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory licensing for builders.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

This Government is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. TrustMark already offers its consumers and businesses access to the Trusted Payment App announced by BIST as part of its protections against rogue builders.

Any action that the Government takes on licensing to protect customers and standards needs to be robust, proportionate and evidence based.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy, Security and Net Zero on the potential merits of reducing VAT for public electric vehicle chargers.

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

Public EV charging is subject to the standard rate of VAT (20 per cent). This matches the VAT treatment of petrol and diesel, as well as all non-domestic electricity.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

The Government is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of public charging costs, looking at the impact of energy prices, wider cost contributors, and options for lowering these costs for consumers.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what considerations his Department has made regarding a response to the Law Commission's Burial and Cremation: Final Report, published 18 March 2026.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Law Commission’s report made 62 recommendations in relation to a future legislative framework for burial and cremation.

The Government is considering these recommendations carefully and will respond in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of adapting RAF A400M Atlas aircraft to assist with tackling large scale wildfires.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Responsibility for responding to wildfires in the UK rests with the relevant civil authorities and emergency services, with military support potentially available where requested through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) arrangements on a case-by-case basis. This includes consideration of a clear need for military assistance, whether the requirement is beyond the capability or capacity of the civil authority, and whether support can be provided without unacceptably prejudicing Defence's primary tasks, operational commitments, and readiness.

The Ministry of Defence does not currently hold a requirement to provide a dedicated domestic aerial firefighting capability (including a fixed-wing aerial firefighting capability). However, Defence retains limited aerial firefighting capabilities to support standing tasks overseas. As part of this, Defence maintains a helicopter-based aerial firefighting capability in Cyprus for the specific purpose of meeting our obligations to the Sovereign Base Areas and wider communities during periods of heightened wildfire risk.

The Ministry of Defence has not conducted a specific impact assessment on the absence of a dedicated military aerial firefighting capability, nor a specific assessment of the economic impact arising from that absence.

The Department is aware of the Airbus A400M aerial firefighting system currently under development and testing by the manufacturer. Consequently, the Department has no plans to adapt the RAF A400M Atlas fleet for aerial firefighting purposes, or to procure dedicated water-bombing helicopters or water-bombing equipment for the military helicopter fleet.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mary Glindon; Alison Hume;

Found: Select Committee Changes or Nominations Resolved, Jonathan Davies, Mary Glindon, Alison Hume, Will

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mary Glindon; Alison Hume;

Found: DANIELS (5) MS UMA MEHTA (6) MS JABEEN STORY (7) MS LEILA RIDLEY (8) MS JO MURPHY (9) MR JONATHAN DAVIES

Submit Evidence (by 21 Oct 2026)

In its latest advice to the government, the CCC said that climate change is already disrupting life in the UK and said that the UK’s national approach to climate adaption is “not fit for purpose”. It has also argued that the government’s third National Adaptation Plan (NAP3) is not adequately preparing the UK for climate change.