Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has considered introducing a mandatory licensing scheme for building companies.

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

The Government is fully committed to implementing the Grenfell Inquiry recommendation that principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings should be licenced through a scheme managed by the Building Safety Regulator. We have accepted this recommendation as an important step in enhancing building safety standards.

We continue to engage with stakeholders as to whether a wider licencing scheme would improve standards of consumer protection. This work is progressing alongside our broader initiatives to enhance competency across the construction sector through the Industry Competence Committee, ensuring a comprehensive approach to raising standards throughout the industry.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that community pharmacies are adequately funded to maintain opening hours and patient access.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.1 billion. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service at the time, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This included funding for the Pharmacy Access Scheme, which provides additional funding to more isolated pharmacies to support patient access.

The Department is currently consulting with Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27. As part of this we will consider financial pressures on the sector.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS trusts collect complete data on the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with secondary breast cancer.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the importance of robust, comprehensive data on secondary, or metastatic, breast cancer to improve patient outcomes, inform research, and support effective workforce and service planning.

Through the National Cancer Plan, for the first time, we have committed to delivering the systemic definition, identification, and counting of recurrent and metastatic cancers, starting with metastatic breast cancer, addressing longstanding gaps in national data on secondary disease.

To improve data collection, the National Disease Registration Service’s Get Data Out programme is strengthening the scope, quality, and accessibility of cancer data. This includes expanding the data made available to the public, clinicians, and researchers on incidence, routes to diagnosis, treatments, and survival.

This data is used to support cancer research and outcomes analysis, to inform service and workforce planning, including understanding demand for specialist roles such as breast cancer clinical nurse specialists, and to provide real‑world evidence to support assessments of clinical and cost effectiveness used in commissioning and appraisal processes. NHS England is also taking action to improve the completeness and consistency of data collected by National Health Service trusts. This includes funding national audits for primary and metastatic breast cancer using routinely collected NHS data. These audits assess diagnosis, treatment, and care pathways, identify variation in practice, and highlight areas where data quality or service delivery can be improved.

On 11 September 2025, the second State of the Nation report for primary and metastatic breast cancer was published by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre, and officials in the Department and NHS England are acting on the findings where appropriate, including to strengthen data quality across trusts.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she is making towards meeting international nature recovery targets.

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

The UK’s 7th National Report was published in February 2026 and sets out our progress towards meeting the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by 2030. We are on track to meet 3, with the remaining 19 showing real improvements, including advances in marine protection, sustainable fishing, and biodiversity finance.

We are accelerating nature recovery, building on the steps we have already taken through our strengthened Environmental Improvement Plan. This includes: delivering the largest nature friendly farming budget in history, with £11.8 billion to be spent across this Parliament; enabling the return of lost species and habitats such as the first wild beaver releases since they were hunted to extinction around 400 years ago; investing £1 billion in tree planting and the creation of two new National Forests with a third to follow; and driving forward waste reforms which will see £10 billion invested in new recycling facilities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce fly-tipping in Newbury constituency.

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

Local councils are responsible for tackling fly-tipping in their area and have a range of enforcement powers to help them do so. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000 and prosecution action. We have published best practice guidance and case studies on the website of the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, which will support councils to make better use of their power to seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers.

We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers.

Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders to share good practice on preventing fly-tipping.

We committed in our manifesto to force fly-tippers and vandals to clean up their mess. Defra will consult on giving local councils the powers to issue fly-tippers with conditional cautions, one of a range of pre-court community-based sanctions. These cautions could see offenders complete up to 20 hours of unpaid work, cleaning our streets or parks, and pay back the cost of cleaning up the waste that they have dumped on public land. If an offender admits to the crime, agrees to the caution and complies with the conditions, they will not face prosecution.

We are looking at measures to award penalty points on driving licences for those found guilty of fly-tipping – which could lead to them losing their licences altogether. This would make it harder for offenders to continue dumping illegally if they are disqualified from driving and send a clear warning that fly-tipping is not tolerated.

Currently within the Newbury constituency, there are no reports of large-scale fly tips being investigated by the Environment Agency. There is one major Environment Agency investigation that includes (but isn’t limited to) an illegal waste site in the constituency.

Depositing of new waste to this illegal site has been stopped since 2024.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to commission an investigation into potential Russian interference in UK democratic processes.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government shares the Hon Member's concern regarding the threat from Russian interference. The UK will not tolerate attempts to interfere in our politics from any foreign actor and we will take all measures necessary to defend our democracy.

I would refer the Hon Member to the statement made on 25 March by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK Politics.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with industry representatives on alternatives to the business rates system.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Call for Evidence on business rates and investment closed on 18 February. As part of this process, the Government engaged industry representatives for more detailed evidence on how the business rates system influences investment decisions, with questions on the business rates system’s tax structure, small business rates relief, improvement relief and empty property relief.

