Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of (a) households that entered fuel poverty and (b) excess winter deaths in 2024/25 following changes to the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In the latest annual fuel poverty statistics published in March 2025, it is estimated that changes to Winter Fuel Payment eligibility did not affect the rate of fuel poverty in England in 2024, as measured by the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) metric- Annual fuel poverty statistics report: 2025 - GOV.UK. The next annual fuel poverty stats will be published in Spring 2026.
A very wide range of factors impact changes in mortality. Details of excess winter deaths in England and Wales can be found at: Excess mortality in England - GOV.UK
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the 10 Year Plan for the NHS.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Our 10 Year Health Plan will make the NHS fit for the future with three key shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and treatment to prevention.It will deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change and will be published shortly.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 47116 on Church of England: Slavery, when the Church Commissioners plan to submit an application to authorise an ex-gratia payment for Project Spire under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011.
Answered by Marsha De Cordova
The timing and discussion of when to apply to the Charity Commission to make an ex gratia payment application, under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011, are matters for the Board of Governors of the Church Commissioners. The Board has not yet decided on the timing of any application to the Charity Commission.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the UK’s exit from the EU on levels of VAT for (a) repairs and (b) maintenance payments for places of worship.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £180.4 billion in 2025/26. Taxation is a vital source of revenue that helps to fund vital public services.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport administers the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. This provides grants towards VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to the nation's listed places of worship.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many asylum seekers aged 25 years and under require special educational needs provision.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department does not hold or collect information regarding how many asylum seekers aged 25 and under require special educational needs provision.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the impact of international court rulings on the UK's sovereignty over (a) Gibraltar, (b) the Falkland Islands, (c) RAF Akrotiri and Dhekelia and (d) other overseas territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There have not been any rulings from international courts on the UK's sovereignty over Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia or any other Overseas Territories. The circumstances around the Diego Garcia Military Base Agreement are unique with absolutely no bearing on the wider Overseas Territories. It is a very different issue with a very different history. We remain committed to our Overseas Territories family. Sovereignty of other Overseas Territories is not up for negotiation.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much agricultural land has been converted for solar panel use in (a) England, (b) Kent and (c) Weald of Kent constituency in the last 10 years.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production.
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system).
Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
As of the end of September 2024, ground-mounted solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares. This amounts to around 0.1% of the land area of the UK.
The government does not hold information on the number of ground-mounted solar projects that have been permitted and built on different agricultural grades, or the number of acres of grade 1 and 2 land which has been built on since 2020.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of what the median increase in gas bills will be in (a) England and (b) Kent between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem publishes price cap levels on its website. The information is available here:
Energy price cap (default tariff) levels | Ofgem.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many civil servants in the Solar Taskforce will be responsible for ensuring ethical relationships with Chinese companies.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Solar Taskforce, which has now concluded its work, brought together government and industry stakeholders to identify the actions needed to accelerate the deployment of solar energy by 2030, which will be outlined in the forthcoming Solar Roadmap. Following this, we will establish a new Solar Council to monitor the delivery of the Roadmap’s recommendations, including on the critical issue of ethical supply chains and procurement. DESNZ officials will continue to provide secretariat and advisory support.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with which businesses in Kent his Department held discussions on the Employment Rights Bill prior to its introduction.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Since August 2024, the Department for Business and Trade has held discussions on the Employment Rights Bill with over 180 stakeholders from across Great Britain. This covers a range of businesses that have a presence in Kent, including Greene King, McDonalds, John Lewis, British Telecom, Co-op, DHL, MACE Group, Mars, Sainsburys, Whitbread, Burger King, Deliveroo, Fuller’s, Lucky Saint, Turtle Bay, Centrica, and Wilkinson Construction Consultant.
The Government remains committed to working in partnership with businesses, trade unions and other stakeholders to deliver the Plan to Make Work Pay.