Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 expanding genetic for (a) the APOE4 gene and (b) other dementia-related risk factors in the NHS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Pharmacogenomics and Medicine Optimisation NHS Genomic Network of Excellence convened a multidisciplinary meeting in November 2023 to support an impact assessment of potential testing for APOE-4 for prediction of risk of adverse events for lecanemab and donanemab. This group considered the evidence for expanding genomic testing for the APOE gene variants, including to inform other dementia related risk factors and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to offer genomic testing for the APOE gene variants as part of routine dementia care, risk assessment, or to first degree relatives of those with an already identified APOE variant to inform risk estimates of developing future Alzheimer's disease.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has undertaken analysis of how student loan repayment arrangements affect (1) borrowers’ disposable income and (2) their ability to access mortgages.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Student loan repayments are taken into account as part of affordability assessments for mortgage applications, but student loans are very different from a mortgage or credit card debt as repayments are determined by income, not the amount borrowed. For example, a Plan 2 graduate earning £30,000 will repay only around £4 a month in FY2026–27.
The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability and help people into homeownership is to increase the supply of housing. This Government has recommitted to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament.
The government is committed to making home ownership more accessible by supporting first-time buyers, and welcomes clarifications from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which should allow customers to borrow around 10% more on the same income.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment her Department has made of (a) levels and trends in household and public sector indebtedness, (b) levels of corporate indebtedness, including debt associated with investment in artificial intelligence, (c) risks arising from asset-price inflation relative to trends in productivity and wages; and what assessment she has made of (i) the potential impact of those trends on the UK's financial stability and (ii)) the adequacy of contingency planning for a financial market downturn.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for identifying, monitoring and taking action to remove or reduce systemic risks to the UK financial system.
The FPC’s most recent (December 2025) Financial Stability Report notes that risks to financial stability increased during 2025, with key sources of risk including geopolitical tensions, fragmentation of trade and financial markets, and pressures on sovereign debt markets. The FPC also judged that many risky assets valuations remain stretched, particularly for technology companies focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and that this heightens the risk of a sharp correction. The report also notes that indebtedness measures indicate that UK households and corporates remain resilient in aggregate, but that the increasing role of debt financing in the AI sector could increase financial stability risks.
Overall, the FPC judges that the banking system is well capitalised, and strong enough to support households and businesses even in a period of stress.
HM Treasury, alongside the UK financial regulators, closely monitors markets conditions, as well as potential risks to UK financial stability. In the case of any disruption, the UK financial authorities have established mature coordination mechanisms to coordinate an appropriate response; and have a range of powers available to respond.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy and (b) clarity of the information provided to prospective students about the terms of Plan 2 student loans at the point of application.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments. Prospective students had access to a wide range of information across a range of platforms before they submit their loan application.
Student loan terms and conditions make clear that the conditions of the loan may change in line with the regulations that govern the loans. Students sign these terms and conditions before any money is paid to them.
The student finance system is designed to function differently to a commercial loan. Repayments are calculated solely on earnings, not on amount borrowed or the rate of interest applied. Crucially, Plan 2 student loans are cancelled after 30 years, regardless of outstanding balances.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress his Department has made towards phasing out gas boilers by 2035; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that timeframe in meeting the UK’s carbon reduction targets.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan sets out the government's proposals and policies to enable carbon budgets to be met. In doing so, it provides an assessment of the impact of the government’s expectation that the vast majority of heating system replacements will be low-carbon by 2035.
We are making significant progress towards this objective. Demand for heat pumps and other clean technologies is soaring, while our Warm Homes Plan sets out ?15 billion of investment and a range of interventions to ensure that clean heating technologies are the most attractive and natural option for consumers.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to monitor changes in (a) job numbers, (b) job quality and (c) skill requirements across sectors affected by the adoption of artificial intelligence; and what steps she is taking to track the labour-market effects of artificial intelligence adoption on (i) regions (ii) industries and (iii) income groups.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles. The scale of future change remains uncertain. We are therefore planning against a range of plausible outcomes to ensure workers continue to have access to good, meaningful employment.
