Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the mandatory licensing scheme for builders provides adequate protections for homeowners who hire builders to complete work.

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 for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to increase requirements for builders to hold licensing fees.

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 his department is taking to improve community-based glaucoma care services.

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

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, such as glaucoma referral refinement services and glaucoma monitoring.

The Getting It Right First Time programme is currently developing best practice guidance for glaucoma services to support the adoption of high standards across the pathway, from detection onwards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Newbury constituency will receive one of the 100 neighbourhood health centres due to be set up by 2030.

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

At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments to expand and improve sites over the next three years and new-build sites opening in the medium term. The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through public private partnerships and public capital.

Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels, targeting places where healthy life expectancy is lowest and delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.

Integrated care boards and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for NHCs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support he is providing to the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire Integrated Care Board to ensure that people are receiving timely treatment for brain cancer.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers, and their families. The Government is invested in driving new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.

We have already invested £70 million in replacing outdated radiotherapy machines across the National Health Service with new cutting-edge technology that will speed up treatment for thousands of patients, and this includes a new machine to be situated in the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Additionally, the Government supports Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers which will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, such as brain cancers, to take place across England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers.  This will ensure that the NHS will remain at the forefront of medical innovation and is able to provide patients with the newest, most effective treatment options and ultimately boost survival rates.

Early next year, the Government will publish a National Cancer Plan which will set out targeted actions to reduce lives lost to cancers and improve the experience of patients, including those with brain cancer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered including sun-safety lessons in the national curriculum.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 81731.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered providing sun-safety education in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 81731.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to update guidance to GPs on beginning conversations with men at risk of prostate cancer.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will consider the final recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee on screening for prostate cancer when it is received. At that point, he will make a decision on implementation, including any resources that may be required for general practitioners and other healthcare professionals to support his decision.

It is anticipated that the final recommendation will be provided in early 2026 after the conclusion of a 12 week consultation which opened on 28 November 2025. This seeks views on an evidence review and a draft recommendation to:

• offer a targeted national prostate cancer screening programme to men with confirmed BRCA1/2 gene variants every two years, from the age 45 years old to age 61 years old;
• not recommend population screening;
• not recommend targeted screening of black men;
• not recommend targeted screening of men with family history; and
• collaborate with the Transform trial team to answer outstanding questions on screening effectiveness for black men and men with a family history, as soon as trial data becomes available, and await the results of the study to develop and trial a more accurate test than the prostate specific antigen test alone, to improve the balance of the benefits and harms of screening.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve processing times for driving licence renewals involving medical assessments.

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

The table below shows the average number of working days taken to process driving licence applications where a medical condition needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued for both group 1 (cars and motorcycles) and group 2 (lorry and bus) licences.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which is expected to deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. When fully implemented, this will provide improved turnaround times, increased capacity and automation, higher levels of digital functionality and digital communication. The DVLA is also planning to launch a new medical services platform which will enable more customers to transact online and will increase the use of email communication.

Applicants renewing an existing licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average processing time was for driving licence renewals involving medical assessments in each of the last 12 months.

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

The table below shows the average number of working days taken to process driving licence applications where a medical condition needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued for both group 1 (cars and motorcycles) and group 2 (lorry and bus) licences.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which is expected to deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. When fully implemented, this will provide improved turnaround times, increased capacity and automation, higher levels of digital functionality and digital communication. The DVLA is also planning to launch a new medical services platform which will enable more customers to transact online and will increase the use of email communication.

Applicants renewing an existing licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing juries from trials on an individual’s right to a free and fair trial.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The removal of the defendants’ right to elect is compatible with Article 6 of the ECHR. Whilst jury trial will remain an important feature of the criminal justice system following these reforms, it is important to recognise that there is no constitutional right to a jury trial. As you will be aware, the vast majority of criminal trials in this country are conducted fairly, without a jury. 90% of all criminal cases are dealt with by magistrates. Only around 3% of all criminal trials are heard by a jury currently.

