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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of fish-eating birds on inland fish populations; how predation by fish-eating birds is considered alongside other factors affecting the health and abundance of fish populations in rivers; and whether she plans to review licensing and management arrangements relating to population control for fish-eating birds.

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

Defra, the Environment Agency and Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science assessed the range of pressures affecting English Atlantic salmon stocks in 2025. This considered predation by fish-eating birds, seals and other fish alongside wider pressures such as climate change, water quality and habitat degradation. We are now prioritising actions relating to water quantity and habitats which should make fish stocks more resilient against predation.

Under current legislation and Defra policy, Natural England issue licences to take action where cormorant predation is impacting fisheries, balanced with the latest information on cormorant populations to ensure that action is sustainable. Licensed control of cormorants continues to be appraised and revised by Natural England so it is proportionate and meets fishery protection needs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of licensing reforming on the uptake of legitimate zero emission mopeds and motorcycles.

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

The DVSA consultation on improving moped and motorcycle training, testing and licensing has now closed. Legitimate zero emission mopeds and motorcycles are already among the vehicles used for practical riding tests and training – the current consultation will have no impact on these vehicles being suitable for test.

The consultation was launched with a range of measures designed to support a targeted review of the training, testing and licensing framework for motorcyclists. This aims to improving safety and modernise and simplify access to motorcycling. We are now analysing the responses to the consultation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing National guidance for the process of care home closures to ensure that a formal notice period and termination clauses are in place for all care and nursing homes, irrespective of the terms of their individual contract with their local Integrated Care Board and Local Authority.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 29 July 2026, the Prime Minister set out his objectives to reform the social care system and brought forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission to inform that reform programme. All aspects of the current system will be reviewed as part of that process, including support for care home provision, and we will continue to update Parliament on a regular basis. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-new-path-to-fix-social-care-together-29-july-2026

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of issuing national guidance on the procedures for care home closures.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 29 July 2026, the Prime Minister set out his objectives to reform the social care system and brought forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission to inform that reform programme. All aspects of the current system will be reviewed as part of that process, including support for care home provision, and we will continue to update Parliament on a regular basis. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-new-path-to-fix-social-care-together-29-july-2026

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the price of legitimate electric mopeds and motorcycles on the number of illegal e-bikes.

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

My Department has made no such assessment and has no role in the pricing of mopeds and motorcycles.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many constituencies will the Project Gigabit roll-out of fibre-optic broadband fall short of the 99% coverage target according to the latest data.

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

The Government's objective is for 99% of UK premises to have access to gigabit-capable broadband by 2032. Project Gigabit supports delivery in areas that are unlikely to be reached through commercial rollout alone, and we continue to work with industry to maximise coverage across all parts of the UK.

This is a national target, and progress is not assessed at a constituency level. Accordingly, the Department does not hold data on the number of constituencies that may fall short of a 99% coverage target.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consideration was given to the NHS app's usability for residents in England who are registered with Scottish GPs.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS App is only available to patients who are registered with a general practice (GP) in England. As a fully devolved healthcare system, patients of Scottish GPs can access the healthcare apps MyCare.scot and NHS 24 Online, commissioned by NHS Scotland.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of heat networks in reducing electricity grid constraints.

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

As set out in the Warm Homes Plan, we estimate that heat networks could save an estimated £5 to 7 billion in electricity distribution network savings alone by 2050. The department is working with industry to explore and quantify a broader range of electricity system benefits.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department plans to classify waste heat, such as that produced by data centres, as zero carbon at the point of offtake.

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

As set out in the methodology for the Standard Assessment Procedure and for applications to the Green Heat Network Fund, heat recovered from commercial and industrial processes is considered to have extremely low carbon emissions. We intend to continue this approach.

Found: Harriett Baldwin; Chris Coghlan; Bobby Dean; Jim Dickson; John Glen; Dame Siobhain McDonagh; Ms Julie Minns

Found: Resolved, Luke Murphy to be discharged from the Treasury Committee and Ms Julie Minns to be nominated

Found: June 2024 Date accepted: 11 June 2024 Donor status: trade union (Registered 29 July 2024) Ms Julie Minns