Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of ending the practice of Daylight Savings time in the UK.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government believes the current daylight-saving arrangements represent the optimal use of the available daylight across the UK. We have no plans to introduce single summertime, double summertime or other such changes. Since the Government does not intend to make changes to the existing system, we will not be conducting an assessment on the potential merits of ending the practice of Daylight Savings Time.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason the funding for Bedfordshire Police’s pilot scheme with Palantir, Project Nectar, was ended.

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

Project Nectar was a pilot that explored the use of advanced data federation and analytics technologies to support operational policing. Bedfordshire Police has publicly reported that, during the trial, the platform reduced the time taken to complete certain safeguarding processes, including Clare's Law checks and referrals relating to at-risk children. As a result of these benefits, Bedfordshire Police continue to invest both locally and regionally in this technology.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a national social tariff for water bills.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (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. Water companies offer a range of support schemes for customers struggling to afford their bills, including: social tariffs, WaterSure, debt support schemes, financial hardship funds, flexible payment plans and payment breaks.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing how the High Income Child Benefit Charge is calculated.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the ocean’s contribution to a) economic b) energy c) food and d) coastal security; and whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that seas are treated as critical national infrastructure.

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

Government recognises the significant contribution made by the seas of the UK Exclusive Economic Zone to economic, energy, food and coastal security, supporting key sectors including fisheries, offshore renewables and other marine industries.

The natural capital accounts define the extent of the UK marine and coastal margins habitat area and estimate that they produced ecosystem services with an annual measurable value of approximately £43 billion in 2022, and an estimated asset value of £272 billion. Within that total, fish provisioning is estimated to produce £185m ecoservices to support the UK's food security.

Further information on the value of UK marine and coastal margin ecosystem services relating to a) economic b) energy c) food and d) coastal security can be found in Table 3 of the Marine and coastal margins natural capital accounts, UK: 2025 (ONS)

Decisions concerning critical national infrastructure are considered across Government, not by Defra alone, and there are no plans to change this definition.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what specific measures her Department is taking to support a sustainable blue economy in the UK through a) removing regulatory barriers to and b) incentivising private investment in ocean regeneration.

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

Defra has introduced a number of measures to incentivise private investment in the marine environment, including the Marine Recovery Fund which offshore wind developers can pay into to meet their project's compensation requirements and fund the delivery of strategic compensatory measures.

Defra are also funding the development of a saltmarsh carbon code, to allow these vital marine habitats to be marketed and traded as a carbon offset.

In the March 2025 Regulation Action Plan, the Government pledged to cut regulatory administrative costs by 25% - a move designed to unlock growth, boost innovation, and reduce burdens on businesses across key sectors.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the One Login system for people with difficulties using that system, such as due to difficulties confirming their identity.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Government is committed to ensuring GOV.UK One Login is accessible as possible, while protecting users and the government from the risks of fraud. GOV.UK One Login offers multiple ways for users to prove their identity: through the app, online security questions or in-person via the Post Office. We are expanding the ways people can prove their identity, including a new option launching next year that will enable users to prove their identity by securely logging into their bank account. People receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can already use information about their benefit to help prove their identity. We are working with DWP to extend this to a wider range of benefits.

Where users cannot or choose not to use GOV.UK One Login, government services are required to provide alternative routes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Circular Economy Growth Plan will be published.

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

The Government is committed to delivering a more circular and resilient economy for good growth in every place. We established a Circular Economy Task Force to co-design our approach and will outline our next steps shortly.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to ensure the price of diesel is affordable in Devon.

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

The Government recognises that increases in diesel prices can put strain on household budgets and businesses, particularly those that rely heavily on road transport.

To support motorists, the Government has frozen fuel duty since taking office and extended the temporary 5 pence per litre cut until 31 December.

In addition, eligible sectors, including agriculture, continue to benefit from access to rebated red diesel, which the Government recently cut further from 10.18p to 6.48p per litre until 31 December.

Drivers can also use the Fuel Finder scheme to compare local pump prices and identify the cheapest fuel available in their area.

For more information on services currently using Fuel Finder data, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fuel-finder-for-drivers-factsheet.

Alongside these measures, we continue to monitor developments in international and domestic fuel markets and their impact on consumers and the wider economy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to expand the types of talking therapy available to patients seeking mental health support in Devon, provide alternatives for those who aren't receptive to talking therapies, and give patients a greater choice of therapist.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Devon, the NHS Talking Therapies service, TALKWORKS, has expanded the range of therapies available for people with common mental health problems. This includes interpersonal therapy, counselling for depression, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, alongside cognitive behavioural therapy. The service has also introduced a treatment pathway for people with prolonged grief disorder and continues to explore further evidence-based therapies.

Patient choice is a core part of TALKWORKS. Patients can specify a gender preference for their therapist and requests to change therapist are supported.