The Government is carefully considering representations we’ve received, and a response to the Call for Evidence will be published in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that people experiencing homelessness are able to access social housing.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation, including through the new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. As set out in our National Plan to End Homelessness, we will work with partners to update statutory guidance on social housing allocations to ensure that allocations reflect local need and effectively support vulnerable households.

Where joint working is not operating effectively, we will consider levers to require social housing landlords to rehouse statutory homeless households referred by the council, including legislating if necessary.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help prevent children from sleeping rough.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 121467 on 24 March 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support and protect supported housing provision.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given the Question UIN 123120 on 26 March 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has carried out an impact assessment of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to remove the requirement for developers to provide social and affordable housing on medium-sized sites, including the effect on the number of homes delivered through section 106 planning obligations.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The draft Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, retains a strong preference for, and commitment to, on-site delivery of social and affordable housing, reflecting the benefits this provides in terms of the delivery of mixed communities, controlled land prices, and secure cash flow for developers of all sizes.

However, for the reasons outlined in the consultation, the government decided to explore further the potential benefits and drawbacks of enabling developers to discharge social and affordable housing requirements through cash contributions in lieu of direct delivery in the category of “medium” sites. In its fullest form, this approach would mean it was entirely at the applicant’s discretion as to whether to provide social and affordable housing on-site or via a cash payment in lieu.

My Department has made no assessment of the impact that this approach would have on the overall number of social and affordable homes delivered through S106 agreements or on rates of housebuilding more generally.

However, the consultation makes clear that further consideration of this policy proposition would have to take into account its impact on the government’s manifesto commitments to strengthen the existing developer contributions system and to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. It would also have to account for the need to ensure payments reflect an appropriate value, and the imperative that such payments could be spent effectively and quickly so as not to push social and affordable housing delivery timescales far into the future.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to remove the requirement for developers to provide social and affordable housing on medium-sized sites on the delivery of housing in rural areas.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The draft Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, retains a strong preference for, and commitment to, on-site delivery of social and affordable housing, reflecting the benefits this provides in terms of the delivery of mixed communities, controlled land prices, and secure cash flow for developers of all sizes.

However, for the reasons outlined in the consultation, the government decided to explore further the potential benefits and drawbacks of enabling developers to discharge social and affordable housing requirements through cash contributions in lieu of direct delivery in the category of “medium” sites. In its fullest form, this approach would mean it was entirely at the applicant’s discretion as to whether to provide social and affordable housing on-site or via a cash payment in lieu.

My Department has made no assessment of the impact that this approach would have on the overall number of social and affordable homes delivered through S106 agreements or on rates of housebuilding more generally.

However, the consultation makes clear that further consideration of this policy proposition would have to take into account its impact on the government’s manifesto commitments to strengthen the existing developer contributions system and to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. It would also have to account for the need to ensure payments reflect an appropriate value, and the imperative that such payments could be spent effectively and quickly so as not to push social and affordable housing delivery timescales far into the future.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce homelessness in West Berkshire.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is providing £3.6 billion funding for homelessness services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including more than £2.2 billion for local authorities to prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant, as well as £969 million for temporary accommodation within the Revenue Support Grant. You can find local authority level allocations on gov.uk here.

We published our national strategy, A National Plan to End Homelessness, in December 2025. You can find our plan to tackle homelessness on gov.uk here.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support community pharmacies.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 3 will enable local authorities to plan and deliver continuous, high-quality active travel networks.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

I am carefully considering the feedback from the consultation on the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, including in respect of the planning and delivery of active travel networks. I expect to publish the Strategy in the Spring.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues regarding expanding work-based training capacity for sustainable built environment careers.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are working closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on a range of sustainable built environment careers to ensure that the move to a clean economy benefits us all.

We are contributing labour market insight and employer engagement expertise to DESNZ’s work on the Clean Jobs Employer Handbook, which is being developed to help employers recruit into green and net zero roles.

We have also established support for our customers to apply for clean energy jobs. Our Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) has utilised employer and partner expertise to create digital resources for work coaches and employer advisors, so they are aware of the clean energy job opportunities available to our customers. In late 2025, SRT partnered with Energy and Utility Skills to develop a ‘sector-entry’ pilot. This commenced in early 2026 and supports entrants into the sector.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 3 tackles barriers preventing women from cycling.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Government does of course recognise how important it is that we tackle such barriers. My Department is reflecting on how best to address this within the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which we expect to publish in the Spring.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of bank branch closures in rural areas on customers reliant on in-person banking services.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, the Government understands the importance of in-person banking services to communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 225 are already open.