The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard and too many victims waiting years for justice. One of the first priorities of this Government has been to tackle this crisis, which is why we asked Sir Brian Leveson to undertake his independent review. On 2 December, the Deputy Prime Minister responded to the first part of that review and set out why reform is necessary, alongside investment and modernisation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is available to the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire Integrated Care Board to increase community audiology services across West Berkshire.

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

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local population. This includes the arrangement of community audiology services.

The Medium Term Planning Framework – delivering change together 2026/27 to 2028/29 sets a clear target for systems to work to, in order to reduce long waits for community services. By 2028/29, at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks. In addition, to support the shift to neighbourhood health, systems have been asked to increase community health service capacity to meet the growth in demand and to work to standardise the provision of core services.

Systems have also been asked to improve productivity across community health services, by identifying and acting on productivity opportunities, including ensuring teams have the digital tools and equipment they need to connect remotely to health systems and patients, and to expand point-of-care testing in the community.

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 help ensure that mental health providers in Newbury have the resources they need to support people diagnosed with a serious life-threatening illness.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West NHS Integrated Care Board is responsible for commissioning services to meet the mental health needs of people in Newbury.

Nationally, the Government is investing an extra £688 million in 2025/26 to transform mental health services by hiring more staff and delivering more talking therapies. Almost 7,000 extra mental health workers have been recruited since July 2024, against our target of 8,500 by the end of this Parliament. We are expanding NHS Talking Therapies so that 915,000 people complete a course of treatment by March 2029, with improved effectiveness and quality of services.

We recognise that some people with a serious life-threatening illness may need emotional and psychological support. The team responsible for a patient’s health care should discuss and review their emotional and psychological status regularly and support them with access to information and services for their mental health if needed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of integrating AI into audiology care and diagnoses.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve patient care across a range of clinical areas, including audiology. While there is currently no dedicated programme focused solely on AI in audiology, the Government’s wider strategy for AI in health and care sets out how emerging technologies will be evaluated and adopted where they demonstrate clear benefits for patients and clinicians.

Under the AI in Health and Care Award, the Department and NHS England have invested over £100 million to support real-world testing of AI technologies in high-impact areas such as diagnostics and screening. Lessons from these programmes, such as the need for robust clinical validation, regulatory compliance, and integration into National Health Service workflows will inform future consideration of AI applications in audiology.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to provide support to people who have hired a registered builder where the work has not been completed due to that builder entering liquidation.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The insolvency framework is designed to ensure that those affected by any business failure receive as much of their money back as possible, and with as much fairness as possible. There are no plans to provide additional support to individuals affected by the failure of construction businesses.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in levels of waiting times for vision rehabilitation services on patients in Newbury constituency.

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

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities in England have a legal duty to support people with sight loss to develop practical skills and strategies to maintain independence.

Although the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is not currently required to assess vision rehabilitation services as regulated activities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, sensory services, including vision rehabilitation, do form part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care.

The CQC assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for development, in their delivery of their duties under part 1 of the Care Act. This facilitates the sharing of good practice and helps us to target support where it is most needed. It may be helpful to know that the CQC will report on sensory services when there is something important to highlight, for example, something being done well, innovative practice, or an area for improvement.

West Berkshire Council was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC. Its assessment was published on 17 May 2024, and the report is available at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/WBerkshire-0524

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 help tackle potential gaps in specialist vision rehabilitation monitoring.

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

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities in England have a legal duty to support people with sight loss to develop practical skills and strategies to maintain independence.

Although the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is not currently required to assess vision rehabilitation services as regulated activities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, sensory services, including vision rehabilitation, do form part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care.

The CQC assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for development, in their delivery of their duties under part 1 of the Care Act. This facilitates the sharing of good practice and helps us to target support where it is most needed. It may be helpful to know that the CQC will report on sensory services when there is something important to highlight, for example, something being done well, innovative practice, or an area for improvement.

West Berkshire Council was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC. Its assessment was published on 17 May 2024, and the report is available at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/WBerkshire-0524

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to lower energy prices for people in Newbury constituency.

