Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with Evri on measures to support frontline delivery staff, including a) training, b) working conditions and c) pay.

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

All businesses must comply with relevant laws and employers must comply with their legal obligations to ensure that their workforce receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled.

Evri, and other parcel delivery operators, are independent businesses and the government does not have a role in their operational decisions.

Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services, does not regulate the employment or remuneration models of Evri or other parcel delivery companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has held discussions with relevant stakeholders on the adequacy of the operations of major parcel delivery operators during seasonal demands.

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

Ministers have regular discussions with Ofcom in its capacity as the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services.

The government wants to see all operators provide a good level of service, including during peak seasons. However, parcel delivery companies are independent businesses, and the government has no role in their operational decisions.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to require parcel delivery companies to publish regular data on a) delivery success rates, b) complaints volumes, c) compensation claims and d) average resolution times.

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

Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector. The government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions.

Ofcom last reviewed postal regulation in 2022 and considered extending the requirement on Royal Mail to publish complaints handling reports to the wider parcels sector. It concluded the market, then, was working well.

Following recent market developments, Ofcom is gathering evidence of operator’s compliance levels with their applicable Consumer Protection Conditions.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had recent discussions with Ofcom regarding its monitoring and enforcement activity in respect of Evri.

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

Ministers have regular discussions with Ofcom in its capacity as the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services. The government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions.

Following market developments, Ofcom are gathering evidence of operator’s compliance levels with their applicable Consumer Protection Conditions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of tax changes on high street businesses in Newbury.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has announced a support package worth £4.3bn to support high street businesses with their business bills, including new, permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses.

Every pub and live music venue will also get 15% off its new bill.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Newbury constituency compared with the national average; and what steps he is taking to prioritise respiratory health nationally.

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

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for the Newbury constituency, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.

Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Newbury can be found under the West Berkshire county at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E06000037/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to review the NHS dental banding system to reflect the treatment of patients with complex needs.

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

We are introducing three new care pathways for patients with significant dental decay and gum disease, with payments to dentists ranging from £248 to £709.

Under the new care pathways, patients will agree a single care plan with their dentist, setting out the prevention, treatment, and appointments they need. Patients will pay one charge for the whole course of care, normally a Band 2 charge. This approach benefits patients by reducing the need for repeated visits and avoiding multiple charges, while supporting more effective, joined‑up care.

By incentivising complex treatments, we’re encouraging dentists to undertake vital National Health Service work, benefiting patients across the country who will pay one charge for the whole course of treatment.

We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on quality and payment reforms to the NHS dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. Further information is available from the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms/outcome/government-response-to-consultation-on-nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms

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 improve child dental health in Newbury constituency.

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

The 10-Year Health Plan confirms that child dental health is a priority. We are introducing changes to dental access that will benefit children. Following public consultation, from April 2026 we will introduce a new course of treatment for fluoride varnish for children to be applied by suitably trained dental nurses in between regular check-ups. We will also increase remuneration for dentists for fissure sealants, to support increased use of this effective treatment for primary prevention purposes.

In the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, 26,221, or 12%, more NHS dental treatments were delivered to children in April to October 2025 compared to the same period before the election.

The Government is also prioritising the prevention of poor dental health in children. Through the national supervised toothbrushing programme, the West Berkshire Council has been allocated approximately £33,000 over the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years to target three- to five-year-olds in deprived areas. The West Berkshire Council has also received approximately 700 free toothbrushes and toothpastes through our five year collaboration with Colgate-Palmolive.

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 local authority funding pressures on recruitment and retention in the adult social care workforce.

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

No specific assessment has been made on the potential impact of local authority funding pressures on recruitment and retention in the adult social care workforce.

English local authorities have a responsibility under the Care Act 2014 to meet social care needs and statutory guidance directs them to ensure there is sufficient workforce in adult social care. The Government recognises the scale of reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth and improve the retention of the domestic workforce.

The Government is making over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in making improvements. This includes £500 million to introduce the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in 2028 to improve pay and conditions for the adult social care workforce.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Access to Work scheme supports people with multiple sclerosis to remain in employment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The support that a customer will receive from Access to Work is dependent upon their needs and circumstances at the time they make an application. When assessing customer needs, Case Managers will consider the barriers the customer experiences in the workplace. This will include consideration of how a customer’s disability, or health condition, such as Multiple Sclerosis, may impact their ability to get into, and stay in work. Case managers will use the current guidance to ensure Access to Work principles are considered when making a decision on support.

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 changes to employer National Insurance contributions on providers of council-commissioned adult social care services.

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

The Government took the cost pressures facing adult social care, including changes to employer National Insurance contributions and increases to the National Living Wage, into account as part of the wider consideration of local government spending.

To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government has made available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26. The Government also made an extra £502 million of support for local authorities in England to manage the impact of changes to employer National Insurance Contributions announced at the Autumn Budget for 2025/26.