Where banks make commercial decisions to reduce their branch network, they are required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to carefully consider the impact on customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs and to put appropriate alternative arrangements in place, where needed.

Banking hub locations are independently recommended by LINK, the operator of UK’s largest ATM network. When a bank branch closes, or there is a material change to a cash service, or a community request is received, LINK conducts an access to cash assessment under the access to cash regime set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. In its assessments, LINK takes into consideration a wide range of criteria, including population demographics and public transport links. The criteria also differentiate between rural and urban areas, with a wider three-mile catchment applied in rural locations to recognise that villages often depend on nearby market towns.

Customers can also access everyday banking services through the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check balances and pay bills at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK.

Some banks also provide points of access through initiatives such as pop-up services in libraries and community centres, or mobile banking vans serving rural and remote areas. The Government supports initiatives which give customers access to in-person banking, as well as digital access.

The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support she is providing to facilitate the establishment of banking hubs in high streets, including in Newbury.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, the Government understands the importance of in-person banking services to communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 225 are already open.

Where banks make commercial decisions to reduce their branch network, they are required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to carefully consider the impact on customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs and to put appropriate alternative arrangements in place, where needed.

Banking hub locations are independently recommended by LINK, the operator of UK’s largest ATM network. When a bank branch closes, or there is a material change to a cash service, or a community request is received, LINK conducts an access to cash assessment under the access to cash regime set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. In its assessments, LINK takes into consideration a wide range of criteria, including population demographics and public transport links. The criteria also differentiate between rural and urban areas, with a wider three-mile catchment applied in rural locations to recognise that villages often depend on nearby market towns.

Customers can also access everyday banking services through the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check balances and pay bills at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK.

Some banks also provide points of access through initiatives such as pop-up services in libraries and community centres, or mobile banking vans serving rural and remote areas. The Government supports initiatives which give customers access to in-person banking, as well as digital access.

The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when her (a) Ministers and (b) Officials last met with representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to discuss using planning reform to boost mobile connectivity.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Responsibility for national planning policy in England, including permitted development rights, sits with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for digital infrastructure policy.

We engage regularly with MHCLG on the role of the planning system in supporting mobile connectivity. As part of this work, the government launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether changes to existing permitted development rights could better support digital infrastructure deployment.

The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February, and subject to the evidence received, the government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the use of planning reform to boost mobile connectivity is a formal responsibility of her Department.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Responsibility for national planning policy in England, including permitted development rights, sits with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for digital infrastructure policy.

We engage regularly with MHCLG on the role of the planning system in supporting mobile connectivity. As part of this work, the government launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether changes to existing permitted development rights could better support digital infrastructure deployment.

The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February, and subject to the evidence received, the government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the proposed transition from analogue to digital technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence in the NHS.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digitising the NHS is a key priority set out in the Roadmap for a modern digital government, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is working closely with the NHS to ensure milestones set out are delivered. This includes addressing cross-departmental risks and opportunities from digital technologies. Our departments also collaborate on the use of artificial intelligence in NHS on use cases including AI diagnostics, which reduce follow‑up CT scan waiting times, and NHS Ambient Voice, which allows clinicians to spend significantly more time with patients by automating note‑taking.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

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

Through our Clean Power 2030 mission, we are reducing dependency on volatile global fossil fuel markets and delivering a diverse, secure and clean energy system based on renewables and nuclear, backed by a supply of gas.

Our work to date - reforming the connections queue, taking a clear decision on REMA and publishing roadmaps for key technologies like Solar and Clean Flexibility - has given a clear signal to industry. And we have now delivered the most successful renewables auction in history, with AR7 securing a record-breaking 8.4 gigawatts of offshore wind, which will power the equivalent of around 12m homes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason paragraph 119 on communications infrastructure was removed from the National Planning Policy Framework.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included a new section intended to replace Chapter 10 of current Framework on supporting high-quality telecommunications infrastructure.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consideration he has given to embedding independent architectural design expertise as a key pillar in developing retrofits funded through the Warm Homes Plan.

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

The Government recognises that good retrofit design is essential to high-quality home upgrades. The Warm Homes Plan takes a whole-house approach, supporting packages of measures including clean heat, solar, batteries and insulation, according to what is most appropriate and cost-effective for each property.

Product designers and installers will take architecture into account. The Government is also supporting improved skills, standards, and oversight across the sector to drive better outcomes for households and reduce bills.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress has been made towards the goal of delivering a 75% reduction in emissions from public sector buildings by 2037, compared to a 2017 baseline.