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

Thanks to decisions in Government's Autumn Budget, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will deliver an average £150 of costs off household energy bills from April 2026. As a result of this action, people in Newbury can expect to make a significant saving on their bills.

In addition, in 2024-2025, 2,854 households (6.5%) in Newbury benefited from the Warm Home Discount - a £150 discount on their energy bill. This winter, we are expanding this discount so that around 6 million low-income households will receive this support, including an approximate additional 350,000 households in the South East region.

Beyond these measures, this Government is taking back control of our energy to prevent the British people from being left exposed to price shocks caused by our dependence on fossil fuel markets. We are delivering the biggest investment in clean, low-cost energy in British history, so we can build a system that protects billpayers permanently.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a new right to kinship care leave.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government has launched a review of the parental leave system, which represents a much-needed opportunity to consider the department’s approach to the system of parental leave and pay. This will consider whether the support available meets the needs of working families, such as kinship carers.

In 2023, the department published ‘Kinship Carers in the Workplace: Guidance for Employers’, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/kinship-carers-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers. This sets out best practice for supporting kinship carers at work, including how to adapt internal policies, signpost existing entitlements and create a culture of support to meet the needs of kinship carers. The department has since implemented our own Kinship Leave and Pay offer and we encourage all organisations to review their guidance and explore what changes they can make.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of removing all social and environmental levies from electricity bills.

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

The reductions in electricity prices announced at the Budget, particularly the reduction in the Renewables Obligation, are a significant step forward in our ambition to reduce electricity bills. As stated, we intend to set out more detail in our Warm Homes Plan as to how we can further target the savings announced in this Budget at electricity bills, including those from ending the ECO scheme.

The Budget also delivers on the major principle that we should fund more of the investment we need in our energy system through public expenditure rather than levies, moving £7bn into public expenditure. We are delivering the biggest public investment in home energy efficiency ever, increasing the settlement we received at the Spending Review.

We will subject new levies to enhanced scrutiny and ensure they represent value for money and do not impose unnecessary costs on households and businesses.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what metrics his Department will use to assess whether the Renters' Rights Act 2025 is achieving its stated objectives and its impact on the housing market more broadly.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 88657 on 21 November 2025.

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 plans to consider a legally binding target to increase the proportion of food that is UK-grown and eaten in Britain.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We have no plans for a legally binding food production target. In 2024 we were 65% self-sufficient for all food; 77% for food we can produce here – a balance that has been stable for many years. As we develop plans to support delivery of the food strategy outcomes, we are focussed on securing resilient domestic production that supports good growth and enhances domestic food security.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions has she held with UK a) wholesale suppliers b) distributors and c) the farming community on supporting UK agricultural and horticultural supply chains.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has many discussions with a range of stakeholders. The Government’s commitment to farming and food security is steadfast, which is why we've allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament.

Defra regularly engages with a farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and distributors through a range of forums to discuss issues affecting the food supply chain.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of hydrotreated vegetable oil as a transitional heating solution for rural homes using oil heating.

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

The Government launched a consultation on 18 November to explore alternative clean heating solutions that may play a role in some homes, including renewable liquid fuels (RLFs) such as hydrotreated vegetable oil. The consultation will run for 12 weeks.

The Government will review evidence from this consultation to help inform any future decision on whether or not to support the use of RLFs in heating.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what funding is available to support community energy projects in Newbury constituency.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Great British Energy (GBE) and the UK government will turbocharge support for local and community energy projects across the UK.

In 2025/26, Great British Energy have allocated £5 million to the Great British Energy Community Fund (GBECF), a grant scheme designed to help community groups develop local clean power projects.

£6.8 million has been allocated to maintain Local Net Zero Hubs located across England, which provide free expertise and resources to help local authorities deliver clear energy projects.

GBE is in the process of developing its longer-term funding offer and strategic support for working with Local Government and Community Energy Groups, as well as working with devolved governments. This includes commercial, technical and project planning assistance to increase capability and capacity to build a pipeline of successful projects in local areas.

