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 Department's policies of Ofgem's decision to recover the costs of the Energy Debt Relief Scheme through consumer bills.

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

The affordability crisis is the biggest issue facing families across the country. At the Autumn Budget, the Government committed to taking money off energy bills to tackle the cost of living. The changes made at the Budget are factored into bills for years to come, and without that action the rise in the Price Cap from July would have been significantly larger.

The Government is working closely with Ofgem, energy suppliers and consumer groups to develop a range of interventions to reduce energy debt, and to understand the impacts of different approaches on consumers.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the provision of adequate levels of funding for victim support services.

Answered by Catherine Atkinson

My department has secured £550 million for victim support services over the next three years – the largest investment to date. This includes a year-on-year funding increase, recognising the need to meet the rising cost pressures of delivery and increasing levels of demand.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether a Procurement Innovation Champion has been appointed as set out in the Autumn Budget 2024.

Answered by Chris Ward

At the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor set out that each Department should appoint a Procurement of Innovation Champion at Director General level to act as driving forces for behavioural change and to support the identification and adoption of innovation opportunities across the organisation.

His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) are co-ordinating the appointment of Procurement Innovation Champions and will publish an update on this shortly.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what powers her Department has to hold local authorities accountable for their performance in maintaining flood defences.

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

The Hon Member is right to raise this important issue and I know from visiting her constituency the impact of flooding on her local community.

It is essential that local authorities maintain their flood defences as part of their statutory flood risk management duties, even if that council does not believe in climate change.

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 impact of Extended Producer Responsibility packaging fees on home improvement manufacturers who sell through builders' merchants and cannot evidence that products are not destined for household waste; and if she will review household packaging classification rules to reflect end-use.

Answered by Mary Creagh

The Government published an updated assessment in October 2024 of the impact of introducing Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging. This assessed packaging producers as a whole but did not assess individual sectors or routes to market, such as home improvement manufacturers selling through builders’ merchants.

We are aware of industry concerns about producers being charged disposal fees for packaging disposed of through commercial waste streams. Defra continues to work at pace on treatment of dual-use packaging and packaging unlikely to enter the household waste stream. Any future changes would need to be workable, enforceable and protect scheme integrity.

Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations

Found: Sarah Edwards (Labour; Tamworth) Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) Leigh Ingham

Found: Sarah Edwards (Labour; Tamworth) Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) Leigh Ingham

Found: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; Chris Bloore; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths; Leigh Ingham

Found: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; Chris Bloore; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths; Leigh Ingham

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Chris Bloore; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Leigh Ingham

Found: ; South Leicestershire) Tina Fahm (Lay member) Marie Goldman MP (Liberal Democrat; Chelmsford) Leigh Ingham