In addition, the final Local Government Finance Settlement has confirmed an increase of over £4.6 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are responsible for shaping their care markets to meet local needs. In doing so, they should have an understanding of the local market, work effectively with local providers, and maintain oversight of local workforce pressures. It is for them to determine what is a sustainable rate, suitable to their local circumstances.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of whether current local authority funding for adult social care will be sufficient for projected demand over the next three years.

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

The Department regularly assesses the demand and cost pressures facing adult social care. These pressures were taken into account as part of the wider consideration of spending within the Spending Review process.

The Government is making additional funding available for adult social care to support the sector in making improvements. The total additional funding available for adult social care in 2026/27 compared to 2025/26 is over £1.6 billion, rising to over £4.6 billion in 2028/29.

This includes additional grant funding, growth in other sources of income available to support adult social care, and an increase to the National Health Service contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with the Department’s Spending Review settlement.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Local Housing Allowance levels on (a) Personal Independence Payment claimants, (b) Universal Credit claimants and (c) households placed in temporary accommodation.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) sets the maximum level of support for people living in the private rented sector and is administered through Universal Credit Housing Element or Housing Benefit.

The current LHA rate does not apply to households living in temporary accommodation. Their housing costs are covered in full by their local authority, and DWP then subsidises the local authority through Housing Benefit.

At Autumn Budget, the Secretary of State reviewed LHA and decided not to increase rates for 2026/27. A range of factors were considered, including cross-government impacts on homelessness and impacts on protected characteristics, such as disability, in line with equality duties.

This Government has taken important steps to support people with their living costs such as the Universal Credit Act, which legislates to rebalance Universal Credit by bringing in, for the first time ever, a sustained above inflation increase to the standard allowance for all claimants.

Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for discretionary housing support from local authorities.

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 impact of being charged commercial electricity tariffs where the supply account is held in the name of a business on residential leaseholders.

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

The Government is committed to support domestic households with a non-domestic energy supply with their energy costs, and are very clear that resellers such as landlords should not profit from the act of reselling energy to consumers.

Ofgem’s Maximum Resale Price (MRP) rules protect consumers from being overcharged by limiting the price of energy charged to consumers to the price paid by those procuring the energy. This includes tenants who pay their landlord for their energy.

To ensure that businesses, are not being overcharged for energy, Ofgem is monitoring contracts in the non-domestic energy market.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a householder exemption to the Community Infrastructure Levy.

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

Householders building residential extensions and residential annexes to their homes can obtain an exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), subject to completing the procedural process for obtaining the exemption within required timescales.

The CIL guidance, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out all the criteria that must be met and procedures that must be followed to obtain an exemption.

I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105228 on 21 January 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a right for leaseholders to manage their own electricity supply arrangements.

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

The rights of leaseholders in respect of electricity supply arrangements are governed by the terms of their leases.

The government is committed to implementing measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to make enfranchisement cheaper and easier.

The Act sets the method for calculating the price of a statutory lease extension or freehold acquisition, known as the valuation process. It removes the requirement for marriage value to be paid, caps the treatment of ground rents in the valuation calculation at 0.1% of the freehold value, and allows government to prescribe the rates used to calculate the enfranchisement premium.

Valuation rates used to calculate the enfranchisement premium will be set by the Secretary of State in secondary legislation. We will consult on valuation rates and commence the relevant provisions as soon as possible.

As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), primary legislation will be required to rectify a small number of specific flaws in the 2024 Act before the Act’s enfranchisement provisions are commenced.

Once brought into force, these measures, together with the already implemented removal of the two-year qualifying rule for enfranchisement, will mean leaseholders will be able to buy their freehold at any time, at a fair price. This will allow them to manage the electricity supply in their building.

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 considered introducing an exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy for householders.

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

Householders building residential extensions and residential annexes to their homes can obtain an exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), subject to completing the procedural process for obtaining the exemption within required timescales.

The CIL guidance, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out all the criteria that must be met and procedures that must be followed to obtain an exemption.

I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105228 on 21 January 2026.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is considering to mitigate the impact of increases in the State Pension age on people with long-term health conditions.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer the Hon. member to the answer I gave to PQ 116522.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department plans to set out a timetable for restoring official development assistance spending to 0.7 per cent of gross national income.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government is committed to returning to spending 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance as soon as fiscal circumstances allow.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the 2022 impact assessment on the 10 per cent commission payable on the resale of park homes, what additional financial information he is seeking from site owners to inform further policy consideration.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 115901 on 9 March 2026.

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 improve the energy efficiency of homes in rural areas.

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

The Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund support eligible households– including in rural areas and off gas grid- to upgrade their homes, with measures including insulation, solar, batteries, and heat pumps.