As set out in their Strategic Plan, published on 4 December 2025, GBE aims to support over 1,000 local and community projects by 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the affordability of heat pump installation for households using oil heating in rural areas.

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

Government expects the transition to clean heat will involve installing a heat pump for most oil-heated homes as they are cost-effective, proven technologies and several government schemes support their installation. We will share more details in the Warm Homes Plan soon.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has grants available for air source and ground source heat pumps of £7,500. There is also a 0% rate of VAT on heat pump installations until March 2027. Low income and fuel poor homes may be able to access support through the Warm Homes: Local Grant.

We are undertaking research on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes and expect to receive results early next year.

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 merits of increasing the speed of the roll out of the Environmental Land Management Scheme.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes remain at the centre of our offer for farmers and nature, putting us on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.

The Department now has more than half of farmers in an ELM scheme, including over 44,500 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreements. It is our ambition to reopen SFI in the first half of 2026. Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier opened for applications in September 2025 through a controlled rollout. Two pioneering Landscape Recovery projects have now started long-term delivery on the ground.

We are on track to spend the committed £1.8bn, the largest figure ever, on ELM schemes in 2025/26.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the financial sustainability of small-scale abattoirs.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra recognises the important role small-scale abattoirs play in supporting local livestock producers and maintaining a resilient and competitive food supply chain.

Defra works closely with the smaller abattoir industry including through the Small Abattoirs Working Group and the Small Abattoirs Task and Finish Group. These groups bring together government and industry representatives on a regular basis to address issues such as regulation, operational efficiency and access to skilled labour. In doing so, they provide a forum for identifying the challenges and opportunities that the sector faces, and for collaborating on practical solutions to support the sustainability, viability and resilience of small and medium sized abattoirs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to end the for-profit system of housing people seeking asylum.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office is undertaking reforms to the asylum accommodation estate, including pilot schemes to repurpose derelict buildings and to develop other community-led alternatives to the use of hotels. This work will help inform the future operating model, currently being developed as part of the Asylum Support Accommodation Programme, which is leading on plans for the replacement of the current Asylum Accommodation Support Contracts (AASC).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of early interventions in speech and language support.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The potential merits of focusing on early intervention in providing speech and language support are clear. That is why we have invested in the Early Language Support for Every Child programme, and the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, both of which support children with their speech and language.

We are funding Family Hubs to train practitioners to support families with the home learning environment to help parents support children’s speech and communication.

We will fund local early language leads to provide training to early years settings. Reception staff will also be able to access early language and literacy support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to decide on a compensation scheme for women impacted by State Pension age changes on those women.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in his Oral Statement of 11 November that we will retake the decision made last December as it relates to the communications on state pension age. Information that was not considered at the time of the original decision has come to light. In retaking the decision, we will review this evidence alongside evidence previously considered.

The process to retake the decision is underway and we will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to make a decision on a compensation scheme for women impacted by State Pension age changes.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in his Oral Statement of 11 November that we will retake the decision made last December as it relates to the communications on state pension age. Information that was not considered at the time of the original decision has come to light. In retaking the decision, we will review this evidence alongside evidence previously considered.

The process to retake the decision is underway and we will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government is providing additional support to crayfish companies affected by recent changes to licensing requirements.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The current licensing requirements have been in place since 2019, and there have been no recent changes. To help businesses adjust at the time, the Government allowed a two-year transition period for licensed exports of live signal crayfish, where import was legal in the destination country. This temporary measure gave businesses time to develop alternative markets such as processed or frozen products.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Metropolitan Police on its decision to retract approval for farmers to bring their tractors to London for a protest.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The right to peaceful protest is a vital part of our democracy and will not be curtailed by this government. However, these rights are not absolute and must be balanced with the rights and freedoms of others.

Section 12 of the Public Order Act 1986 allows the police to impose conditions on public processions protest as appears necessary to prevent serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community. Any conditions that are considered necessary by a senior police officer can be placed on the protest including the location, route and date of the protest or prohibiting individuals entering any public place specified.