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

The goal of delivering a 75% reduction in emissions from public sector buildings by 2037 compared to a 2017 baseline was a target set by the previous Government.

Direct emissions from public sector buildings in the UK were 8.6 MtCO2e in 2017 and 8.8 MtCO2e in 2025 (provisional statistics).

Since 2020 the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has supported, and continues to support, over 1,400 projects to help public sector organisations decarbonise their estates, with funding allocated up until 2028.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help support the decarbonisation of non-domestic buildings.

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

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is supporting public sector organisations in England to install low carbon heating and energy efficiency measures across their estates up until 2028. The Department is also working with the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), which is leading cross-Whitehall work on the potential role for private finance to support public sector decarbonisation.

Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, commercial, public and voluntary sector buildings can receive £7,500 for heat pumps and £5,000 for biomass boilers. The Department also helps fund the UK Business Climate Hub, an online resource supporting SMEs identify and implement changes to their energy use.

The department also consulted strengthening non-domestic minimum energy efficiency standards to EPC B and will publish its government response in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on the promotion of higher-risk gambling products of increasing sports betting duties without changes to the Horserace Betting Levy.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Horseracing was not subject to the 10% increase in General Betting Duty which was announced in the Autumn Budget. His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note alongside these changes.

Horseracing is the only sport in receipt of a direct government-mandated levy, which helps to drive improvements in the sport. The levy is designed to ensure that the financial contribution of betting operators to the racing industry reflects the benefits derived from racing as a betting product. Whilst levy income was the highest ever in 2025 at £108m, it only comprises around 6% of racing’s overall income.

The promotion of gambling products is a matter for operators. Britain’s gambling market is regulated by the Gambling Commission, which takes a risk-based approach to regulation.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on horseracing of increasing sports betting duties without changes to the Horserace Betting Levy.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Horseracing was not subject to the 10% increase in General Betting Duty which was announced in the Autumn Budget. His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note alongside these changes.

Horseracing is the only sport in receipt of a direct government-mandated levy, which helps to drive improvements in the sport. The levy is designed to ensure that the financial contribution of betting operators to the racing industry reflects the benefits derived from racing as a betting product. Whilst levy income was the highest ever in 2025 at £108m, it only comprises around 6% of racing’s overall income.

The promotion of gambling products is a matter for operators. Britain’s gambling market is regulated by the Gambling Commission, which takes a risk-based approach to regulation.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his department is taking to address a) accreditation, b) oversight and c) verification failings of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and other previous programmes, and to ensure that these failings are not repeated in the Warm Homes Plan.

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

The Department has taken action to improve the oversight and quality of installations in the current system. This includes increased oversight of TrustMark, tighter certification rules limiting installers to one PAS 2030 certification per measure and updated PAS 2035/2030:2023 standards mandating site visits and higher professional qualifications.

We are committed to reforming the consumer protection system, as set out in the Warm Homes Plan. We will consult this year on options for bringing the oversight of energy efficiency and microgeneration installations for government schemes under closer government control.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she plans to take to hold technology companies accountable for fraud occurring on their platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Online Safety Act lists fraud as a priority offence, meaning that in-scope services must now prevent and minimise user-generated fraud content from appearing on their platforms and swiftly remove it if it does. User-to-user services must also manage the risk of being used to facilitate priority offences, including fraud.

Services designated by Ofcom as Category 1 and 2A (large user-to-user and large search services respectively) will have additional duties to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising. Ofcom aims to publish its categorisation register, and to consult on the additional duties for categorised services – including on fraudulent advertising - around July 2026.

Helen Simpson’s service to Hungerford

Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday

100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough

Introduction of reforms to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief

Food Bill

UK defence bonds

MS Awareness Week 2026

100th anniversary of the birth of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Water sector reform

Online abuse and exploitation of Ukrainian refugees

Cyprus and UK Sovereign Base Areas

New Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision in Wokingham

Sign Language Week

Conflict in Lebanon

LGBTQ+ veterans

Funding for rural Britain

UNESCO World Heritage Status and the River Marden

Student finance system reform

Heating oil financial support

Royal Mail's performance

US sanctions against judges of the International Criminal Court

Supporting UK hauliers and reducing border friction through UK–EU cooperation

Impact of the Iran war on transport costs

Meta and YouTube and legal liability for addictive design and online harms

NHS maternity services

A&E corridor care

Access to GP appointments

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance

Upland farmers and common land

GP access

Support for hospitality businesses

Social care

King's Guard's ceremonial bearskin caps

Import and sale of real fur

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Mr Lee Dillon; Alison Hume; Will Stone; Chris

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Florence Eshalomi (Chair); Andrew Cooper; Chris Curtis; Mr Lee Dillon