This includes our recent announcement establishing the AI and the Future of Work Unit. The Unit will provide robust analysis and evidence on the impact of AI on the labour market. For example, our recent assessment of AI capabilities and their impact on the UK labour market evaluates trends in AI driven productivity gains and workforce exposure to AI. The Unit will also coordinate action across government, ensuring our principles are delivered through practical help and support for workers and employers.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 (a) oversight, (b) accountability and (c) redress mechanisms with home energy efficiency schemes; what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of errors; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of processes for households to (i) challenge and (ii) seek review of decisions.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that the system of quality assurance and consumer redress that we inherited needs reform.
We have improved the quality assurance and consumer protection systems since identifying the issues with solid wall insulation under ECO4 and GBIS, including but not limited to enhanced checks by energy suppliers and greater oversight of TrustMark and certification body operations.
We are committed to reforming the consumer protection system, as set out in the Warm Homes Plan, to one that can command public confidence.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his expected timetable is for the implementation of measures to expand access to talking therapies, assertive outreach, and digital access to mental health support through the NHS App under the 10-Year Health Plan.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
To deliver the shift from analogue to digital that is set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will create a digital front door for mental health care through the NHS App to boost access to early support and to empower people to take steps to manage their symptoms.
This has already started, with mental health appointment management now available in eight National Health Service trusts, with a further 18 trusts now funded to come online soon. Underserved groups will be able to find and access Talking Therapies through targeted messaging from next year as well.
We have also been making improvements to the self-referral pathways between NHS 111 online and NHS Talking Therapies, meaning that the 20,000 people with mental health queries who go to NHS 111 online are now better served. This is in addition to supporting people in crisis through the 111 online symptom checker that advises on what to do next.
We are also planning to move all direct-to-patient communication services to NHS Notify and use NHS App-based ‘push’ notifications as the preferred method of contact so that patients can access referral and appointment details, and share and update information with ease.
More widely, we support the adoption of digital technology across the NHS Talking Therapies pathway. NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provide assurance around Digitally Enabled Therapies with a strong evidence base, and 7% of NHS Talking Therapies treatments are delivered via these tools. More recently, NICE has provided assurance around Digital Front Doors into NHS Talking Therapies services and we are seeing rapid adoption of these tools, which use artificial intelligence and can improve the quality and accuracy of the assessment.
The NHS 10-Year Health Plan committed to improving assertive outreach care and treatment to ensure 100% national coverage in the next decade. Following the 2025/26 Planning Guidance, systems have reviewed their provision and developed local action plans to strengthen care and treatment. This has been supported by national guidance on intensive and assertive community mental health treatment which helps local areas assess and enhance their services. Recognising all the hard work and improvements systems have already made, we will continue working with regions and integrated care boards to ensure this remains a local priority.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 72871, on Water Charges, what cost-benefit analysis her Department carried out when choosing not to introduce a national social tariff for water bills in the policy paper entitled A new vision for water: white paper published on 20 January 2026.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is working with industry to keep support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers are supported. We are working with water companies to ensure vulnerable customers across the country receive support. This includes improving the guidance for companies to design the best social tariffs for their customers.
We expect all water companies to put appropriate support in place for customers struggling to pay their bills and to proactively engage with their customers to ensure they know what support schemes are available and how to use them. Over the next five years, water companies will have more than doubled the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through social tariffs from 4% in 2025 to 9% in 2030. We expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to this end.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the World Trade Organisation; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) level of global tariff barriers on the effectiveness of the rules-based international trading system and (b) World Trade Organisation on the (i) enforcement of global trade rules and (ii) enhancement of free, non-discriminatory frameworks for trade between countries.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
World Trade Organization (WTO) membership has resulted in substantial benefits to our, and the global, economy with WTO research showing Members having increased trade by around 171%, between 1980-2016. However, the WTO needs to evolve to address modern challenges. The UK is actively supporting WTO reform efforts, working with international partners towards a reform outcome at March's Ministerial Conference.
The impacts of trade barriers are felt by all countries however the multilateral trading system has shown resilience, with the WTO stating that 72% of global goods trade is conducted under WTO terms as of November 2025.