The management of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police and Ministers are not involved in such decisions. Police forces work with organisers to plan protests and assess risks and manage safety.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she had with the Metropolitan Police prior to their decision to retract approval for farmers to bring their tractors to London for a protest.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The right to peaceful protest is a vital part of our democracy and will not be curtailed by this government. However, these rights are not absolute and must be balanced with the rights and freedoms of others.

Section 12 of the Public Order Act 1986 allows the police to impose conditions on public processions protest as appears necessary to prevent serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community. Any conditions that are considered necessary by a senior police officer can be placed on the protest including the location, route and date of the protest or prohibiting individuals entering any public place specified.

The management of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police and Ministers are not involved in such decisions. Police forces work with organisers to plan protests and assess risks and manage safety.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to align her Department’s work on enrichment, including the Enrichment Framework, the Enrichment Expansion Programme, the forthcoming Schools White Paper and the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, with the design and scope of the Dormant Assets Fund.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to help ensure all children and young people can access a broad range of enrichment activities. The next tranche of Dormant Assets funding for the Youth Cause will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability. It will be delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.

The government is working with them to design the specific programmes to be delivered, ensuring they align with ministerial priorities, including the Enrichment Framework and Schools White Paper, while ensuring the additionality principle is upheld. Further details will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the National Lottery Community Fund on the design and scope of the Dormant Assets Fund.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to help ensure all children and young people can access a broad range of enrichment activities. The next tranche of Dormant Assets funding for the Youth Cause will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability. It will be delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.

The government is working with them to design the specific programmes to be delivered, ensuring they align with ministerial priorities, including the Enrichment Framework and Schools White Paper, while ensuring the additionality principle is upheld. Further details will be announced in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the economic contribution of wholesale distributors to the UK economy.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 8th of December is attached.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support he is providing to local authorities to ensure they receive additional dedicated funding for homelessness services.

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

The Government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here.

We are also investing £3.5 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what immediate steps his Department is taking to help reduce levels of homelessness and rough sleeping.

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

The Government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here.

We are also investing £3.5 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration his Department has given to reviewing diversion routes for A34 closures to ensure that country lanes are not used.

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

National Highways (NH) agrees strategic diversion routes with local authorities and the Police for any planned closures on the A34. These routes are selected as the most suitable for the type and volume of traffic expected and are kept under review.

Country lanes are rarely suitable, so are unlikely to be used as officially designed and signed diversion routes. As a general principle diversion routes will aim to avoid sending traffic onto any road that cannot safely accommodate it. Clear signage and advance warnings are used to help drivers follow the agreed diversion and avoid unsuitable country lanes, however, NH cannot compel road users to use a specific route, and drivers are entitled to use any part of the public highway.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of South Central Ambulance Service’s decision on crew break arrangements on ambulance wait times in Newbury.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No specific assessment has been made. Operational arrangements such as scheduling and management of crew breaks is the responsibility of individual ambulance trusts which are required to comply with United Kingdom employment law and National Health Service contractual standards.

The South Central Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust is currently piloting a new approach to ambulance crew breaks. The change is designed for the benefit of both staff and patients, supporting crews to take their meal breaks at allocated times alongside responding effectively to patient demand by maintaining coverage over the region during peak periods.

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 tackle health inequalities affecting women.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain, to ensure people can live well for longer. Our reimagined National Health Service will tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes, as well as give everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms. This financial year the Department has invested approximately £53 million in direct research awards on research to support the health of women. This includes conditions that are unique to women, such as endometriosis, and health topics that are relevant to women, such as violence and abuse.

Significant progress has been made towards delivering the ambitions in the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy, for example improving women and girls’ awareness and access to services and driving research to benefit women’s health, but we know there is more to do.

That is why we are renewing the Women’s Health Strategy, to assess the progress that has been made so far, and to continue progressing delivery.

