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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to convene the forthcoming National Wildfire Summit; and if she will provide an update on when the summit will take place.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Planning for the upcoming Wildfire summit is underway, and is being taken forward in collaboration with relevant departments and partners, including the Department for the Environment. Invites went out to partners and it is due to take place on Friday 23rd October in Merseyside.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department consulted with rural hospitality businesses, accommodation providers, and tourist boards on the potential impacts of the proposed overnight visitor levy to the same extent as those in urban areas.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government published its response to the Overnight Visitor Levy consultation on 10 September 2026, during which the Government heard from a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives from rural areas. The choice of whether to introduce a levy will rest with strategic authorities, following consultation in their area. The impacts of the levy will be determined by local decisions, and any levy will need to reflect local circumstances, including the implications for businesses, visitor destinations and rural economies. Strategic authorities will be expected to consult with businesses and communities, and to assess the likely effects of their proposals before implementation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed overnight visitor levy on a) businesses, and b) the rural economy in North Yorkshire.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government published its response to the Overnight Visitor Levy consultation on 10 September 2026, during which the Government heard from a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives from rural areas. The choice of whether to introduce a levy will rest with strategic authorities, following consultation in their area. The impacts of the levy will be determined by local decisions, and any levy will need to reflect local circumstances, including the implications for businesses, visitor destinations and rural economies. Strategic authorities will be expected to consult with businesses and communities, and to assess the likely effects of their proposals before implementation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed overnight visitor levy on rural areas.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government published its response to the Overnight Visitor Levy consultation on 10 September 2026, during which the Government heard from a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives from rural areas. The choice of whether to introduce a levy will rest with strategic authorities, following consultation in their area. The impacts of the levy will be determined by local decisions, and any levy will need to reflect local circumstances, including the implications for businesses, visitor destinations and rural economies. Strategic authorities will be expected to consult with businesses and communities, and to assess the likely effects of their proposals before implementation.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to support people with the cost of heating oil.

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

The Government recognises the pressures facing households that rely on heating oil. We have provided an additional £53 million of targeted support for vulnerable households, largely in rural communities, including £27 million through the Crisis and Resilience Fund for English local authorities in areas with higher reliance on oil heating. Funding is also available to the Northern Ireland Executive, Wales and Scotland. We continue to monitor heating-oil supply chains and engage frequently with industry to help ensure supply and pricing remain resilient.

In addition, the Government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, and plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.

This will include developing options for a proportionate regulatory regime for the heating oil market, which will take time to get right, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers. In the meantime, we will work with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in existing Codes of Conduct, which set rules for the sector.

This is a clear indication of the Government’s commitment to create a fairer, more resilient and trusted heating oil market, which delivers stronger consumer protections while preserving competition and security of supply.

A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what progress he has made on introducing additional Market Rent Only gateways and opt-out provisions for pub tenants.

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

Following the publication of the third statutory review of the Pubs Code and the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) on 14 September 2026, a series of stakeholder engagement exercises has been launched.

This engagement will take place throughout the autumn and winter period to understand the views of tied pub tenants, pub-owning businesses and other interested representative groups on the review's findings and recommendations, including those relating to additional Market Rent Only gateways and opt-out provisions. The Government will consider the evidence gathered through this engagement before deciding what changes to the Pubs Code framework are required.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging mediation between pub tenants and Pub Operating Businesses for rent disputes resulting from Market Rent Only proceedings.

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

The UK Government published the third statutory review of the Pubs Code and the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) covering 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025 on 14 September 2026. The review concluded that the Pubs Code is operating consistently with its two core statutory principles.

The Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) has statutory functions in relation to the enforcement of the Code and the resolution of certain disputes. Where parties are engaged in Market Rent Only proceedings, they may choose to seek to resolve matters through discussion, negotiation, mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution where appropriate.

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