The Devon Partnership NHS Trust also provides a range of psychological therapies through its specialist mental health services. These vary according to clinical guidelines, local need, and available local expertise, and where a person’s needs indicate that alternative approaches, interventions, or clinicians would be beneficial, these are offered wherever possible. The trust has secured additional funding to expand dialectical behaviour therapy and provides art, music, and drama therapies as well. It is also working with local voluntary sector partners to further develop alternatives to traditional talking therapies.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding and support is being offered to improve first time uptake of breast screening appointments in (i) the South Devon Breast Screening Service and (ii) other Breast Screening Services across England.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 15 April in response to Question 125686.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure (i) the South Devon Breast Screening Service and (ii) other Breast Screening Services across England reach the 80% achievable standard for attendance.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 15 April in response to Question 125686.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is being provided to South Devon Breast Screening Service to ensure the service meets (i) 70% and (ii) 80% breast screening uptake targets.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 15 April in response to Question 125686.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether other forces are conduction similar tasks like the metropolitan police is under Op Reckoning, and what outcomes have come from these.

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

The Government is committed to tackling mobile phone theft and supports the operational activity being led by policing through Operation Reckoning.

Since January 2025, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has delivered its most comprehensive and intelligence-led response to mobile phone theft and robbery through Operation Reckoning. This is delivering results – street crime involving the theft of a mobile phone recorded by the MPS has fallen by over 16,000 offences in the year to September 2026, a reduction of 21% across London and 43% in Westminster, according to their own published data.

The Home Office collects data on the number of theft offences reported to the police in England and Wales by police force. It is not possible from information held centrally to identify mobile phone thefts reported to individual police forces.

The most recent phase of Operation Reckoning has, for the first time, expanded beyond London and involved forces across England and Wales working with industry and other partners. Activity has included visits to second-hand mobile phone retailers, intelligence-led enforcement activity and work to disrupt the criminal markets that enable stolen devices to be sold on for profit.

The operation is coordinated nationally by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, enabling forces to share intelligence, operational tactics and lessons learned to strengthen the collective response to mobile phone theft and support disruption activity across England and Wales.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what number of phone thefts have been reported in Devon & Cornwall in 2026 compared to a) The Met Force area and b) the rest of the country.

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

The Government is committed to tackling mobile phone theft and supports the operational activity being led by policing through Operation Reckoning.

Since January 2025, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has delivered its most comprehensive and intelligence-led response to mobile phone theft and robbery through Operation Reckoning. This is delivering results – street crime involving the theft of a mobile phone recorded by the MPS has fallen by over 16,000 offences in the year to September 2026, a reduction of 21% across London and 43% in Westminster, according to their own published data.

The Home Office collects data on the number of theft offences reported to the police in England and Wales by police force. It is not possible from information held centrally to identify mobile phone thefts reported to individual police forces.

The most recent phase of Operation Reckoning has, for the first time, expanded beyond London and involved forces across England and Wales working with industry and other partners. Activity has included visits to second-hand mobile phone retailers, intelligence-led enforcement activity and work to disrupt the criminal markets that enable stolen devices to be sold on for profit.

The operation is coordinated nationally by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, enabling forces to share intelligence, operational tactics and lessons learned to strengthen the collective response to mobile phone theft and support disruption activity across England and Wales.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make (a) an estimate of the total number of police officers required in the UK for police forces to operate effectively and (b) an assessment of the adequacy of the current number serving.

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

The Government is clear that an effective, well-supported police service is central to delivering safer communities and improved public confidence.

The Home Office does not set a requirement for the number of officers forces should have in order to operate effectively.

For too long the focus has been on officer numbers alone. Society, crime, and public expectations are changing, and policing must modernise to reflect this.

The Police Reform White Paper published earlier this year outlines our plans to develop a new Police Workforce Strategy to build and support a modern, capable, and sustainable police workforce. The strategy will consider what mix of officers, staff, and specialist skills policing needs to respond to today’s challenges and anticipate those of the future.

It is for Chief Constables, directly accountable to the relevant Police and Crime Commissioner or Mayor, to make operational decisions. This includes decisions on local workforce requirements informed by individual forces’ operational needs and assessments of local demand and risk.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Newton Abbot.

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

The specific data requested by the Hon Members is not centrally held. They may find useful information on the prevalence and treatment of respiratory conditions in their local areas at the Department’s Fingertips website, at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profiles

In addition, the National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, published by the UK Health Security Agency, provides weekly surveillance of respiratory virus activity in England, including hospital admission rates specifically for influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2026-to-2027-season

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to op Reckoning, how the department plans to work with Apple and major Android developers to implement tactics to reduce phone theft.

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

The Government is committed to tackling mobile phone theft and supports the operational activity being led by policing through Operation Reckoning.