The renewed strategy will update on the delivery of the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy and set out how the Government is taking further steps to improve women’s health as we deliver the 10-Year Health Plan. It will also address gaps from the 2022 strategy and drive further change on enduring challenges, such as creating a system that listens to women and tackling health inequalities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the recent changes to mandatory requirements for British Nationals (Overseas) who have not yet obtained indefinite leave to remain.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.

BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.

The new mandatory requirements for settlement are basic requirements that we think are reasonable for people to meet if they want to settle here. However, we are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation. An impact assessment will be developed alongside the finalised policy.

In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

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 with the South Central Ambulance Service to reduce ambulance wait times for people in Newbury constituency.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that in recent years ambulance response times have not met the high standards patients should expect.

We are determined to turn things around and have taken serious steps to achieve this. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, backed by almost £450 million of capital investment, commits to reducing ambulance response times for Category 2 incidents to 30 minutes on average this year. The South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) has a dedicated Category 2 performance team driving improvements through targeted interventions.

We have already seen improvements in ambulance response times in SCAS, which serves Newbury. The latest NHS performance figures for SCAS show that Category 2 incidents were responded to in 31 minutes 54 seconds on average, over six minutes faster the same month last year.

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 help reduce public stigma surrounding age-related hearing loss.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the impact that age-related hearing loss can have on people’s lives, and that the challenges they face can be exacerbated by stigma surrounding the condition.

It is important that people with age-related hearing loss are actively supported and empowered to lead the lives they want for themselves and their families, and NHS England is working with partners to support people in England to age well. In 2017, NHS England published a guide for commissioners and health and social care providers to support older people with hearing loss to maintain health, wellbeing, and independence. This guide is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/hearing-loss-what-works-guide-healthy-ageing.pdf

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also published guidelines, titled Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management, which aims to improve the lives of adults with hearing loss by advising healthcare staff on assessing and managing hearing loss in primary, community, and secondary care settings. This guide is also available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/resources/hearing-loss-in-adults-assessment-and-management-pdf-1837761878725

The Government recognises the pivotal role that local authorities, and adult social care specifically, play in nurturing local communities and helping people to live as independent and fulfilling lives as possible. We are progressing towards a National Care Service based on higher quality of care, greater choice and control, and better joined-up services, with over £4 billion of additional funding available for adult social care by 2028/29.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support people with British Nationals (Overseas) visas in relation to the changes set out in the Command Paper entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.

BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.

We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.

Once the changes are implemented, we will publish clear guidance for BN(O) visa holders to help them understand any new requirements.

In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance the Government provides on ensuring transparent and long-term maintenance of restored habitats.

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

The Government has published extensive guidance on what should be covered by legal agreements for biodiversity net gain, including detail on habitat monitoring and who is responsible. There is also a set of habitat management and monitoring templates which should be used to set out how and when habitats will be monitored and reported on.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanism is in place to funnel Biodiversity Net Gain funding from developers into county-wide nature recovery partnerships, such as the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Partnership.

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

Land managers, including Local Nature Recovery partnerships (LNRPs), can sell biodiversity units to those developers who cannot achieve 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) onsite and need to go off-site.

The BNG metric also provides an incentive to achieve off-site biodiversity gains in areas of strategic significance, as set out in the relevant Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The Local Investment in Natural Capital programme, funded by Defra and delivered by the Environment Agency, has provided grants of over £1 million to five local and combined authorities to create a pipeline of investable projects and develop capacity and capability to crowd in finance from private sources, including from developers. Learnings from this programme will provide guidance to Local Nature Recovery Strategies in these areas on how best to attract and allocate BNG funding and will be available to all LNRPs upon the conclusion of the programme in 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to require planning authorities to publish annual reports on how off-site Biodiversity Net Gain contributions by developers have been a) spent, b) their location, and c) ecological result of habitat d) creation or e) restoration.

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

The Environment Act 2021 established a strengthened biodiversity duty, which requires local planning authorities to publish a biodiversity report at least every five years, setting out how they have complied with the duty. As part of this report, local planning authorities are required to include actions they have taken under biodiversity net gain obligations, and information from the biodiversity gain plans they have approved. The first reporting period must end no later than 1 January 2026 with reports published within 12 weeks.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that (a) statutory Biodiversity Net Gain initiatives are implemented fully and (b) local authorities are provided with sufficient resources to monitor long-term habitat improvements.