All eligible households in England and Wales can benefit from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to support low-carbon heating installations, funded with ?2.7 billion to 2030. There is a strong uptake of BUS grants in rural areas, with 49% of all grants given to rural properties to date.

Additionally, the government has consulted on alternative heating solutions to ensure every household has a suitable low-carbon option. The consultation is now closed. A government response will follow 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 assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of recent increases in petrol and diesel prices at forecourts following changes in global oil prices.

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

Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Energy Minister and the Secretary of State recently met with the CMA who are considering what options they have available if there is evidence of unfair practices. We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies, and there are no issues with fuel supply.

This government has also introduced the Fuel Finder scheme, which will increase price transparency so drivers can compare prices to find the best deal and incentivise greater competition.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what timetable his Department has set for decisions on a second wave of National Service Frameworks; and whether respiratory conditions are under consideration.

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

The Government will consider the long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. In relation to timing, after the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has considered the potential merits of moving existing renewable energy projects supported through Renewable Obligation Certificates onto Contracts for Difference.

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

We have looked at proposals to move generation assets supported by the Renewables Obligation Scheme onto Contracts for Difference. We keep proposals under review and are open to considering measures that will help to lower consumer energy bills.

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 improve consumer protections for rural households reliant on heating oil.

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

The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing. Ministers have also spoken with the Competition and Markets Authority, who are considering their options available if there is evidence of unfair practices or anti-competitive behaviour.

The CMA will now gather evidence on the

situation in the market and look at whether consumers are being treated fairly. Conversations will continue in the coming days and the CMA have the power to launch an investigation into anything relating to unfair contract terms, misleading consumer practices or anti-competitive behaviour.

The Government is keeping under review whether any further support or action may be needed to protect consumers and we will work with Devolved Governments if any support is developed.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve standards in the enforcement agent industry.

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

The Government strongly supports the work that the Enforcement Conduct Board is doing to raise standards in the enforcement agent industry to ensure that people in debt are treated fairly. On 9 June 2025, the Government announced a balanced package of measures that seek to protect those facing enforcement action, whilst ensuring that there is a fair system of enforcement. As part of this package, we have consulted on how to establish an independent regulatory framework, to build on the work that the Enforcement Conduct Board is doing on a voluntary basis to raise standards.

The Government will respond to that consultation in due course and implement reform when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of replacing a proposed cap on the number of branded school uniform items with a monetary cap set by regulations.

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

I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 114997.

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 conduct a review of NHS weight management services, including their eligibility criteria.

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

The National Health Service and local government provide a range of weight management services. Commissioning and funding decisions for obesity services are made locally. NHS integrated care boards, local authorities, and NHS England are expected to take National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance into account when designing services.

NICE guidance on overweight and obesity management sets out the core components, standards, and eligibility criteria for weight management programmes.

In this context, the Department has no current plans to review NHS weight management services, or their eligibility criteria. The Department and NHS England continue to provide national policy direction, including by providing commissioning guidance for local systems. We are committed to expanding access to obesity medicines and expanding the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme to support an additional 125,000 people over the next three years.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of reforms to integrated care boards, including staffing reductions, on their role in SEND commissioning.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department will continue to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care as well as NHS England to ensure that special educational needs and disabilities reforms are co-ordinated across education and health, and local leaders are supported to manage the transition effectively.

The government is also providing substantial, targeted investment to help local areas grow and strengthen their specialist workforce. Over the next three years, £1.8 billion will be made available to local area partnerships to develop and roll out the Experts at Hand offer.

We have also announced over £40 million to expand the specialist workforce, including £15 million for new advanced speech and language therapy practitioner roles, and £26 million to train at least 200 educational psychologists per year from 2026 and 2027.

Rural postal services

Newbury Fire Station’s fundraising efforts

Olympic achievement of Leon Greenwood

Thatcham Refillable and community environmental leadership

Ambulance handover times

Funding for rural fire and rescue services

National Keep Britain Tidy Campaign

World Hearing Day 2026

Cardiac risk in the young

Covid Day of Reflection 2026

Eating disorder services

Temporary accommodation and its impact on neurodivergent children

Cancer care in Gaza

NHS dentistry

International Women's Day 2026 and women’s inclusion in placemaking

Recognition of armed forces personnel wounded in terrorist attacks outside of operational deployment

Royal Mail delivery standards

Airport drop-off charges

Delay Repay scheme

Endometriosis Awareness Month 2026

Leasehold reform (No. 3)

UNESCO World Heritage status for chalk streams in England

Energy prices for households and businesses

Heating oil prices

Outdoor learning

Found: Charalambous (Labour; Southgate and Wood Green) Sir Christopher Chope (Conservative; Christchurch) Mr Lee Dillon

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mr Lee Dillon; Mary Glindon

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

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mr Lee Dillon; Mary Glindon

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

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