Since January 2025, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has delivered its most comprehensive and intelligence-led response to mobile phone theft and robbery through Operation Reckoning. This is delivering results – street crime involving the theft of a mobile phone recorded by the MPS has fallen by over 16,000 offences in the year to September 2026, a reduction of 21% across London and 43% in Westminster, according to their own published data.

The Home Office collects data on the number of theft offences reported to the police in England and Wales by police force. It is not possible from information held centrally to identify mobile phone thefts reported to individual police forces.

The most recent phase of Operation Reckoning has, for the first time, expanded beyond London and involved forces across England and Wales working with industry and other partners. Activity has included visits to second-hand mobile phone retailers, intelligence-led enforcement activity and work to disrupt the criminal markets that enable stolen devices to be sold on for profit.

The operation is coordinated nationally by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, enabling forces to share intelligence, operational tactics and lessons learned to strengthen the collective response to mobile phone theft and support disruption activity across England and Wales.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information the department plans to share with forces outside of the metropolitan police area as a result of Op Reckoning.

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

The Government is committed to tackling mobile phone theft and supports the operational activity being led by policing through Operation Reckoning.

Since January 2025, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has delivered its most comprehensive and intelligence-led response to mobile phone theft and robbery through Operation Reckoning. This is delivering results – street crime involving the theft of a mobile phone recorded by the MPS has fallen by over 16,000 offences in the year to September 2026, a reduction of 21% across London and 43% in Westminster, according to their own published data.

The Home Office collects data on the number of theft offences reported to the police in England and Wales by police force. It is not possible from information held centrally to identify mobile phone thefts reported to individual police forces.

The most recent phase of Operation Reckoning has, for the first time, expanded beyond London and involved forces across England and Wales working with industry and other partners. Activity has included visits to second-hand mobile phone retailers, intelligence-led enforcement activity and work to disrupt the criminal markets that enable stolen devices to be sold on for profit.

The operation is coordinated nationally by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, enabling forces to share intelligence, operational tactics and lessons learned to strengthen the collective response to mobile phone theft and support disruption activity across England and Wales.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate on (a) EV take-up and (b) emissions levels in Devon.

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

Alongside any changes to the ZEV Mandate, a Cost Benefit Analysis will be made which set out the potential impact on ZEV uptake and emissions at a UK level. On 14 August, the Government launched the ZEV Mandate Review consultation, which seeks views from the public and stakeholders to consider the ZEV Mandate. This consultation forms an important part of the long-committed ZEV Mandate review.

No policy decisions have been made yet regarding the trajectories of the ZEV Mandate. We are seeking views on whether a revised approach to the existing Mandate trajectories is warranted. The Government remains committed to the 2030 and 2035 phase-out dates and they are not subject to change.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of reducing the financial value of Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme Thank-You payments on the number of visas granted under that Scheme.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open and uncapped. The Government considered the available evidence on sponsorship sustainability, local authority impacts and affordability when deciding the future funding arrangements.

The scheme has evolved from an emergency response into an established programme. The announced changes help ensure the scheme remains sustainable. Thank you payments will continue as a gesture of appreciation for sponsors opening their homes. They are not rent or a long-term funding arrangement.

From 1 January 2027, thank you payments will reduce from £350 to £100 per household each month. The impact on the numbers of visas granted will depend on future applications, the availability of eligible sponsors and individual decisions. It is therefore not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the number of visas that may be granted following the change.

Englishness and ethnicity

Flooding in Gaza

Rehabilitation and reintegration of Ukraine’s veterans

Official Development Assistance

Appointment of Russian diplomat to lead United Nations' mine-action work

Found: Helen Morgan Lisa Smart Caroline Voaden Steve Darling Rachel Gilmour Pippa Heylings Wera Hobhouse Martin Wrigley

Found: Helen Morgan Lisa Smart Caroline Voaden Steve Darling Rachel Gilmour Pippa Heylings Wera Hobhouse Martin Wrigley

Found: Helen Morgan Lisa Smart Caroline Voaden Steve Darling Rachel Gilmour Pippa Heylings Wera Hobhouse Martin Wrigley

Found: Helen Morgan Lisa Smart Caroline Voaden Steve Darling Rachel Gilmour Pippa Heylings Wera Hobhouse Martin Wrigley

Found: Helen Morgan Lisa Smart Caroline Voaden Steve Darling Rachel Gilmour Pippa Heylings Wera Hobhouse Martin Wrigley

Found: Helen Morgan Lisa Smart Caroline Voaden Steve Darling Rachel Gilmour Pippa Heylings Wera Hobhouse Martin Wrigley

Found: Sabine Dr Roz Savage Dr Danny Chambers Helen Morgan Steve Darling Rachel Gilmour Pippa Heylings Martin Wrigley