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

Local planning authorities (LPAs) are provided with funding for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), including £10 million for this current financial year. The Government also funds the Planning Advisory Service to help LPAs meet their BNG obligations.

LPAs can charge for monitoring activity through the legal agreements into which the developer enters .

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued to businesses on how they can contribute to local habitat restoration projects.

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

Defra has published biodiversity net gain (BNG) guidance on how a business can get involved with providing biodiversity units to developers who need to go off-site for BNG. This can either be through selling units independently on land owned, or working with partners to create habitat banks. Land managers can also combine biodiversity units with other environmental payments for the same piece of land.

In addition, Projects for Nature connects corporate donations with government-screened nature recovery projects across England, which can support the delivery of our statutory biodiversity targets.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether there will be simplified a) permit systems or b) funding mechanisms provided to streamline i) community groups, ii) small landowners or iii) local conservation networks' involvement in habitat creation.

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

We are setting the conditions for more private investment to flow into domestic nature recovery, including by exploring how we can further incentivise the private sector to pay for nature’s services - through a Call For Evidence on Expanding the role of the private sector in nature recovery; and ensuring the integrity of UK nature markets by sponsoring the British Standards Institution to develop a suite of UK Nature Investment Standards.

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 help support farmers and landowners in West Berkshire to participate in the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

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

The Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) was published in October 2025. Responsible authorities have been steered to involve farmers and landowners in preparation of their LNRS. LNRSs will help farmers and landowners to choose which agri-environment scheme options are suitable for their land. However, having land mapped in an LNRS does not compel farmers or landowners to make changes to how they use or manage their land – this will continue to be their choice.

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 implications for her policies of long-term lags between developers-funding and achievement of full habitat development under biodiversity offsetting.

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

The biodiversity net gain metric includes a temporal risk multiplier which takes into account the average time lag between the start of habitat works and the target outcome. This ‘time to target’ multiplier recognises and takes account of the time it takes to create different habitats and factors those into metric calculations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support the Government plans to provide for a) community-led or b) small-scale habitat creation initiatives in areas such as West Berkshire.

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

The Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) sets local priorities for biodiversity and environmental improvement and proposes where action is most needed. The LNRS will guide coordinated action for nature, including through community-led and small-scale habitat creation initiatives.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government provides a) grants or b) matches-funding to encourage private businesses, landowners, and farmers in West Berkshire to participate in habitat creation and restoration.

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

On 1 December, the Government published our revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP25) – a clear roadmap for restoring nature. This is our long-term plan for improving the natural environment and enjoyment of it. EIP25 includes prioritised actions to help meet the ambitious Environment Act targets and sets an interim target to create or restore 250,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitat outside of protected sites by December 2030.

The Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund, funded by Defra and delivered by the Environment Agency, has provided grants to over 130 projects across England to attract private investment for nature recovery. These projects are plotted on an interactive map available on the Ecosystem Knowledge Network’s website: https://ecosystemsknowledge.net/neirf/neirf-project-directory-2/.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding the Government has allocated to a) implement the Local Nature Recovery Strategy in Berkshire for financial year 2025-2026 and b) what proportion of that funding is assigned for delivery in West Berkshire.

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

As responsible authority for the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council has been allocated £135,500 in financial year 2025-26 to support their transition to delivery of their LNRS. Government has not prescribed how this funding will be distributed geographically within the area covered by the LNRS.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to support schools and colleges in Newbury in the transition to V Levels.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is currently consulting on post-16 pathways, including the introduction of V Levels. The consultation closes on 12 January 2026.

