Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what analysis he has undertaken of the decline in ocean biomass by 2100; and what steps he is taking through the Blue Belt Programme, the BBNJ Treaty and other mechanisms to arrest and reverse its decline.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to doing its part to protect ocean biomass. This includes continuing to support our world leading Blue Belt Programme for the UK Overseas Territories and supporting the rapid implementation of the BBNJ Treaty in order to develop new area-based management tools for areas of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction. That is why for example the UK, together with the Government of Bermuda, is supporting the Hamilton II Declaration relating to protection for the Sargasso Sea, which I signed on Monday 19 October. The UK also continues to champion ocean action as part of the global response to climate change, reflecting the potential of ocean-based solutions to contribute to climate action and to address the impact of climate change on the ocean.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he will make a decision on funding the Blue Belt Programme for 2026/27.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Blue Belt Programme has received a £8.5 million funding allocation (comprising £2 million Official Development Assistance [ODA] and £6.5 million non-ODA) for 2026/27, and will continue to provide vital support to the UK Overseas Territories in protecting their marine environments and underpinning global ocean protection ambitions.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she intends to publish the combined sexual and reproductive health framework.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The sexual health and reproductive health framework is in development. Further details will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress her department has made toward the development of a youth homelessness toolkit and dedicated youth homelessness chapter in The Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department has engaged with local authorities and youth homelessness sector organisations in the development of the new youth chapter in the Homelessness Code of Guidance and the youth homelessness prevention toolkit. The new youth chapter was published on 30 September 2026 and is available here.
We intend to publish the youth homelessness prevention toolkit in due course. In developing the toolkit, the Department has also engaged with young people with lived experience of homelessness to ensure the toolkit is informed by their experiences and insights.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether opportunities will be available for charities and third sector organisations to contribute to the drafting of the youth homelessness toolkit and dedicated youth homelessness chapter in The Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department has engaged with local authorities and youth homelessness sector organisations in the development of the new youth chapter in the Homelessness Code of Guidance and the youth homelessness prevention toolkit. The new youth chapter was published on 30 September 2026 and is available here.
We intend to publish the youth homelessness prevention toolkit in due course. In developing the toolkit, the Department has also engaged with young people with lived experience of homelessness to ensure the toolkit is informed by their experiences and insights.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department's position in future fisheries negotiations, including on catch limits, will be consistent with the best available scientific advice on sustainable fishing levels.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I am committed to an evidence-based approach to fisheries management. The UK will continue to use the best available scientific advice to inform our negotiating positions. These positions will also account for our obligations under the Fisheries Act 2020.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, when he expects the Competition and Marketing Authority Report on the Pubs Code to be published.
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: fair and lawful dealing by large pub-owning businesses (POBs), and ensuring tied tenants are not worse off than if they were free of their tie.
The review is a statutory obligation of the Pubs Code and completed every 3 years by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the process for assessing applications for future Modern Service Frameworks will be published.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Modern service frameworks define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. The first wave of priorities has included cardiovascular disease, sepsis, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia.
Progress on these frameworks is at different stages. Some have already been delivered, namely sepsis and cardiovascular disease, with the Government expecting the remainder of the initial wave to be delivered before the end of 2026 or in 2027.
The Government has asked the National Quality Board to consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks, based on an assessment of the potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. We will update Parliament on the results of that process in the usual way in due course.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 help reduce energy costs for businesses.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We recognise that energy costs remain a challenge. Our British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will support over 10,000 businesses, cutting electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour, alongside the British Industry Supercharger’s enhanced support for our most electricity-intensive firms.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the forthcoming Horticulture Strategy will include measures to increase domestic production and consumption of pulses.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to our horticulture and arable sectors and their role in providing home‑grown produce helping to feed the nation. The Horticulture Sector Plan is an independent sector led plan aiming to identify how the sector can increase productivity, profitability and strengthen the contribution of domestic production to our national food security. The plan is relying on sector expertise to set out a clear vision for growth and a practical pathway to deliver it. Fresh peas and green beans grown as horticultural crops are in scope. While pulses cultivated as arable crops are outside scope, they are a vital part of domestic agricultural production. Lessons learned from current sector plans will help inform future rollout to other sectors.