All schools and colleges, including those in Newbury, will be supported through the transition to V Levels by access to a comprehensive package of guidance and resources. Dedicated online information will provide timely updates and practical materials to help providers prepare for delivery. Clear guidance will set out the structure and requirements of the new qualifications, supporting staff understanding and effective implementation. Exemplar pathway documents will assist providers in planning learner routes, while study programme guidance will explain how V Levels can be used to develop meaningful programmes of study.

In addition, we expect awarding organisations to supply specifications, sample assessments and training materials to support accurate delivery and assessment. Together, these measures will provide schools and colleges with the clarity and confidence needed for the successful implementation of V Levels.

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 reduce gynaecology waiting lists.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Reducing waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission, and we are committed to cutting waiting times across all specialities, including gynaecology. We have committed to return to the National Health Service constitutional standard, that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.

We are making good progress, with waiting lists cut by over 230,000 since the Government came into office, including nearly 14,000 fewer waits for gynaecology treatment.

We also delivered 5.2 million additional appointments between July 2024 and June 2025, exceeding our pledge of two million. However, we know there is more to do, and have confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment to expand capacity across diagnostics, electives, and urgent care. This includes expanding the number of surgical hubs, which provide valuable and protected capacity across elective specialities, including gynaecology. As of November 2025, over half of the 123 operational elective surgical hubs in England provide gynaecology services.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, also committed to:

• increasing the relative funding available to support gynaecology procedures with the largest waiting lists;
• ensuring that independent sector providers play a greater role in providing support for the most challenged specialities, such as gynaecology; and
• reforming and optimising clinical pathways across a number of specialities. In gynaecology, this includes supporting the delivery of innovative models offering patients care closer to home and piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve the quality and supply of industry placements for T Levels.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

T Levels are providing fantastic opportunities for young people to progress into skilled jobs and careers, and 96% of students completed their industry placement last year.

The department supports employers to host high quality placements through guidance, workshops and direct support. The department’s digital ’Connect’ service supports local providers and employers to connect with each other and our updated delivery approaches allow greater flexibility for providers to design a high quality placement experience.

We provide targeted support for industry placements in specific areas, with seven industry placement coordinators currently in local NHS integrated care systems, and an employer support fund supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and priority sectors with the essential costs of hosting a placement.

The national ’Skills for Life’ campaign raises awareness of skills development and promotes T Levels, ensuring businesses and learners understand their value, and our network of over 1,000 T Level Ambassadors builds T Level understanding and engagement in the business community.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to take steps to require all major broadband providers to operate with an internal audit function.

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

The Government keeps the financial health of the market under close review and Ofcom have powers to request financial information from providers. The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021, and its associated Regulations and Code of Practice introduced a robust security framework requiring public telecoms providers to identify, reduce, and prepare for security and resilience risks.

We recently held a public consultation on proposed updates to the Telecommunications Security Code of Practice, which provides guidance on how public telecoms providers can meet their statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements relating to reviews, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce these requirements.

In response to the consultation, the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors raised the matter of independent assurance arrangements. We are now carefully reviewing all feedback to the consultation to ensure that any updates to the Code of Practice are appropriate and proportionate.

ADHD services

Parkway Shopping

Construction of a new MRI centre at West Berkshire Community Hospital

UK arms export licensing and conflict in Sudan

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Missing Evri deliveries

Life and legacy of Saskia Jones

Cary Repair Café

Changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief in the Autumn Budget 2025

Postal workers and Royal Mail staff

Winter NHS corridor care

25th Anniversary of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000

Bank closures, digital exclusion and cyber risks

Valporate report

Sewage discharge in the Severn and Avon

Tenth anniversary of Storm Desmond

Chalk streams and salmon in Hampshire

Detention of Hassan Mushaima and Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace

Palestinian children in Israeli military detention

Russian shadow fleet

Lando Norris wins Formula One World Driver's Championship

McLaren title win for British motorsport

Found: membership Bob Blackman (Conservative; Harrow East) (Chair) Jonathan Davies (Labour; Mid Derbyshire) Mr Lee Dillon

Found: : Ambulance service response times • Jen Craft: British Sign Language Week • Yuan Yang and Mr Lee Dillon